My Once and Future Duke (The Wagers of Sin #1)(71)

Sophie pleated her dress against her knee. “Those wagers were for money.”

“Wasn’t this one?” her friend asked in surprise.

A week of your company is what I want, echoed Jack’s voice in her head. A vise seemed to tighten around her chest for a moment as she thought of those days at Alwyn House, the fascinated way he looked at her, the desire in his eyes when he finally kissed her.

“You didn’t say much in your note,” Eliza said when Sophie fell silent. “I know something happened, or you would have dismissed the entire thing as the most incredible farce.”

She shot a wry glance at her friend. “It’s less believable than a farce.”

“Don’t you want to talk about it? Perhaps I can help.”

Sophie studied the crease she’d made in her skirt to avoid Eliza’s loyal offer of help. There was no chance of that. Eliza couldn’t make her fall out of love with Jack any more than she could make Jack fall so desperately in love with Sophie that he threw aside his entire ducal history and expectations and married her. “What did you hear?” she asked instead, then rephrased the question. “What did your father hear?”

Faint color marked Eliza’s cheeks again. “He said the Duke of Ware offered you a notorious wager involving a large sum of money, and you agreed. Papa said he understood why,” she quickly added, as if Sophie would be upset by that characterization. “Papa’s a member at the Vega Club, too, you know, and he said it was one of the largest wagers proposed this year, which might have tempted anyone.”

One corner of her mouth lifted. “It did.”

“Was the duke rude to you?” Eliza persisted. “Papa feared he might have been, to provoke you into accepting. I know you don’t want to be notorious, Sophie, and are never reckless. And Ware is known to be rather cold and reserved. For him to engage in such unusual behavior shocked everyone, even Papa.”

Jack isn’t cool or reserved, she thought with another pang. “No, he wasn’t rude.”

“Georgiana’s theory is that the duke fell in love with you at first sight and made an outrageous wager because he went mad with passion for you.” Sophie jerked up her head, and Eliza gave her a little shrug, smiling in her gentle teasing way. “Which story is closer to the truth, Georgiana’s or Papa’s?”

Slowly she set down her cup. The tea must be cold by now anyway, since she hadn’t touched it in several minutes. “The truth might cause your father to forbid you to see me, as Lady Sidlow did Georgiana.”

“Papa is a very keen judge of character. He’s not swayed by idle gossip and savage rumor. He always wants to know the truth before passing judgment.” Eliza’s voice was firm. “He didn’t object when I told him I was coming to see you today.”

She nodded, smoothing the crease fiercely. Mr. Cross had heard the terms of the wager—-so much for Vega’s vow of silence—-yet Eliza was here anyway.

“Does it make you uneasy? Sad? Afraid?” Eliza guessed. “You look tense enough to snap, which doesn’t suggest it’s a happy thing. You know I would keep it secret until I died.” She paused, but Sophie still couldn’t answer.

She should not speak of it. Eliza was kind and conscientious, and had certainly never done anything half so scandalous. Would Mr. Cross forbid their friendship if he discovered just how much wickedness Sophie engaged in? Georgiana’s chaperone had already done it. She did not want to lose both her friends.

But on the other hand, Eliza knew her better than anyone—-and Sophie desperately needed someone to talk to. Eliza would listen with sympathy, if nothing else. Since the age of twelve, she had heeded her own counsel, but this time she was utterly at sea.

“You’re right—-something did happen,” she admitted. “I couldn’t put it in a note. And you must swear not to tell anyone.”

“Not even Georgiana, if you don’t wish her to know,” Eliza vowed.

“I don’t even know how to put it into words! It all began so innocently . . .” Sophie grimaced. “Well, perhaps not entirely innocently.”

Eliza was listening with compassion. “I gather it did not remain innocent, or there wouldn’t be rumors furious enough to throw Lady Sidlow into a fit.”

Sophie blushed. “I made a mistake about Philip Lindeville. You remember Georgiana teased me about him? I thought he was a flirt—-amusing but harmless.”

“You said he was charming.”

“He was, but growing less so.” Again she thought of all the trouble she could have avoided simply by being colder to Philip sooner. But then nothing would have happened between her and Jack, either, and she couldn’t regret that. The whole thing made her head ache. “But I was loath to lose a friend, any friend, and so I ignored his hints that we could be more than friends.”

“Forgive me for asking this,” said Eliza, “but would that be so terrible?” She and Georgiana were the only people in the world who knew her Grand Plan, and from a distance, Philip looked like the perfect solution: handsome and charming, with impeccable connections.

“Yes,” said Sophie at once. “Beyond terrible. He’s too reckless. A reckless friend can be amusing, but a reckless husband is ruinous. And his behavior of late does nothing to recommend him. It was his insistence that I wager with him that began the trouble. I suggested hazard—-”