One Night Scandal (22 page)
Slowly, he scraped back his chair and stood. She glanced over at him and then resumed her pacing.
“Tell me, what would a man have to do to convince you that he was your true love?”
She shook her head. “There is nothing. If I can’t see him then how can I trust that he is my true love?”
He inhaled sharply. “Sophie, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. How do you think the majority of people in the world fall in love? Do you think they wait until they can ‘see’ the person in their mind?”
“Of course not,” she replied sharply. “But they don’t have the ability and I do.”
“But maybe you don’t.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Perhaps you cannot see your future, only the future for others.”
“It doesn’t change anything,” she mumbled. “You have a young lady to marry.”
“Say the word and I will break the engagement.” He stared at her for a long moment while she comprehended the implications.
“I cannot do that to you.” She blinked and looked at the ceiling. “Marrying Miss Littlebury is the right thing to do. She will be good for your reputation—”
“I don’t give a bloody damn about my reputation.”
“As I was saying,” she said with force. “Marrying her will give you the duke’s blessing. He won’t leave you penniless.”
Nicholas stepped forward. “I do not need my father’s money, Sophie. While my father thought I was out gambling and whoring away my allowance, I was investing it.”
She bit down on her lower lip and blinked in rapid succession. “I would only cause you irreparable harm, Nicholas.”
“No, you would not.” He took the final step closer to her.
Sophie moved away and behind a chair. “I will only bring shame upon your name. I am not good enough to be your duchess or any duchess. My father won’t even claim me.”
“What if your father spoke out and claimed you as his child? Would that change your mind?” He walked closer to her until only a chair kept them apart.
That would help but she knew it would never happen. Just thinking about it caused something inside her to shatter. “He will never do it. I’m nothing but a reminder of what happened to his marriage. Because of me, his wife left him. Because of me, he doesn’t even know that he has another daughter. Because of me, his son hates him. Because of me—”
Suddenly she found herself weeping against his strong chest. “Don’t you see, Nicholas? It is all my fault.”
“Oh, Sophie,” he muttered against her hair. “None of this is
your
fault.” He reached down, picked her up in his arms and brought her to the sofa. “Shh, sweetheart.”
your
fault.” He reached down, picked her up in his arms and brought her to the sofa. “Shh, sweetheart.”
“It is my fault. If I hadn’t been born, none of this would have happened.” She couldn’t stop her tears or the words from flowing. “Somerton hates our father because his mother left after she found out about me.”
“No, Sophie,” Nicholas said quietly. “She never left. She died in a carriage accident.”
“No, she is still alive.”
He pushed her away slightly. “I have known Somerton for twenty years. His mother is dead.”
“She lives next to the orphan home that Victoria ran. She runs the brothel. And if not for my birth, she would have lived with her husband and maybe Somerton would have been a different person.”
She had never told another person all the things she just told him. And by telling him, she’d broken a promise to her brother and Victoria. “Oh, God, I never should have told you that,” she mumbled, wiping away the tears from her cheeks.
His hand stilled on her hair. “Are you telling me the truth? Lady Whitely is actually Somerton’s mother?”
Sophie nodded as guilt clawed at her. “You have to promise not to tell a soul, Nicholas. No one can learn of this or it will ruin Somerton and his sisters.”
He frowned. “Somerton only has two sisters, you and Lady Genna. What are you talking about?”
“The young girl Victoria took with her from the orphan home is Bronwyn. She is Lady Whitely’s daughter with her husband. Only my father doesn’t know because she didn’t want him to take her away like Genna and Somerton.” She looked up at him with tears obstructing her sight. “That is why you must never speak of this to anyone.”
“But Sophie, none of this is your fault. Your father has caused this mess.” He caressed her face, rubbing his thumb over her cheekbone.
“If not for me, my brother’s family would have been normal.”
He laughed soundly.
“Why are you laughing at me?”
“Sophie, I have met so few normal families in Society. I think the most normal would be the Selbys. And many people could never understand how the dowager Lady Selby could have loved her husband when he was so much older than she.”
“It matters not. I will not ruin anyone else’s life.” She turned away from him. “I think you should leave now.”
“Sophie, I love you.”
She spun around and glared at him. “Don’t ever say that to me! You love Jennette but now you must come to love your betrothed.”
“I
loved
Jennette. But since I met you I realized my feelings for her were nothing compared to what I feel for you. And I will never love Justine.”
loved
Jennette. But since I met you I realized my feelings for her were nothing compared to what I feel for you. And I will never love Justine.”
“Please leave, Nicholas.”
He took a step toward her and then stopped. “Do you love me, Sophie?”
Oh, how she wanted to tell him the truth. But this had gone too far. “You need to leave.”
He stared at her for a long moment as if making up his mind. “As you wish,” he said, and then strode from the room.
She watched him go and knew she had to leave London. He actually spoke of breaking his engagement for her. That would ruin everyone. Tomorrow, she would do what she should have done a few weeks ago.
