Loving The Lost Duke (Dangerous Deceptions #1)(48)
Where the devil is Jonathan? He was the last person she wanted to see, but the knowledge that he was here, that she was going to have to deal with him at any moment, was beginning to prey on her nerves.
It was fortunate that she was thinking of him, because when he said, ‘Miss Wilmott, what a pleasure to see you again,’ from directly behind her she did not jump or even, she thought, go pale.
Sophie turned slowly, a bright social smile on her lips. ‘Mr Ransome. You abandon London society for years and now I find you popping up wherever I turn.’
‘I thought you might have forgotten me,’ he said with that charming smile, the one that had dazzled her into loving him.
Cal had turned to say something to Toby who seemed to have been out on the terrace with Jonathan. It was safe to hit back, because she was not going to let him think he had cowed her. ‘Oh, no, Mr Ransome. I recall exactly where I last saw you that last time, and how you looked.’
He had been naked, except the stockings which bound him to the bedposts and a pink satin bow neatly tied around his flaccid penis. The venom in his eyes told her that she had just poked a viper with a stick, so she slid her hand under his arm and said, ‘Do show me what you were admiring from the terrace, Mr Ransome.’
He allowed himself to be led outside, then turned at the edge of the paved area, one hip negligently propped against the balustrade. ‘That was a very expensive little joke, Sophie.’
‘I am sure it was,’ she said, chin up. ‘But I do not have money now and I will not until I marry. My stepfather is not generous with my pin money.’
‘I could insist.’
‘I have no jewellery I can safely sell or pawn, no way of raising money. Jonathan, if you are greedy now and push too hard I would be forced to tell the Duke the truth. When I am married…’ She shrugged and waved a hand in a gesture to encompass house and land. ‘He will be generous. Just be patient.’
‘Very well. Much as I would like to punish you, Sophie, I would rather make you pay in money.’ His eyes were full of hate and resentment and she guessed he was jealous of Cal, as well as bitterly angry with her. ‘Revenge may be sweet but it pays no bills.’
He wanted both, she knew that. He wanted money and he wanted to torment her and the second desire was almost as great as the first. She repressed the shudder that was somehow more than anger, more than fear of his revelations.
‘There is still a payment you could make, Sophie my sweet. One that doesn’t involve any money at all. I have a large empty bed just upstairs, one that I would like you to warm up for me.’
And then she realised what was repelling her – he still wanted her sexually, he still wanted to force himself on her and take his revenge in that humiliation as well as in any other way he could think of.
‘Unfortunately I will be too busy elsewhere, Jonathan, with someone else if you take my meaning, so I will have to miss the opportunity of discovering whether your technique has improved at all. It seems unlikely.’
‘Sophie?’ It was Cal, standing at the window. From his watchful gaze he had sensed something amiss.
‘Coming!’ She walked back, leaving Jonathan where he was, and murmured to Cal, ‘I had forgotten what a tiresome man he was.’
‘In what way?’ He slowed, on the point of turning back.
‘A bore. Heavy flirtation. You must have seen the sort before. Thinks he is irresistible just because of his looks. No doubt if any lady actually responded to his advances he would flee like a startled rabbit.’
Cal snorted. ‘If he is bothering you, I’ll have him out of here.’
‘Goodness, no. He is not important. I just wanted to show off this wonderful parkland and forgot how wearying he was. Now, who else haven’t I met?’
It had been something of a risk, but at least now she had established a mild dislike of Jonathan in Cal’s mind and that would explain any expression he caught on her face as she looked at the man, or why she might seem to be avoiding him.
‘I think you know everyone else.’ Cal surveyed the room. ‘Probably a lot better than I do. Extraordinary how men you thought were perfect companions, entirely in tune with your thoughts and feelings, turn out to have either not grown up at all, or have become positively middle aged in the intervening years.’
‘Lord Micklethwaite?’ she guessed. ‘I was surprised that he had been a close friend of yours, I would have thought you had little in common. Unless you have been hiding your passion for Old Testament scholarship and forestry from me.’
‘We did once share many interests, but neither of those,’ Cal agreed with a snort of laughter, then sobered. ‘Will you ride out with me tomorrow? I would show you the estate and there is something I must talk to you about before many more days pass.’
‘That sounds ominous.’ Sophie gave a little wave to Lord Peter who was watching them, his expression inscrutable. After a second he raised his hand in response.
‘It is serious, but not, I hope, ominous. Ah, here is Renshaw.’
‘Dinner is served, my lady.’
Sophie found herself seated on Cal’s right hand at the top of the table, her mother opposite her. At the foot of the board her father was making conversation with Lady Peter in her role as hostess and Jonathan, thankfully, was on her side of the table and well towards the middle.