The Seductress' Marriage Ploy

31. The Inn II

SEBASTIAN STEPPED DOWN and paused at the foot of the stairs, he took a moment and observed the rowdy mess that was the inn.

It was dark, save for a few lit lamps which cast a glow on the room.

The inn was alive with laughter and bawdy talk coming from a group of men sitting behind a table that faced the window. Occasionally with the movements of the servants as they tried to cater to the needs of all the tables.

Even though Sebastian was dressed in a fashion that wasn't entirely proper. No one could deny the fact that he could ever be mistaken for anything other than what he was.

Sebastian walked with a sense of purpose and grace that can only be associated with one born of noble birth. There was no denying the fact that even though he looked wild and was improperly dressed he still looked every bit like an aristocracy.

Sebastian maneuvered himself past table after table till he found himself a table by the fire, he liked that he was encased in semi-darkness, for the fire cast a shadow over him. From here he could observe the people in the room freely.

As soon as he sat down and ordered his meal, it became obvious to him that he might have made the wrong choice.

The men sitting behind him were making a ruckus, bantering about something that Sebastian didn't even wish to know. He was hungry and that was all that mattered.

Sebastian sighed, leave it to men to make a fool of themselves once they have imbibed in more than what they can take.

He tried to block the two men out as he feasted on his meal, but he wasn't successful, he could still hear a snippet of their conversation.

He picked up his mug and was about to raise it to his lips when he heard.

"...Julia?"

Sebastian paused and brought the mug down. Then he frowned and mentally berated himself. Julia wasn't the only one bearing that name. Anyone could bear it.

So he picked up his mug once more, but his ear was already tuned to what they were saying.

"....which Julia?" Sebastian heard one of them say. "you and I know there are two ladies Julia, and would it kill you to be a tad bit more accurate."

But the other one was already struggling to convey his message to his friend amidst the traces of excitement found in his voice. "Julia! The red-haired one."

"Cavendish?" The other partner asked surprised.

Sebastian's back stiffened. Julia? Was she in trouble? Sebastian craned his head back, for the first time that night he observed the two men sitting behind him, just in case, if anything had happened to her he would know who to tackle.

The men were young, perhaps five years younger than him. Three and twenty, at most. At first, he had thought they were common folks but judging by their coat which was draped over the back of their chair they were definitely gentry.

Without even knowing it, Sebastian leaned back and listened to their conversation.

".... yes! Yes! Julia Cavendish!" the man cried. "she is engaged!"

Sebastian who had just taken a sip of his drink choked and coughed out the liquid.

Bloody hell! Julia was engaged? Sebastian frowned and whipped his mouth with the back of his hand.

In the midst of his cough, Sebastian seems to have lost a great deal of the conversation because the next thing he heard was.

"Can you hazard a guess to who she is engaged to?"

His partner snickered. "Don't be acting like a bloody Lady, if you know it then just say it."

"Why, who else, but Cole Fletcher the earl of Tonfield!" the young man exclaimed.

Bloody hell!

Sebastian's eyes slowly darkened and his hand tightened around his mug. If it had been a glass it would have been on the verge of breaking judging by the force to which his fingers dug into the mug.

"That bastard!!" Sebastian bit out. For some unknown reason, Sebastian was very angry and he didn't like what he just heard. Cole? Marry Julia. He would be damned before he let any of these happen.

Without wasting time, Sebastian sprang up from his chair, causing his chair to fall back to the floor. With flashing blue eyes, he marched over to these men's table.

The two young men upon seeing him shrank back in their chair. They weren't at all prepared for the sight of a big, strange man glowering at them.

Sebastian reached them and dragged a chair from the opposite table. He placed it in front of their table and sat down, glowering at them as if they were the reason why Julia was getting married. That was when recognition kicked in.

"Your grace?" the first one, the one by the right said in anxiety.

The second "Duke?"

Sebastian ignored them and barked out "What did you just say about Lord Tonfield."

The second one. The one that had been relaying all the whole story stammered out. "T-that he is engaged to lady Julia Cavendish." somehow his answer sounded more like a question than an answer.

"I don't believe this," Sebastian growled.

The young man, thinking that perhaps Sebastian was talking to him, answered. "you needn't believe it now." he said, "Even I didn't believe it at first, Hell!!! The whole ton probably did not believe that Lord Tonfield who rarely ventured out into the society was engaged and that it was a love match at that, even after reading it in the bloody papers."

The papers? Sebastian stiffened. " what papers?" he asked.

"You don't know?" The young man asked "You must have been away when the news was printed. Hell! It was all everyone talked about. I have a copy in my room, if you want to see it, I would just send someone to fetch it."

For the life of him, Sebastian couldn't remember if he answered. All he knew was that his blood was boiling and he wanted to do serious damage to someone. The hell she is marrying Cole. That sneaky bastard, doing this behind his back. Sebastian didn't even know it but he was beginning to feel something close to panic.

He curled his hands and patiently waited for the paper to arrive. And it did arrive. The young man opened it and pointed to a section where the news was printed.

Sebastian scanned it with his eyes and read.

'let it be said that it was heard from this writer first that the Earl of Tonfield, and Lady Julia Cavendish are about to tie the Knott and a love match at that.'

Katherine Edward

Sebastian was stunned. He read the article over and over again till he was sure he had grabbed the full implication of what they were trying to say. Julia was engaged and no one, not even his sister, thought to tell him.