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Her cousin sighed. “I can’t see your father agreeing to wed any of the three of you off to Hellsburg.” He shook his head. “And the same goes for Hayden and Benedict. They’d hardly marry any of their sisters off to the man, no matter what Grandfather says.”
And while that could very well be true, there was still one of their cousins who was in the most dire of situations. “And what about Priscilla, Chase?”
He winced slightly at hearing her name. “I know he isn’t optimal, Soph, but shedoeshave a brother who needs to look out for her—”
Except Priscilla had no such thing, not anymore. Sophie gaped at her cousin. Was it possible Chase wasn’t aware of that fact? Had their grandfather truly not sent word? Of course, with as often as Chase paid attention to his correspondence, a note from Grandfather could be lost somewhere in the pile.
“—It isn’t my place to interfere with something Gillingham should—”
“Gillingham is dead,” she cut him off from whatever Chase thought Gillingham should do. “Youare heir presumptive to the dukedom now.”
He hadn’t known that. It was very clear when Chase stumbled slightly backward at hearing the news. “I beg your pardon?”
“A sennight ago, the Thames River Police fished him out on the south bank. How do younotknow this?”
Chase shook his head. “I have no idea. I would have thought Grandfather…”
“He has not been the same since Uncle Aylesford’s death,” Sophie said softly. “And I’m not certain if that is more terrifying than normal or less; but in any event, youarehis heir and you may be the only one he might listen to in regard to Priscilla’s future.”
“I think you may be more confident in my abilities than I am,” Chase said, not sounding like himself in the least. Of course, it was hardly every day that a fellow learned that the entire course of his future had been changed in the blink of an eye.
She felt awful being the bearer of such news, but he had to see why his female relations needed his aid so desperately, especially Priscilla.
Chase raked a hand through his dark hair and heaved a sigh. “We need to get you back to Beckbury House, Soph.”
CHAPTER 3
She had to have bound her breasts under that livery. It was an inappropriate thought to be sure, but Gabe couldn’t quite help himself, sitting across the hack from her as he was. It had been some time since he’d laid eyes on Sophie Hampton, but he did remember admiring her breasts. At the ripe old age of eighteen, he’d been quite certain they were the most lovely things in the world. Unbound, they might still be. Not that Gabe had ever actually laid eyes on them completely bare, just a hint from a scooped bodice here and there, but he did still remember how they felt pressed against his chest as he’d kissed her the first time and the last.
Was Matthew Greywood kissing her these days? Gabe hated the thought of that, but Chase had said that Sophia had Greywood on a string, and the fellow had been quite intent on helping her if she had need of him. Did she? Did she have need of him? Gabe’s jaw tightened at the thought, not that he had any right to feel any sort of way about Sophie and Greywood. He knew, after all, that she was not for Gabe, no matter how he had wished otherwise and no matter that he had thought about her nearly every day those first few years he’d spent on the Continent. But he hadn’t been given any other choice in the matter. After all, it wasn’t only his lack of title or lands that made Beckbury deem him an unacceptable choice for his eldest daughter’s hand, but more importantly it was Gabe’s lineage, the fact that he was Charles Prideaux’s son. And that fact would never change.
“You should go through your correspondence, Chase,” Sophie said, casting a glance at her cousin beside her. “Grandfather may have sent yousomething, you know?”
Chase snorted. “Yes, my inattention to the post has been made rather clear by you this evening, sweetheart. You shan’t have to remind me in the future.”
The hack stopped beside the Beckbury mews on Park Street. “If your father sees you dressed like that…” Chase let his words trail off.
But Sophie, as always, didn’t seem concerned at all. Honestly, her carefree spirit was one of the things Gabe had always loved about her. “Charlotte is waiting for me. She can distract him if necessary.”
“We’re not leaving ‘til we see a candle in your window, Soph. So don’t dawdle.”
“I never dawdle,” she replied before her gaze flickered back to Gabe, and damn if he didn’t feel it deep in his soul. “Good evening, Major.”
Before Gabe could even utter a goodbye to her, Sophie opened the door of the hired coach and scrambled outside, disappearing into the darkness of the mews.
Only a damned fool would let her presence affect him in any sort of way. Which meant Gabe was, apparently, a damned fool. He kept his gaze trained on the mews, making certain no harm came from that direction, and he couldn’t help but ask, “So Greywood’s courting her?”
When Chase didn’t answer him, Gabe glanced briefly at his friend to find the man quite deep in his thoughts, which was more than understandable, considering the revelations of the evening. Chase’s whole life had just been turned upside down with no warning at all, and coming to terms with such news could take a while. After all, Gabe hadn’t yet come to terms with the fact that he’d someday inherit the Northwold earldom from his mad and syphilitic brother, and he’d already had a fortnight to ponder such a future. Of course, Christian had nearly a year head start on both of them. Perhaps he could be persuaded to give some sort of advice.
Gabe turned his attention back to Beckbury House, waiting to see a candle illuminate Sophie’s window. “You’re a decent, honorable fellow,” he said to his friend. “Your grandfather isn’t gone yet, but when he does go, you’ll be prepared, and the dukedom will be safe in your hands.”
Chase heaved a sigh as though the weight of his future was already settling upon his shoulders. “My grandfather made my uncle’s and cousin’s lives absolutely miserable, Gabe. He’ll do the same to me.”
But Gabe shook his head. “Gillingham was weak, a drunkard. He always was. You’ll handle Chatham better than he did.”
Candlelight flickered in one of the upper windows, and a bit of tension Gabe didn’t know he had began to dissipate. Sophie.HisSophie. She was safe. “She lit the candle.”
Chase nodded and then rapped on the roof of the hack. “Down Street. Weybourne House.”
