Last time: Sebastian declared that he was the count, the villain in The Book. That chapter ended before we could see Prudence's reaction.Hey, we actually get to follow the plot this time. Prudence is sad, but doesn't believe Sebastian. (I guess it's still his point of view, then?) Sebastian pours out his life's story: he was young, his uncle saw he'd inherit the title, Uncle plopped him into gambling houses in London as well as brothels, and Sebastian drank it all in without caring, slowly letting his soul die. Then, they both were drinking, and Uncle goaded Sebastian into killing him, although Uncle had “the pox” (syphilis, I'm pretty sure) and was going to die soon anyway. That duel gave Sebastian the scar under his eye and the life leading up to it made him dead inside. Also, killing his own uncle made Sebastian not very popular, in addition to his other habits. Huh. All right, acceptable.
Sebastian has never told this to anyone before. Wow. Prudence really is special. She doesn't give him pity at the end of his story, she just keeps believing in him. No! This is not acceptable! He's trying to convince her that he's evil, dang it! He says he has no conscience. She counters that he totally does. He says he was going to take her on the picnic blanket and leave her with nothing and he only didn't because he's trying to save her. Dude, you totes have a conscience. Just believe the lady already.
Nope. No belief for Sebastian. He tells Prudence she's wrong and roughly pulls her to him. He sticks his tongue down her throat “in imitation of a far more intimate act...”, grabs her butt, and presses her against his erection. No, really. I did not make any of that up. Also, Prudence doesn't fight him.
All right, girl. We need to have a talk. Come over, we'll have a quart of ice cream, and we'll figure this out.
Sebastian's driver returns with the maid (why were you shouting, Sebastian?), so they have to cut the scene short. They all pile back in the carriage, with the maid inside now, and drive back to...somewhere. Also, Sebastian is still torn inside that she just won't believe that he's a bad man. He's trying to save her by showing how awful he is, dang it!
So, Sebastian goes to his club after leaving Prudence on the side of the road. In his club, people make bets on others' social lives. One running bet is that Sebastian will have sex with Prudence within a month. This bet doesn't help Sebastian and he sits down to get crunk. Well, he tries. Apparently, he has a high tolerance for booze that helped him win so much by gambling. Now, though, that doesn't help him. He's trying to drown his sorrows here!
The guy who started the bet about Prudence walks in. Sebastian gets up and stalks over. 'Set up off Prudence or imma cut you!' 'Dude, calm down. I'll stop.' 'Damn straight.' That's pretty much how that went down. The guy who started the bet has a buddy with him who's actually a friend of Sebastian's. Sebastian has friends? Huh. I thought he was too dead inside for that. Anyway, his friend, Lord Raleigh, wants to drink with Sebastian but Sebastian has had too many emotions to hang out with a friend. You see, Sebastian is “weary and wound tighter than a watch spring, if the combination was possible...” so he's gotta be alone for this.
He walks home, hoping to beat up a mugger but is unlucky. His uncle's penthouse is empty, like Sebastian's life. No, really, the author said that. Sebastian wanders in through the servants' entrance and sees his steward working. The steward has glasses and he pushes them up when he looks up at Sebastian. The guy considers firing his steward for this action. All right, Sebastian, you need to go into time-out until you can play nice with the other kids.
Oh, hey, this guy only needs his glasses for close work. Clearly, that's Prudence's deal too. That's why she didn't need her glasses that afternoon after Sebastian had taken them off of her. Well, I'm glad that's explained, anyway.
Sebastian goes up to his room and looks at his furniture. “He could not picture Prudence here.” Then sell your furniture and buy some new stuff. This has been here since your uncle's day, if not before. I know, it's a metaphor for how he's got to change to suit her. You know, let's look at that a bit.
From Sebastian's perspective: 'Oh God, I've been dead for so long. How can I come back to living and emotions and stuff? But it's for Prudence! She's so hawt, but in a layered way, like an orange. I'd like to peel her, if you know what I mean. First I need to have emotions and such again...but it's haaaaaaaaarrrd. No, I can do it. I'll completely change myself for this woman.' Then he pouts.
From Prudence's perspective: 'Wow. That guy's made of sex. He's so hot and awesome and doesn't treat me well, but...but that's okay. He's a good man. I just know it! Sure he mouth-raped me. That's okay. I liked it! Maybe I won't next time, but...no, I will. He's trying to tell me he's bad, but I know he only did all that bad stuff because...stuff. I can change him! I know I can!' Then she cries.
Just thought I should point out how this relationship is going.
Anyway, Sebastian is out of ideas so he goes to bed to help clear his mind and hopefully wake up dead. Well, dead inside but you get it. His butler is amazed that he's going to bed at about ten, and alone, but Sebastian is having none of his butler's guff and goes to sleep irredisregardless. Maybe tomorrow will be better...and by better, I mean dead-er.
Nope. Still emoting. Sebastian wakes up and thinks about how it would be to wake up next to Prudence. Naked. We get it, Mrs. Simmons. He wants her hot body. ...and mind, probably. Then he starts thinking about the simpler times, before his uncle's influence. Climbing trees was the shit, man! Then he cries, missing the boy he once was and his brother.
Well, since this is fiction, it seems like Prudence is managing to restore some humanity to Ravenclaw. How? I dunno, by being a virgin and discretely sexy. Oh, also being willing to take whatever he dishes out. Oh boy.
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