The Scoundrel Takes a Bride: A Regency Rogues Novel (13 page)

Sophia rose from the tapestry-covered stool. “The last thing I wish to do is hurt
Langdon,” she replied honestly.

Langdon had been kind, patient, and understanding with Sophia. He could have bowed
out of the gentleman’s agreement their fathers had made and looked elsewhere for a
wife. Lord knew scores of the ton’s ladies had tripped over themselves, and one another,
in an attempt to gain his favor. Langdon had politely declined their many efforts.
And, she thought with remorse, for far longer than any other man of his standing would.

Or should
.

Lettie’s words had greatly diminished the guilt Sophia suffered for her actions, with
the exception of the kiss. Her companion’s insight only underscored her rash and dangerous
behavior. Nicholas may have revealed something within himself that spoke to her soul,
but that did not change her obligation to Langdon.

“Then be very careful, my lady,” Lettie advised. “Or Lord Stonecliffe will become
a casualty in this war you and Mr. Bourne are waging. And he’ll have never seen it
coming.”

10

The Clifton Residence
G
ROSVENOR
S
QUARE

“Do stop staring.” Nicholas continued to peruse the crowded ballroom, feeling the
weight of his brother’s gaze as if Langdon were touching him. The two stood with their
backs to the gold, silk-covered wall, well out of the stream of strolling guests circling
the edge of the dance floor.

“What makes you think I’m doing anything of the sort?” Langdon countered mildly.

His ridiculous denial drew Nicholas’s pointed attention. “Because every last person
here is doing it. And while you, dear brother, are truly one of a kind, I believe
even you cannot resist such entertainment.”

He’d woken up in a strange mood that morning; like a tiger who’d consumed more than
he should and knew it; foolish, greedy, and galled by his own stupidity.

Nicholas could not help himself last night; he’d willingly given in to the pull Sophia’s
presence always exerted. Was he delusional enough to believe her behavior indicated
she needed him for anything more than temporary comfort? Perhaps; but more than likely,
no.

Still, he’d had her all to himself. And Nicholas wanted more. The need for her pulsed
just beneath his skin, even while his brother stood beside him.

He’d never hated himself as much as he did right at that moment.

“You can’t blame them for being curious.” Langdon nodded at the throng, many of whom
were casting sidelong, interested glances at Nicholas. “You’ve been back in London
for weeks and this is the first social event you’ve attended. No doubt they all want
to get a look at the man who’s reputed to have returned from India with crates of
jewels and gold. Plus,” his eyes glinted with amusement, “there’s also the fact that
even before you left London for India, you rarely attended balls. So tonight all the
ladies wish to dance with you and all the men want to hear tales of tiger hunts and
harem girls.”

“There aren’t harem girls in India and I didn’t bring back crates of jewels,” Nicholas
bit out.

“They don’t know that,” Langdon said mildly. “You can stop most of the speculation
by dancing with a few women. They would be sure to spread whatever tale you tell them
within moments of the music’s ending.”

“I don’t feel like dancing,” Nicholas growled.

Langdon chuckled. “Then why are you here? Clearly, it’s not because you wish to socialize
with friends and family.”

“Fetch me a drink and we will see if I cannot be persuaded to behave otherwise,” Nicholas
countered dryly. He waited for his brother’s witty retort, disappointed when none
came. “Are you so easily bored by me that you cannot be bothered to keep up?”

Langdon frowned, his eyes somber. “It is not boredom, Nicholas. Actually, I have been
meaning to speak with you for some time.”

“Oh bloody hell.” Nicholas groaned, more irritated than surprised by his brother’s
concern.

A trace of disappointment flickered across Langdon’s expression. “You are lucky that
none of your brandy binges have resulted in something worse than an aching
head. It was one thing to live in such a manner when you were younger. Now, you have
more responsibility. You created quite a business in India; you now have the means
to settle down and build a proper life.”

Nicholas steeled himself against the flood of guilt, remorse, hope, pain—a cacophony
of emotions roused by his brother’s words.

“Did you say ‘proper’?” Nicholas asked, feigning indifference as he cupped his left
ear. “Because I am almost sure you did; which would beg the question, what in the
goddamn world would make you think I’ve any interest in a proper life?”

Langdon did not match Nicholas’s caustic tone, nor did he adopt a defensive stance.
Instead, he patted Nicholas on the shoulder as a father would his son. “I have upset
you. And for that, I apologize.”

Nicholas wanted Langdon to fight back. Some part of him always had. But his brother
would do no such thing; Langdon was an honorable man. And honorable men were not provoked
by the likes of Nicholas.

“No, it is I who should apologize,” he muttered, tamping down the flames of self-loathing
that licked at his heart. “You did nothing more than what a brother should do.”

Langdon smiled in appreciation, which almost made everything worse. “Let us leave
such maudlin talk for the evening. Sophia has arrived.”

