It was a ridiculous sum of money. It was all of his liquid assets. Yes, his investments would be fine, and they would be able to pay their household without issue at the quarterly, but one thousand pounds to merely speak to Prudence?
There was a gripping in his bowels, his stomach, and he began to sweat. The feeling of not having enough money—the one emotion that had been his constant until only a few years ago—swallowed him whole. His peripheral vision began to blacken, as if great theatre curtains were slowly closing. He blinked, wanting to shouteleven hundred!He wanted to be her hero. The man who would do whatever it took.
But he realized then that every man has his price. And while his was not eleven hundred pounds, it was never wanting to feel that desperation ever again. He couldn’t force his mother into a restricted existence, not even in thought.
Leo looked up at Prudence, feeling her stare on him from her great height. How he wanted her to understand, to accept, to love. But he couldn’t explain, so she would never realize what tonight had cost him.
Leo shook his head.
“One thousand pounds, to the large gentleman the size of a tree. Thank you.” Bridewell was clearly unsettled by the bidding war.
Eyeball came over and stood next to Leo, leaning over to whisper to him. “You shouldn’t have given up.”
“Fuck off, you absolute entitled shit,” Leo ground out.
“If you were willing to fight for her, she’d go to you. As it is, she’ll settle for me. At least I know I can get her to come round to my charm eventually.” Eyeball strode off with confidence, reaching into the internal breast pocket of his coat to dig out his banknotes.
Leo had never hated anyone more in that moment. Not even Reggie, who’d never done anything good in the world. But he couldn’t turn away from the spectacle. Prudence’s wig was removed, and unlike the other two ladies, her hair pins loosened, and that honey-colored hair tumbled down around her bare shoulders.
It was like a knife in the gut. She undid her black mask, revealing that straight nose and high cheekbones. She looked straight at him, and he could almost feel her silky hair threaded between his fingers. The taste of the morning tea and biscuits at the cottage on her lips as he casually grazed them with his own. The smell of summer grass and blue skies. The happiness that he’d cut short, fearing that his past was catching up to him, threatening all that he held dear.
Then she turned away, descending the mountain to meet Eyeball, who would sit by her as she ate. Talk to her of the party, of whatever stupid thing came into his distractingly limited mind. Leo turned then, making his way back to collect his mother, as Bridewell announced the final woman, Miss Fuji.
The bidding was low, as everyone knew this was Bridewell’s wife. But Leo didn’t care about any of it. He had to go—he couldn’t be among this wealth, this luxury, these people.
When he returned to his mother, she almost protested that she wasn’t ready until she saw his face. Then she stood without a word, bid goodnight to her friends, and they went home. Leo wasglad she didn’t speak. Once home, she ordered the footman to serve Leo brandy in his study and a hot toddy to her in her room.
It was a small gesture of caretaking, and one Leo noticed and appreciated. Loved her even more for understanding.
Chapter Ten
THE MEMBERS OFthe Ladies’ Alpine Society stayed at the Rascomb residence overnight, arising in the morning to seek each other out in their bedrooms in their nightshifts and dressing gowns in the morning.
Eventually, they all ended up in Ophelia’s room, in her giant bed, with a tray full of leftover fruits and cheeses and a hot pot of chocolate.
“I almost died when I heard—” Justine puffed up her chest and dropped her voice into a gravelly bass “—One. Thousand. Pounds.”
Prudence shook her head, tearing a bread roll into even smaller pieces. She was embarrassed to have had that kind of attention. Mostly because it ended up being Lord Grabe on her arm, and not Leo. She had a lump in her throat for the rest of the night, despite the viscount’s attentions. The man had given up championing Leo, and set about championing himself in Prudence’s eyes.
Why he would waste time with her, she didn’t know. Wasn’t he supposed to marry some blue-blood girl barely out of the schoolroom? Still, he was handsome, and that didn’t make for a difficult way to pass the time, even if she wished he were someone else.
“I never thought we’d make that much money at all,” Ophelia confessed. “Not even close.”
“It was because Justine set the mood with the army of suitors bidding right at the beginning.” Prudence was happy to set the attention on Justine, who always seemed to have an army of suitors at the ready.
Justine stuck out her tongue, which only made her cheek dimple. Cute as a button. “They are all useless.”
“Not to us,” Eleanor said. “That five hundred pounds will do nicely to get us comfortable train tickets.”
“Fine,” Justine allowed. “Their money isn’t useless. But the men are twits. I can’t stand them.”
“How much did we total?” Eleanor asked Prudence.
“Two thousand and fifty pounds.” Prudence looked each woman in the face as they broke out in brilliant smiles. They sat silent for a moment as the huge sum echoed in the air, as if it had weight of its own.
“We have plenty,” Ophelia said.
“We’ll get the best ropes!” Eleanor said, barely containing a squeal.
