One Night Scandal (15 page)
“Genna! Bronwyn!” she said as she entered the room. “What are you both doing here?”
Genna rolled her eyes. “She,” Genna said, inclining her head toward Bronwyn, “insisted something was wrong and that we needed to see you now.”
Sophie cautiously turned to her ten-year-old half sister. Bronwyn was Genna’s true sister, though only a few people knew it. She’d been raised by Victoria in her home for orphans. Once Somerton discovered his sister, he brought her into his home with Victoria.
Bronwyn had some abilities that Sophie had, only Sophie had no idea how strong her sister’s intuition was yet. She assumed Bronwyn’s sense would be weaker like Somerton. Sophie had always believed she received the majority of her abilities from her mother.
“Why would you think something was wrong, Bronwyn?”
“I had a dream that you were hurting,” the younger replied. “Are you all right?”
“I am perfectly well,” she lied.
Bronwyn’s eyes narrowed. “No, you are not.”
“Bronwyn, if Sophie says she is all right then she is!” Sophie sat on the pale green chair and smiled at her sisters. “Genna is right.”
Bronwyn looked up at her with curiosity. “I dreamed you are with child. My dreams are always correct.”
Genna laughed. “Sophie’s not even married, Bronwyn.”
Sophie knew if she didn’t tell her sisters the truth, Bronwyn would never stop pestering her about it. If she spoke about it to the wrong person, such as Victoria or Somerton, things would only get worse. “Girls, you mustn’t tell a soul about this.”
Genna stared at her. “You really are with child?”
Sophie pressed her lips together and nodded. “I believe I am.”
Bronwyn sat back down in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “I told you something was wrong, Genna.”
“I need your solemn promise that you won’t speak a word of this.” She looked at Genna. “Not to your father,” she said and then looked at Bronwyn. “And not to Victoria or Anthony.”
Genna frowned but slowly nodded while Bronwyn just shrugged.
“Bronwyn, why don’t you go ask Mrs. Holmes for some biscuits,” Genna suggested.
“All right.” Bronwyn skipped out of the room and down the hall.
Genna immediately moved to a chair closer to Sophie. “Who is the father, Sophie? Have you told him yet? Do you honestly believe you can keep this from Father for long?”
Sophie laughed at the questions. “One at a time, Genna. I shan’t tell you the father’s name.”
“Does he know about the babe?”
“No. And I know I can’t keep it from him or from Father for more than two months. I just haven’t decided what I should do yet.”
“Oh, Sophie,” Genna cried. “You must tell the man . . . unless he is married. Please tell me he isn’t married! That would be dreadful.”
“He is not married.” Sophie looked down at her skirts and played with the folds. “But he is in love with someone else.”
“Perhaps, he is currently, but he might come to love you once you marry and have the child.”
Sophie looked over at her innocent half sister. “Would that be enough for you? Hoping your husband
comes
to love you?”
comes
to love you?”
Genna’s blue eyes welled with tears. “I suppose not. Nevertheless, you are in a delicate position here. You rely on Father to pay most of your expenses, and your clients for extra money. Both of those sources of income may disappear if you think to have this baby without being married.”
For only being twenty-one, Genna was a very intelligent young lady. “I have already thought about that, Genna.”
“Then what will you do?”
Sophie wished she knew. After overhearing Jennette and Nicholas talk about her pregnancy, Sophie had thought of little else. The sense of betrayal from both of them wouldn’t leave her. In her heart, she knew there was only one option.
“I shall most likely have to leave the country.”
Chapter 15
Avis waited for Elizabeth to sit before she began. She had called them all to her house for only one reason. Something was going dreadfully wrong with their plan.
“Now,” Avis said, adjusting her skirt. “Does anyone know why Nicholas and Sophie appeared to be angry with each other last night?”
“Actually, it looked far more like Sophie was mad at Nicholas than he at her,” Elizabeth said. “It takes quite a lot to make Nicholas angry.”
“But not so much for Sophie,” Victoria added with a laugh.
Jennette nodded. “Perhaps one of us should pay a visit to Sophie to determine her ire.”
“Brilliant idea, Jennette,” Avis said with a smile. “But Sophie is very smart and will see right through us. One of us must have a valid reason to visit her. Otherwise she may become suspicious of us.”
All the women glanced over at Jennette. Pink tinged her cheeks. “Am I to presume you have all figured it out, then?”
Avis laughed. “I do remember how the evening sickness affected you with Christian. While I could not get out of my bed until after ten and then only after eating dry toast and tea, you were up early and feeling wonderful until late afternoon. It wasn’t difficult to determine your cause of illness the other night.”
“Well, you all guessed correctly. Blackburn surprised me with his reaction. I’d thought he would be angry to have another child so soon after Christian, but he is so pleased.” Jennette paused and sipped her tea. “So I will call on Sophie tomorrow to talk to her about the baby.”
