Never Courted, Suddenly Wed (Scandalous Seasons #2)(48)

The stretch of silence allowed her to consider the scandal she’d caused this afternoon. Her mother and brother would be livid that her outing with the duke had ended in such a dismal manner. At any other time the impending lecture she was to face would have consumed her thoughts. This time, she couldn’t stop focusing on the subtle shift that had occurred between her and Christopher. Her body had responded to his nearness with a savage heat and intensity that frightened and baffled her.

Never before had she seen him as anyone other than the boy who’d teased her and the young man who’d disdained her.

Until now, that is.

“You’re quiet, Phi. That’s not like you.”

She smiled. He knew her better than mayhap anyone, which might account for the discomfort she’d felt whenever he was near.

“I would love to know what thoughts are swirling through your mind.”

Sophie tripped. Those words. So very familiar. Spoken by another gentleman in a candlelit library.

“What is it, Phi?”

Odd how she’d not thought of her Odysseus in the library since Christopher had begun coming round. Until now. She took a deep breath, shoving back her foolish musings.

“Nothing. You just…reminded me of someone.”

Christopher looked at her with that same warm concern that was wreaking all kinds of havoc on her emotions. She wished he would stop being so…so…blasted caring. He was throwing into question everything she’d believed about him all these years, and it forced her to consider the possibility that he wasn’t the unkind, aloof gentleman she’d taken him for.

They reached the main entrance to the park.

“Miss Winters!”

Sophie groaned as her maid came tearing at an unladylike pace toward them.

“I’m fine,” Sophie said hurriedly when Lucy reached her side.

Lucy’s dark brown eyes conveyed her disapproval. “Whatever have you done now, miss.”

The ever so slight emphasis on that one word stabbed at Sophie’s pride, reminded her of how Society saw her. “I…”

“How do I explain this to the viscount?” Lucy snapped.

“Miss Winters needn’t answer to you,” The steely edge to Christopher’s words seemed to reach the maid.

She blushed. “I…” Lucy began, but her sentence trailed off. “My apologies, Miss Winters.”

“It is fine,” Sophie said, waving her hand.

Christopher held his arm out once again. “Now, I suggest we go, lest you catch your death of chill.”

Sophie placed her fingertips in his yet again.

Christopher had made the claim that he did not want to court her. He’d alluded to the fact that he did so out of some obligation.

Just then, however, his palpable concern at the lakeside and his defense of her now to Lucy were the actions of a gentleman defending his lady.

The thought was preposterous.

Impossible.

But if Sophie were being truthful with herself…quite…wonderful, indeed.





Lady Ackerly’s Tattle Sheet





Miss S W created quite a stir at St. James’s Park when she took a tumble into the St. James’s Lake. More noteworthy, however, is the seeming rivalry between the Duke of M and Earl of W for the young lady’s affections.


14

Two hours and fifteen—now, sixteen minutes.

Sophie’s glance slid away from the clock atop the mantle in her brother’s office, over to where Geoffrey sat behind his desk.

It had taken two hours and ten minutes longer than usual for her to receive the summons to Geoffrey’s office following her scandal at the lake.

Geoffrey drummed his fingertips on the opened ledger that rested atop an otherwise immaculate surface.

The grating rhythm threatened to drive her mad.

Sophie shuffled on her feet. After several hours with no word from Geoffrey, she’d thought he might say nothing about her latest scrape at St. James’s Park.

A sigh escaped her. Mere wishful thinking on her part.

As she awaited his stern rebuke, she made a mental list of all the faux pas she’d committed that afternoon. There’d been the trip through St. James’s Park with the duke when everyone knew no respectable miss would dare accompany a gentleman so close to St. James Street.

Then, she couldn’t very well have challenged the duke’s decision to take her walking in that forbidden park. Nor, truth be told, had she wanted to. Certain liberties were afforded a lady of her age. A frown pulled at her lips. She’d thought she was afforded certain liberties.

Or mayhap Geoffrey would scold her for her tumble into the lake.

Or allowing Christopher to escort her home instead of the duke.

Or having gotten into a hackney with Christopher and her maid.

Or…

“Lucy informed me that you’ve been visiting London Hospital.”

Sophie blinked. She hadn’t been expecting her visits at London Hospital to be the reason for Geoffrey’s displeasure.

Geoffrey went on. “Lucy says you’ve been playing the pianoforte for the wounded soldiers there.”

Lucy had a bigger mouth than the carp Sophie had used to catch in Father’s lake. She took a breath, prepared to defend her recent outings at the hospital.