Sebastian shook his head. He checked the clock on the mantelpiece. ‘They will be here shortly so, for the time being, I will have to play along with Freddy Lynch’s scheme. Matt, leave this to me and Bragge. I just need to write a note to Harry.’
Matt opened his mouth to protest but one look at his brother’s steely eyes and he left the room.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Obedient to his summons, Freddy, with Fanny on his arm, entered the library on the stroke of midday. The girl leaned against her brother, her face pale and drawn, the picture of outraged innocence. Sebastian, standing by the fireplace, spared her no sympathy. He thought only of the vicious slash that now marred his face, marking him as a boor and degrader of women.
He looked from one to the other. If any of his soldiers had seen him, they would have been in no doubt that trouble would follow. Fanny gave her brother a nervous glance. Freddy, in his turn, raised his chin in a pugnacious fashion, but even he could not meet Sebastian’s cold eyes.
As Freddy reached for a chair, Sebastian spoke, employing a tone of voice he had not had cause to use since his army days.
‘I didn’t say you could sit.’
Freddy stepped back from the chair as if it had burned him.
‘You sent for us, Somerton?’
He produced a handkerchief from his sleeve and patted his upper lip where a few tell-tale beads of sweat had gathered despite the chill of the room.
‘Yes, I sent for you. To tell you, I have no intention of playingout your little game.’ He glanced at Fanny whose chin wobbled. ‘I am not the fool you played me for, Lynch. You think you may have trapped me into marriage with your sister, but that is as far as it will go. If it’s money you want, name your sum and be done with it.’
The siblings stared at him as if they had never seen him before in their lives.
‘Sebastian... Lord Somerton...’ Freddy began in a jovial tone, as if all that Sebastian had said was some enormous joke they would laugh over later.
The words died on his lips as he looked into Sebastian’s face.
‘But Sebastian...’ wailed Fanny, her protests, like her brother’s, dying in the light of his lordship’s cold eyes.
‘Name your sum, retract your statement that I assaulted you, pack your bags and leave,’ Sebastian said. ‘Bragge here has recorded an agreement for your signature.’
‘And if we don’t agree?’ Freddy’s chin came up.
Sebastian shrugged. ‘You may both pack your bags and leave anyway. I can live with a ruined reputation. I doubt your sister can.’
Fanny began to sob. Beyond proffering her his handkerchief, her brother made no move to comfort her but glared at Sebastian, his arms crossed.
‘But I want to marry you. I would do anything to make you happy. I will give you an heir...’ Fanny sniffled through Freddy’s handkerchief.
‘You mean, not only marry you but share your bed? The answer is no, Miss Lynch. Nothing will induce me to partake in any charade of a marriage.’
At that, Fanny dissolved into a flood of tears. This time her brother put a solicitous arm around her shoulders.
‘No need to be so heartless, Somerton,’ he said.
‘Do you really expect me to spare Fanny’s tender feelings, Lynch? Whatever your plan was, she is as complicit as you are.’
‘But I love you!’ Fanny wailed.
‘Spare me!’ Sebastian spat. ‘Right now, I have nothing more to say to either of you.’
The muscle in Freddy’s cheek twitched. ‘On the contrary, Somerton, we still have a great deal to say to each other.’ He cast a meaningful glance at Bragge and added, ‘In private.’
Bragge looked uncertain and Sebastian reluctantly indicated he should leave.
‘And you, Fan.’ Freddy smiled at his sister. ‘Wait for me in the blue parlour. I won’t be long.’
Neither man moved until the door had firmly closed behind Bragge and Fanny.
