by Hilly Mason
Not a repeat of last time, I hope? Sophia wondered, hiding her amusement behind her fork as she pictured Alex dancing drunkenly in the ballroom in nothing but his dress shirt.
After dinner, the guests were ushered into the ballroom at the back of Widley House. Designed similarly to the Green Room, it had massive windows and a crystal chandelier to light up the marble floor. Thankfully, it was lacking the card tables and the prostitute lingering in the shadows.
Musicians had been set up at the far end of the ballroom and began a lively tune as the guests came in and found their partners. The dancing began immediately. Sophia stood off to the side to watch, and jumped when a hand brushed her arm. She looked up, her gaze meeting Alex’s.
“Would you like to dance? Or does your ankle still pain you?”
Before her mind caught up with her heart, she nodded her head. When Alex gently put his hand around the small of Sophia’s back, she gasped.
“Are you all right?” Alex asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Quite all right,” Sophia reassured him. She then closed her eyes and swallowed.
No, I am not in love with him. Nothing good comes from love and marriage. But I can work with children. I can teach young girls to be strong and independent—and not have to rely on men.
Alex gave her a searching look. She forced a smile as he twirled her around in a circle.
But I need Comerford House, and he has it. Without Comerford who am I? Where shall I go? I can’t stand to rely on Ramsbury forever!
She then thought of the Duchess from Alex’s gaming club. That powerful—and unmarried—woman spent her time at the Green Room because she wanted to. And the men (as well as Sophia) respected her for it. She might not be as rich as the Duchess, but Sophia was still going to do all she could to live her life on her own accord.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
I’m not running away, Miss Baxter, she thought fiercely as she lifted her head to look at Alex.
“Let’s have a bet, shall we?” she said, twirling her finger on Alex’s chest.
“A bet?”
“Yes. How about we play one of your games at the Green Room? If you win, I will marry you. If I win...” Sophia pulled gently on Alex’s necktie, causing him to lean forward, their lips barely an inch apart, “you will have to give me Comerford House.”
“You can’t be serious,” Alex whispered. She felt his hot breath warming her skin—and other parts of her body. “I don’t own gaming clubs only for the money. I happen to be quite good at gaming myself.”
Well, so am I, Sophia thought. “One game of piquet,” she told him. “That’s all I ask for.”
Alex firmed his jaw, as though struggling not to laugh. He thinks he’s going to win, she thought. Oh, how wrong he is!
“Well, I can’t turn down a bet like that,” he said, shrugging. There was a hint of uncertainty, and underlying questions in his gaze that Sophia refused to acknowledge. Instead, she lowered her gaze to his shoulders, her heart pounding. Once they switched partners, she let out a sigh of relief.
Yes, her plan worked. But if she did lose... would Alex really want to marry her? Why would he agree to go into another marriage that was not for love?
She pushed away the feeling of her own uncertainty and guilt, as well as the little voice inside that told her that she had not changed, that she was still that terrible, manipulating woman who not only ruined her own life, but also the lives of those around her.
Was this how she wanted to present herself in front of young, impressionable girls?
Well, it was too late. Sophia’s pride forbade her from going back on her word.
Chapter Twenty-One
As a man whose life was revolved around gambling, he couldn’t say no to the bet. Especially since he knew he was going to win. With her general distaste of gambling, Sophia probably had never played a real game of cards a day in her life, even at a casual dinner party. She wasn’t going to win while playing against someone whose life revolved around the game.
Does this mean that she had essentially agreed to be my wife?
It was all so simple that suddenly Alex became suspicious of her motives. He remembered that sly look in her eyes as she was giving him the proposition. Was she planning to cheat?
Well, he would have to wait until tomorrow to find out. He knew every cheat in the book, from piquet to baccarat. If he found her cheating, she would rue the day she suggested the bet.
It was late in the night, and after the final song, his guests began to quietly disperse. Alex walked to the back of the ballroom to refill his glass of the Italian wine. He spotted Sophia sitting by herself in one of the side rooms and thought of going in there to speak to her, but thought better of it. Instead, he stood off to the side, out of her sight, as he ruminated.
Was this all just for that damned Comerford House?
As he brought his drink to his lips, he wondered what exactly had happened during Sophia’s visit to the bank. If she were this desperate, then it must not have gone very well at all. Alex had said he could help her, but she would not listen. The woman may have changed many times since he had known her, but she had always remained proud as sin.
His thoughts were interrupted as his sister barged toward him, her eyes filled with tears.
“Diana, what is wrong?”
“I don’t want to talk about it with you,” she said sharply, brushing past him.
“Diana, Lady Gibbs is in there,” he began, but she ignored him as she continued on to the next room. He heard Sophia utter a sound of surprise at his sister’s abrupt entrance. Diana attempted to slam the door shut, but the door bounced forward from its jamb, leaving a crack in the door large enough for Alex to see what was going on inside.
He knew he should walk away and ignore what was happening on the other side of the door, but he was worried about his sister—and he was curious as to why she would seek out Sophia instead of him.
