His words were cold. “She’s my friend.”
Her eyes widened with fear. “Oh, I m-mean. I…” She licked her lips and scrambled for her words. Then chuckled. “I’m sure she holds you in very high esteem. How fortunate she is to have you for a friend, but do be careful.” She placed her hand on Morris. “There are those who are not as understanding as myself. You must consider your position, Your Grace. Women like Miss Sophia may have their place in a lord’s bed but never on their arm.”
He carefully slipped his hand away as guilt at ate at him. He wanted to tell the lady she was wrong and that Sophia could be much more than a lord’s mistress. Yet, hadn’t he thought the same thing only a few months ago? Beth’s mindset was not different than many of the ton. To her, Sophia would never meet her standards and, as she’d implied, Society would not understand. They’d judge them both. His chances at Parliament would vanish.
He didn’t care. He stood and bowed. “Lady Beth.”
“Surely, you don’t intend you leave me here alone.”
Morris turned and caught the eyes of two other ladies. They’d obviously been watching though he was sure they’d not heard. He’d seen them around Lady Beth on multiple occasions. “Won’t you ladies join your friend?”
The woman rushed into the room and Morris quickly left with the feeling of needing to wash himself again, all the while knowing the effort would do nothing to rid him of the past.
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CHAPTER TEN
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Sophia was not surprised at the sound of the library door closing behind her or the sound footsteps made against the hardwood. Neither was she surprised when a pair of strong arms circled around her back and Morris’ scent filled her nose. She rested back against his chest and placed her hands on top of his. Nothing had ever felt more right.
His mouth trailed the side of her face and he placed a kiss on her cheek. “You’re not a servant.”
She blinked. “I know.”
He squeezed her. “If you married me, you’d outrank Lady Beth.”
She smiled and continued to face the books. “I suppose that’s as good a reason as anything else.”
“I have an entire list of reasons,” he whispered in her ear.
“I can only imagine what is written on that list.”
He spun her around and closed her in against the bookcase. His expression was confident. “Besides mutual attraction, we share the same friends. There’s nothing better than that.”
She smiled and trailed her fingers down his chest. She was unable to meet his eyes. He was growing more convincing by the day. “You have very powerful friends but Lord Ashford is friends with the king. You and Lady Beth would be better suited for each other.”
“Is that what you want?” Anger made his words clipped. “You want me to marry Lady Beth? I’ll ask her today. Tell me to do it.”
She looked at him, her heart beating in her throat. “Do it.”
He took her mouth and heat hit her with great force. She wrapped her arms around him and Morris had her up and placed on the table nearby before she could take her next breath. Their mouths broke as his lips began to trail down her throat.
“This seems familiar,” she whispered in hopes that it would calm her body’s hunger.
“Yes, but this time—”
A knock sounded on the door. “Miss Sophia, did you find that book?” It was Lady Beth.
Sophia laughed.
Morris lifted and glared down at her. “We could have pretended to not be here if you’d have kept your mouth shut.”
She cupped his jaw and brought his mouth back down on hers even while the lady continued to knock. Morris tugged down her dress and began to suck on her nipples, biting and licking in between. Sophia moaned a shaky breath.
“Miss Sophia, are you there? I believe Lord Cort went this direction. Is he with you?”
Sophia groaned and pushed Morris away. The lady had been driving her mad since her arrival.
Morris pulled himself up and lifted a brow as he fixed his clothes. “I should have known she’d follow me here. No doubt she has enlisted the help of her friends to keep an eye on me.”
Sophia smoothed out her dress. “Or she’s paying a staff member. I’ll speak with them today.” She turned and shouted at the door. “Yes, we’re here. Lord Cort was just helping me find your book.” Sophia rushed over and, after looking Morris over for a final approval, opened the door and smiled. “As you know, Lord Cort is a very good hunter and would know the authors you seek much better than me.”
Lady Beth swept into the room with her nose in the air. “Why was the door locked?”
“An accident, of course.” Sophia widened it and saw that two other ladies were around a corner, their gazes directed at her. Her heart raced. Gossip was the last thing she needed. She had to find a way to appease Lady Beth.
“Accident?” the lady asked as she looked between them. “I think not.” She crossed her arms. “I know what sort of woman you are, Miss Sophia. It’s a miracle you were allowed to host at all. It’s disgraceful.” And with one word from the lady, the small thread of Society that Sophia had been hanging onto could snap, forcing her to avoid London during the Season if she cared at all for her reputation.
She hadn’t until recently, until one man made her see that reputation held so much power.
“I fear you are wrong about what took place here, Lady Beth.” Morris leaned against the table and let his hands rest behind him on the surface.
“Oh?” She smiled sweetly at him. “Then exactly what happened?”
Sophia wondered what lie Morris would offer her in order to stop the story from leaving the room.
Morris smiled. “I was compromising her.”
