‘I brought Harriette here to bear witness to my character. I could not exactly arrange a meeting between the two of you anywhere you might be seen. Hence this visit to mypied-à-terre.’
Cassie bit her lip to keep from speaking. She had been tempted to announce that his character must be bad indeed if he chose a whore to vouch for him. But even though the woman sitting in front of her was infamous, it seemed rather impolite to call attention to the fact.
Sebastian smiled and said, ‘Harriette, may I present Miss Cassandra Fisk?’
‘Septon’s charming sister,’ the other woman said with a smile. ‘I am pleased to meet you, my dear.’
‘Miss Wilson,’ she said, trying to keep the chill from her voice.
‘Harriette, could you tell Miss Fisk what we were speaking of at the theatre two nights ago?’
Her mouth formed an O of understanding, which relaxed into a smile. ‘So this is…’
Sebastian nodded.
‘I see.’
‘I do not,’ Cassie said, frowning.
Harriette nodded. ‘I noticed that Westbridge was alone in his box and offered him company.’
‘While watching the play?’ Cassie said, still frowning.
‘And after,’ Harriette replied.
‘Now, Miss Wilson,’ Sebastian said, like a barrister questioning a witness, ‘Before that evening, when was the last time we were together?’
‘About a year and a half ago,’ the woman replied.
‘And, if you were to write your memoirs, how much space would you allot to me? A chapter? A page perhaps?’
The woman’s smile turned catlike. ‘A footnote.’
Sebastian winced. ‘Let us say a paragraph, for the sake of my pride.’
‘If you wish,’ she replied.
‘And on the night in question, how did I answer your offer of company?’
‘You said that your heart was engaged, and turned me down,’ she said. She was still smiling, but now it was at Cassie.
For a moment, the room had seemed to shift beneath her, and she had felt quite weak.
Then, Sebastian’s hand was on her shoulder, guiding her to a chair and pushing down until she sat. Once she was settled, heturned back to Harriette. ‘And before that evening, you had not seen me in some time?’
‘A year and a half,’ she repeated.
‘Have you heard anything else about me, recently?’
‘Only that people were wondering what you were up to,’ she replied. ‘No one has seen you in your usual haunts in ages.’
‘No gambling? No whoring? No drinking late into the night?’
‘Not that I am aware of,’ the courtesan said. ‘Since the duel with Septon, the gossip about you is that there is no gossip.’
‘That will be all, Miss Wilson,’ he said, bowing deeply to her and indicating the door.
‘Then I shall just leave the two of you alone, shall I?’ she said, smiling brightly. ‘Unless you need a chaperone?’
