Page 36 of Scandal’s Daughter

Chapter 17

“Wherein plans are revealed, and the fates laugh with glee.”

Sebastian looked up as Beau strolled into the room unannounced and without so much as a knock.

“Do come in,” he drawled, tucking the sleek red curl he had been staring at with dejection into his desk drawer and out of sight.

Beau paused and looked at him, one blond eyebrow arched in surprise. “I have,” he replied, before going and helping himself to Sebastian’s best brandy.

“It’s not even noon,” he pointed out to Beau who just returned a bored look and sat down in front of his desk.

“I’m celebrating,” Beau replied with a smug expression.

“Oh?” Sebastian closed the ledger he’d been quite at a loss to make tally for the past two hours as a certain sweet country girl and her unruly red hair kept intruding on his thoughts. He was dangerously close to breaking and returning to Cornwall, for he didn’t think he could bear not to see her again.

“Yes, I believe I have discovered the means to my salvation.”

Sebastian blinked and tried to drag his mind away from an October day and a Titian haired beauty spread out among the autumn leaves, and back to Beau’s news.

“Oh?”

Beau sighed and shook his head. “You said that already.”

“I did?”

“Good God, man,” his friend snapped, clearly exasperated. “Will you snap out of ... of whatever this is!” He ran a hand through his thick blond hair and slouched back in the chair, glaring at Sebastian. “You’ve not been fit for man nor beast for weeks now. You can’t have her, and you know you can’t, so bloody well let it go.”

“I would if I could, damn it!” he exploded in return.

The unfairness of it all, the longing to see Georgiana, the pressure of the past weeks, of his mother’s hysterics and her determination they were all to be brought to ruin had worn on his last nerve.

“What do you know of love?” he demanded. “You’ve never cared a damn for anyone but yourself. I can’t forget her, I ... I can’t.”

He stopped, appalled by his outburst. Sebastian hadn’t meant to admit that to Beau, and he certainly hadn’t meant to abuse his best friend for no reason. He sighed as he saw the look in his friend’s eyes. His face had that guarded, shuttered-up quality he wore for everyone but Sebastian.

“Forgive me, Beau,” he said, hearing the exhaustion behind his words. “I had no right to say that and ... and I know it isn’t true. You have always been ... the very best of friends.”

Beau snorted in disgust, though he seemed to relax a little. “No, I haven’t. Far from it, and you well know it. But you are and I don’t expect to hear you of all people call me out for it.”

Sebastian laughed, relieved that he’d been so easily forgiven. “To tell the truth, it’s been the most damnably awful few weeks.”

“I suppose a broken heart will do that to you?” Beau replied, curiosity lurking in his blue eyes. “You really think you love the girl?”

“I don’t think it,” he replied with a crooked smile. “I know it. I have never felt this way before. It’s like all the air has been sucked out of the world and I can’t breathe anymore.”

Beau grimaced with disdain and picked a tiny piece of lint from his perfectly tailored sleeve. “How terribly uncomfortable. I must make sure I avoid it at all costs.”

“You do,” Sebastian replied laughing. He grew serious again as Georgiana’s lovely face drifted back to mind. “I can’t get her out of my head,” he admitted.

“You must, unless you would offer her a carte blanche?”

Sebastian smiled as he imagined the look on Georgiana’s face if he dared to offer to keep her as his mistress. “I don’t think she’d take that offer very kindly,” he said, shaking his head with amusement.

Beau gave an impatient tut of annoyance. “Well, you must think of something because I can’t stand all this moping about, it’s revolting. Just imagine what your mother would say if you told her you intended to offer for a doctor’s daughter with no name and no fortune. Good God, that would be the spasm to end all spasms. You might actually kill her!”

Sebastian buried his head in his hands. “Right at this moment she might actually welcome the idea, as it’s far from my only problem.”

“You’re not serious? What else can have ... oh!” Beau trailed off.