receive compliments from other men. She would never admit it to him, but there were times when she paid particular attention to one of Aunt Jane’s potential suitors precisely because she knew it would rouse Richard’s jealousy. She also knew she’d be in for some very vigorous lovemaking on those nights.
She did have a moment of sadness when her monthly courses came. Not because she wanted to use a pregnancy to trap Richard into marrying her, but because his very palpable relief upon hearing the news reminded her that theirs was but a brief union. At some point he would tire of her, as he had with all his other paramours, and move on to someone else. She tried not to dwell on that thought, however, determined to enjoy whatever time they had together.
The night before had been a particularly late night. Aunt Jane had accepted an invitation to the opera from Mr Stanley, the youngest son of Viscount Burlington, and it was clear he was her aunt’s new favourite among the men who were trying to gain Sophie’s attention. Richard hadn’t been pleased when she’d told him she wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to hold off making a decision and had kept her up almost until dawn. If he sought to drive all other men from her mind, it was working.
She drifted in a place between sleep and wakefulness as her thoughts played over everything that they had shared together. She’d done things with him—to him—that she could never imagine doing with any other man.
He’d had her on her knees before him last night, and such had been her eagerness that he hadn’t had to tell her what to do. She’d known immediately what he’d wanted as she’d unbuttoned the fall of his trousers and pulled out his cock. His groan of satisfaction had rivalled her own moan of delight when she’d taken him into her mouth. She’d explored him with enthusiasm, revelling in his taste and texture, before he’d taken over, showing her how to move over him to bring him to completion.
The sound of her door crashing open startled Sophie fully awake. Her heart was hammering when she looked up to see her aunt standing at the foot of her bed, arms on her hips and fury vibrating from her.
Her mind raced as she scrambled for an innocent reason for her aunt’s anger. For a moment she thought she might have overslept and missed their dressmaker appointment, but then she remembered the appointment wasn’t until the next day. Dread settled over her as she suspected the worst.
“Is something the matter, Aunt Jane?”
She rose from the bed and reached for her dressing gown. When her aunt’s eyes fixed on her chest she realised her mistake. Her skin, which had always marked easily, was still red from the abrasions of Richard’s whiskers.
“So it is true,” Aunt Jane said. “You have given yourself to that…that scoundrel.”
Sophie knew there was no way to deny it, so she remained silent as she wrapped her dressing gown around herself and waited, in silence, for her aunt’s censure. She expected shouts and threats. What she didn’t expect was the deathly calm that had settled over her aunt.
“I acknowledge my part in this. It is obvious I have been too lenient with you. Knowing how wild and unreasonable your mother was, I blame myself for expecting you to behave in a more fitting manner. We won’t even discuss the common blood that pollutes your veins from that upstart she ran off with.”
Anger swept over Sophie at her aunt’s insults and she couldn’t remain silent.
“My father was a wonderful man. Far better than many of the pampered fools I’ve had to entertain over the past months.”
Her aunt continued as though she hadn’t spoken. “I will be sending word to Viscount Burlington directly. He will be very happy to hear that you have agreed to allow his son’s suit. Given the amount of debt his family carries, I am sure he is more than willing to overlook your past indiscretions.”
Fear began to creep over Sophie. “I
She did have a moment of sadness when her monthly courses came. Not because she wanted to use a pregnancy to trap Richard into marrying her, but because his very palpable relief upon hearing the news reminded her that theirs was but a brief union. At some point he would tire of her, as he had with all his other paramours, and move on to someone else. She tried not to dwell on that thought, however, determined to enjoy whatever time they had together.
The night before had been a particularly late night. Aunt Jane had accepted an invitation to the opera from Mr Stanley, the youngest son of Viscount Burlington, and it was clear he was her aunt’s new favourite among the men who were trying to gain Sophie’s attention. Richard hadn’t been pleased when she’d told him she wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to hold off making a decision and had kept her up almost until dawn. If he sought to drive all other men from her mind, it was working.
She drifted in a place between sleep and wakefulness as her thoughts played over everything that they had shared together. She’d done things with him—to him—that she could never imagine doing with any other man.
He’d had her on her knees before him last night, and such had been her eagerness that he hadn’t had to tell her what to do. She’d known immediately what he’d wanted as she’d unbuttoned the fall of his trousers and pulled out his cock. His groan of satisfaction had rivalled her own moan of delight when she’d taken him into her mouth. She’d explored him with enthusiasm, revelling in his taste and texture, before he’d taken over, showing her how to move over him to bring him to completion.
The sound of her door crashing open startled Sophie fully awake. Her heart was hammering when she looked up to see her aunt standing at the foot of her bed, arms on her hips and fury vibrating from her.
Her mind raced as she scrambled for an innocent reason for her aunt’s anger. For a moment she thought she might have overslept and missed their dressmaker appointment, but then she remembered the appointment wasn’t until the next day. Dread settled over her as she suspected the worst.
“Is something the matter, Aunt Jane?”
She rose from the bed and reached for her dressing gown. When her aunt’s eyes fixed on her chest she realised her mistake. Her skin, which had always marked easily, was still red from the abrasions of Richard’s whiskers.
“So it is true,” Aunt Jane said. “You have given yourself to that…that scoundrel.”
Sophie knew there was no way to deny it, so she remained silent as she wrapped her dressing gown around herself and waited, in silence, for her aunt’s censure. She expected shouts and threats. What she didn’t expect was the deathly calm that had settled over her aunt.
“I acknowledge my part in this. It is obvious I have been too lenient with you. Knowing how wild and unreasonable your mother was, I blame myself for expecting you to behave in a more fitting manner. We won’t even discuss the common blood that pollutes your veins from that upstart she ran off with.”
Anger swept over Sophie at her aunt’s insults and she couldn’t remain silent.
“My father was a wonderful man. Far better than many of the pampered fools I’ve had to entertain over the past months.”
Her aunt continued as though she hadn’t spoken. “I will be sending word to Viscount Burlington directly. He will be very happy to hear that you have agreed to allow his son’s suit. Given the amount of debt his family carries, I am sure he is more than willing to overlook your past indiscretions.”
Fear began to creep over Sophie. “I
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