Geoffrey raked his fingers through his hair. “Days, my lord. She’s been in hiding for several days.”
Thuxton’s brow furrowed. “Hiding? Whatever do you mean?”
Geoffrey straightened. “Her parents have expressed a wish for Lady Sophia to marry the Duke of Royston.”
“And what, pray tell, Peel, is the matter with that?”
“Everything is the matter with that, Lord Thuxton,” Arthur said. He faced the room. “Unfortunately, gentlemen, the rumors of rape pertain to Royston himself, not to Mr. Phillips.”
Thuxton blanched. “You had better be able to defend such a serious accusation, Petersham.”
Arthur inhaled deeply, releasing the breath slowly. “We have evidence the duke brutally raped two servants.”
“Rape?” Thuxton narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure such allegations were not spawned from the consciences of girls desperate to repair stained reputations?”
Arthur’s fingers flexed, the sign he was girding his emotions. He wouldn’t be able to answer without impolitic bitterness.
“The girls in question, Lord Thuxton, were beaten in the course of the crime,” Geoffrey said.
“Yet they allowed it to happen. That implies consent.”
Geoffrey’s lips thinned. “I will not argue the particulars of a legal anachronism, Lord Thuxton. But that is not the worst of the duke’s offenses. He attacked the unmarried daughter of a peer earlier this Season. Her injuries took two weeks to heal.”
Silence once again weighed heavily in the room.
“Was this witnessed?” Thuxton asked, greatly subdued.
“Yes,” Geoffrey answered, holding the earl’s gaze.
Thuxton stared back. “The girl’s father has every right to press charges.”
“The girl’s father does not want the scandal,” Geoffrey said pointedly. “You yourselves see how Royston can turn a situation around to his favor, regardless of the truth.”
Thuxton colored. “I want to see Lady Sophia. I want to question her myself.” He turned to Arthur. “Do you know where your sister is, Petersham?”
“Yes, my lord, I do. She is here.”
Joseph started but Arthur flashed an admonishing glare. “Wittering, please call down Lady Sophia.”
“Yes, sir.”
Geoffrey sidled up to Joseph as a murmur spread like a wave across the room.
“Thuxton is a longtime friend of the family’s. He’s known Sophie since she was a child. He’ll be gentle.”
“They’re putting her on trial, Geoff. I don’t like it. She’s not the villain in this affair.”
“I don’t like it either,” Geoffrey grumbled. “I’m thinking as quickly as I can.”
The room fell silent as Sophia entered, wearing an austere, pale-mauve dress, the two-tiered skirt cleverly adding volume to hide any signs of pregnancy, the exquisitely tailored silk with lace and fringe declaring the lady had suffered no change in circumstance and still held her position as a daughter of the ton. Arthur took her hand and led her across the carpet, the susurration of her skirts punctuated by murmured greetings to the men she passed. He offered a chair vacated by a stunned viscount, then took his place at her side. Anna had accompanied her mistress, remaining near the door, averting her eyes from Geoffrey’s furtive attentions.
The consummate young lady of society, Sophia sat with a dignified air. She scanned the faces of the occupants of the room, nodding as she caught a familiar eye, her face registering no emotion.
Until she saw him.
Their eyes met and not for the life of him could Joseph control the grin that spread across his face or the flush that crept up the back of his neck. The color rose in her cheeks, plumped from her own smile, her lips twisting in a vain effort to maintain her earlier solemnity. Finally she allowed herself the freedom to express her joy then quickly looked down at her hands.
Thuxton approached. “Lady Sophia, you are looking well.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“In fact I might say you look almost glowing.”
“You are kind to say such a thing, Lord Thuxton.”
The earl cleared his throat. “You see, we had heard rumors that you had been abducted—”
She gaped. Her hand flew to her mouth.
“And abused by a certain man who is known to you—”
“Oh God, no!” Sophia grabbed Arthur’s arm.