Alex peered in. Sophia sat next to a window. In her hands was a small piece of embroidery she had been working on. Alex recalled that she had started it on the road to London, which had been a surprise to Alex since she had told him long ago that she had no interest in the craft. People change, he reminded himself, praying that the two women would not turn around and notice him there. A few books from his library lay discarded at the table, like she had intended on reading them, but had then grown restless. The peat fire crackled softly, warming Sophia’s cheeks into a soft blush.
Sophia almost dropped her embroidery when his sister entered, but she quickly composed herself.
“What is the matter, Lady St. George?”
Diana wrung her hands as she gave Sophia a pained look. Her face was pale and her skirt trembled from her unsteady legs.
“Are you ill?” Sophia asked again, plainly concerned. She rose from her chair and linking an arm around the younger woman, she guided Diana to the chaise.
Diana swung her legs onto the chaise, leaned back, and closed her eyes, with her forearm resting on her forehead.
“Do you need the smelling salts, Diana?”
“No, no. I just need to rest for a moment and collect my thoughts. Oh, God,” she moaned dramatically.
Sophia sat down back in her chair and picked up her embroidery. She poked at it hesitatingly with her needle, her eyes still on the other woman, obviously confused as to why Diana chose to this particular spot to rest.
She did it on purpose, Alex realized. She wanted to be here with Sophia.
Finally, Sophia set down her project and sighed.
“Would you please tell me what is the matter? Or at least go somewhere else to moan and groan?”
“Oh, Lady Gibbs,” Diana said despairingly as she turned to face her. Suddenly, she burst into tears.
Sophia stared at her wide-eyed for a moment before shaking her head. She then stood from her chair to sit next to Diana.
“Now, now,” Sophia said softly, as though she were consoling a child. “What is this abou
t? My mother always used to tell me that talking helps when one is feeling down.”
Diana pulled herself up. The whites around her dark eyes, so similar to Alex’s, were bloodshot from her tears. She took out a handkerchief from the reticule, wiped her eyes and then blew her nose.
“Oh, I didn’t know where else to go. I don’t know who else to talk to,” she began, her voice pinched from crying.
“Well, I don’t know if I should be honored or insulted.” Sophia said dryly.
“I figured that someone of your... standing would relate to what I’m going through.”
“Ah, yes. Insulted.” Sophia nodded, which only resulted in more tears from Diana. “For the love of God, tell me what has happened to you, Lady St. George.” Sophia coaxed. “Or leave me to my blessed solitude.”
Diana nodded and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, her handkerchief forgotten.
“Well,” she began. “While you were in town consorting with my brother...”
“We were not consorting.”
“Whatever. During that time, I paid a visit to the Evanses.”
“I do not know that family.”
Diana sighed through her tears. “They are one of the wealthiest families in Surrey. When I started my first season, I met Lord Evans. He is a few years older than me and will inherit a large estate in Oxford someday. He’s an earl, you know. I fell in love with him that day two years ago.”
“Did you, now?” Alex could detect the sarcasm in Sophia’s voice.
“Oh yes; he is such a beautiful man with gorgeous hair and the finest clothes. I had thought that he was planning to propose to me, so I wanted to pay him a visit just to see if I could make it happen sooner.”
Tears were forming again in Diana’s eyes. Her handkerchief was already soaked through, so Sophia offered her own. She took it gratefully.
“Well,” she continued. “When I arrived at their estate, I went on a long walk with Lord Evans. It was all going so well, but when we headed back to his house, he turned to me and said that he had recently proposed to another lady. Can you believe that?”
“There will be plenty of men after him,” Sophia told her encouragingly. “You’re a lovely young woman. You only need to be patient.”
Alex was about to leave, confident that Diana was only suffering from her first heartbreak.
“There is something more.”
The fear in his sister’s voice made him stop and turn around. He held his breath.
“What is it, then?”
Alex noticed how Diana’s hands traveled to her abdomen. “When I came back to Widley, I...” Diana hesitated, and then breathed in deeply. “I realized that I haven’t had my menses in over a month.”
Sophia’s eyes widened. “Are you saying that you are with child?”
Alex almost fell over backward from shock. His sister was pregnant? When? How could such a thing happen? He composed himself with several deep breaths, and then walked quietly back to the open door to listen to their continued conversation.
“Hush!” Diana hissed. “Keep your voice down. I don’t want my brother to hear!” She sank back into the pillows and groaned. “What am I going to do? I am completely ruined. Nobody will want to marry a soiled woman. I will have no social standing, just like you.”
“Do you know who the father is? Is it Lord Evans?” Sophia asked, ignoring Diana’s caustic remark.
“Of course it is!” Diana said fiercely. “I do not go around England lifting my skirts for any man who happens to look at me.”
“Are you implying that I do?” Sophia exclaimed. “Dear Lord, just because I was accused of murder doesn’t make me some sort of wanton whore.”
Diana’s face immediately softened. “I... I apologize for what I have said. It’s just...” She raised her hands to her mouth in shock. “I have ruined the family, haven’t I?”
