“So, tell us everything that happened,” Kate said, leaning forward, her eyes bright with interest.
“How far back do you want us to start?” Sophie asked as Nicholas finished eating his biscuit.
“With the house party.” Kate slid the other teacups to each of the men respectively and took her own. “When you were caught together, was it part of the fake courtship or something else?”
Nicholas chuckled as Sophie suddenly became enthralled by her tea. “I’m afraid that was exactly how it looked. Let me explain.”
He started with the moment he’d first had the realization that he was attracted to Sophie and walked them through the house party, making sure to emphasize how diplomatic he’d been in his dealings with Baron Sylvestor compared to how hewantedto behave.
Sure, he’d exhibited a few moments of immaturity, but on the whole, he thought he’d done remarkably well.
When he was finished, Theo whistled. “It sounds like you’ve had an adventure.”
“We certainly have,” Sophie agreed, her mouth full of biscuit. “What happened in our absence?”
Kate and Theo exchanged a glance.
“Mother turned back before reaching Nunhaven. Baron Sylvestor announced his engagement to Miss Marianne Bloombury as soon as he returned to London to take up his seat for a session of the House of Lords.”
Nicholas rested back in the chair and crossed his legs at the ankles. “I must admit that I’m relieved we didn’t ruin things for everyone. I’d have felt terrible if what happened between Sophie and me had disadvantaged the baron.”
Much as Nicholas may have wanted to wipe the smile off the baron’s overly handsome face during their mutual courtship of Sophie, he did like the man and didn’t wish him ill.
“And how is Mother now?” he dared to ask.
“She’s quite beside herself.” Theo mirrored Nicholas’s position but held himself more stiffly. “As far as I’m aware, nothing has come of the scandal in terms of bringing to lightthe secrets of the past. In my opinion, you did the right thing in disappearing because while it might have caused a minor furor within the house party, with no one around to see you, and given the short lifespan of gossip in theton,I doubt it will cause any long-term problems.”
“Thank God.”
“Speaking of theton.” Kate withdrew a sealed paper from within her sketchbook and passed it to Sophie. “I have a message for you from Lady Carlisle. It arrived within my usual correspondence with Lady Drake.”
So, Lady Carlisle must have also left the house party and returned to London.
Sophie took the letter, her hands trembling a little. Nicholas hoped that her mother wasn’t too angry with her. But if Lord and Lady Carlisle could forgive Violet for jilting a duke, surely they wouldn’t hold a grudge against Sophie for eloping with Nicholas.
They chatted for a while longer before retreating to their rooms to tidy up before supper. Nicholas was certain that Sophie would read her letter as soon as she was alone, so he allowed her solitude while he splashed water on his face to freshen himself and ensure he was fully awake.
He’d need his mind functioning correctly if he were to emerge intact from the confrontation with his mother.
Sophie knocked on his door a while later, and he escorted her downstairs. He asked about the contents of the letter, but she didn’t say much other than that her parents were unhappy and didn’t understand her choice in eloping but that they thought the marriage would be a good one and looked forward to seeing her when she visited.
As they entered the dining room, Nicholas’s gaze automatically went to the seat at the table where the elder Lady Blackwell usually sat.
It was empty.
Theo was at the head of the table, and he met Nicholas’seyes, scowling. “Mother requested supper be served to her in her chamber.”
“I beg your pardon?” Surely he couldn’t have said what Nicholas thought he had.
But Theo nodded solemnly. “Indeed.”
“That isn’t good enough.” Nicholas started to turn, beyond irritated with his mother. He knew she’d be upset with him, but to refuse to attend their first dinner at Blackwell Hall—the one in which he introduced Sophie to the family as his wife—was a dreadful insult.
It implied she wasn’t willing to accept Sophie into the family.
Sophie tightened her hold on his arm. “It’s all right. You mustn’t go storming in there now, or you’ll say something you’ll later regret.”
Nicholas huffed. “Since when are you the voice of reason?”
