“Dear Sylvia,” she started. “We arrived here early this morning after a melancholy journey.”
Melancholy journey.Who uses such prose? This was bound to be some overblown bit of fluff. She glanced longingly atLady White’s Revenge.
“Keep reading,” Roxboro instructed. “No nuns.”
Sophia read through the first two chapters, delighted. “The younglady is captured by pirates. I stand corrected, Roxboro. This does sound rather more exciting than the revenge of a former nun.”
“Doesn’t it?”
Damn it.
Sophia wished Roxboro would stop smiling at her. Every time he did, her heart would tug hard in his direction. The very last thing Sophia wanted was to…become besotted by her husband. Her feelings would be unrequited, not to mention, she wasn’t even sure Roxborohadfeelings. Then there was the matter of fraud. She’d wed Roxboro knowing full well it hadn’t been he in the Perswick gardens. And he’d nearly been killed, possibly by the man impersonating him, for which Sophia felt immense guilt.
How could I know?
Regardless, when Roxboro broke her heart, as he would if she allowed it, Sophia would once more be a fool. At best, given time, she hoped they would be friends. Partners. Or Roxboro would find a way to end their marriage,whichthey hadn’t consummated, when Sophia confessed.
The very idea made her ill.
Sophia returned her attention toThe Lustful Turkbecause she didn’t want to think on any of it a moment longer.
Half an hour later, Sophia wished she had left Roxboro to his own devices.
Vile libertine.
Sophia had assumed the book to be a mildly scandalous tale of a young lady kidnapped by pirates, which was disabused the further she read. Especially as she came to the “letter” from the Dey of Algiers.
“I found a pure maid; her virginity I sacrificed on the Beiram feast of our Holy Prophet. To cull her sweet flower, I was obliged to infuse an opiate in her coffee.”
To Sophia’s credit, she barely stumbled over thecull of her sweet flower. Nor did she hesitate when reading,“Whilst his lips were glued to mine, he forced his tongue into my mouth in a manner which created asensation it is quite impossible to describe. It was the first liberty of the kind I ever sustained.”
But she did grow…overly heated.
Her eyes raised from the page to see Roxboro, lichen green gaze regarding her intently.
Wretch.
“Do you like the book, Your Grace?” he asked, with more of that false innocence.
Sophia should know better. She doubted Roxboro had been innocent of anything a day in his life.
“Delightful.” She bit her bottom lip, fascinated when he followed the movement with his eyes. A deep well of something rather…alarmingwas cresting at that look from Roxboro.
“I should open a window. The fresh air will do you good.” And hopefully cool this ache inside her caused by the book and Roxboro.
“Illness has affected my ears. I can’t hear you clearly from the chair.” An elegant hand patted the space next to him on the bed. “You’ll have to sit closer.”
*
Alexander was aterrible, awful human being. That was not up for debate.
He was also lusting after his unwanted bride. His desire was not the result of forced companionship. Nor his illness. Alexander hadn’t touched another woman since meeting Sophia and had no inclination to do so. He hadn’t even bedded Nell at The Sheepshead, a disappointment for both of them.
And as to the annulment?
I don’t want it any longer.
Sophia hadnursedhim. Wiped the sweat from his brow, among other…places. Not Stone or Barstow. Their hands were not slender and small. Soft and smelling of roses. It had all been Sophia, caring for Alexander as she would a newborn babe.
