Page 9 of One Forbidden Kiss with the Laird (The Cinderella Shepherd Sisters #2)
‘S he is ruining everything,’ Catherine said with a pout. It was all Selina could do to stop rolling her eyes.
‘He likes her,’ Sir William said, nodding his head towards Selina. ‘For some reason he is intrigued by you, Selina.’
‘You’re ruining everything,’ Catherine repeated, her voice low and dangerous, her words now directed at Selina. ‘He is my future fiancé and you are jealous. No doubt you are fast realising I am to have a vastly superior life to the one of drudgery that awaits you.’
‘We can turn this to our advantage,’ Sir William said, ignoring Catherine’s outburst.
‘How? I am supposed to marry Lord Leven. He is reserved with me. I expect she’s said something horrible to him about me.’
‘What is there between you and Lord Leven?’ Her father’s eyes bored into her and Selina struggled to keep her expression neutral.
‘Nothing.’
Catherine snorted.
‘Quiet,’ Sir William snapped. ‘We do not have long.’ He fixed his gaze on Selina again and she felt the weight of his question.
She thought of when she and Lord Leven had first met, the moment his body had collided with hers and he’d knocked her to the ground. From that very first moment she had felt a spark between them, something indescribable but undeniable.
‘There is nothing between us,’ Selina said. ‘I have spoken to him a few times, that is all. Pleasant conversations.’
‘You’re trying to steal him from me,’ Catherine said.
‘Go through to the dining room, Catherine. I need to speak to Selina alone.’
‘But…’
‘Now.’
With a pout and a swish of her dress Catherine left the room.
‘You are unhappy, I think,’ Sir William said. He was an astute man, hard in character but shrewd. ‘What is it you want, Selina?’
‘I want to go home. Coming here was a mistake.’
Her father nodded. Part of her still wanted him to deny it, to take her into his arms and assure her she was a loved and valued member of the family. Even though she had resigned herself to the fact that was never going to happen, it still hurt every time he disappointed her.
‘I expect you wish to see your sister. Your true sister.’
‘More than anything else.’
‘I can arrange that. I can organise a carriage to take you home, give you money to pay for the accommodation you will need on the way.’
She waited, knowing there would be a catch. Her father was not going to offer something like this without there being conditions attached.
‘First you must convince Lord Leven to marry Catherine. I want you to use whatever influence you have with him to show him Catherine’s attributes, to make sure he is eager to form an alliance with our family. Can you do that?’
She didn’t want to deceive Lord Leven. From what she knew of the man he seemed decent, far too kind to be lumbered with Catherine as a wife, but she was aware the negotiations were already halfway there.
Lord Leven was already planning on marrying Catherine, so her role would be merely to help things go smoothly.
In return she would finally be free. In a few short weeks she could be on her way back to England, back to see her sister, back where she belonged.
Then she could start to work out what she was going to do with her life.
‘I doubt Lord Leven will ask my opinion on the matter,’ Selina said.
‘Perhaps not outright, but I do not doubt he is a clever man. By all accounts his father left nothing but debts and chaos. Lord Leven has worked hard these last ten years to make enough money to start rebuilding this once-grand family. He knows the importance of inside information. I expect he plans to use your connection to our family to find out whatever he can. All you need to do is be complimentary about Catherine.’
Selina swallowed hard. It was one thing stopping herself from saying anything terrible about her half-sister, but quite another to be effusively complimentary.
‘Can you do that?’
Thinking of going home, Selina nodded.
‘Good. We have a deal. You will use your influence with Lord Leven to ensure this alliance between our families is the best it can possibly be and, once he and Catherine are married, I will send you back to England with a small annual allowance.’
He held out his hand for her to shake and, as she took his cool, dry hand in her own, she felt as though she had just made a deal with the devil.
‘I think it is time to eat,’ Sir William said.
Selina followed her father out the door, her stomach flipping as she entered the dining room. She did not want to deceive Lord Leven, but he had already made his decision to marry Catherine. Surely it would not be too terrible if she spent a few weeks hiding her true feelings about her half-sister.
‘Selina, you take the seat the other side of Lord Leven,’ Sir William said, touching his wife on the shoulder. ‘You come sit next to me, my dear. Lord Leven is in safe hands with Catherine and Selina.’
