Wedded in Scandal by Jade Lee Read Free Book Online Page B

had not yet delivered?”
    She nodded. “I explained everything to Lady Gwen and she did agree to my terms.”
    He grimaced. “So again my relations are bent on making financial commitments that I am supposed to honor.”
    Helaine winced. Put like that, she did feel a bit sorry for the man. But she was not in a position to allow sympathy. “That is the usual way of things, is it not? She is your sister. You or your father pays her bills until she marries.”
    He snorted. “My father hasn’t a groat to his name.”
    “Then it falls to you.”
    He didn’t respond except to stare at her, his eyes glittering with some unnamed emotion. In truth, the sight gave her chills. “My lord,” she offered gently, “if you wish to change the way of the world, I heartily support you. Give your sister charge of her financial affairs and I shall address myself to her. I can tell you that there are myriad benefits to a woman when she manages her own affairs.”
    He lifted his brow. “I am sure you can,” he drawled.
    She detected no outright condescension in his tone, but she bristled nonetheless. “You have no cause to judge me, my lord. I am merely an honest woman plying her trade like any man.”
    He closed his eyes in apparent weariness. “That is not a recommendation, I assure you. Men lie and cheat all the time.”
    How well she knew that. “But I do not.”
    He opened his eyes, and for a moment she wished he had not. In it, she saw pain mixed with weariness. It was stark and reminded her of her own mirror every morning.
    “Very well,” he said. “You have persuaded me.”
    His voice was so deadpan that she did not understand his words. “So, you will pay me?”
    He shook his head. “Hardly. I believe your bill beyondridiculous. But I shall this very afternoon open an account for my sister. Then she shall have the decision of whether to pay your outrageous fee or not.”
    And with that he stood, turning to Dribbs, who had not left the library door. “Fetch my coat immediately. And show Mrs. Mortimer to the door.” A moment later, he was gone.
    “Bloody arrogant, high-handed, drunken bastard! To suggest that I was robbing them! Robbing! He was going to call the constable!”
    Helaine paced the workroom of their small shop, trying to work off her fury. It didn’t help. She still felt bruised and humiliated by her treatment that afternoon.
    “He bloody well didn’t, did he?” gasped Wendy, her seamstress, co-owner in their shop, and her best friend in the world. She was currently cutting the last of their silk fabric for a dress that would go to the bastard-in-question’s sister. Sadly, if they didn’t get paid soon, they wouldn’t be able to purchase what they needed for any of the rest of her order. “Imagine calling the watch on you!”
    “He didn’t. I stopped him beforehand, but it still didn’t change his attitude. He called our bill ridiculous. Outrageous and ridiculous!”
    “Wot! The bloody cheek!”
    “‘What,’ not ‘wot,’” chided Helaine without thought. Wendy had grown up in a poorer neighborhood than Helaine. Much, much poorer. And her heritage often showed in her speech. But Helaine had been helping her friend better herself, most especially in terms of how she spoke. They were trying to establish themselves as dressmakers to the
ton
. It could only help if Wendy sounded more educated than she was.
    As expected, Wendy grimaced but repeated the word correctly. “
What
a bloody cheek,” she said firmly. “Our prices are exactly
what
they should be.”
    “No,” said Helaine with a sigh as she leaned back against the worktable. “Our prices are high.”
    “As they should be! You are dressing the peers!”
    Helaine shook her head. “Only a few. Maybe we should charge less. At least until we are better established among the aristocracy.”
    “But we cain’t!” Wendy said as she made the last snip in the silk. “You yerself said they won’t come to someone who charges