Chase drew on the cigar, holding the smoke in his mouth and waiting for her outrage.
It didn’t come.
“Do you wish the solicitor hadn’t told you?” Her question was something he’d refused to give consideration from the moment he’d met Collette and Diana.
“No. They’re my sisters.” He’d come to love them.
Bethany was staring at his cigar and seemed lost in thought.
“Care to give it another try?” Feeling oddly exposed, he welcomed any distraction from his tale of scandal and woe.
He’d only ever shared a cigar on very rare occasions. It wasn’t something a gentleman normally did—not something he normally had done anyhow—until this week.
“I would.”
Chase handed it off to her carefully. Small tragedy if she were to drop it. “Careful. Draw in just enough smoke to fill your mouth.”
She lifted it to her lips, holding it with the thumb and first two fingers of both hands. Exerting far too much effort and concentration, she sucked in just enough for the tip to glow a calming red.
But then, without so much as a small cough, she handed it back. “Tell me about them—these sisters of yours.”
She pivoted and began strolling slowly along the path again, hands behind her back, almost as though they were discussing a favorite book.
She wasn’t making this difficult. In fact, he felt a slight lifting off his shoulders. Funny that. He held back and allowed his gaze to trail appreciatively over her silhouette of generous curves. His fingers itched, and he couldn’t help but recall the image of her pale heart-shaped derriere.
“If you want to. I won’t insist that you do,” she added with a breezy smile, glancing over her shoulder as she did so. Was she flirting with him?
The earth shifted into an unfamiliar balance.
But she’d asked him something. He shook his head, dismissing the licentious thoughts that had all but slammed into him. He couldn’t very well discuss his sisters while lusting after his wife.
“Collette and Diana were twelve and ten when my father died… our father. They’re grown women now.”
“Do they resemble you?”
“I see my father in them.” In fact, Collette and Diana were beautiful women and young Sarah’s looks threatened to eclipse them both. But they were ladies with questionable prospects at best. Society would never accept them. Unless, that was, he came up with something…
He explained that Collette wanted to become a teacher, but Diana saw herself more as a dancing girl. “And then there’s the baby.” Chase smiled fondly.
“She must be how old, nine, ten by now?”
“She is nine. Sarah was born without her sight.” But she had the soul of an angel.
Bethany moved several feet along the path before commenting, “It can’t be easy to care for her. She must require special teaching.”
That was putting it mildly.
“Initially, Beverly worked with her. She’s been a good mother. Trouble is, she suffered an apoplexy two years ago. It left her unable to walk, and she struggles to speak now. Aside from various nurses, the older girls provide for their mother. Sarah relies upon a governess.” He winced, “who was called away last night. I hired a new woman this afternoon and am hopeful that she’ll get along well with the girls.”
“So,” Bethany said. “Not multiple mistresses.”
“No,” he answered. “Collette and Diana helped me select your ring.”
Bethany nodded as she wandered deeper into the trees. “They rely on you.”
Chase nodded tersely, sickened to imagine the life his father would have left them to if Mr. Sherwood hadn’t said anything.
“Why didn’t your father provide for them? If he loved them enough to keep them to begin with…? They were his family.”