Instantly diverted, Nicholas followed his brother’s gaze across the ballroom floor.
Ladies and their lords continued to arrive, their ascent down the grand staircase
marked by the thump of the majordomo’s wooden staff. Just behind a reed-thin woman
in gold stood Sophia and her companion for the evening, Lady Charlotte Grey.

He couldn’t look away from Sophia. She wore a sapphire silk gown that clung to her
curves, her hair piled
atop her head in tousled curls. A delicate necklace encircled her slim neck and drew
the eye downward to its largest ruby, nestled just above the upper swell of her breasts.

Langdon too continued to watch as Sophia and Lady Charlotte were announced. “I think
it’s time I married her. Don’t you?”

Nicholas tore his gaze from Sophia and stared at Langdon. “That depends.”

“On what, exactly?” Langdon asked distractedly as he continued to watch Sophia.

Nicholas snapped his fingers directly in front of Langdon’s face. “Why do you wish
to marry her
now
?”

“I’d think that rather obvious,” Langdon answered, batting Nicholas’s hand away. “She’s
my fiancée.”

“And has been for years—which begs the question, what is your hurry?” Nicholas pressed,
desperation clawing at his skin. “Specifically, why now?”

“Carrington,” Langdon answered, smiling politely at Lady Trinbull and her pasty-faced
daughter as they trundled past. “To be more precise, Carrington’s marriage. He looked
so happy at his wedding—as if nothing else in the world mattered to him now. I wouldn’t
mind giving that a go. Besides, Sophia will not leave off with her charity work. I
paid her a visit at the Halcyon Society earlier today. She looked utterly exhausted
and was a tad cross with me—which is unusual for Sophia. And then there is that Bow
Street business. I need to secure her safety. And that will not be accomplished until
she’s living under my roof.”

Nicholas doubted Sophia would agree to abandon her interest in either the Runners
or her charity work. And, he realized, he’d be disappointed if she did. Before he
could comment, Langdon spoke.

“Come now, tell me you’re happy—for myself and
for Carrington,” Langdon urged Nicholas, gesturing for him to walk with him. “Leg-shackled
at last.”

“And why would I not be?” Nicholas answered sarcastically, flashing an appreciative
smile at Lady Simmons and her friend, each displaying a scandalous show of bountiful
cleavage.

Langdon ignored the women. “You would not be human if you failed to feel envy over
Carrington’s luck. I know I did—and I am rather glad for it; Lord knows how much longer
I would have waited to ask Sophia to set the date.”

God, Langdon was so bloody kind and understanding. Not for the first time, Nicholas
puzzled over how, precisely, they sprang from the same line.

“And now that Carrington is settled, with me soon to follow his example, surely you
see that there is hope for you,” his brother continued cheerfully.

Nicholas wanted to punch him. He knew that he should not. Nor, in all likelihood,
would he do so if given the opportunity.

Still.

“There is a woman out there for you, Nicholas.”

Langdon’s assurance left his lips just as Sophia turned about and saw them. Her warm
smile lit her features as her gaze swept across the brothers.

Nicholas flinched inwardly from the stab of sheer pain at her timing.

Yes, there is a woman out there for me. And she is closer than you could possibly
imagine
.

Langdon made a perfect bow and the ladies reciprocated with charming curtsies.

When both Sophia and Langdon looked expectantly at Nicholas, he sighed, offering a
polite, if brief, bow. “Really, you two, it is not as if we do not know one another.”

Langdon sighed with disapproval. “Have they no manners in India?”

“Come now,” Lady Charlotte offered in her quiet, intelligent way. “Mr. Bourne has
been abroad for some time. Have some patience with him.”

“You always have been my favorite of the Furies,” Nicholas said with approval.

“I know,” Lady Charlotte replied, a small, satisfied smile curving her lips. “Not
that my two sisters do not have their admirers,” she added diplomatically.

Sophia tapped her fan against the fingers of her opposite hand. “I always think of
the three of you as one—a united front, if you will.”

“Or an indestructible force. Perhaps the three horsemen of the—”

“There were four horsemen of the apocalypse, Nicholas.” Lady Charlotte’s dimples flashed
and her eyes twinkled, her amused comment interrupting the pair as politely as one
could. “If you should ever wish assistance with your daily Bible devotionals, I would
be more than happy to come to your aid.”

“May we go back to the kissing bit?” Nicholas asked with a wink at the stylishly elegant
older woman.

“Of course, dear boy,” Lady Charlotte answered, holding out her hand.

Nicholas took it gently in his and placed a small kiss on her knuckles.

“Rather like kissing the king’s ring,” he grumbled.

Sophia watched with feigned amusement as Nicholas kissed Lady Charlotte’s hand, chuckling
at his dry observation while her mind spun with concern.

Sophia had never deceived Langdon, not even about the extent of her work with Bow
Street. There had been
no need to hide any aspect of her life from him. Until last night. She feared it was
only the beginning.

“Fancy a dance?” Langdon bent to murmur in her ear, his hand closing over her arm
just above her elbow.

Sophia flinched when he unexpectedly brushed his thumb across the bare skin.