“Excellent,” Avis said. “And do find out what has her so angry with Nicholas. I am certain it was not just the fact that he came to her party uninvited. There was something else going on and we must determine the cause so we can get them matched.”
Nicholas sat down behind his desk and tapped his fingers impatiently against the cherry wood. He’d summoned Mrs. Griffon over ten minutes ago, and she still had not arrived for their meeting. Pulling out her references, he stared down at the letter from Lord Westbury. It definitely said she’d been in his employ for twelve years.
So who was lying?
Sophie seemed far too sincere about her praise of Mrs. Griffon. The obvious answer was Mrs. Griffon had lied about her age and previous employment. But either way, Mrs. Griffon had been in service as a governess to Sophie therefore she must know Sophie’s father.
A soft knock rapped at the study door. “Did you wish to see me, my lord?”
He turned to look at the older woman. With gray strands lining her light brown hair and a few wrinkles around her eyes, she appeared close to fifty. “Yes, Mrs. Griffon,” he said, rising at her entrance. “Please have a seat.”
She furrowed her brow. “Is something wrong?”
“I have a few questions that I would like to speak with you about.”
“Very well,” she said as she sat.
Nicholas returned to his seat and picked up the letter from Lord Westbury. “Mrs. Griffon, when you came into my employ you told me you had married at twenty, and nine years later your husband died. A year after that you went into the employ of Lord Westbury as a governess.”
“Yes, my lord. All that is correct.”
“So, if you don’t mind my asking, you are forty-six years old?”
“Yes.”
He stared at her but only saw honesty shining in her eyes. “And you were only in Lord Westbury’s employ?”
“Yes, sir.” She looked down at her hands as she spoke.
“Who did you teach for Lord Westbury?”
“Lady Genna, of course.”
“For all twelve years?” he pressed.
Mrs. Griffon sat up straight and stared at him. “What exactly are you implying, my lord?”
“I met a woman who told me you were her governess for eight years. And it wasn’t Lady Genna.” Nicholas watched as Mrs. Griffon’s face drew pale.
“She told you?” she whispered.
“She was very excited that my daughter had you for a governess. She praised your intelligence and teaching methods. And she told me to insist you take Emma to the British Museum because you have a wealth of knowledge about it.”
Mrs. Griffon clapped her hand over her mouth as she blinked away tears. “How is she, my lord? I haven’t seen her in over four years.”
“Very well. Can I assume the reason Lord Westbury paid you to teach Sophie was because he is her father?”
“My lord, I apologize for not telling you the exact truth. I did work for Lord Westbury for twelve years. Eight years with Miss Sophie and then I replaced Lady Genna’s governess for four years.”
Mrs. Griffon bowed her head and nodded. “Please, my lord, if anyone discovers the truth Lord Westbury will cut her off financially.”
“I have no plans to announce that he is her father.”
“Then for what purpose do you need the information?”
“Leverage, Mrs. Griffon.” Seeing her frown, he added, “It might be enough to persuade her to marry me.”
“Oh, my lord, she would be such a splendid marchioness.”
Nicholas smiled fully. “I believe she would indeed, Mrs. Griffon.”
The next morning, Sophie finally made it downstairs by eleven. The morning sickness seemed to be getting worse with every passing day. Her breasts were so full and tender, even putting on stays bothered her. She had never been one to cry much but every little thing seemed to make her eyes water.
Glancing down at her calendar, she was relieved to see she had no clients today. She sat down behind her desk and finished her correspondence before picking up her book and returning to the salon. A nice day of reading would be just the thing to return her spirits to normal.
Only as she attempted to read the words on the page, the letters blurred together as her mind wandered back to her condition. She would have to make her decision soon. If leaving was her one option, then she would be forced to deal with her father’s wrath.
Perhaps she could convince him that this was the best for both of them. By leaving the country, no one would ever discover her father’s identity. That should please him enough to continue giving her an allowance. Then she could let a small apartment in Venice and build her business there. Without his money, she had no way of supporting herself and a baby.
But the biggest obstacle to leaving was Nicholas. No matter what had happened between him and Jennette, he deserved to know about his child. He would be furious if she had a boy. And worse, she wondered, if boy or girl, he would want to keep the child as he’d done with Emma. Sophie could not leave her child.
God, what a horrible mess this was.
“Ma’am, you have a caller,” Hendricks announced from the threshold. “Lady Blackburn is here to see you.”
Sophie stared down at her hands as anger filled her. Perhaps she should just confront Jennette and be done with this mess and her. “Send her in.”
“Shall I ring for tea?”
“No, Lady Blackburn will not be here long enough for tea.” Even as Sophie said the words, her eyes blurred with tears. While she had not been as close with Jennette as the others, the idea of losing a precious friendship was like a knife to her heart.
