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The sound of them made Sophia sprint forward, hurrying for her room and pushing open the door. Once she was inside, she shoved the door shut and reached for the lock, but the door handle turned before she could twist the lock.
“No…” Jumping back out of the way of the swinging door, Sophia barely missed it as Nick thrust it open. He closed the door hurriedly behind him, making Sophia back up in the room.
She ended up in the middle of the space, still clinging tightly to the woolen cloak around her, as Nick turned to face her. With the light of the sun strong through these windows, she could see him clearly. His face was bright red, his body tense, and unusually, his hair was messy, as if he had been pulling on those tendrils in stress all night.
“Nick, what are you doing?” she cried loudly. “Get out of my chamber at once, this is highly inappropriate.”
“What do you care about what is inappropriate anymore? You spent the night with another man, did you not?” His words frustrated her. She groaned aloud and turned away from him, purposefully putting her vanity table between the two of them as she walked off. Nick followed her, standing on the other side of the table and planting his hands to the surface. “It is what you clearly wanted, is it not? A night with a man?”
Not just any man!
“Why him, Sophia? Why him of all people?”
“Why does it matter?”
As Nick tried to walk around the vanity table, Sophia took off in the other direction. She started heading for the door, but Nick followed her. When he cut in front, standing in front of the door and blocking it off, she escaped the other way across the room. This time, she reached for a settee and put that between them.
“If a night of pleasure was all you wanted, Sophia, you did not need to go so far.” Nick’s words frightened her. She supposed he meant them to sound seductive, yet they were anything but.
She backed up so far that she collided with another table and made a vase tip over, smashing it to pieces.
“Nick…” Her voice shook as she stared him down. At least now, he wasn’t advancing toward her again. He was standing by the door, blocking her exit. “I have no wish to be with you. In any fashion, least of all for a night of…” She couldn’t bring herself to say the words.
Another muscle in Nick’s jaw twitched, and his eyes narrowed upon her. That look was a difficult one to decipher, but Sophia decided it was as if he couldn’t believe the proof of his ears.
“Do you need me to say it again?” she barked loudly. “Get out of this chamber, and do not return to it.”
Nick didn’t move. For one minute, Sophia was lost. Her mind panicked, wondering exactly what would happen if Nick refused to leave at all. It was then footsteps were heard in the corridor and the door handle moved another time, yet Nick held the door flat closed.
“Oh! Lady Elkins?” The maid’s voice on the other side made Sophia sigh with relief. She gripped the table behind her, keeping herself standing with it. “Is all well, My Lady?”
“Come in, Jessica,” Sophia called to her. “My brother-in-law has been causing something of a commotion this morning, but he is just leaving.” She held Nick’s gaze as she spoke, watching as his lips parted in anger. He was furious, his face turning a different shade of purple. One of his hands balled into a fist, so slowly that she could practically hear the knuckles cracking, then he stepped away from the door, allowing the maid to come in.
Jessica stepped in. The young maid looked between Sophia and Nick, with clear alarm in her face. Sophia attempted a nonchalant smile.
“Ah, there you are, Jessica. I fear my brother-in-law is not well this morning. He came to me to ask some advice on a headache, did you not, Nick?” Sophia looked to Nick, giving him the opportunity to lie.
It is what matters to him, is it not? His appearance!
Part of Sophia wanted to scream about Nick’s behavior, but what had he really done? He’d held her wrist a couple of times and barged his way into her room, shouting at her. There was not much she could accuse him of except for being an overzealous brother-in-law, and too eager in what he wanted. As for his insinuations… they were another matter. She just had to hope if she told him ‘no’ enough, he would stop saying such things.
“Yes, so I was.” Nick stepped away, toward the door. “I will ring for my valet to have tea brought to my room. I don’t think I will be at the breakfast table.” As he escaped through the door, Sophia capitulated.
Her legs could no longer hold her up and she fell down beside the table, with one hand still clinging to its surface above her hand.
“My Lady!” Jessica ran to her side, bustling across the space so quickly that her skirt buffeted behind her, as if caught by wind. “What has happened? Is all well?”
Once more, Sophia was tempted to say what had really passed, but could she do it to Nick? Could she destroy his reputation in a few choice words to her maid? No doubt such words would be spread around his staff. Once he discovered that was the case, it would only make him angrier, with that fury directed at her.
That is something I do not wish to risk.
“I find I am in need of fresh air,” Sophia said, attempting a smile. “That is all.” She could see Jessica didn’t believe her, for the maid took her hand and drew her to her feet, before ushing her to the nearest chair. “Would you call for my horse?”
“Now?” Jessica said in amazement.
“Yes, please,” Sophia murmured quickly. “I wish to ride.”
I wish to escape!
