The Duke's Alliance: A Soldier's Bride(57)

'No, sir, I was not. It was you that offered it.' She turned to Perry. 'You had better get into something dry, my lord, before you catch a morbid sore throat.'

Perry reached out to take her hand but she moved away. Things were not resolved, but at least he could leave the two of them to take things forward from this point. He waited until she was level with him before speaking again.

'Exactly what did you think we intended to do to our brother?'

'Lady Mary said something about a horsewhip.'

'Did you really think we are such brutes?' She looked from one to the other of them and he saw doubt creeping in. 'We intended to explain in short and pithy sentences exactly what we thought of his behaviour. Believe me, my dear, that would be more than enough to put him straight.'

She looked towards the distant boathouse. 'Then why were you taking him there?'

'It would not do for us to be overheard by the staff when we are having a family debate.'

Perry made a sound, somewhere between a laugh and a groan. 'I shall come with you, I think it will be educational.'

'You will do no such thing, Lord Peregrine, I'm quite capable of telling you exactly what I think of your reprehensible behaviour. In fact, I rather think there is no necessity for anyone to say anything further on the subject as you are well aware of what you said and did.' Sofia curtsied to each of them as if they were strangers.

'I beg your pardon for punching you, your grace, but I believe that your nose will recover far sooner than my fist.'

Only then did he notice she was nursing her hand. She vanished as speedily as she had arrived, leaving the three of them alone.

He turned to his brother. 'Is she right, Perry? Do we have to explain it to you?'

'Sofia is usually right. I am a cretin. I am too ashamed to tell you what caused this abhorrent behaviour. However, once I am dry, I would dearly like to talk to both of you. Despite what has just happened, I fear I have destroyed my marriage.'

*

Perry was quite prepared to remain in his drenched garments to talk to his brothers. He deserved to suffer for behaving so badly.

'Get changed and then come to my study.'

His valet stripped him off and handed him a towel. He was finding it difficult to coordinate, he was no longer bosky but not quite sober either. He would probably feel better if he ate something, but his stomach was turning somersaults and the thought of food nauseated him.

He cared not what he was wearing, he was eager speak to his brothers and prayed that they could come up with a solution to this catastrophe of his own making.



When he told them what he had thought, what he had overheard, if he had not been sitting he thought one or other of them would have pulled his cork.

'I have no excuse for my stupidity. I came back early determined to put things right between us. Finding her absent made me anxious and then you know the rest. I had not thought myself a jealous man, but that is the only rational explanation. Unless my accident has addled my wits.'

There was a polite tap on the door and three footmen staggered in with laden trays. They hastily put them down on the leather-topped desk and vanished leaving them to serve themselves.

'Coffee only for me, thank you,' he said to Aubrey who had immediately walked over to the food.

'When did you last eat, Perry?'

'I can't remember. I doubt I could keep anything down.'

'You will try.' Beau opened the window and tipped out the contents of a flower pot, slammed it shut and then handed him the receptacle. 'There, problem solved.'

After the first few bites his guts settled and he devoured everything put in front of him with relish. He washed it down with several cups of coffee and when he was done he felt almost human again. He wiped his mouth on his napkin and sat back. His brothers had not eaten, they were watching him and both looked less severe than they had earlier.

'How do I mend my fences with Sofia? First, I will tell you both what I have arranged for us.' He quickly told them about the house in Derbyshire he was having built and why he thought they would both be happier when life was less restricted by etiquette and rules.

'I think that an excellent notion, and it will go halfway to restoring your wife's good opinion of you. You would hardly have made these arrangements if you had been intending for her to leave and return to Spain.'

'I must warn you, Aubrey, that if Sofia does decide to go then I shall follow. I know it is the woman's place to live where her man wishes, but I will not lose her.'

Beau nodded. 'I would prefer you both to be living at Silchester, but as long as you are happy and together I shall be content.'

'Have either of you any suggestion as to how I should begin the process of winning her back?'

'Sofia has moved next door and I suggest that you do not approach her today. Allow her time to calm down. The fact that she rushed to your defence when she thought we were going to horsewhip you is a good sign.'

Perry smiled. 'I apologise for your nose, Beau, I...' He surged to his feet. 'Sofia damaged her hand. I must go at once and see she has not broken any bones.'

'Sit down, my wife will take care of her. Do you wish me to send word next door and see how she does?'

He subsided into the chair. 'Yes, please do that.' He closed his eyes and tried to marshal his thoughts into some sort of order. Until his accident he would have considered himself a sensible, calm, rational man and now he was behaving like a simpleton. If this is what love did to a fellow, he wished he was like his older brother, a bachelor with no one to worry about but himself and his duties as the duke.