The Seductress' Marriage Ploy

39. Simple, Compromise Her

OPHELIA STOPPED and planted her hands on her waist. "By and by when did you expect to marry my daughter? and, oh, I see you have gotten your self a special license."

Sebastian's mouth snapped open. how did she know?

Ophelia saw the question in his eyes and scoffed. "one did not just suddenly become older, there has to be some advantage to it. I tell you, I have more sense than you do. with the act that you pulled this evening. I expected that you must have procured a license, " Ophelia nodded her head. "I like that, you are a smart man. and you know what you want, but that doesn't include ravishing my daughter in an open place, " Ophelia said and smacked Sebastian on the arm again. " you are yet to marry her."

Sebastian staggered back as the force of her hand fan hit him.

"Well?"

Sebastian blinked twice and looked confused. "well, what?"

Ophelia sighed, when do you expect to marry her.

Sebastian blinked. "er...in three days time?"

"In three days' time!" Ophelia cried. "I shalln't have that! How am I supposed to plan a grand wedding in three days' time! Besides, how did you manage to get her cousin to agree to three days!" The way she shouted it, it sounded as if the world would end in three days' time.

Sebastian winced and shifted his weight from foot to foot. "I might have hinted that she had been found in a compromising position."

Ophelia scoffed "I should have known, Jonathan would agree to anything just to get her off his hands."

Then she looked up at Sebastian and frowned. "Three days shalln't do. you would have to extend it and that's final."

Sebastian snapped his mouth back in place and scowled. "very well."

"I want your word," she said.

"Then you have it," Sebastian mumbled.

when Ophelia heard that she smiled, for a moment there Sebastian had seen a touch of Julia in her. "we must go inside," Ophelia said. "The bell has rung, and dinner is to be served soon."

Sebastian nodded his head. "After you my lady."

~~~

SEBASTIAN HAD BEEN assigned to a room close to Cole's own. That night, when Cole heard the door opposite his own crack open, he couldn't help but wonder what Sebastian was up to. Most importantly, where was he going this night?

As Cole listened, he heard the door close and gentle footsteps pad down the hall.

The Earl shot out from his bed and raced to the door, he pulled it open and saw Sebastian's back disappear into the hallway, headed towards the staircase.

Be it boredom or curiosity, Lord Hanton didn't know what it was that captivated him, but he turned and dashed back into his room, snatched his shirt from the bed and pulled it over his head.

He raced out into the hallway as quietly as he could and followed after Sebastian.

Cole climbed downstairs, and paused, momentarily confused as to where Sebastian might be, but then he noticed that the front door was slightly open.

Sneaky bastard! The way he did it, no one will know, unless they looked properly.

Cole raced to the door and gently pulled it open, careful not to create any noise that might warrant the servants to come checking at the door.

The earl stepped out of the house and looked around. There was no sign of Sebastian. He paused and craned his ears. Cole heard a faint sound from his right-hand side and scampered in that direction.

Cole found himself in a garden with Sebastian who by the way maneuvered flower after flower as he tried to get out of the garden.

Where was he going?

There was no need to call out to Sebastian, and risk alerting someone, then they will be faced with the problem of explaining what they were doing in the garden in the first place. Cole sighed and hurried after Sebastian.

The earl came out of the garden and found himself at the back of the house.

Then he saw Sebastian start to climb a tree.

Bloody hell!

Cole paused and planted his hands akimbo. What the devil was Sebastian doing?

Cole's brow creased as he tried to take in air from his mouth. Cole looked up at the long tree Sebastian was climbing and noticed that it was directly under a balcony, which was connected to a room.

Cole's eyes narrowed as realization dawned. Sebastian was trying to get into Julia's room. Cole cursed and marched towards him. where the devil was Sebastian's head at? was he trying to create another scandal? This won't do.

Cole reached the tree and looked up. He wrinkled his nose and start to climb up. when he felt he had reached a considerable distance from Sebastian he howled his name. "Sebastian! what the devil do you think you are doing there?"

Sebastian looked down at Cole, and scowled. "you shouldn't be here." Then he continued up.

Cole scowled, he couldn't believe he was upon this tree with Sebastian. just imagine what it would look like if they were to be found here, on a tree, there was no getting out of it. forget it, no explanation would do.

The earl climbed unto a branch and held unto another with his dear life and he pulled Sebastian's right foot.

Sebastian grabbed unto a branch and paused. He looked down at Cole and frowned. "What is it?" Sebastian asked in a voice ripe with irritation.

"Get down this instant! what the devil do you think you are doing there! Get down I want to talk to you."

Sebastian looked down at Cole and considered it. He frowned. "fine, five minutes and be fast about it."

Cole sighed and released a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He climbed down and waited for Sebastian to do the same.

"Yes?" Sebastian snarled as soon as he climbed down, his voice accompanied by a ferocious glare.

"By Jove! Sebastian!" Cole growled and paced in circles. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you. I can't believe you tried to climb to Julia's room. Haven't this house party seen enough of your scandal, at least if you won't think of yourself, think of Julia, do you think she would want this?"

Sebastian pouted and then frowned. "lady Ophelia seems to have postponed the wedding to a fortnight."

Cole paused in his tracks. "And?"

Sebastian scowled. "what the devil do I have a special license for if I can't even marry Julia when I want."

Cole raised a brow. "Impatient are we, heh?" He chuckled softly. "You should have said this was the problem. There are many ways to get around this."

"How?"

"Simple, you compromise her."

Sebastian's eyes widened, then slowly, very slowly, all the creases on his face straighten out until he revealed a beautiful set of teeth.