One Night Scandal (25 page)
Within a fortnight of meeting Lady Sidwell, Sophie had five new clients all recommended by the woman. For the first time since she’d left London, she thought her life might return to normal. Every day, she felt the baby move inside her, which caused happiness to swell within.
But today, something seemed different. There was an air of disturbance swirling about her. She just couldn’t put her finger on the cause. She prayed everything was all right with her family and friends. Neither Elizabeth nor Victoria should have delivered yet. Feeling a sharp pain in her heart, she understood all too clearly.
It was Nicholas.
Could he and Miss Littlebury be marrying today? Is that what caused her pain? She walked to the window and opened the shutters allowing the humid air inside. She stared blankly down at the church. The sound of bells from various churches filled the late afternoon air.
Were the bells in St. George’s ringing out the wedding of Nicholas and Miss Littlebury? Her mind scolded her for such thoughts. But a small part of her knew it could have been her walking down that aisle.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” her footman spoke from the doorway. “You have a visitor.”
“Did she give you a card?” Sophie asked, knowing she had no one scheduled.
“No, but she said it was urgent.” Robert was one of only two footmen who had agreed to come with her to Venice. “She said her name was Mrs. Griffon.”
“Mrs. Griffon?” What was she doing in Venice? Sophie immediately sensed something was dreadfully wrong for Mrs. Griffon to be calling on her. “Send her in quickly.”
He returned with Mrs. Griffon trailing behind him. Mrs. Griffon moved past him with her arms out wide.
“Sophie,” she cried and enveloped Sophie in a hug. “I cannot believe how beautiful you are.”
“Mrs. Griffon, how are you?” Sophie asked, slowly pulling away.
Mrs. Griffon looked at her and her gaze remained on Sophie’s slightly rounded belly. “Now, I see why Lord Ancroft was in such a hurry to get here.”
Sophie felt heat cross her cheeks. Nicholas was here? For her? “Mrs. Griffon, why are you here?”
“Oh my, of course. You must come with me. Lord Ancroft has fallen ill.”
“He’s in Venice?”
“Yes, we arrived yesterday evening but by this morning he was not feeling well. He awoke with a dreadful fever. He’s staying at the home of a friend across the Rialto Bridge.” Mrs. Griffon started toward the door. “Do hurry, Sophie.”
Nicholas was sick. That was why she had been feeling so disturbed this morning. “Did someone call for the physician?”
“Yes, but Lord Ancroft needs
you
.”
you
.”
“Of course. Just let me get my herbs.” Sophie raced to her bedchamber and pulled out her small valise that contained her herbs.
She followed her former governess out the door into the humid air. They walked through the small streets and alleys until they came to the Rialto Bridge. The short walk seemed endless as the heat of the midday sun beat down upon them. Every step she took increased her worry. Mrs. Griffon would not have called on her unless there was something seriously wrong with Nicholas.
“Here we are.” Mrs. Griffon stopped in front of an impressive old home that backed to the Grand Canal. They walked up the steps quickly and entered the home. “Come with me, he’s upstairs.”
As they reached the last step, Sophie heard the sound of light footsteps. Emma ran to the hall.
“Miss Sophie, you’re here.” She launched herself into Sophie’s arms. “Thank God, you’ll know what to do!”
“Shh, Emma,” she said, trying to comfort the young girl. “What is wrong with your father?”
“He has a fever and the doctor doesn’t know why.” She looked up at Sophie with tears in her amber eyes. “You can help him, can’t you?”
Sophie didn’t want to give any false promises when she hadn’t even seen Nicholas yet. And after seeing only darkness when she tried to read him, she still wondered if it was because he was her match or because he was destined for a short life. “I need to see him first,” she finally said with a quick caress to Emma’s cheek.
“You must see him now, then,” Emma said, pulling away from Sophie.