Joseph’s heart clenched. Geoffrey placed a warning hand on his shoulder.
“The consequences of which threaten Harwell and Company. We need to know the truth, Lady Sophia.”
The poise broke and tears streamed down Sophia’s face. Arthur knelt at her side and offered his handkerchief.
“Arthur, do I have to?” she asked quietly.
“Yes, my lady,” answered Thuxton.
The cad.
She sucked in a sob. “It was at the Wrexham ball—”
Shit. Alarm spiked Joseph’s gut, panic prickled every pore. They hadn’t meant that. Arthur should have told her. She should never have to relive that night.
Geoffrey grabbed his arm. Joseph slumped against the wall. He had been ready to go to her aid.
Thuxton gawked. “At the Wrexhams’? Why, that was months ago!”
“I didn’t want to go with him but he forced me.” She looked at Arthur. “Please don’t make me say it.”
Her entreaty broke the stunned silence of the drawing room. Joseph closed his eyes at the desperation in her voice. There was no way to regroup. She would have to move forward with the story she was about to tell.
“No no, sweet. They just want to know who.” Arthur’s voice shook. “There have been rumors about who attacked you.”
“Someone other than the duke?”
Gasps and murmurs filled the room.
“Which duke, Lady Sophia?” Thuxton asked gently.
“The Duke of Royston, my lord,” she quavered.
The murmurs grew louder.
Thuxton colored. “That is not the name we have heard, my lady.”
Sophia looked at Arthur with a crinkled brow. “I don’t understand.”
Thuxton placed his hand on her shoulder. “We heard that another man attacked you, my lady. Not the duke. I see we have been misled.” He paced before her, staring at the carpet, then stopped. “Tell me, my lady, what is your relationship with Joseph Phillips?”
She glanced at Arthur, who nodded.
“I am his wife, my lord.”
Sharp exclamations punctuated the growing babble.
“And when did this occur?”
“Last week, my lord.”
“Was this of your own choosing?”
She tilted her head and bit her lower lip. “Are you asking if I had my father’s permission?”
“Ah, no. I am asking if you were coerced in any way.”
“Well yes, in a way—”
Shit. Joseph held his breath.
“Because despite the duke’s insult my parents insisted on our marriage. Such a fate was abhorrent to me. I would have preferred a longer courtship with Jo—Mr. Phillips and a grand wedding but time was of the essence.”
She looked his way, hope in her eyes. He exhaled.
Prescott coughed again. “It’s obvious, Thuxton, there is a great affection between the two.”
“The rumors appear to be just that, rumors,” added Moseby.
Thuxton sighed and shook his head. “It appears we owe you an apology, Mr. Phillips,” he said.
Everyone present turned to Joseph.
“Say something, damn it,” Geoffrey muttered under his breath.
Joseph straightened, steadying himself against the anger and frustration boiling within. “It is unfortunate that Lady Sophia had to be subjected to such interrogation.” All eyes were on him as he traversed the length of the room toward her. “It is equally unfortunate that our business associates did not trust my actions and instead relied on the slander of a known adversary.” He took her hand in his and kissed it, rais
ing the color in her cheeks once again. Still holding her hand, he turned to face the room. “I understand, gentlemen, in your eyes I am not only a foreigner but of low birth. It must be shocking that Lady Sophia has chosen thusly. How can I earn your trust?”
Thuxton approached. Sophia gripped more tightly.
The earl bowed. “I humbly offer my congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Phillips.”
The room erupted in cheers and applause. Joseph glanced sidelong at a relieved Arthur then toward the door at Geoffrey.
But Geoffrey’s face was twisted in worry as he watched a flustered Anna scurry from the room.
* * * * *
Anna could watch the heart-wrenching romance no longer. She’d quietly opened the drawing room door and had left as quickly as she could, hoping Geoffrey wouldn’t notice.
Once in the hall she closed her eyes and drew in a breath. If only it were as simple as Mr. Phillips made it seem.
