Never Courted, Suddenly Wed (Scandalous Seasons #2)(84)

Sophie hugged Regan close, trying to imagine what manner of parent could ever inflict pain upon their child. Her heart clenched at the thought of a young Christopher, struggling to read and being met with his father’s scorn and physical abuse.

“I’ve always tried to protect him, my lady, and I will not apologize for that, either. I’m sorry you were hurt, but my motives were good. I believed Waxham in fact cared for you, and I could…encourage him to court you.” His gaze wandered to the window. “What I failed to consider was that I would come to care for you.”

“As Emmaline’s brother…”

“No,” he said, his tone sharp. “My feelings derived not from your relationship with my sister…but from the woman I came to know.”

Sophie’s head snapped up.

The duke walked over to the window, and he made a show of looking down into the grounds below. “I’m still sickened by my greed. I’d made a silent pledge to help Christopher make a match with you, and even knowing he cared, mayhap even loved you, I courted you with the most selfish of intentions.”

With the tip of her tongue, Sophie traced the seam of her lips. “I...I would have made you a terrible wife. Lady Ackerly is correct, I really am quite incorrigible. I say all the wrong things. I have a disastrous tendency to fall down, I—”

The duke laughed. “There is no need to disparage yourself on my behalf. You won’t convince me of your unsuitability. And Lady Ackerly can go hang.” He turned back to face her. “He loves you, you know.”

Yes, Christopher had said as much. She placed a soft kiss upon the top of Regan’s sleeping head. “He merely feels a sense of guilt.”

Mallen snorted. “Really, my lady. I expected you knew him a good deal better than that. Christopher cannot be forced to do anything. He was willing to forsake his family’s holdings, even his own respectability to avoid being turned into a fortune-hunter.” And if Christopher were to be believed, he’d also braved his father’s threat of Bedlam. “He loves you.” He glanced back out the window.

“How do you know?” The question tumbled from her lips, exposing the hope and dream in her heart.

A slight smile pulled at his lips. “How do I know?”

She nodded. “Yes,” she said, remembering he couldn’t see her.

“Because it looks as though he’s been dragged through hell without his valet.”

Her brow wrinkled. “What?”

Mallen nodded toward the window. “Your husband has arrived, my lady.”





Lady Ackerly’s Tattle Sheet





Lady Ackerly has it on good authority that the earl of W returned to London without the countess of W to attend very important matters of business. No one, however, can speak to the particulars of the earl’s affairs.


26

With his free hand, Christopher pounded on the front door of Meadowbrook Estate, battling back impatience. But after two days with little sleep, a body aching from arduous travel, and fear for Sophie who’d set out on her own, he’d run remarkably short of the emotion.

The door opened with such alacrity, Christopher stumbled forward.

A younger man, missing an arm, glared down at him. “May I help you?”

So this surly fellow was Lord Drake’s butler. Somehow, Christopher was not shocked by the unconventional servant.

He held out a card. “I’d like to see Lord Drake.”

The man studied his outstretched hand and at last, took the card. He studied it. A flicker of something registered in his eyes, but then was quickly gone.

“That will be all, Jones.”

Christopher glanced over the butler’s shoulder at Lord Drake’s frowning visage. “Drake,” he said.

Drake passed a hard stare over him. “You look like hell, Waxham.”

He didn’t wait to be admitted, storming past the tall war hero. “I’m looking for my wife. Is she here?”

The other man must have heard the desperate edge underlining Christopher’s words.

Christopher expected a mocking response to his admission.

“She is.”

A shocked gasp met Drake’s admission. “Drake!”

Christopher looked up the stairs to where Emmaline stood, arms akimbo, outrage in her expressive, brown eyes. His gaze moved between the husband and wife. Christopher held his hands out in a desperate entreaty. “I miss my wife, my lady.”

Drake and Emmaline exchanged a look. She sighed. “Sophie is here.”

He staggered under the weight of relief.

Drake gripped him by the arm. “Come with me.”

Christopher dug his heels in. “I need to see her.”

“You will,” Drake assured him.

Christopher allowed Drake to guide him abovestairs. They paused alongside Emmaline, and Christopher sketched a bow. “My lady.”

Emmaline favored him with a gentle smile. “There is no need for such formality, Chris…” She wrinkled her nose. “What is that…?” Her words died on a flush of embarrassment as she seemed to realize the smell of sweat and horseflesh clung to Christopher. “Drake, why don’t you show him to the Blue Chamber, this way Lord Waxham can…can…” She waved her hand.