could only lead to unhappiness.
A tap on the door from her maid interrupted her thoughts.
‘His Lordship asked me to inform you that your guest has arrived My Lady.’
Sophia picked up her comb and teased a wayward strand of hair back in place. ‘Thank you, Millie. Please tell his Lordship that I will be down presently.’
Downstairs in the drawing room Ralph and his cousin Guy were waiting for her.
‘Good evening Sophia,’ Guy greeted her.
‘Good evening, Guy. Is Charlotte not with you?’
Guy’s expression closed over. ‘No. Sadly she had made other plans for this evening and asked me to convey her apologies.’
Sophia smiled. ‘No matter,’ she said lightly. ‘It is always a pleasure to see you at any rate.’
Which was not exactly true. Guy was a sombre character who always appeared as if he detested life - and though he may have reason enough to, it irritated Sophia immensely.
However, tonight she was surprised to realise she felt differently about him – almost as if she had come out of a long period of mourning herself and was now viewing the world through different eyes. It suddenly struck her that Guy’s sobriety was borne of unhappiness and she did not like to see people unhappy.
Thus she made a concerted effort to be entertaining and draw him out over the course of the evening, and she was rewarded by not one but several reluctant smiles as he responded to her light hearted banter. Several times she caught his thoughtful gaze moving from her to Ralph and though her husband said nothing she could tell he was pleased at her efforts. It occurred to her that perhaps he might put her lightness of spirit down to their activities earlier on, which was something she did not want - at least she did not think she did.
Her feelings for him had become so confused and blurred at the edges; she wanted to still hate him for orchestrating a marriage she had not desired, yet when she remembered the touch of his hands on her body... the ease of the way they had talked this afternoon ... she feared very much that she might be in danger of finding her husband attractive . She stifled a little choke at the realisation.
Ralph’s gaze locked on her, his look deep and brooding but with a glint to his eye that transported her immediately back to their shared liaison in her bedroom. ‘Are you alright Sophia?’ he enquired politely.
‘Y ... yes. But I feel perhaps it is time for me to retire and leave you gentlemen to your brandy. If you will excuse me ...?’
‘You must come over to Sheldon Hall next time,’ Guy said, rising and kissing the back of her hand. ‘Rest assured I will not keep your husband too long before I depart.’
Ralph escorted her to the door. ‘I will join you in a little while,’ he murmured for her ears only. ‘Keep the bed warm for me...’
Sophia’s cheeks were crimson as she fled.
****
She was still wide awake when she heard Ralph’s footsteps on the stairs some time later, despite her attempts not to be. She held her breath as the door creaked open and he softly entered the room. Her heart was pounding. She sensed him moving nearer the bed and felt a peculiar tingling between her thighs just at the thought of him joining her there…
‘That will not work you know,’ he chuckled slipping in beside her. She was lying with her back to him and he reached out to draw her tightly into the curve of his hard body.
‘I know you are awake...’
His warm breath tickled the back of her ear causing a strange tremor to shiver down her neck. She tensed, waiting for his next move.
It never came.
‘Goodnight Sophia...’ he said softly. She could hear the smile in his voice. ‘Sleep well...’
And within a very few minutes she felt the tension ease from his body as he drifted comfortably behind her into a relaxed state of sleep.
Which was all very well for him, she thought crossly, as for a long while
A tap on the door from her maid interrupted her thoughts.
‘His Lordship asked me to inform you that your guest has arrived My Lady.’
Sophia picked up her comb and teased a wayward strand of hair back in place. ‘Thank you, Millie. Please tell his Lordship that I will be down presently.’
Downstairs in the drawing room Ralph and his cousin Guy were waiting for her.
‘Good evening Sophia,’ Guy greeted her.
‘Good evening, Guy. Is Charlotte not with you?’
Guy’s expression closed over. ‘No. Sadly she had made other plans for this evening and asked me to convey her apologies.’
Sophia smiled. ‘No matter,’ she said lightly. ‘It is always a pleasure to see you at any rate.’
Which was not exactly true. Guy was a sombre character who always appeared as if he detested life - and though he may have reason enough to, it irritated Sophia immensely.
However, tonight she was surprised to realise she felt differently about him – almost as if she had come out of a long period of mourning herself and was now viewing the world through different eyes. It suddenly struck her that Guy’s sobriety was borne of unhappiness and she did not like to see people unhappy.
Thus she made a concerted effort to be entertaining and draw him out over the course of the evening, and she was rewarded by not one but several reluctant smiles as he responded to her light hearted banter. Several times she caught his thoughtful gaze moving from her to Ralph and though her husband said nothing she could tell he was pleased at her efforts. It occurred to her that perhaps he might put her lightness of spirit down to their activities earlier on, which was something she did not want - at least she did not think she did.
Her feelings for him had become so confused and blurred at the edges; she wanted to still hate him for orchestrating a marriage she had not desired, yet when she remembered the touch of his hands on her body... the ease of the way they had talked this afternoon ... she feared very much that she might be in danger of finding her husband attractive . She stifled a little choke at the realisation.
Ralph’s gaze locked on her, his look deep and brooding but with a glint to his eye that transported her immediately back to their shared liaison in her bedroom. ‘Are you alright Sophia?’ he enquired politely.
‘Y ... yes. But I feel perhaps it is time for me to retire and leave you gentlemen to your brandy. If you will excuse me ...?’
‘You must come over to Sheldon Hall next time,’ Guy said, rising and kissing the back of her hand. ‘Rest assured I will not keep your husband too long before I depart.’
Ralph escorted her to the door. ‘I will join you in a little while,’ he murmured for her ears only. ‘Keep the bed warm for me...’
Sophia’s cheeks were crimson as she fled.
****
She was still wide awake when she heard Ralph’s footsteps on the stairs some time later, despite her attempts not to be. She held her breath as the door creaked open and he softly entered the room. Her heart was pounding. She sensed him moving nearer the bed and felt a peculiar tingling between her thighs just at the thought of him joining her there…
‘That will not work you know,’ he chuckled slipping in beside her. She was lying with her back to him and he reached out to draw her tightly into the curve of his hard body.
‘I know you are awake...’
His warm breath tickled the back of her ear causing a strange tremor to shiver down her neck. She tensed, waiting for his next move.
It never came.
‘Goodnight Sophia...’ he said softly. She could hear the smile in his voice. ‘Sleep well...’
And within a very few minutes she felt the tension ease from his body as he drifted comfortably behind her into a relaxed state of sleep.
Which was all very well for him, she thought crossly, as for a long while
Similar Books
