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No.
Samantha stood to get the girl’s attention. “Felicity, it’s fine.”
Scowling, her sister-in-law brought her hands up, and then thrust them forward, palms facing down. Then she pointed at Beath.
Hate him.
“What is she saying?” Beath asked in a suspicious tone.
“Felicity is disturbed that we seem to be arguing,” Samantha replied. “I’ll explain your wishes to her later, but perhaps it might be best if she went upstairs now to change.”
She placed her hands on her sister-in-law’s shoulders. The girl’s body quivered with repressed fury.
“She should certainly go change,” Beath said. “I will visit another day, when she—and you—are in a proper condition to receive me.”
“An excellent idea,” Samantha replied as she steered Felicity toward the door. She all but shoved the poor girl out of the room and then returned to the fray.
Naturally, Beath resumed firing first. “I will no longer tolerate this situation, Samantha. Changes have to be made.”
“What situation are you referring to, sir? We go on here as we always have.”
“And I have tolerated that long enough. You are keeping company with inappropriate men and allowing my granddaughter to run about town like a hooligan.”
By now, pain clanged in her skull as if a blacksmith’s hammer was pounding there.
“I repeat, sir, I am doing nothing of the sort. Felicity is a lovely, intelligent girl, well liked wherever she goes.”
“Felicity should not be going out at all. The girl will never be normal, and yet you embarrass her and yourself by parading her in public. Out of respect for Roger’s wishes, I have allowed the girl to stay with you. However, it has now become clear that you are an unfit guardian.” He leaned forward, his face ugly with contempt. “Once and for all, it is time for you to recognize that you are mentally incapable of caring for my granddaughter.”
Samantha’s lungs seized, stunned both by his declaration and his threat. It was beyond belief that he would throw her illness back in her face—an illness made infinitely worse by his unfeeling treatment of her.
Beath sat like a canny old wolf, waiting for her to make a mistake.
She wouldn’t give the bastard the satisfaction.
“I reject your assessment of the situation, Lord Beath. I am perfectly well and entirely capable of taking care of your granddaughter, and that is what Roger certainly wished. Since you have never desired Felicity to live with you, I am mystified as to what you truly want.”
He leaned forward, spearing her with his gaze. “What I want is a life free of scandal and fuss. What I want is my grandsonalive.”
Since there was nothing she could say to that, she didn’t try.
Beath heaved his bulk up from his chair. “I will be staying at my mansion in the—”
He stopped when the door opened again. Bathsheba sailed into the room, a brilliant smile on her beautiful features. Samantha mentally cursed. Of all the bad timing . . .
“What are you doing here?” she blurted.
Bathsheba rounded her eyes. “Why, I saw Lord Beath’s carriage, and I simplyhadto stop in and say hello.”
She swanned up to the old man, who was looking bemused by her dramatic entrance, and dropped into a deep, graceful curtsy.
“Such a pleasure to see you, my lord,” Bathsheba enthused as she came up. “Goodness, it’s been ages since you’ve visited the city. You’ve been most remiss in depriving us of your company.”
“Er, well, yes,” Beath replied. “And how do you do, Mrs. Blackmore?”
“I am simply splendid, now that I know you’re in town. I do hope it will be for a long stay.”
When Bathsheba actually batted her eyelashes at him, Samantha could only stare in disbelief. Beath, in turn, looked more than slightly flummoxed.
