Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
“Be even cautious in displaying your good sense. It will be thought you assume a superiority over the rest of the company.”
Dr. John Gregory, A Father’s Legacy to His Daughters
The duke offered to mediate with Cecil, which Richard accepted to Sophia’s relief. Her husband’s sleepless nights, the fact that he had killed a man the night before, and his belligerence toward the sibling who had laid hands on his wife suggested it was the wise choice to make.
The men headed over to parlay with the scoundrel tied to the chair, which left Sophia to show the duchess back to where her babe was waiting in the study. The duchess collected the boy and his nursemaid and took her leave when the Halmesbury carriage drew to the front.
After the duchess departed, Sophia found herself with nothing to occupy her attention. She dared not enter the drawing room where the negotiation was taking place. Her presence would only infuriate her brother, rendering him uncooperative.
She was too tense to read and too anxious to complete any tasks. Briefly, she considered visiting Lily to tell her what had happened, but cast that idea aside as premature.
Which was why she paced up and down in her bedchamber, wringing her hands. Now that the worst of the threat had passed, she had too much time to think.
Does Richard regret that he married me?
He had said she brought him peace, but today’s events revealed that was not the truth. He must now live with the fact that a man had died at his hand because the infamous Haywards had entered his life.
Did I make things worse when I tricked him into meeting with Annabel?
She was having second thoughts about that decision.
After the most traumatic evening of the man’s life, she then deceived him into a confrontation that he perhaps was ill-prepared to handle.
What had she been thinking? It seemed like such a good idea at the time, but in retrospect, it was terribly manipulative and controlling.
She would be angered if he tried something similar.
Hang it all, she had been angry when he attempted to interfere with her life by removing her to Saunton Park.
Now that he has confronted the worst, will he lose interest in me?
After all, she had raised the possibility to Lily just yesterday that she might be some sort of ethical lodestone.
Richard had risen as a hero from the ashes, reconciled with his cousin’s wife, and even now was downstairs to conquer her villainous brother.
What role would Sophia serve now that he had uncovered his true self?
Would she fade into the role of nobleman’s wife with her only duty to sire his heir?
What if I want more?
Could their marriage grow into a true partnership despite her troubled past?
She had returned home the night before intending to talk to him.
To explain. Perhaps to disclose that she loved him.
But so much had happened since she had stepped through the front door and been accosted by the inebriated Lord Wood.
This morning she had hoped they would find an opportunity to talk things out, but then she had been shocked to her core to see the note—realizing that she had missed all the clues that her brother was the secret enemy working against them.
Bah!
This was harder than she had expected. Building a life with another person was quite an undertaking. Would Richard remember how she had accepted Ethan without complaint? Would that stand in her favor when they next spoke?
Sophia concluded that thinking was not the best use of her time. She was arguing herself into tighter and tighter binds. Something to occupy her attention was what she needed to find while she awaited Richard’s return from the drawing room negotiation with her trussed-up brother.
Making up her mind, she left her rooms to find Ethan in the nursery. She would read him a story and discuss his day with him.
Two hours later, Sophia returned to her bedchamber, stopping short when she found Richard sipping coffee on her settee.
“I have been waiting for you.”
“How did it go with Cecil?”
“Quite well. I suspect that part of the reason he took the post as groom was it gave him somewhere to hide out. Those gambling debts of his are more prolific than is safe for a man of his current financial position. When Halmesbury proposed he leave English soil, he did not demur and then, when he heard about the annuity, his relief was palpable despite his blustering to the contrary. The duke stipulated he would not be allowed to drink during the voyage, a rule which his escorts will not hesitate to enforce.”
Sophia listened with only half of her attention. Her heart was pounding hard. She wanted to race into his arms and smother him in kisses, but she did not know if he would welcome them. “It sounds like Cecil has a very uncomfortable journey ahead of him, then.”
“The hope is that sobriety might take hold if he is dry for such a long voyage. We can at least attempt to assist him to recover from his addictions before we set him loose.”
“Where is he headed?”
“He chose New Orleans to be his new home. Perhaps he might find a wife and settle down with the allowance he will be receiving. But that is in his hands once Long sets him up. We have done what we can to give him a chance at a new life.”
Sophia moved over to the settee, sitting nervously on the very edge. Her palms were moist with her anxiety, and she discreetly wiped them over her skirts as if smoothing wrinkles in the cloth. She was at a loss for words.
“Thank you … for making such an effort. He is an utter scoundrel, but it is still … difficult. I remember him as a young boy when he was different.”
Richard reached out to take her hand, causing her to flinch in surprise, which he ignored. He gently ran his thumb over her fingers. “It is my pleasure to take care of this on your behalf.”
Sophia sat in silence, enjoying his caress and wondering what came next now that the threat had passed.
Richard cleared his throat. “Sophia … If I may?”
She turned her head to look at him only to find that he appeared to be as nervous as she felt.
“This morning when I told you that I loved you … did you hear me say it?”
Her eyes widened in astonishment. “You love me?” she asked breathlessly.
“Of course! Your sharp tongue saved my life, and your gracious presence gave it meaning. Before our home was invaded last night, I had every intention of talking to you about it … about us.”
“Oh, Richard!” She flung herself into his arms and—drat—her tears started falling once more. Mayhap she was a weak-minded female, after all? She lifted herself to wipe at the tears. “I am so sorry to be weeping again! I promise this is out of character.”
Richard caught her chin with his fingers to lift her face. “Sophia, I am quite aware that you are a strong woman with her own mind. Dash it, these last twenty-four hours have been so fraught with peril and potential loss, I am inclined to join you in your tears!”
Sophia laughed in surprise, batting him across the chest. “Bunkum, Richard! Do not make fun of me.”
“I do not! See?” Her ridiculous husband pulled an exaggerated face, his handsome features twisted in an attempt to mimic a tearful expression.
Sophia burst into a fit of giggles, laughing so hard that her stomach began to ache. Unable to resist, she threw her arms around him and pressed her face against the warmth of his neck, her laughter fading as she listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
In that moment, the sheer magnitude of having this man in her life washed over her, filling her with a sense of joy she could scarcely put into words.
“I love you, too,” she whispered. He tensed and then slowly relaxed to press kisses to her hair.
“My love, I am so very happy to hear that,” he rumbled quietly, holding her close to his heart.