“Hush now; you are not the first woman in the world to have an unplanned pregnancy, nor will you be the last.”
“I’ve heard that there are herbs a woman can take to stop the pregnancy.”
Alex felt like his blood had suddenly frozen into ice. Sophia, too, grew visibly pale. “I have heard a horrible story from my maid of a woman she knew bleeding to death after taking a potion that was suppose to kill the unborn child—a bastard to some lord. To the woman, it was a necessary procedure. If she had kept the baby, the lord would most likely would force the woman out of the house and into the streets, or worse, kill her himself. But you are lucky enough to have more options available to you than a servant.
“You could give the child away, if you do not want it. However, you would need to live in exile, away from society, while you are pregnant. During that time we can look for a nice family to send the child to once it is born.”
“Oh how dreadful. I believe I would rather take the risk and use the potion to empty my womb rather than having to stay in my bedroom for the next eight months.”
“You are being overly dramatic, Diana. Give it a thought, please, and do not do anything rash.”
Diana sighed, mumbled her thanks, and left.
Alex quickly drew himself away from the door and looked out the window to remain inconspicuous as Diana walked out. However, she chose to ignore him as she continued across the ballroom.
Chances were slim that she would find a husband who did not mind she had a child out of wedlock.
And marriage was all Diana ever wanted.
Sophia exited the room a few minutes later. She jumped when she noticed Alex, and then put her hands on her hips.
“You heard, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.”
Sophia sighed and pulled at her gloves, refusing to meet his eyes. “It’s odd that such a miracle can cause so much unhappiness.”
“Thank you for lending her an ear,” he said stiffly. “There aren’t many women in her life that she can go to seek advice, especially regarding something such as this. My mother would have a fit of hysterics.”
Sophia raised an eyebrow at him. “Well, I have experience in scandal, as your sister has mentioned. But I was glad to help. Whatever her decision is, I hope she thinks long and hard about it.”
“This is going to ruin her prospects of marriage.”
Sophia let out a sharp breath. “Who decides these things, anyway? Women have been birthing babies since the beginning of time. If it weren’t for women, you, and all of these stuffy self-important men, wouldn’t be here. Why must it be treated like some unnatural thing?”
“Because it’s the way things are in England. So if you want to escape, you’re welcome to join a warrior tribe of unmarried pagan women, with their babies born out of wedlock, and live up in the hills somewhere up north. No one is stopping you. I’ll even have Diana join you.”
Sophia’s mouth dropped open. He couldn’t tell if she wanted to laugh or kick his shins. She then set her jaw firmly.
“Maybe I will,” she told him. “How lovely it would be to not have to worry about men ever again.”
“Oh, you would like that, wouldn’t you?” Alex said angrily, taking a step closer to her. He couldn’t help but notice how her pupils dilated and her chest expanded toward him as she took a deep breath and held it.
“I very much would,” she replied quietly, but the shakiness in her voice belied her statement.
“And what then? Would you live your entire life with no one ever touching you, like this?” Alex reached for her wrist with his free hand and lightly trailed his fingers up her glove until they rested on the bare skin between her glove and her sleeve. Sophia did not pull away; he didn’t suspect she would. He had suspected for a while, despite her convictions, that she had wanted this contact as much as he did.
He took a step closer to her.
“Sophia,” he whispered. “I would very much like to kiss you right now. Would you allow that?”
Sophia dropped her head back, so that it rested against the wall behind her, baring her sweet, smooth neck. Her
body trembled and her lip quivered.
“Yes,” she whispered. Her voice sounded half-pleading, half-resigned.
Alex put his arm around her waist. Indeed, she was trembling like a snared rabbit. He met her gaze; her blue eyes were shining brilliantly before her dark lashes lowered to her cheeks and hid them.
It was Sophia who kissed him first, startling him. His lips froze as she began to work his mouth. Once his senses returned, he then kissed her back, causing her to lose her footing from the passionate force of his need. He lifted her up off the ground, ignoring the sharp shooting pain from his injured shoulder as he carried her over to the chaise.
He laid her down gently, his body over hers, his legs on either side of her as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
Sophia cursed softly under her breath. He realized then that she was struggling with the buttons of his coat, desperately seeking more contact—skin against skin.
Alex unstrapped his sling and took off his coat; the pain on his was shoulder secondary to the pounding of his blood being directed toward the one area of his body that took complete control of his mind. Both hands now freed, he explored the soft curve of her hips and her waist. She made no resistance as he traveled upward; instead she rocked her hips so that her pelvis pressed against Alex’s abdomen. She reached out to pull his dress shirt over his head. Her eyes trailed up his naked torso, and she gave him a smile that almost made him lose his control then and there.
Alex moaned softly as he began pulling the sleeves of her gown down from her shoulders, revealing the laces of her stays that lined her breastbone. His fingers shook as he unlaced the stays, each small pull of the lace releasing the swell of her breasts more and more.
Lord, if only there wasn’t that blasted chemise underneath.