Page 16 of The Art of Sinning
Edwin squeezed her hands. “I only want you to be happy, you know.” His voice held a soft affection she rarely heard. “If you really don’t want Keane to paint you—”
“No, it’s fine.” She forced a smile. “I’m actually looking forward to it.” Especially since it would enable her to get whatshewanted.
“Are you?” With a speculative glance, he released her hands and sat back against the squabs. “Please tell me you’re not interested in the man as a potential husband. I mean, he is quite wealthy, from what I understand, but his reputation with women leaves something to be desired.”
“Which is why I would never consider him as a suitor. I haven’t forgotten the lessons I learned from Samuel.” And his sly friend. She gazed out the window. “I know too well what havoc our brother wrought... what havoc that sort of feckless fellow always wreaks on anyone close to him.”
A pall fell over the carriage. “You do understand why I’m not pursuing what Samuel told you.”
She glared at him. “Not really, no. Somewhere in Covent Garden we have a young nephew living in a house of ill repute with his mother, Samuel’s former mistress. And you’re perfectly willing to leave the boy to that uncertain future?”
“First of all, wemayhave a young nephew. It’s by no means certain. Indeed, I find it highly unlikely.”
“Because Samuel never before sired an illegitimate child?” she said sarcastically. Just this year, Edwin had taken on the support of Samuel’s last mistress, Meredith, andherchild.
“You shouldn’t have had to know about that.” Edwin’s voice hardened. “Indeed, the very fact that he told you about his mistress in a brothel shows how far he’s sunk.”
Samuel hadn’t exactly volunteered the information. She’d forced him into it, in exchange for agreeing to post his letter to the woman. Once he’d told her about Peggy Moreton and her son, Samuel had hinted that the letter contained information to help his mistress financially.
But Yvette hadn’t yet sent it. Once that letter was posted, she’d lose all control over the situation. Until she determined for herself that her nephew was safe, she wasn’t giving the woman anything.
“I know how the world works,” Yvette said gently. “I’m quite used to hearing tales of woe from the many charities I support.”
“That Isupport at your behest, you mean.”
She laughed. “That, too.” She tried to make out his expression in the dim light of the streetlamps. “Admit it. You take some measure of enjoyment from helping those who don’t have what we do, or you wouldn’t support the school in Preston.”
“That doesn’t mean I’ll provide for half the by-blows in Christendom just because our brother asked you to post some letter.”
She’d better not tell him she still had the letter. He might demand that she open it, which she’d vowed to Samuel she wouldn’t do.
“Besides,” he went on, “what would we even do with the child? Surely you don’t have some fool idea that you’d raise him yourself.”
“Of course not. That wouldn’t be wise for usorthe boy. But Meredith might be willing to raise him with her son, as long as we pay for it. So far she’s been an exemplary mother to her own babe, and the two children are half brothers, after all.”
“Assuming this child genuinely ishis.”
“Why would Samuel lie about it?” Yvette asked.
“Because he heard that we’re supporting Meredith and her babe, and he thought to take advantage of that.”
“I don’t see how.”
“He knows your tender heart. That you won’t rest until you find this child. So sending you on a wild-goose chase into a bawdy house, at the risk to your reputation, might be his way of striking at me. He’s quite aware that seeing you ruined would destroy me. He has never forgiven me for cutting all ties to him after Father disowned him.”
Her heart faltered. This was the first time Edwin had advanced such an appalling theory. “You... you really think Samuel would do such a thing?” she said. “Use me to strike back at you?”
“I don’t know. But I’d rather not take the chance.”
That was precisely why she’d been desperate enough to involve Mr. Keane. And why she couldn’t let Mr. Keane know the full story of what was going on, or that Edwin was aware of it all. Because then Mr. Keane would reveal her plan to her eldest brother, who’d nip it in the bud. Better to handle it herself.
Still, she couldn’t keep from arguing with Edwin about his suppositions. “It sounds like a rather convoluted plan on Samuel’s part. Why avenge himself on you when he wouldn’t even be in England to witness your downfall? Surely he has worse enemies to strike at.”
“So why doyouthink he alluded to his supposed child? Out of some goodness in his heart? Samuel’s heart has been empty of such human feeling for quite a while.”
“I can’t believe that,” she said, torn between her two brothers. If not for Samuel, she might have ended up ...
With a shudder, she tucked that memory away. “You should have seen him in Newgate—full of remorse, wanting to make amends.”