Both women stared at him.
Lady Beth opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. “What?”
“Morris,” Sophia warned.
The lady swung to her. “You’re not to use his name Christian name. He is Lord Cort to you.”
“She can call me what she wants,” Morris told them. “After all, I am going to be marrying her.”
“What?” Lady Beth’s face went white.
“You’ve caught us,” Morris told her in a matter-of-fact voice. “If this story gets out, I’ll have to marry her.”
Lady Beth looked between them a few times and then straightened her back. “Well, I didn’t see anything.” She sneered at Sophia but smiled at Morris. “In fact, I don’t believe the two of you were here at all.”
Sophia sighed with relief. Morris’ plan had worked and the lady had fallen for it. She was safe.
Morris walked over to Lady Beth and extended his arm. “Then, if that is the case, I do believe your mother is playing cards in the parlor. Allow me to escort you.”
Lady Beth’s hold on Morris’ arm reminded Sophia of a leach. “Yes, let’s.”
They started out the room with Lady Beth going on about what gown she planned to wear at dinner and Morris seemed to listen, only allowing his eyes to meet Sophia’s once before they were gone.
Sophia closed the doors behind them and leaned her forehead against the wood. Their reckless behavior had nearly cost them everything. She vowed then to avoid Morris for the rest of the holiday, even throwing Lady Beth in his path if she could, anything to make sure he didn’t compromise her again.
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CHAPTER ELEVEN
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“I’ll not go another year like this.” Emmett’s voice greeted Morris as he entered the study. The Earl of Ashwick was speaking to the other eight men that made up the Men of Nashwood, a brotherhood that had started long before they’d been given a name. The men knew each other bett
er than most, becoming friends at Eton and continuing their friendship through Oxford. During the years that had passed, they’d helped one another through the death of loved ones, protected one another from the danger of others, committed various crimes in an effort to keep one another out of trouble, and had created a code of honor that made them who they were, a code that made them renowned in the various circles of Society.
Morris closed the door behind him, which managed to get everyone’s attention. “What are we discussing?” He walked farther into the study and took a chair in the corner of the room. Shadows played through the room, twin fires being the only light. They’d met late at night as it was the only time they could be certain of not being interrupted. The house was quiet, which seemed almost unnatural with all the noise and laughter the guests produced every day, the sounds a testament to the party’s success.
He looked up as Calvin came to his feet and slammed his fist on a nearby table. “This waiting game is driving us mad. In the last six months, three of us have gotten engaged and none of us are married.”
“The women refuse for various reasons.” Francis leaned back in his chair and ran both hands through his hair, frustration reflected in his posture. “Genie wishes to wait until the East African Trading Company manages to untie enough money to clear my debt.” He was more speaking to himself than anyone in the room, obviously trying to solve his issue aloud.
Genie’s father had placed a heavy debt on Francis before he died and though it all had been done in trickery Genie’s father, the Earl of Buckley was no longer alive to stand trial and the courts were loath to break any agreement without him present. Therefore, Francis was forced to pay off a great sum. However, now that he was the owner of one of London’s most profitable export companies, he was one of the wealthiest men in London but the company had placed great sums into other profitable investments right before Francis took over and so Francis was forced to wait until the profits came in.
“Alice wants her father to be present.” Calvin murmured to himself. He turned to William. “Have you heard any word from the navy.” Alice’s father, Mr. Wilkins, had been impressed to join the Royal Navy, which simply meant he’d been forced into it, a practice that the Royal Navy was known for, though usually with men from other countries. They’d not known he was English, yet neither had they let him return to England’s shores.
Sir William Tift, who’d been a Major General in the army and who’d been knighted for his bravery, had connections in the navy as well. He nodded his head in reply to Calvin’s question. “I hear the ship is set to return from France soon.” The war against Napoleon still went on in France.
“Let us hope they don’t change their minds,” Calvin whispered.
There was a moment of silence for Alice’s father.
“It’s Lorena who started all of this.” Emmett lounged in a chair behind the desk, his gray eyes dark in the shadows. He rested his elbows on the chair arms and pressed his fingers together, obviously in thought. “Lorena wanted to wait until my house was restored but that could be another year. I motion that we set a date.”
Morris lifted a brow but said nothing.
Calvin turned to Emmett. “What do you mean?”
“We set a wedding date.” Emmett stood and walked around the table. “We’ll all marry on the same date. We’ll get Mr. Taylor to design them dresses and find a vicar who is willing.”
“And if they refuse?” Francis asked.
“Then we tie them up and we all go to Gretna Green. If they still refuse, then we stay there until they bend.” Emmett’s mind seemed set.
Morris now understood why everyone was present for this meeting. To get three unyielding women like Lorena, Genie, and Alice down the aisle, it would take reinforcements. He chuckled to himself. “I see all of you breaking before they do.”