Sophie followed Emma to the same room where she and Nicholas had first made love. Nothing much had changed in the room except the handsome man in the bed looked flushed with fever. She quietly walked toward the bed trying not to wake him. Placing her hand on his forehead, she wondered at the concern everyone had over this fever. He was barely warm.
“What did the physician say?”
“Only that he has a fever.”
Sophie turned at the deep sounding voice. A tall handsome man with black hair stood at the threshold.
“Excuse me,” he said, walking closer. “I am Nicholas’s friend Dominic Santangelo. You must be Miss Reynard.”
Sophie drew back slightly. He’d heard of her? From Nicholas? Perhaps Nicholas had told him all about their relationship. Embarrassment seared her cheeks. “Yes, I am Sophie Reynard.”
“Excellent.” He kissed the top of her hand lightly. “Emma was adamant that Mrs. Griffon call upon you and insist you see Nicholas.”
“Did the physician give him anything?”
“Just some laudanum to help him sleep. Nicholas said several of the ship’s passengers were ill on the trip over.”
Sophie swallowed down her fear and asked the most important question. “Did any of them die?”
Chapter 25
Mrs. Griffon glanced over at Emma and then Dominic. Their hesitation only increased Sophie’s frustration and worry.
Mrs. Griffon spoke up first, “Not that we are aware of. Both Emma and I were feeling slightly ill during the final days of the trip but neither of us came down with the fever.”
All Sophie knew was Nicholas had a fever. Which meant it could be nothing or something far more serious. What worried her most was the fact that he had only a slight fever but hadn’t awakened with all their commotion. But for right now, she had to work on getting that fever down.
She opened her bag and pulled out her willow bark. “Mrs. Griffon, can you please try to find me some cold water.”
“I will assist her,” Dominic said.
Sophie breathed a sigh of relief to have only Nicholas and Emma in the room. While she readied the herbs, she glanced over at Emma’s pale face. The young girl sat on the bed next to her father and held his hand. Sophie could feel the immense sadness emanating from her.
“Emma, how was your trip?” Sophie asked, attempting to get the girl’s mind off her father for a few moments.
“It was all right but long,” she mumbled, without looking away from Nicholas.
“Did Mrs. Griffon take you to the British Museum yet?”
“Not yet. She said she would once we arrived back home.”
Finally Emma glanced over at Sophie. “Is Papa going to die?” she asked in a small voice.
“Oh, Emma.” Sophie closed the distance between them and hugged the distraught girl. Emma’s tears dampened Sophie’s gown.
“I don’t want him to die. Then I might have to go live with my grandfather and I don’t even know him.”
Sophie closed her eyes and tilted her head to Emma’s. She prayed that Nicholas had enough sense to give guardianship to someone other than his father. Then again, if she hadn’t been so foolish as to leave London and him, this would never have happened. And if she’d only married him, Emma could live with her.
She’d been such a fool to let her intuition control her life so thoroughly. Her heart had always known that Nicholas was the man for her. Why was she so afraid to listen to it? She’d let fear of people’s opinion decide her life.
Whether he’d had only a few weeks to live or another fifty years, she should have stayed with him and enjoyed the time they had together. Now she wondered if she would even get the chance.
“Emma, you should come with me and let Miss Sophie care for your father,” Mrs. Griffon said as she entered the room with a basin of cool water.
“I don’t want to,” Emma said with a sniff.
“You need to go with your governess,” Sophie said and then hugged Emma again. “I will let you know if anything changes with him.”
Emma pulled away slowly and stared up at her. “Thank you, Miss Sophie.”
Mrs. Griffon led her charge out of the room. Sophie focused her attention on Nicholas. She dampened a cloth and placed it on his forehead. He whispered something but she couldn’t make out the words.
She sat on the bed and caressed his cheek, rough from the stubble of a day’s beard. “Oh, Nicholas, can you ever forgive me for being such a fool?”
He groaned slightly but said nothing.
“I should have trusted your judgment. You weren’t afraid of the gossips. You were willing to risk your reputation just to marry me . . . the bastard daughter of an earl who wouldn’t claim me.”
