weaknesses to their own advantage. They wouldn’t dare diddle with the likes of us—they prefer more vulnerable targets. But that said, I wouldn’t underestimate them. They are dangerous.”
Dangerous. Cameron watched the play of shadows on the far wall. How had Sophie become entangled with such men?
“Thank you.” He took up his hat.
“We are staying at my townhouse for another few days,” said Gryff. “Come around tomorrow evening and sup with us.”
“Perhaps,” he replied absently, his thoughts still occupied with unsettling questions.
“It should go without saying, Cam,” added Connor softly. “But if you need any help from us, you have only to ask.”
Chapter Four
I s there anything else you wish us to purchase for you?” Sophie poked her head into the morning room where her aunt was consulting with her housekeeper on the day’s menus.
“No, the embroidery threads are all, my dear. Georgie has the color samples,” replied Hermione. “You are sure that you girls don’t mind doing your errands without me?”
“Oh, not at all,” assured Sophie, who had deliberately mentioned that a visit to Hatchards book shop was among their plans. Hermione was not a very avid reader.
“I confess, I am a trifle fatigued from our outing, so I am just as happy to spend the day at home with my needlework.” Hermione held up the waistcoat she was working on. “I am making great progress on my surprise for Edward’s birthday.”
“It’s lovely.” Sophie knotted her bonnet strings under her chin, relieved that she had overcome the first hurdle to her plans. “We shall see you later.”
Her sister was another stumbling block, and one that would require a bit more fancy footwork to sidestep. But she would deal with that when the time came.
Georgiana, however, had her own ideas on the subject. As soon as the carriage started rolling toward Bond Street, she swiveled on the seat and set a hand on her hip. “ You have a great deal of explaining to do.”
Sophie angled her gaze out the window. “About what?”
“You know very well about what—last night, and your disappearance in the Dark Walk.”
“I told you, I simply got lost in the shrubbery.” A pause. “It was, well, dark.”
“It was dark,” repeated her sister. “Ha! And I suppose that you are also going to tell me that it was the rhododendron bush that left that little red love bite on your neck.”
“Don’t be absurd—plants don’t have teeth.” Sophie then quickly countered with a question of her own. “And pray tell, how would you know anything about love bites, and what they look like?”
Paper crackled as Georgiana hastily unfolded her shopping list. “I just remembered that Aunt Hermione asked me to get a pair of buttons in addition to her embroidery thread. We also need to stop by Madame LaForge’s shop to pick up lace…”
The rest of the ride passed with no further mention of Vauxhall Gardens.
Thankfully, shopping for sundries kept her sister’s attention happily engaged. Sophie did her best to keep up a cheerful chatter, but her own secret worries were far darker than the colorful ribbons and trimmings.
Given Dudley’s escalating threats and Georgie’s probing, she felt caught between a hammer and an anvil.
And then there was Cameron.
Cameron.
Feeling a telltale flush of heat color her face, Sophie twitched the folds of her shawl up a little higher. Dear God, the sight of him, the feel of him, and the taste of him had set her heart galloping with joy. Which was, she knew, a recklessly wrong reaction. There was still an untamed aura about him. A wild, impetuous streak that boded Trouble.
And yet, against all reason, her devilish, disobedient body still responded to his fiery charms.
“I made the right decision all those years ago,” she whispered, hoping that saying the words aloud would give them credence.
“Did you say something?” Georgiana looked around a display of silk roses.
“I—I was just
Dangerous. Cameron watched the play of shadows on the far wall. How had Sophie become entangled with such men?
“Thank you.” He took up his hat.
“We are staying at my townhouse for another few days,” said Gryff. “Come around tomorrow evening and sup with us.”
“Perhaps,” he replied absently, his thoughts still occupied with unsettling questions.
“It should go without saying, Cam,” added Connor softly. “But if you need any help from us, you have only to ask.”
Chapter Four
I s there anything else you wish us to purchase for you?” Sophie poked her head into the morning room where her aunt was consulting with her housekeeper on the day’s menus.
“No, the embroidery threads are all, my dear. Georgie has the color samples,” replied Hermione. “You are sure that you girls don’t mind doing your errands without me?”
“Oh, not at all,” assured Sophie, who had deliberately mentioned that a visit to Hatchards book shop was among their plans. Hermione was not a very avid reader.
“I confess, I am a trifle fatigued from our outing, so I am just as happy to spend the day at home with my needlework.” Hermione held up the waistcoat she was working on. “I am making great progress on my surprise for Edward’s birthday.”
“It’s lovely.” Sophie knotted her bonnet strings under her chin, relieved that she had overcome the first hurdle to her plans. “We shall see you later.”
Her sister was another stumbling block, and one that would require a bit more fancy footwork to sidestep. But she would deal with that when the time came.
Georgiana, however, had her own ideas on the subject. As soon as the carriage started rolling toward Bond Street, she swiveled on the seat and set a hand on her hip. “ You have a great deal of explaining to do.”
Sophie angled her gaze out the window. “About what?”
“You know very well about what—last night, and your disappearance in the Dark Walk.”
“I told you, I simply got lost in the shrubbery.” A pause. “It was, well, dark.”
“It was dark,” repeated her sister. “Ha! And I suppose that you are also going to tell me that it was the rhododendron bush that left that little red love bite on your neck.”
“Don’t be absurd—plants don’t have teeth.” Sophie then quickly countered with a question of her own. “And pray tell, how would you know anything about love bites, and what they look like?”
Paper crackled as Georgiana hastily unfolded her shopping list. “I just remembered that Aunt Hermione asked me to get a pair of buttons in addition to her embroidery thread. We also need to stop by Madame LaForge’s shop to pick up lace…”
The rest of the ride passed with no further mention of Vauxhall Gardens.
Thankfully, shopping for sundries kept her sister’s attention happily engaged. Sophie did her best to keep up a cheerful chatter, but her own secret worries were far darker than the colorful ribbons and trimmings.
Given Dudley’s escalating threats and Georgie’s probing, she felt caught between a hammer and an anvil.
And then there was Cameron.
Cameron.
Feeling a telltale flush of heat color her face, Sophie twitched the folds of her shawl up a little higher. Dear God, the sight of him, the feel of him, and the taste of him had set her heart galloping with joy. Which was, she knew, a recklessly wrong reaction. There was still an untamed aura about him. A wild, impetuous streak that boded Trouble.
And yet, against all reason, her devilish, disobedient body still responded to his fiery charms.
“I made the right decision all those years ago,” she whispered, hoping that saying the words aloud would give them credence.
“Did you say something?” Georgiana looked around a display of silk roses.
“I—I was just
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