Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
“The amusements and occupations of young women should be innocent, elegant, and improving.”
Dr. John Gregory, A Father’s Legacy to His Daughters
Sophia flinched in surprise as the door to her chamber opened suddenly, the young maid attending her squealing in fright. She swung her head to find her husband standing in the doorway, his chest rising and falling as though he had hurried to reach her.
“Out,” Richard commanded firmly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him with a decisive motion.
The maid’s eyes widened. “But … her ladyship’s hair?” she stammered, holding up a handful of pins as explanation.
“I will take care of her ladyship’s hair,” he said, his tone softening slightly as he gestured toward the dressing table. “Set the pins down and leave us.”
The maid curtsied quickly, placing the pins on the table before hurrying from the room and closing the door behind her.
Sophia chuckled as she turned to Richard, her eyes glinting with amusement. “Satisfied? You frightened the poor girl.”
“If she had stayed any longer, I might have frightened her more by ignoring her presence entirely,” he responded with a crooked smile.
Her cheeks flushed, but she tilted her head, teasing, “Are you going to help me with my hair now, husband?”
Richard approached her with a gentleness that belied his earlier urgency, raising his hands hesitantly before beginning to remove the pins still nestled in her hair.
His fingers worked carefully, and as he unraveled the braids and her hair fell loose to her waist, she couldn’t help but feel a shiver of delight at his touch.
“So beautiful,” he murmured, the words so soft she barely caught them. He leaned closer, breathing in the faint, familiar scent of her hair before stepping around to clasp her hand. “Come,” he said, drawing her to her feet.
His gaze swept over her, his green eyes locking with hers, and she felt her heart flutter at the intensity she found there.
“Are you ready? For this?” he asked quietly, his voice carrying a vulnerability she had not expected.
“After everything that has happened, I would understand if …” He gestured toward the bed, searching for the words.
Sophia rose onto her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I do not wish to wait,” she said simply.
Richard exhaled sharply, a smile curving his lips as he lifted her into his arms as though she weighed nothing at all. He carried her to the bed, his movements steady and purposeful, before lowering her gently onto the turned-down sheets.
Sophia gazed up at him, her heart racing with anticipation. “You are most impressive,” she whispered, a playful glint in her eye.
He chuckled, shaking his head. “So I have been told,” he replied, though his tone softened as he continued. “But with you, I am learning a new kind of admiration. You challenge me, Sophia. And I want to build a life with you, not just as my wife, but as my partner.”
Her smile widened as she reached for his hand, feeling a warmth blossom in her chest. “And I with you,” she said.
The moments that followed were filled with quiet laughter, whispered words, and an intimacy that deepened their bond as they began to truly share their lives.
Sophia marveled at the strength of the man before her, not just in body but in heart, and as they lay together in the quiet stillness of the evening, she felt a certainty she had rarely known: life with Richard would be an adventure, and together, they could face whatever might come.
Richard awoke as dawn's soft light filtered into Sophia’s room.
Staring up at the fabric draped across the four-poster frame, he reflected on the wonder of the previous night.
Somehow, Sophia made him forget his past missteps and filled him with hope that he could become a better, more honorable man.
Her presence eased his worries and made him feel whole in a way he had never known.
He couldn’t help but compare the peace he felt with her to the hollow distractions of his past. Had he been trying to bury his troubles in fleeting company? Sophia made him want to live fully, while others had merely helped him escape.
Rolling onto his side, he prepared to rise, only to startle at the sight of Ethan standing beside the bed, his wide green eyes watching him at almost eye level.
“Ethan?”
“Good morning, Papa. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up. Emma says it is polite to let people wake on their own instead of startling them.”
Richard blinked, still groggy. “Uh … good morning.”
“I’ve been waiting a while,” Ethan continued, unabashed. “We wake up early on the farm, but Emma says city people stay up late.”
Richard let the boy’s remarks pass, rubbing his eyes. “How did you find me?”
“I followed your vah-let,” Ethan said, stumbling over the unfamiliar word. “But when you weren’t in your room, I tried the other doors. Papa, what is a vah-let?”
“A valet is a servant who helps a gentleman dress and look his best,” Richard explained, suppressing a yawn.
Ethan’s round face scrunched as he considered this. “Am I a gentleman?”
Richard hesitated, considering the question carefully.
Society would say no, given Ethan’s parentage.
But Richard knew a true gentleman had little to do with lineage and everything to do with character.
“A gentleman is someone who is well-mannered and considerate of others,” he said at last. “And by that definition, you are certainly a gentleman.”
Ethan’s grin was instant and wide. “Does that mean I’ll get a vah-let?”