She rucked up her skirts and scurried up the cramped staircase to the servants’ floor, taking the steps two by two, slowing as she reached the fourth-floor landing.
“It’s a damn good thing my legs are longer than yours. I don’t think I would have caught up with you otherwise.”
She turned around at his voice. Geoffrey stood on the landing below, looking up at her with a smile and a crinkled brow, the door ajar behind him. She had hoped he wouldn’t think to take the servants’ stairs.
“It’s not going to work,” she said.
“What isn’t?”
“Us.”
“Us? And why is that?”
“He’s exotic, foreign. A man. It’s acceptable. I’m a servant in their own country. If I were exotic, they would accept me.”
Geoffrey drew his hands over his face. “Anna, darling, they were concerned about his integrity. Not his social standing.”
“And if the duke spreads rumors about me?”
He stared at her. “He wouldn’t dare.”
“Whom would they believe?”
He drew a breath through his teeth. “Darling, can we talk about this somewhere else?”
She motioned for him to join her then led him down the hall to her room. When they stepped inside, she measured his reaction to the modest space.
“What a cozy abode,” he said, taking it in with a gentle smile.
“Yes, the governess’ quarters. Right next to the nursery. That’s mine too. I read by the fire in there.” It was cozy. She turned the lock and leaned against the door with an exhale of satisfaction.
The bed loomed large against the wall, seemingly occupying most of the room. She indicated a chair by the fireplace and he sat, staring at his feet as he stretched out his legs along the floor. She paced the rag rug by the hearth, trying hard not to look at the bed.
“Darling,” he began, “Joseph will be staying in London for Sophia’s sake. Arthur doesn’t want her to travel. Wants her under his care.” He looked at her. “They need someone to go to New York to set up the American segment of the business. We discussed the matter and the task falls to me.”
The air was sucked out of her lungs, dizzying her. “When?”
“End of September.”
“So soon?”
“I need to be settled before winter.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Anna,” he said quietly, staring at his feet, “I won’t take a lover in New York.”
She hardly knew what he meant. “Oh?”
“No. I intend for my wife to be at my side.”
The dizziness spun into a dream. She stood still, trying to feel her feet on the floor.
He rose and went to her, taking both her hands in his. “As Sophie said, I would have preferred a longer courtship but time is of the essence.”
America. “Scotland was the farthest I’ve ever been from home.”
“It will just be until Joseph is able to leave here, after the baby is born. Maybe until next spring or early summer. I’m to negotiate the legal aspects of setting up a company in America, find a house for the Phillipses, that sort of thing.”
“You won’t remain there then.”
“No.” His gaze was intense. “Unless you feel otherwise. You’ll be Mrs. Peel. No one will know you were a servant.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “He can’t touch you overseas. Royston has neither the funds nor the social connections to do any damage in America.”
Safe. With Geoffrey she was safe. She squeezed her eyes shut to dam the tears but they spilled through her lashes.
“Darling!”
His arms went about her, hugging her closely, the steady, strong rhythm of his heart filling her ear.
She looped her hands around his neck, drawing him down to her, kissing him, he kissing her back tentatively, her whimper releasing his passions, his mouth and tongue distracting her as he tugged at the buttons of her dress. She started on his waistcoat, his shirt, the waistband of his trousers—
“No. Not yet.”
He led her to the chair before the hearth. “Sit,” he said. He removed his jacket and knelt before her.
He bunched up her skirts over her knees then took her right foot in his hand. He untied and loosened the lacing of her short boot and eased it off, then repeated the action with the other shoe. He cupped one unshod foot in a palm and drew his other hand up her calf, over her knee, his light caress thrilling, shooting shivers up her spine. He untied her garter, slowly stripped off her stocking, stroking gently along the way.
Anna flinched. “It tickles.” She giggled.