“Sophie,” Jennette said with a smile as she entered the room.
“Jennette,” Sophie said tightly. “What are you doing here at this hour?”
Jennette sat on the pale yellow chair. “I have some news I wanted to share with you.”
“I already know of your news.”
Jennette frowned and tilted her head. “I assumed you determined my condition but you don’t seem pleased about it.”
“Are you? Pleased that is?”
“I am now. At first I was concerned about what Matthew would say. He had wanted to wait a little longer so we’d been using the sponges you recommended.”
The same vinegar soaked sponges that Sophie had completely forgotten about with Nicholas that night in this very room. Had she used them the time they made love in the chair, she might not be in this condition. “So, Blackburn is fine with raising another man’s child?”
Jennette shot out of her seat. “What are you talking about?”
“I know, Jennette. I know the truth. I heard you and Ancroft talking in the garden at your party.”
Jennette’s blue eyes widened. “I have no idea what you are talking about, Sophie. There is nothing between Nicholas and I but friendship.”
“And a child.”
“A child? Sophie, what is this about?”
“I know the baby is his, not Blackburn’s.”
Jennette’s mouth gaped. “I cannot believe you would think such a thing! You are the one who matched us! You are the one who told me he was my true love.”
“You wouldn’t be the first married woman to have an affair once the heir is born,” Sophie said bitterly. She’d had such a good feeling about matching Jennette and Blackburn. How could she have been so wrong?
“I would never do such a thing, Sophie. And you offend me with your insinuation.”
“Enough, Jennette.” Sophie rose from her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “I don’t want to hear your lies any longer. Just get out of my house.”
“Gladly,” Jennette said, then turned and strode from the room.
Nicholas walked toward the receiving salon in Sophie’s house just as Jennette stormed down the stairs. Knowing Jennette’s wild nature, he wondered what had set her off this afternoon. He stopped to greet her.
“Good afternoon, Jennette.”
She glanced up with a look of fury in her sapphire eyes. “You are here to see her?”
“Yes, why?”
“Good luck. She is positively mad. Perhaps her skills as a medium have addled her mind.” Jennette retrieved her bonnet from the footman and quickly tied the hat under her chin.
“What is this all about?” Nicholas asked softly in an attempt to calm Jennette.
“She actually thinks you are the father of the baby I carry.”
Nicholas tried not to laugh but failed miserably. “She thinks that you and I . . .”
“Yes.” Jennette walked toward the door. “Good day, Nicholas.”
He mumbled something but took the opportunity to run up the stairs as Hendricks opened the door for Jennette.
“My lord!” Hendricks called from the hall. “You cannot go up there unannounced.”
Nicholas heard Hendricks shout for some footmen but nothing would stop him from seeing Sophie today. He walked into the salon and halted. She stood in front of the window with tears streaming down her cheeks. He had never seen anyone look so forlorn in his life.
“Sophie?” he whispered.
She turned toward him with fire in her wet eyes. “Get out of here right now, Nicholas. You caused all this mess.”
Instead of doing as she requested, he slowly approached her. “Sophie, what have I done?”
“You have ruined everything!”
“I don’t understand,” he said softly. “What have I ruined and how?”
“Jennette’s marriage and my life,” she cried.
“What are you talking about?” He heard the hard footfalls of footmen running up the stairs. If he didn’t get her calmed soon, she would force him to leave.
“You had an affair with Jennette. She is carrying your baby.”
“What?” he shouted.
Two footmen raced into the room. “Would you like us to evict the man, ma’am?”
“Yes.” She stared at Nicholas. “You know what you have done. Now get out of my house and my life forever.”
“How could you think for one moment I would dishonor Jennette that way?” Nicholas attempted to shrug off the footmen’s hands on his arms to no avail. They started to drag him out of the room. “Don’t think for one moment that this is over, Sophie. I will be back.”
“Do not bother,” she said, furiously wiping tears off her cheeks. “I will not allow you entry into my home again.”
Once out of the salon, he yanked his arms out of the footmen’s grip and strode down the steps and out of her house. He stopped before entering his carriage, wondering how she could have come to this odd conclusion. There was one person who just might know.
“Sir?” his groomsman asked. “Would you prefer to return home?”
“No, Lord Blackburn’s home, if you please.”
“Yes, my lord.”
While the carriage rolled down the cobbled streets, he examined the situation from Sophie’s point of view. She knew he’d loved Jennette. But why would that cause Sophie to make such an obtuse supposition?
It made no sense to him.
Upon entering Jennette’s home, he waited for her in the small parlor. The room always made him smile. While Sophie’s home was filled with warm pastels, Jennette’s home reflected her vivid artistic personality. Instead of pastels, the rooms were painted or wallpapered with rich jewel tones.
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