Tears burned down her cheeks as she stared at his handsome face. “I’m so sorry, Nicholas.”
He had to get well. She had so much she had to confess to him. And if he still wanted to marry her, she wouldn’t hesitate.
And if all he wanted was the baby?
She couldn’t think about that right now. First, she would help him get well. Then she would suffer the consequences for her actions.
“Sophie, perhaps you’d better allow us to care for Lord Ancroft,” Mrs. Griffon whispered.
Sophie turned to see both Dominic and Mrs. Griffon looking at her with concern in their eyes. “I need to stay with him.”
Dominic shook his head. “I can’t let you do that, Miss Reynard. You are putting your life and the child’s life at risk.”
Sophie frowned at Mrs. Griffon. “You told him?”
Dominic laughed. “No one had to tell me, Miss Reynard. It’s perfectly obvious that you are with child. Nicholas’s child, I can only assume.”
Sophie nodded. Even though she knew they were only being cautious, she couldn’t leave Nicholas now that he’d returned for her. “I know I should leave, but I cannot. I know about healing and from what you’ve told me this is not a long-lasting illness.”
“You’re still putting your baby at risk.”
“I can’t leave him . . . again,” she whispered the last word.
“He’ll be furious with me if you become ill.” Dominic looked over at Nicholas and then back to her. “Do what you think is best. I just want him well.”
She smiled up at him, seeing the friendship in his eyes. “So do I.”
“Do you need anything right now?”
“No, thank you.”
Dominic and Mrs. Griffon departed leaving her alone with Nicholas again. She removed the cloth and dampened it with the cool water. After placing it back on his forehead, she moved a chair closer to the bed and sat watch.
The silence of the room gave her more time to think about how foolish she’d been with him. Seeing him again made her realize just how much she loved him. She picked his hand up in hers and brought it to her lips. She rubbed his hand against her cheek, savoring the rough feel of his skin against her.
She couldn’t lose him now. God couldn’t be so cruel to her.
He blinked his eyes open for a moment and quickly closed them. “Sophie?” he mumbled.
She moved to the bed and smiled. “Yes, Nicholas. I’m here.”
“Good,” he whispered and fell back to sleep.
At least he knew she was here.
As the sun set, Sophie dined with Dominic and Mrs. Griffon. Emma took a tray in her father’s bedchamber. Sophie ate only because she knew the baby needed the nourishment.
“You will sleep in my bed tonight,” Dominic said.
Mrs. Griffon gasped.
He waved his hand at her. “Not in that manner. I will watch over Nicholas at night while Miss Reynard sleeps. Nicholas would have my head if I let her stay awake the entire night in his room.”
“Of course,” Mrs. Griffon replied.
“Thank you.” Sophie knew there was no sense arguing with him. She stifled a yawn. She would never manage to stay awake tonight. At least she could sleep knowing Dominic was watching over Nicholas.
Nicholas squeezed his eyes shut as the morning light hit him squarely in the eyes. He groaned.
“Welcome back.”
Nicholas opened his eyes to see Dominic standing by the window. “How long have I been in bed?”
“Just a day.”
“Just a day?” Why didn’t he remember it? “Did I sleep the entire day?”
Dominic approached the bed with a grin. “I may have forgotten to tell the physician not to give you laudanum.”
“Forgot?” Nicholas sneered. “Damn you, Dominic, I know you too well. You did this on purpose.”
“It was the only way to make you stay in bed to get some rest. If the physician hadn’t given you the medicine, you would have tried to see Miss Reynard yesterday. Then you would have only become more ill.”
Nicholas frowned. Somewhere in his memory, he could have sworn Sophie had been here. At his bedside. But that was madness. She didn’t even know he was in Venice.
“I suppose you’re right, Dom.”
“So how are you feeling?”
“Like hell. And what kind of host doesn’t offer his guest some food in the morning?”