He smiled and proceeded to undress her other leg. He urged her thighs open, grabbed underneath and drew her to him. She slumped in the chair, pushing down her skirts for a view of him. He licked his lips as he untied the string of her drawers to loosen the garment and slip it off.
And then he pressed his mouth to her sex.
Anna yelped in surprise then gasped at the new sensation. His tongue slid through her nether lips as it had with her mouth, opening her to his invasion. She bucked up, grabbing the arms of the chair for purchase, but he held her steady, his hands cupping her butt, tilting her to him. He sucked on her clit, swirling his tongue over the nub until her gasp became moans, became cries, her head lolling, her mind spinning, reaching the familiar peak in a new and glorious fashion.
“Geoffrey!”
He hummed his pleasure against her sensitive flesh. He once again drew his tongue through her, delving into her quim, pressing into her more fully to mimic a lover’s thrusts.
She had never wanted a man so much.
“Geoffrey, please. Please,” she moaned, hoping he understood, hoping he felt the same.
He chuckled, the reverberations resounding in her core. He sat back on his heels, his mouth wet and smiling. She could do nothing but stare in incredulity, panting from the sensual exertions.
He held out his hand and she took it. He easily lifted her from the chair then proceeded to unbutton, untie and unhook her garments. She watched, fascinated.
“I’ve never been undressed before.”
“There appear to be many firsts this afternoon.”
She stood before him naked, unashamed as the expression on his face was one of awe and admiration not unbridled lust. Her offer to help him undress was met with a polite rebuff, proving he was not a man who relied on his valet to do menial tasks. He could take care of himself and he was asking to take care of her.
The last article of clothing dropped to the floor revealing the nude man, a fine figure displaying an athleticism belied by his profession. Muscled shoulders curved to thick arms, a sculpted chest, tapering to his slim waist and hips. The fine brown hair of his chest narrowed its path down his abdomen, curling densely at his groin, his desire apparent from his prick erect with anticipation.
She caught his twinkling eyes observing her observing him.
“You have to want this, Anna.”
“Oh Geoffrey.” She flung herself into his arms. “I want this, believe me I want this.”
He pushed inside, his face twisting in wonderment and joy. “Anna, my Anna.”
He thrust in and pulled out, bending over to kiss her neck, she unsure where to touch, as she wanted to touch him everywhere. The hair of his legs brushed the tender flesh of her inner thighs. She opened for him, wrapped her legs around his hips, the feel of skin against skin mesmerizing in its sensuality.
His hair fell over his forehead and a wicked glint shone in his eye.
“Darling, I fear you have me undone.”
He was at his crisis, the moment two would become one.
“Spend inside me.”
He held her gaze as he pounded toward his culmination then lifted his face to heaven, his eyes screwed shut in ecstasy, and let out a growl. The heat of his seed sparked her climax. She clenched around him and he juddered inside her once more.
He held himself aloft for only a moment before he relaxed on top of her. She clung to him, tears of joy and relief streaming down the sides of her face.
He rolled to her side, nuzzled against her neck. “Does this mean we are engaged, Miss Colney?”
She laughed. “I believe so, Mr. Peel.”
* * * * *
Sophia had spent the last half hour exchanging mumbled pleasantries with mortified business associates of Harwell & Co., maintaining her composure, smiling and laughing at poor attempts at levity. Now an annoying stiffness twinged all the way from her low back to a point between her eyes.
At least she had garnered a few more promises of financing from amongst those who had previously only expressed keen interest in the business. Apparently insulting the daughter of a marquess was enough to rile them to economic action.
Joseph remained standing behind her throughout, his hand on her shoulder while she sat as if she was the queen presiding over a presentation at court. Now the men had left and Joseph knelt at her side.
“How do you feel, love?”
“Tired.” She sighed. She wanted to stretch out and take a nap.
He rubbed her hands between his. “You did well, Sophie. Too well. See, they had thought I was the one who had abducted and abused you. They just needed to hear it wasn’t me. But now they know the true depths of the villainy of Royston.”
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