LITMIR.BIZ

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      ‘Shall I take a notice out in The Times?’ he enquired in a cutting voice. ‘It will save time.’

      ‘Once you meet Robert and Henri, you will love them.’

      ‘I prefer to make my own judgement about people. You swore only a few days ago that this Robert of yours would find fault with me and my suit.’

      ‘Yes, but we are married now.’ Sophie pressed her hands against her temples. She had only said that when she had been certain he had no desire to marry her. Everything had changed. ‘It no longer signifies. They know what society demands when people are compromised. Ultimately, all they want is to see me happy. They will be delighted that you did the right thing.’

      He reached out to her, but she ignored it and stood there with crossed arms. She refused to ask him where he’d been. He should tell her and explain why he had left her for so long this morning.

      ‘This is all wrong.’ He reached out again and pulled her into his arms. He rested his chin on the top of her head. ‘That’s better. You were too far away. Can we start today over, please? I missed you more than I thought I would.’

      ‘I would like that,’ she said. Being in his arms made everything better. He’d missed her or perhaps just her body. It had to be enough. She would make him proud of her accomplishments. She’d show him how truly worthy she was and he’d start to truly care for her. He might not love her now, but she could make love grow … if she had enough time.

      ‘I didn’t expect to see your father,’ she said, concentrating on his waistcoat rather than looking him in the face. ‘My dark-rose gown has easier buttons and requires no crinoline. Jane wants my wardrobe to be fit for a peeress, but I’d rather be able to dress myself. Surely both can be managed?’

      ‘I like your way of thinking, Lady Bingfield.’ Richard’s eyes glowed with appreciation as he ran his hands down her back.

      They had that, Sophie realised. They desired each other. It would have to be enough to build her marriage on. She couldn’t suddenly wish for undying love when he had never pretended more than desire. She had to hope his feelings for her would grow. Right now, his touch was wakening the ache in her middle.

      She gave her mouth up to his mind-numbing kiss. When he kissed her, she knew everything would be right with the world.

      Much later when they lay in bed together, Sophie’s head against Richard’s chest and her body faintly throbbing, she glanced up at his face and he seemed to be far away, concentrating on the bedpost rather than on her face.

      ‘You haven’t heard a word I said.’

      He placed an absentminded kiss on her hair. ‘Was it important?’

      She shook her head. Her question about his childhood could wait. ‘What were you thinking about?’

      He put his hands behind his head. ‘My father took the truth about our meeting well though. Better than I had hoped. It was a simplistic, but fatal error. I never thought about his birthday.’

      She ran her hand down his chest. ‘We had different expectations when we decided the story.’

      ‘I could tell he likes you.’ His hand stroked her hair. ‘He does have excellent taste if you can get him to talk about something more than pigs.’

      ‘You did want him to stay. He seemed sad earlier. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.’ Sophie shook her head. Now was not the time to bring up the intelligence about his mother. Not after their quarrel had just mended. She had hated how her insides felt during their last one.

      ‘You were completely right. I was being selfish. I wanted to start our wedding trip as soon as possible and didn’t think my father would want to stay as he normally hates being away from his beloved pigs.’

      ‘He puts his son above his pigs.’

      ‘I live in hope, rather than expectation.’ He gave a pained smile. ‘Thank you for putting duty before pleasure. We will go once my father decides to depart, but it won’t be long before the pigs need his attention. I want a proper wedding trip with you this summer. I positively insist on it.’

      ‘We are still together and we will get to the Alps this summer.’ She placed a kiss on his chin. ‘I’m looking forward to painting you properly. A sunlit Alpine meadow will be the perfect backdrop.’

      ‘Shall I be naked?’

      ‘Richard!’

      His eyes danced and he ran a hand down her flank. ‘I keep forgetting how truly innocent you are, Sophie. Only if you desire it. Otherwise, I shall sit very still, dressed in my best hat, coat and trousers while you paint. The very proper husband for my Lady Bingfield to paint.’

      Truly innocent. Sophie’s heart gave a little pang. She should never forget how experienced he was. He was used to women who knew how to do all sorts of things. The cruel words Sebastian had shouted through the keyhole circled around her brain—Men tire of innocence very quickly. How could she ever hope to hold Richard, if she remained innocent? How could she hope to keep him from being bored? She wanted to use the desire to bring finer feelings to the marriage. She had to show him that she was worthy of taking her place beside him, so that he wouldn’t regret his impulsive act of honour.

      ‘Sophie? You appear awfully serious? Is something wrong? You have forgiven me, haven’t you? I won’t allow you to wake up without me again. I promise. I had no idea that it would upset you so.’

      She pushed her doubts away. In Richard’s arms, everything was perfect. ‘Nothing is wrong. How could it be with you here?’

Chapter Thirteen

      The sooner they left Newcastle, the better, Richard decided three days later. The last thing he wanted was for Sophie to encounter his mother. Rather than getting better and reconciled to the marriage and asking to meet Sophie, his mother had written to his aunt, requesting the report on Sophie.

      Richard had considered something was truly wrong with her when she sent a cryptic note and so he had hurried over there this morning, only to be greeted with a litany of Sophie’s imagined faults.

      With Sophie attempting to create a wardrobe fit for a viscountess before they left for the wedding trip and generally showing nervousness, the last thing she needed was his mother picking petty fault. He wanted to throttle his aunt, but knew he ultimately was to blame for goading her that day.

      He refused to allow anyone to hurt Sophie or twist her into something she wasn’t. He wanted the passionate woman, not the mask she’d shown to the world when they’d first met. But there was no point in explaining this to his mother. Instead he had made his excuses and left.

      Richard marched into his rooms with his aunt’s poison burning a hole in his pocket. He would write his aunt an uncompromising and long-overdue missive about her behaviour and afterwards he’d consign the so-called verdict to the fire. Sophie need not worry what his family thought of her.

      He stopped, confronted with the delectable sight of Sophie in her robe.

      ‘What are you doing back here, Sophie?’ Richard tilted his head, searching for signs of distress. ‘I thought you had fittings for your new wardrobe all morning and were then going to have lunch with your stepmother.’

      ‘I came back earlier from my stepmother’s.’ Sophie waved an airy hand. ‘There was little point in me staying. My stepmother agreed with me. A woman’s place is with her husband when they are first married, rather than gossiping.’

      He raised an eyebrow. ‘Is that so? Did you happen to see my father? Has he decided when he is leaving?’

      ‘Next week. The tickets are all booked.’ Sophie gave a little twirl, allowing her robe to slip a little. She had to hope her scheme was working and that Richard

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