Chapter 22
The next morning Sophie sat in her office and finished her correspondence. Then she started her lists of things she needed to do before leaving for Venice. There were so many things she had to complete before she could depart. But the hardest thing would be making sure no one discovered her intent before the ship left Portsmouth.
A knock scraped on her door. “Come in, Hendricks.”
“Miss Reynard, the Duke of Belford is here. Should I tell him you are not at home?”
“Show him in.”
Sophie glanced down at her gown and wished she had time to change into something better suited to meet a duke. Hearing his shuffling footsteps slowly nearing her, she inhaled deeply.
“The Duke of Belford, ma’am.” Hendricks bowed out of the room.
“Your Grace,” she said with a deep curtsy.
“Miss Reynard.” The duke ambled over to the chair on the other side of her desk, leaning heavily on his cane as he went. Once seated, he took a long moment to catch his breath and just looked at her. “I am not sure what he sees in you.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said I don’t know what my son sees in you.” He coughed into a handkerchief. “But whatever it is doesn’t matter.”
Sophie leaned back in her chair. “And why is that, Your Grace?”
“In case he hasn’t told you, he is marrying Miss Littlebury.”
“I did indeed know it. Although, I wonder why my knowledge of the situation is so important to you.”
He coughed again. “I have a proposition for you.”
“Do you?”
“Yes, I know you have attempted to deceive both my son and many of the ladies in the
ton
. Including your closest friends.” His gnarled hand tightened on his cane. “But you have not fooled me.”
ton
. Including your closest friends.” His gnarled hand tightened on his cane. “But you have not fooled me.”
What was the man talking about? “Exactly how have I fooled my friends?”
His icy glare sent a shiver of apprehension through her. “With the lies that your father is some earl. Your friends may have believed you, but I certainly do not. You have the look of some peasant gypsy, nothing more.”
She arched an eyebrow at him. “Oh?”
“Yes.”
“What is your true reason for coming here today, Your Grace?”
“I will give you ten thousand pounds to leave England and not contact my son again.”
Sophie could only stare at the old man. She never could have imagined anyone offering so much money to get her to leave. “You believe you can pay me off as you did Nicholas’s mistress?”
A flash of shock crossed his blue eyes and was quickly replaced with curiosity. “You know about that?”
“Of course,” she replied with a laugh. “I am a medium.” She stood and rounded the desk. “Hold my hand for a moment, Your Grace.”
She expected him to balk at her request but he said nothing and placed his hand in hers. Closing her eyes, flashes of his life swirled through her mind. Pity overcame her until she had to release his hand.
“I’m sorry, Your Grace,” she whispered, then walked back to her chair.
“For what?”
“Your life. I’m sorry that you feel your wives never loved you. You could have had the love of your son, but you ruined that relationship, too.”
The duke rose slowly from his chair and then tossed a large envelope on the table. “Good day, Miss Reynard.”
Nicholas watched the excited expression on Justine’s face as she danced with Mr. Heston. A proper fiancé would convey his displeasure with the situation to her parents, but not him. If she behaved improperly then the engagement was off and not due to his actions.
It had been a week since he saw Sophie and he missed her terribly. He’d hoped by now Justine would have had a misstep and he would be free of her. So far she has been circumspect.
“Nicholas, there you are.”
He turned and smiled at Jennette and her husband. “How are you both?”
“Very good,” Jennette replied and then pulled him to a private spot. “Have you seen Sophie?”
“Not in a week. Why?” A sense of foreboding sliced through him.
“No one has heard from her.”
“What about Somerton?”
Jennette shrugged. “Victoria said he had to help someone with a problem and he hasn’t been home.”
Nicholas knew Somerton used to work for a secret agency for the regent. But that was supposed to be in his past now that he’d married. Perhaps they needed his assistance one last time. “Have you called on her?”
“No. I planned to tomorrow.” Jennette grimaced. “I think something is wrong.”
“Why?”
“I wish I knew.”
“I’m quite certain she won’t accept my call,” he said, then leaned in closer to Jennette. “But please let me know that she is all right after you talk to her.”
Jennette smiled at him. “I shall do that.”
Nicholas returned to watching his betrothed, only she seemed to be missing. He scanned the room but didn’t find her anywhere. Perhaps she wandered to the ladies’ retiring room. He waited a few minutes before searching out her parents.
“Exactly where is your daughter, Lord Witham?”
Lady Witham’s pale eyes grew large. “What do you mean? She was on the dance floor with Mr. Heston.”
“Yes, she was. Now she is gone,” Nicholas replied. “Perhaps you should check the ladies’ retiring room, Lady Witham.”
She nodded nervously. “I shall at that.”
While Lady Witham left, Nicholas scanned the room. He finally spied her sneaking back into the ballroom from the terrace. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair slightly messed. As she noticed their stare, her cheeks reddened. She looked far more like a woman who had just returned from a liaison than one out for a breath of air.
“I will speak with her, my lord,” Witham said quickly and walked away.
