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“He went that way,” he said, nodding to the large double doors.
Sophia met his encouraging grin with a rather wobbly smile then hurried after Jay.
She couldn’t see him outside the room. She moved as quickly as she could on high heels across the marble foyer to the hotel door. Loud voices coming from outside made her pause on the threshold, the door half open.
Jay was in the street outside. And so were his parents, standing arm-in-arm in evening dress, a black fur stole around Jay’s mother’s shoulders. They had just arrived, judging by the expensive car that was now pulling away from the kerb. And they were breathtakingly rude to show up so late, viscount or not, but Sophia hadn’t really expected them to bother turning up at all.
“… less than twenty-four hours to go, and where are you? A party!” Jay’s father thundered, hard brows drawn and angry.
“Honestly, Jeremy,” said his mother disdainfully. “Are you eventryingto get the money?”
“Look at him,” Jay’s father scoffed. “Of course he isn’t. Thinks we’re going to bail his useless arse out like always. Well, listen up, son, we’re not. As of midnight tomorrow, you won’t receive another penny from me.” The man sneered, what was once a handsome face now florid and ugly with contempt. “Hmm, I wonder what I’ll spend my extra money on, once I’m not wasting it on you?”
Jay, who had his back to Sophia, and had been standing still while his parents railed, now slipped his hands casually in his pockets and tilted his head.
“Another mistress, maybe? Though do try to make sure she’s legal, because they’re getting younger every time. I’d hate to see you get arrested.”
“You worthless little shit,” his father snarled. Sophia flinched, horrified at the pure hatred in Jay’s father’s eyes. “You know, if I’d had to choose between saving you or the Porsche, I would have chosen the car.”
Sophia saw Jay’s shoulders jerk as though from a blow, but when he spoke, his voice was nothing but a careless drawl.
“Well. You always did have terrible taste.”
“You think I’m joking. You always think life is one big joke—”
“No.” Jay took a step closer to his father, taking his hands from his pockets. He had at least two inches of height on the older man. “I think you’re a joke. I think you’re disgusting. I think you’re an old, ugly, rich man who buys himself into the knickers of girls young enough to be his daughter. Once upon a time I used to love you as a son should. But I lost my respect for you first, and then I lost any shred of feeling except contempt.”
He turned to his mother, who was white with anger. “And as for you… I used to feel sorry for you. I used to go to your room when you cried… But you never wanted my sympathy. You’ve never wanted anything but your husband’s title and his money, and so you stay and let him embarrass you over and over again, but you’re the one embarrassing yourself. You chosehimover my sisters and me. And I won’t forgive you for it.”
With that, he walked away into the night.
His parents watched him go, then turned, muttering and angry, neither quite looking at each other.
“I’m going to disinherit that little shit,” Sophia heard his father snarl. “I’d sooner anyone have my title than him.”
Sophia pushed her way fully through the hotel door and stepped out into the street. They gave her a careless once over but seemed set to ignore her until she said, “Your son is the best man I know. He helped me when no one else could. He is kind and generous and patient and understanding. Quite frankly, you don’t deserve him.”
“Who the hell are you?” snapped the viscount.
“I’m the birthday girl. And you’re both uninvited.”
She whirled back into the hotel and went to find her godmother. She would need Rose’s help to save Jay.
Chapter eighteen
Jay
EarlyonSundaymorning,Jay stood in his room and looked at the leather holdall on his bed, debating what to take with him. It wasn’t an easy task, given he didn’t plan to come back for several years.
Leaving his records would sting, but he had already arranged to have the whole lot couriered over to Sophia’s house. She would take good care of them. And it was about time she stopped being so secretive about her music taste. Liking eighties metal was nothing to be ashamed of.
Seriously.
So long as you didn’t dress the part.
He scrubbed both hands down his face, tired, but surprisingly not hungover. He had left the party too early for that. Instead, he had wandered around Harrogate, used the last of his money on a taxi home, and lain in bed listening to his most depressing music until dawn. It was now nine in the morning—a time Jay hadn’t seen in years.
There was a knock at his door, and he flinched, thinking it might be his parents. Or his little sister, coming to ask for her money back. But it was too early for her to be up.