His friend laughed soundly. “I suppose I can take care of that for you. Should I send Lane in?”
Nicholas rubbed his rough face with his hands. “Not yet. I may still fall back to sleep. Damn that laudanum. I hate the fuzzy way it makes me feel.”
“See how you feel after you eat.” Dominic left to order food for him.
Nicholas wondered what Sophie would say when he arrived at her doorstep. Would she be pleased to see him or angry that he followed her? It didn’t matter how she felt, she was going to return to London with him.
Except, he could not make her do what she didn’t want to do. He’d assumed if he brought Emma along that she would help convince Sophie to marry him. But what if he was wrong about her? She might not want to have any children after being deserted by her father. They’d never talked about children, except how to prevent them.
He really should marry a woman who desired children. Although, as he thought back to when she met Emma, he would have sworn she enjoyed being with her. There was only one way to determine her feelings. He just wasn’t sure he was up to talking with her today.
Damn Dominic for letting the physician give him laudanum. And damn himself for not asking what the physician was giving him. He knew better. As did Dominic. For some reason, laudanum put him into a very deep sleep more so than other people.
A footman brought a tray in for him. Ravenous from not eating and from the dreadful food on the ship, he ate everything on his tray.
“Should I send Lane in, my lord?” the footman asked as he picked up the tray.
“No. I believe I shall sleep a little longer.” Nicholas slid back down under the coverlet and closed his eyes.
As he lay there, sleep wouldn’t come to him. His thoughts remained on Sophie. Perhaps he should get dressed and attempt to see her today. But with the effects of the laudanum still bothering him, he knew it wasn’t a good idea. He needed a clear mind to convince her to return to London as his wife.
“How are you feeling?”
So lost in his thoughts he never heard Sophie approaching. “What are you doing here?”
“Mrs. Griffon told me you were ill and needed my help.” Sophie slowly approached the bed.
Nicholas took her form in but stopped as his gaze reached her belly. Pain exploded in his head. She was with child.
His child.
She left with his child and his father’s money.
His child.
She left with his child and his father’s money.
“Get out, Sophie.”
“What?”
“I said get out of here. I don’t want to see you.” He turned his back to her and faced the wall. How could he have been so foolish? She was no better than Maggie. Or maybe Sophie was worse. She’d known how betrayed he’d felt about Maggie taking his father’s money and leaving with Emma. And she did the same thing.
“I’m not leaving, Nicholas. At least not until you tell me why you want me to leave.”
“Leave,” he ordered harshly. “I do not want to see you now.”
He felt the bed depress as she sat down. He turned and glared at her pale face. She looked far too innocent to have done the devious things of which he accused her. Nevertheless, he would not be deceived again.
“I told you to leave. Don’t make me call for Dominic to escort you out.”
She blinked back tears. “Why?” she whispered. “You obviously came here to see me so why won’t you . . .” her voice trailed off. “You know.”
“He told me.” Not that he’d completely believed his father when he told Nicholas that she’d taken his money. But it made perfect sense that she would need his money if with child.
“He promised me he wouldn’t tell you,” she said and then brushed away a tear. “I know I should have told you before I left but everything happened so quickly with Miss Littlebury.”
“Miss Littlebury has nothing to do with this.”
“Yes, she did.” Sophie rose and walked toward the large window that overlooked the canal. “I wanted to tell you but I was afraid.”
“You know how I felt about what Maggie did. And then you did the same thing.”
“I know,” she cried. “And I knew you couldn’t marry me so what was I supposed to do? I didn’t want to ruin your life and reputation. If I had told you about the baby you would have ruined Miss Littlebury’s reputation by breaking off the engagement. I could not ruin so many lives.”
“This isn’t about the baby,” he rasped. Why wouldn’t she understand how much it hurt him that she’d taken his father’s money?
“I don’t understand,” she whispered, turning back to face him. Her gray eyes filled with tears. “What more is there?”
“My father’s money. You left pregnant with my child and his money, just like Maggie.”
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