“I’m with Morris.” Hugh, the Marquess of Evoy, sat backward in his chair. “The women you’ve all fallen for are strong-willed.”
“Lorena refused me until I got her to see things my way.” Emmett grinned. “I plan to make her my wife, and I’ll not wait any longer.”
“Alice put up a fight as well.” Calvin crossed his arms. “I’m sure I can get her to see things my way.”
“I don’t know,” Francis whispered while staring into the fire across the room. “For the longest time, Genie chased me even though my heart had always been hers. Now, she’s different. It’s this Spinster’s Society. They have strength in numbers.”
“As do we,” Emmett said.
Morris leaned forward on his knees. “I don’t understand. It’s not as though any of them stop you from entering their beds.” Unlike Sophia. He didn’t even know what room she was staying in. The woman heated up in his arms but in the last few days she’d somehow managed to keep her distance, taking more control of his schedule and the others than he thought necessary and what bothered him more was Lady Beth’s presence. Did Sophia really believe she could simply pass his heart off to another woman? He couldn’t remember ever being refused by a woman. Francis was right. There was strength in numbers, yet while he knew that Sophia did find strength with the other girls his senses told him that there as something else that kept her away from him, a secret she was unwilling to share with even the other women.
He needed to speak to her alone.
“They allow us in their beds,” Calvin told him. “But then they forced us out before daybreak. The wish to keep their reputations from being soiled and I grow weary of having to sneak around and I’ve tried repeatedly to get her with child. I believe she’s taking something to resist conception.”
Emmett looked around. “Are we all in this or not?”
Frank, who was Calvin’s older brother, ran a hand down his face. “This could go badly for all of you but you know we’re in.”
Morris nodded along with the others.
Julius, who’d been standing by the windows, asked Morris, “How goes the capture of Sophia? It’s good to know if we should be planning four weddings or not.”
There were chuckles in the room.
Morris leaned back and crossed his arms. “She’s resistant but I’ll have her.” He’d told the others of his feelings a few weeks ago, around the time he’d found out the truth about Levi.
Before then, he’d never been a man to go after a woman who belonged to someone else. Thus, his feelings had been irrelevant but not anymore. “I think she’s hiding something.”
“Want help discovering it?” Hugh asked. He could find anything.
Morris shook his head. “No, I believe it’s personal. I need her to tell me what it is.”
“Spinster’s Society,” Emmett spat. “I’ll see an end to it once we’re wed.”
Julius laughed. “Oh, let Lorena hear you say it and you’ll be enjoying the pleasure of your hand for the rest of the year.”
The others laughed, except Morris. He was growing tired of his hand. He’d not taken another woman since beginning his pursuit of Sophia. He didn’t want to touch anyone but her.
The door cracked open and Morris was surprised to see his mother.
All the men stood and bowed at the duchess.
Lillias smiled. “I wish to speak to Morris if I might.
“We’ll discuss this later.” Emmett started for the door along with the others. No one made eye contact with his mother and Morris was surprised when she seemed to avoid them as well.
“What are you doing up at this hour?” Morris helped her into a chair. “I thought you’d found a companion for your stay.” He’d rather not discuss what went on in his mother’s bedchamber but he was concerned. He went to the sideboard, poured her a glass of brandy, and returned.
Lillias thanked him and took a liberal sip. She then held the glass in her hands and stared at it. She was in her night robe. Her dark golden hair was in a long braid over her shoulder.
“Mother?” Morris sat and waited for her to speak.
She looked at him. “He’s… a dictator!
” She glared. “That high-handed man has a will of iron… along with other parts of him.”
Morris grunted. “You know, I believe your friend Lady Harriet is here. Yes, I saw her just the other day. Perhaps you should go speak to her.”
“I like being in charge, Morris,” she went on as though he’d said nothing. Her gold eyes were wide. “You know I enjoy having all the power but I am willing to share it with him. He refuses.”
“If he doesn’t make you happy—”
“He does!” She slammed the glass onto a nearby table and started to pace. “I’ve never felt…” Her cheeks pinked and she covered her mouth.
“Mother.” He didn’t know what to say. The duchess was not known to blush. In fact, the world blushed around her while she remained always in control. This version of the duchess was new.
She looked at him and crossed her arms. “I despise controlling men. You know that. Your father was that way. Everything always had to be done by the rules. He was never willing to break from the ton’s strict mannerism. The only good thing he ever did was give me you.”
Morris had heard it all before. “What is it you wish me to do?”
She walked over to where he sat, knelt at his feet, and took his hand. “Don’t be like him, Morris. I saw the way you looked at Miss Sophia upon my arrival. The world stopped existing when she appeared. It made me so happy. She’s a pleasant girl. Don’t you dare marry a woman like Lady Beth.”
Miss Sophia's Spirited Spinster's Society (The Spinster’s Society) (A Regency Romance Book) Page 8