Seas.”
“What happened when you grew older?”
“My mother and brother continued to travel with my father. But I went off on my own. I looked for interestinginvestment opportunities in foreign ports. I did some observations of terrain for the military during the war. That sort of thing.”
“I envy you the sights you must have seen and things you must have learned,” Prudence said.
“It’s true that I learned a great deal about the world.” Sebastian’s eyes were as hard, brilliant, and cold as faceted gems. “But the price of my education was too high.”
“I don’t understand,” Prudence whispered.
“Four years ago my parents and my brother were killed by a great fall of rock while they were traveling through a mountain pass in a godforsaken corner of the East called Saragstan.”
Prudence came to a halt on the dance floor. “How terrible for you, my lord. I know how you must have felt. I remember all too well my feelings at the moment I received word my parents had been killed in the carriage accident.”
Sebastian did not seem to hear her. His gaze was turned inward as he led her off the floor. Prudence sensed that he was focusing on some distant landscape that only he could see. He came to a halt near the French doors and stood looking out into the night.
“I was to meet up with them in a small town at the foot of the mountains. I had business dealings there. The local weavers produce a very fine cloth which I purchase and have shipped to England and America. My parents and my brother never arrived.”
“I am so very sorry, my lord.” Prudence sought for words of comfort. “Such tragic accidents are very difficult to endure.”
Sebastian veiled his eyes briefly with his long, dark lashes. When he raised them again and glanced sideways at Prudence she knew he was once more in the present. “You misunderstand. My parents and my brother did not die in an accident.”
Prudence stared at him. “What are you saying?”
“The fall of rock which killed them was deliberately caused by bandits who preyed upon travelers in the mountains. I did not know that the bandits were a problem in the region when I sent word to my father to meet me in that damned town.”
“Dear God.” Prudence’s eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. “Surely you do not blame yourself, my lord?”
“I don’t know.” He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe and continued to gaze out into the darkness. “The fact is they would all be alive today if I had not asked them to join me there in Saragstan.”
She touched his sleeve. “You must not assume the responsibility for what happened. You did not destroy your family. The bandits did that. Were they ever caught and punished?”
“Yes.” Sebastian looked down at her. “They were punished.” His mouth curved in his chilling smile. “Now, Miss Merryweather, I suggest we change the subject. I would rather not discuss such unpleasant matters with you.”
“I quite understand, my lord,” Prudence said seriously. “I do not think it is a good thing to dwell too much on the past. It is the present and the future that are important. Don’t you agree?”
“I have no idea.” Sebastian acted as though the question bored him. “I’ll leave such philosophical decisions up to you.”
The devil was up to mischief tonight. Prudence was certain of it an hour later when Sebastian took his leave of her and started toward the door.
During the past few days she had come to feel that she had gotten to know this enigmatic man quite well. There was a sense of recognition deep inside her. She did not fully understand it, but she knew it was there.
She thought she could see past the cool facade he showedto the world. She believed she could even read the small signs that indicated the subtle changes in his dark moods.
Tonight, Prudence decided, there was an air of keen alertness about him, a sense of barely suppressed anticipation like that of a predator on
“What happened when you grew older?”
“My mother and brother continued to travel with my father. But I went off on my own. I looked for interestinginvestment opportunities in foreign ports. I did some observations of terrain for the military during the war. That sort of thing.”
“I envy you the sights you must have seen and things you must have learned,” Prudence said.
“It’s true that I learned a great deal about the world.” Sebastian’s eyes were as hard, brilliant, and cold as faceted gems. “But the price of my education was too high.”
“I don’t understand,” Prudence whispered.
“Four years ago my parents and my brother were killed by a great fall of rock while they were traveling through a mountain pass in a godforsaken corner of the East called Saragstan.”
Prudence came to a halt on the dance floor. “How terrible for you, my lord. I know how you must have felt. I remember all too well my feelings at the moment I received word my parents had been killed in the carriage accident.”
Sebastian did not seem to hear her. His gaze was turned inward as he led her off the floor. Prudence sensed that he was focusing on some distant landscape that only he could see. He came to a halt near the French doors and stood looking out into the night.
“I was to meet up with them in a small town at the foot of the mountains. I had business dealings there. The local weavers produce a very fine cloth which I purchase and have shipped to England and America. My parents and my brother never arrived.”
“I am so very sorry, my lord.” Prudence sought for words of comfort. “Such tragic accidents are very difficult to endure.”
Sebastian veiled his eyes briefly with his long, dark lashes. When he raised them again and glanced sideways at Prudence she knew he was once more in the present. “You misunderstand. My parents and my brother did not die in an accident.”
Prudence stared at him. “What are you saying?”
“The fall of rock which killed them was deliberately caused by bandits who preyed upon travelers in the mountains. I did not know that the bandits were a problem in the region when I sent word to my father to meet me in that damned town.”
“Dear God.” Prudence’s eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. “Surely you do not blame yourself, my lord?”
“I don’t know.” He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe and continued to gaze out into the darkness. “The fact is they would all be alive today if I had not asked them to join me there in Saragstan.”
She touched his sleeve. “You must not assume the responsibility for what happened. You did not destroy your family. The bandits did that. Were they ever caught and punished?”
“Yes.” Sebastian looked down at her. “They were punished.” His mouth curved in his chilling smile. “Now, Miss Merryweather, I suggest we change the subject. I would rather not discuss such unpleasant matters with you.”
“I quite understand, my lord,” Prudence said seriously. “I do not think it is a good thing to dwell too much on the past. It is the present and the future that are important. Don’t you agree?”
“I have no idea.” Sebastian acted as though the question bored him. “I’ll leave such philosophical decisions up to you.”
The devil was up to mischief tonight. Prudence was certain of it an hour later when Sebastian took his leave of her and started toward the door.
During the past few days she had come to feel that she had gotten to know this enigmatic man quite well. There was a sense of recognition deep inside her. She did not fully understand it, but she knew it was there.
She thought she could see past the cool facade he showedto the world. She believed she could even read the small signs that indicated the subtle changes in his dark moods.
Tonight, Prudence decided, there was an air of keen alertness about him, a sense of barely suppressed anticipation like that of a predator on
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