(Lovers and Ladies, #3) The Stolen Bride by Jo Beverley

Author:Jo Beverley [Beverley, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.
Published: 2010-04-30T04:00:00+00:00

Sophie went quickly to her bedchamber and checked her appearance. Though her jaw felt bruised and her lips stung, she could see no sign of it. She washed her face to get rid of any trace of tears and hurried down to find the rest of the party.

Randal and Verderan had gone, however. Sophie swallowed. “Were ... were they all right?” she asked David.

“Should they not have been?” he queried with a suspicious look.

“Of course ...” said Sophie but she could not meet his eyes.

“Sophie. We are all making allowances at this time but I’m not averse to keeping you in your room on bread and water for a week if it becomes necessary.”

“If you hadn’t made us wait three months, none of this would have happened!” Sophie cried.

“If you can’t behave moderately for three months there’s little hope for your future,” he riposted.

Sophie stared at him. “Did you say something like that to Randal?” she asked.

He looked away and then said, “Yes.”

Sophie opened and shut her mouth a few times, simply unable to enunciate her fury at the mess that had been made of her dream. Then she ran out of the room.

Sir Marius and Beth discreetly resumed their conversation as the earl looked ruefully at his wife. “I didn’t put a vow of perpetual celibacy on them,” he said.

She laughed and touched his hand reassuringly. “Of course not. It was just another challenge for Randal, like racing to Brighton and going out with the free traders. He’d never tried self-control and decided to. None of us realized what effect it would have on Sophie.”

“What should I do?”

“Nothing. There’s only eight days to go. I just wish Mr. Verderan wasn’t involved. That does make me nervous.”

“He has more sense than anyone gives him credit for. He won’t let Sophie destroy his friendship with Randal.”

“But what about Randal? Self-denial can be a fertile ground for jealousy, I would think.”

His hand slipped around to rest on her hip. “Perhaps we should go and take a preventative against jealousy, Tiger Eyes.”

Jane looked around. Frederick had gone early to bed for tomorrow he was off for a few days with an old friend. “Should we leave Beth here with Marius?”

“Are you going to play chaperone for your chaperone?” he queried with a grin.

“Well ...”

“I applaud your sense of decorum,” he said, “but I have no patience with it at all. Come along.”

Beth watched them slip out of the room with alarm and a tremor of excitement. “Do you think that means we won the treasure hunt?” she asked Sir Marius.

“Or lost,” he said drily, causing her to color.

“No,” she said softly. “I think Sophie lost.”

“And there you may be very right,” he said. “However, I find the insane maneuverings of the younger set leave me cold. Would you be willing to indulge me in a game of chess, Mrs. Hawley?”

“Of course,” she said, “though I am not a very deep strategist.”

“Neither am I,” he said with a lazy smile that made her feel warm all over.

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