Richard chuckled, ruffling the boy’s curly hair. “When you are older, perhaps. But only if you promise not to wander off from your nursemaid.”
Ethan’s expression turned pensive. “She’s supposed to stay with me all the time?”
“Yes. To keep you safe and make sure you eat,” Richard replied.
“Mama said I could go anywhere in the house. Did I make a mistake finding you?”
Richard froze, the word Mama ringing in his ears. “Mama?”
Ethan nodded, pointing to the cascade of red-blonde hair spilling across the pillow. “I asked Sophia if she was my mama, and she said I could call her that if I wanted. I never had a mama before, and she seems nice. Do you think she’d mind?”
Richard’s heart twisted, a surge of emotion leaving him momentarily speechless. “I cannot say for certain,” he said softly. “But I think she would like it very much.”
Ethan beamed at this reassurance. Richard marveled at how fortunate he was to have such a sweet-natured son. He wondered briefly about Emma, the woman Ethan had mentioned, and whether she had played a role in raising the boy so well.
Shaking himself from his thoughts, Richard realized he was trapped under the covers without clothing and could not rise until Ethan left. “Could you find your way back to the nursery, Ethan?”
The boy nodded, leaning in for a hug before trotting out of the room and closing the door behind him.
Richard rose quickly, pulling on his shirt and smoothing the covers. He laid Sophia’s shift across the bed for her to find, a rush of warmth flooding him as he remembered the tenderness they had shared. Brushing those thoughts aside, he dressed swiftly and headed for his own chamber.
There, he found Shaw, who looked up with a disapproving sniff.
“Is there a problem, Shaw?”
The valet pursed his thin lips. “The coat, milord. I fear it may be irreparably damaged.”
Richard sighed but managed a smile. “If anyone can fix it, it’s you. You are the best valet in London, after all.”
The praise mollified Shaw, who held out a folded piece of paper. “I found this in your coat last night.”
Richard frowned as he took the note, wondering how it had ended up there. He unfolded it, his pulse quickening as he read the threatening words scrawled inside. His blood ran cold.
Confound it! What fresh trouble had landed in his lap? Just yesterday, Sophia had confessed that her marriage to him had been motivated by a need for security, and now this?
His mind raced. He needed counsel, someone wise and trustworthy. Perry, though usually dependable, was too preoccupied with his own affairs. No, he needed someone more measured. Someone like … Halmesbury.
The decision made, Richard resolved to send for the duke, a man who had offered him guidance despite their complicated history.
But first, he would take steps to ensure Sophia and Ethan were safe.
Whatever this threat meant, he would face it head-on, determined to protect the family he was beginning to cherish.
Sophia awoke much later than usual, a soft glow of contentment wrapping around her as memories of the night before surfaced.
Richard had been so tender, his care and patience leaving her both touched and awed.
His devotion to her comfort and happiness had been unmistakable, and the memory of his loving attentions made her cheeks warm.
She smiled to herself, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for the man who had shown her such kindness.
Humming a popular tune from the musicale the night before, she entered the breakfast room.
Several footmen were in attendance, so she assumed her maid had alerted them she was coming down to break her fast. She had met all of the servants over the past two days, yet she noticed a new man standing by the door.
She turned to him for an introduction but hesitated when she took in his appearance.
The unknown manservant was several inches shorter than the others.
Footmen were usually chosen for their height and handsome features because they were part of a household’s display of wealth and status.
This man was not only shorter, his livery was ill-fitting, as if tailored for one of the taller men.
Sophia hated to be critical, but the man was not …
handsome. In fact, he was a bit rough-and-tumble, with his stocky build and a dark shadow across his clean-shaven cheeks.
He looked like he might be quite hairy, bearing evidence of the overshadow of a beard this early in the day.
“Hello?”
“Um … milady.” He acknowledged her with a clumsy bow. It did not appear he was familiar with the movement. Sophia fought back a frown. Something was off. Also, had the man been inside the breakfast room when she arrived, or had he followed her into the room?
“Your name is …?”
“I am … John, milady.” John appeared to forget his own name. Sophia grew ever more suspicious.
“Have you worked at Balfour Terrace long, John?”
The man dropped his eyes for a moment. “Not long, milady. I arrived from one of the country estates recently.”
She hated to be rude, but a warning bell was sounding in her head. “Well … pleased to meet you … John.” With that, she continued her path to the sideboard with covered dishes.
Sophia was an observer of people—needs must, to avoid betrothal for three Seasons—so she had learned how to read people, especially men, in order to dissuade their attentions. She definitely would seek Richard out after she ate to ask about this bizarre footman who had turned up.