Page 3 of Tempting the Bluestocking
“Ed, this is Mr. Benedict Sterling … Ben, this is my good friend, Mr. Edward Norton.”
Mr. Sterling rose from where he’d sat sprawled in an armchair, standing at an impressive height. Despite his scruffy jaw, bristling sideburns, and mop of unruly light blond hair, his mode of dress suggested wealth and class.
“A pleasure to meet you,” Edward said, extending a hand to Mr. Sterling.
Rather than take him up on the offered handshake, the man paced around Edward in a slow circle, looking him over as if inspecting a sculpture or some other such inanimate object.
“He isn’t particularly tall, but he isn’t necessarily short, either,” he mumbled, a hand braced at his chin.
Edward cast Hugh a quizzical glance, but his friend merely nodded as if in encouragement, remaining silent. Benedict paused behind him and murmured something about ‘nice calves’, causing Edward’s ears to grow hot. Not the first time he’d received such a compliment, but never from another man, and never under such odd circumstances.
Benedict came around to face him, arms braced over his chest. “He’s handsome, like you said.”
That statement was directed at Hugh, who nodded his agreement.
“He’s a gentleman,” Hugh said. “Not a peer, but still well bred.”
“Can you dance?” Benedict asked, finally addressing Edward directly.
“Well enough,” he hedged, realizing he’d come to this meeting grossly unprepared. What the devil was happening here?
“Would you say that women find you charming?”
Edward furrowed his brow. “Well, I’ve never thought to ask. As I do not come with a fortune or prestigious family name, I can’t pretend to be the most sought after of bachelors, but am never short on female companionship in social situations.”
Benedict cast a glance at Hugh. “And you’re certain we can trust him? He’ll be discreet?”
“I can vouch for him,” Hugh replied. “He needs the funds, Ben.”
“Very well. He’s hired.”
Edward fought the swirling mixture of elation and confusion tearing through him. While he was glad to have been accepted so readily, he still had no idea what he’d be doing to earn a living.
“What exactly is it I’m hired to do?” he asked, finally finding his voice.
Hugh gestured for him to sit, taking his own chair nearby. Benedict, who remained standing, continued to hold the reins as the person in charge of this little meeting.
“You’ll be matched with a young lady, whose whims you will cater to with charm and graciousness. You’ll be her escort, ply her with compliments and affection, and if she wishes it, you will bed her.”
Edward flinched, staring into Benedict’s cold blue eyes and finding that the man seemed to be completely serious. He looked to Hugh, who also showed no outward indication that this was some kind of joke. But, obviously they were having him on, because Edward had never heard such a ridiculous thing in his life.
He smirked, the motion of his lips soon spreading into a full-fledged grin. Then, his shoulders began to tremble and the snorts he tried to smother turned into uproarious chuckles. His eyes watered as he slapped his thigh with one hand. His chest ached from how hard it became to draw breath, laughter spilling from him uncontrolled.
“Oh, God!” he guffawed. “I haven’t had my leg pulled like that in ages. And look at the two of you … so serious, as if you actually meant it. I say, bloody good one, Hugh!”
He expected that at any moment, the other two men would drop the act and laugh along with him, wiping moisture away from their eyes before finally telling him what he’d really be doing. Yet, after several seconds it became clear this wouldn’t be the case. Realizing he was the only one laughing, and that Benedict now looked annoyed while Hugh seemed embarrassed, Edward fell silent. The sober realization that they reallyhadbeen serious washed over him like a tidal wave.
He sprang to his feet. “God’s blood, you’re serious!”
“As the grave,” Benedict replied with a roll of his eyes. “The Gentleman Courtesans has been in business for a year, quite successfully I might add.”
Edward turned to Hugh, who gave him a sheepish smile. “I warned you that it was scandalous. But, the business is lucrative and all it costs is hours of your time a few nights a week.”
“It’s no more than you might do for free,” Benedict offered with a raised eyebrow. “Whatever your money troubles are, consider them over once I’ve arranged for you to have your first keeper. And if she’s made happy enough, you won’t need a new arrangement for quite some time.”
When Benedict put it that way, there really was nothing Edward could say in protest. He hadn’t been with a woman in months, his father’s death and the resulting problems it had caused taking up most of his time. That he’d now get paid to bed a lady ought to leave a bitter taste in his mouth, yet somehow it did not. Men paid for the use of mistresses all the time, and the women in such situations were well provided for. As he thought of Jacob and Caroline, who were counting on him to settle the family’s affairs, and the business that threatened to drag them all down, Edward realized he had no choice. It wasn’t as if any other promising offers had fallen into his lap as of late. Even with the burden of the family business on his shoulders, he had attempted to find proper employment—something he was qualified to do that would provide the needed funds. However, his efforts had seen him faced with rejection and a heightened sense of desperation that grew worse by the day.
Entertaining a wealthy woman in and out of bed sounded far preferable to debtor’s prison or watching Caroline be forced to work her fingers to the bone to support herself. As the head of his family, it fell to him to ensure that everyone was provided for, and this opportunity was the best he was likely to receive.