Selina felt Lord Leven’s eyes on her as she sat, her hands trembling as she smoothed her skirts down under the table.
* * *
Dinner had been an ordeal that Selina wished to never repeat.
Her cheeks ached from smiling a smile that was as fake as the paste jewels she wore at her neck.
It was a relief when the last plate had been cleared and it was only a matter of time before Sir William suggested he and Lord Leven retire to the study for a drink and the start of gentle negotiations.
Lady Kingsley and Catherine would move to the drawing room and Selina would finally be able to make her excuses and slip upstairs.
‘Let us all go through to the drawing room,’ Lady Kingsley said. ‘There will be plenty of time for you gentlemen to talk business in the coming days, but this evening let us enjoy one another’s company.’
Selina felt her heart sink and it was all she could do to stop herself from groaning out loud.
Lord Leven stood, turning to Catherine and offering her his arm as was expected.
Selina fell into step behind them, wondering if she could get away with hiding away in the corner and playing the piano.
She had never really enjoyed the piano much when she was a girl, never taken advantage of the opportunities to practise like her sister had, but she was competent and very happy to play now if it meant it got her out of more awkward conversation.
‘Miss Shepherd, perhaps you could tell me a little more about the south coast. I have travelled a fair distance in my time, but never to the south of England,’ Lord Leven said, looking back at her.
Selina saw Catherine’s face cloud over. It was not the first time Lord Leven had tried to include Selina in the conversation and she wished he would stop. Everything would be much easier if they focused on Catherine and how perfect a wife she would make for him.
‘It is beautiful. The scenery is dramatic, chalk or sandstone cliffs jutting out into the sea and behind them rolling green hills scattered with sheep.’ Selina glanced at Catherine, who was taking the opportunity to glower at her while Lord Leven was engaged in listening to Selina.
‘Perhaps you might play for us, Selina,’ Lady Kingsley said, guiding everyone else into their positions.
‘Gladly, Lady Kingsley.’ She hurried over to the piano and quickly leafed through the sheets of music, settling on a slow, soothing piece that she had played many times before.
She wanted to bury herself in music, to bend her head and block out the conversation between Lord Leven and Catherine, but her sense of curiosity was too strong.
As she played she listened, realising Catherine had been correct when she had called Selina jealous earlier.
She was jealous. Catherine was poised to marry a titled and respected man, to live her life as the Countess of Leven.
Everything had been organised for her, all she had to do was ensure she did nothing so terrible it changed Lord Leven’s mind.
It felt unfair—here she was, unsure what was in store for her next.
She wished to visit her sister, to spend some time in Sarah’s soothing company, but beyond that Selina had no idea what she might do with her life.
The thought was depressing and as she tried to rally she missed a note, an E ringing out instead of an F and sounding far too loud.
‘Please,’ Catherine said, throwing a filthy look at Selina. ‘You are giving me a headache with that discordant tripe.’
‘I am sorry,’ Selina murmured, biting back the retort she wished to say. Sir William would not be impressed if she started arguing with Catherine in front of their guest, especially not after she had promised to do whatever she could to make the match a success.
‘I think you play very well, Miss Shepherd,’ Lord Leven said and Selina’s eyes widened.
Although she did not know him well, she could tell he was a kind man, one who did not like to sit by and watch those little injustices in the world.
She grimaced, thinking of how poorly suited he would be to Catherine.
Miss Kingsley reddened as she realised she had sounded rude to Lord Leven and she clutched at his arm, her mouth opening but no words coming out. Eventually she managed to speak, ‘I think I shall retire,’ she said, smiling sweetly. ‘I really do have a headache and it is making me crotchety.’
There was a momentary silence and then Lord Leven bowed.
‘I do hope you recover swiftly, Miss Kingsley.’ Disappointment flashed in Catherine’s eyes and Selina could see her half-sister had miscalculated.
No doubt she wanted Lord Leven to protest, to press her to stay, perhaps to even suggest a private walk in the gardens or to play a duet on the piano.
‘Are you sure you cannot stay?’ Lady Kingsley asked sharply.
‘Let her rest,’ Sir William said. ‘There is plenty of time for Catherine and Lord Leven to get to know one another. Perhaps you might escort Catherine on a trip around the local area in the coming days.’
Lord Leven bowed his head in acquiescence. ‘Of course. I will call on you soon, Miss Kingsley.’