“Do that.”
Nicholas continued to watch the terrace doors to see which man walked in alone. After fifteen minutes of waiting, he noticed Mr. Heston strolling through the doors as if nothing illicit might have happened outside. Nicholas knew better than to assume something had happened. But now he knew Miss Littlebury needed to be watched at all times.
Sophie placed her valise on the bed and turned toward her brother. She would never have been able to make this journey without him. He insisted on driving her to Portsmouth where the ship would depart instead of taking a mail coach.
“Thank you, Anthony.”
He quickly brought her into his arms and held her tight. “I am going to miss you.”
“Please promise me that you won’t say a word to anyone.”
He moved away from her, his size overpowering the small cabin. “How am I supposed to do that? Especially with Victoria?”
“Just don’t tell anyone my exact location. Hendricks is sending a footman out with notes for everyone tomorrow, but I did not let them know where I planned to go. Once I am settled, I shall write and tell them where I am. I just hope they understand why I couldn’t see them before I left.”
Sophie bit down on her lip. The only person she was truly concerned about was Nicholas. He would be furious that she left without saying good-bye. But it was for the best. With her gone, he could concentrate on his fiancée. While they might not be a true match, she still believed Justine would make him a good duchess.
“Did you inform Ancroft of your condition?”
She shook her head. “If he knew he might do something foolish and break his engagement. I cannot be responsible for that. Once I know he is married, I shall send him a letter.”
“He will never forgive you if you do.”
She blinked back the tears that had been in her eyes since she’d made her decision. “I know.”
“Stay, Sophie. Don’t leave your family and friends,” Anthony implored.
“I cannot stay and watch him marry.” Or worse, watch him die.
“Then don’t!” Anthony shouted. “Tell him about the baby and he will insist on marrying you.”
“He didn’t marry Emma’s mother,” she whispered.
“Because his father paid her off. The duke gave her a bloody fortune to leave.”
She nodded, remembering the envelope of money the duke had left for her. Guilt cut her to the quick. There was so much she should have told Nicholas. She should have told him what she really thought her lack of vision with him meant. But would that be fair to him? Her mother had always reminded her to use care when telling people about their futures. There was always a chance she could be wrong.
“Sophie, you and I could tell the world who your father is. I know Genna and Bronwyn would speak up for us. Even Lady Whitely would stand up for us if I asked her.”
“No,” she said emphatically. “I will not be the cause of you and your sisters’ ruination.”
“I don’t care about my reputation. Victoria won’t either,” he commented in a calm voice. “Genna and Bronwyn would be happy to be able to claim you as their true sister.”
“But I do care.” Sophie had to get him to leave before she weakened. The idea of leaving her family and friends was killing her. “I cannot ruin my family.”
“Sophie, the ship doesn’t leave for a few more hours. Do you want me to stay?”
She knew he only wanted to stay to continue to convince her to remain in England. “No, Anthony. Please go home to Victoria and love her for the rest of your life.”
Anthony blew out a long breath. “Very well.” He brought her back into his arms and kissed her cheek. “Stay well.”
“Thank you.”
She barely contained her tears as her brother left the cabin. Now, she would spend the next three or so weeks alone with just her maid for company. She hoped her mother received her letter informing her of Sophie’s impending arrival.
The minutes passed into hours and finally the ship departed Portsmouth. She was leaving England forever.
Nicholas waited for Jennette to either call on him or send him a note regarding Sophie. Perhaps he should attempt to call on her in person. But he knew she would not see him. It was far better to let Jennette handle this issue.
He scanned the note written by a gentleman in his employ. It appeared that Justine had a penchant for strolls on terraces. Twice more she’d been seen reentering a ball looking more than a little mussed.
Finally a knock sounded at the door. He stood ready to greet Jennette in his study. But when the door opened, he only heard the low tones of male voices.
“The Duke of Belford is here, my lord,” his butler announced from the threshold.
“Send him in,” Nicholas replied even though he could hear the slow footsteps of his father approaching. The footsteps stopped only to be followed by a loud cough.
“There you are, Nicholas.” His father finally entered Nicholas’s study.
“And to what do I owe this honor, Your Grace?”
The duke settled into the chair opposite him and looked askance at the brandy. “First a brandy.”
Nicholas sighed and then poured a brandy for both of them. After handing a snifter to his father, he sat down again. “Why are you here?”
“I wanted to find out how your wedding plans are progressing,” he replied and then sipped his brandy. “Damn fine stuff.”
“The wedding will take place after Christmas.”
His father looked as if he wanted to stand up and rail at him. But with his age and condition, rising quickly wasn’t an option. “After Christmas! What is that about? I want you married before I pass on. There is every likelihood that I will not make it until Christmas.”
Nicholas smirked. “I am terribly sorry about that, Your Grace. But I will not be made a fool of by a woman. She compromised herself, and I will not take a chance that she is carrying another man’s child.”
“Of course she isn’t. That gel is innocent.”
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