Sin With a Scoundrel: The Husband Hunters Club by Sara Bennett Read Free Book Online Page B

father is thinking of applying to his brother Harold for a loan. Although it is in no way certain. Harold is not the most generous of men, and your father and he have never been close.”
    She turned back to Tina, her eyes still bright, and spoke in an agitated way. “Do not tell Charles. He is not levelheaded like you. He wouldn’t be able to cope. I want to keep this awful news from him for as long as possible.”
    “Father should not have told me to get a new dress for the theater. We cannot afford it, I see that now. I will take it back.”
    She made as if to get up, but her mother put a hand on her arm to prevent her. “No, Tina. You must have one new dress for the summer, and who knows, perhaps you will find a wealthy husband to fall in love with you.” She laughed shakily, as if she were making a joke, but there was no humor in it. “You are a lovely girl, and beauty has been enough to bring men to the altar before.”
    “Mama—”
    “Horace is a very wealthy young man.”
    “Yes. Mama—”
    But Lady Carol was not to be stopped. “If Horace were to propose to you, then your father and I would approve of the marriage. There is no question that we would be very happy indeed with such a match.”
    “Marry Horace?” For a moment Tina wondered whether her mother had read her mind. “But—”
    However Lady Carol was resolved to say her piece.
    “It is our hope, Tina, that you and Horace . . . and of course it would solve all our problems . . .” She bit her lip. “Oh listen to me! This mess is not of your making, and you should not be asked to fix it. Please, Tina, forget what I said. I’m sure we will find some other way to escape the Fleet.”
    The name hung over them like a monstrous black cloud. The Fleet, London’s debtors’ prison.
    Tina tried to order her scattered thoughts. She knew now what her mother wanted to hear, needed to hear. Should she tell her the truth? That she’d already begun a scheme to marry Horace? But no. Lady Carol had enough to worry about, and despite their desperate straits she wasn’t convinced her mother would approve of the infamous Mr. Eversham and his lessons in love.
    No, reassurance was what was needed here.
    “I want to marry Horace more than anything in the world, Mama. I’ve always loved him.”
    Lady Carol clasped her hands and gave a shaky little laugh. “But that is marvelous, Tina!” But her obvious relief and excitement quickly faded. “But does Horace feel the same way? Perhaps we shouldn’t get our hopes up too high?”
    “No, he doesn’t feel the same way. He thinks of me as a friend.” She saw her mother’s face fall even further, and hastened to add, “But I am trying my best to persuade him otherwise, Mama. Believe me, if it is at all possible, Horace and I will be husband and wife before . . .” Before the bailiffs arrived to toss them out of Mallory Street. “Before too long.”
    Lady Carol gave her a searching look while Tina attempted to appear innocent of any whiff of scandalous behavior.
    “Tina, when you say you are trying to persuade him to marry you, I do hope you are not being reckless? It is vital that you keep him at arm’s length. By all means give him a glimpse of what you have to offer, but do not let him touch. A man will not buy what he can have for free.”
    “Mama, really!” Tina cried, taken aback by her mother’s uncharacteristic bluntness. This was not the sort of conversation they had ever had together.
    “I’m sorry if I’ve shocked you, darling, but there are some things you don’t learn at finishing school, and I’d rather you hear them from me than have to experience the hard facts for yourself. More than one young woman has ruined herself by trusting the wrong man with her virtue. And frankly, Tina, without the dowry you might have had, your looks and your virtue are all you have to bargain with.”
    “I can assure you, Mama, I have no intention of allowing Horace to take liberties with me,”