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Avis grinned broadly. “I think that is a splendid idea.”
“Oh, Avis, you mustn’t tell a soul. It is not like you and Banning or any of the others.”
“How so?”
She shouldn’t tell Avis his secret. But of all Sophie’s friends, Avis was the most circumspect. She would never tell a soul this secret. “Ancroft is in love with another woman.” And there was nothing Sophie could do about that.
Avis’s smile turned downward. “Then why would you become his lover?”
Why indeed? “I cannot seem to stop myself.”
Chapter 6
Nicholas sipped his brandy, letting the heady liquid rest on his tongue for a moment. After Emma left to see Elizabeth for the night, he’d been sitting in his study watching the hands on the clock move far too slowly. If Sophie showed up and wanted what he desired, they would have to locate to a different place for their liaisons. He could not have her here when his daughter was upstairs.
Glancing over at the clock on the mantel, he knew it was time to retire the servants for the night. The fewer people around when she arrived, the better. He walked to the hall and summoned his manservant.
“Lane, tell the servants they may retire early tonight.”
“Yes, my lord.” Lane cast a glance toward the footman. “Jonathon, too?”
“No, he may stay at the door.”
“And me?”
Nicholas smirked. “I won’t need your services tonight.”
“Yes, my lord.” Lane walked toward the kitchen to inform the cook and other servants.
“Jonathon,” Nicholas said as he walked toward the front door. “I am expecting someone tonight. When she arrives, show her to my study.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Nicholas returned to his brandy and clock watching, hoping the next thirty minutes would pass quickly. But when thirty minutes turned into an hour, his patience started to wear thin.
“Where the bloody hell is she?” he muttered in the empty room. He’d been positive that the earring meant something special to her.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bauble. Whoever gave her this spent a fortune. The firelight sparkled across the dangling diamonds set in platinum. It couldn’t have been from a lover but who else would spend that amount on a woman who wasn’t his wife?
A knock sounded on the front door and suddenly his heart started pounding in his chest. He couldn’t remember ever feeling nervous about a woman entering his home. But everything about Sophie was different. Never had lust become so overpowering to him.
Not even with Jennette.
“My lord, Miss Reynard is here.”
Nicholas stood as Sophie strolled into the room wearing a low cut silver silk gown that displayed the valley of her breasts to his depraved gaze. Dear God, she’d better want to be his mistress. Stripping that gown from her luscious body would be heavenly.
“Good evening, Miss Reynard,” he finally remembered to say.
“Good evening, my lord.”
“Jonathon, you may retire,” he said without taking his gaze off Sophie.
“But, sir, I usually watch the house until dawn.”
“The house will be fine without you tonight.”
Dragging his eyes away from her, he watched as the footman left for his bed. Once the door shut behind Jonathon, Nicholas moved closer to her. “I wasn’t certain you would come.”
