Sapphire

“You can spend the next two weeks sulking under that blanket or we can enjoy each other’s company, nice dinners with the fine wine I’m transporting, chess, reading…and then there are other activities we could amuse ourselves with.”

Even through the blanket she could hear the huskiness in his voice, and knew what he meant.

She lifted the blanket and hurled at him a curse word she’d never dared to utter before.

As she dropped the cover over her head again, his laughter ran though the cabin.

After Jessup had gone and she had taken a cup of tea, Lucia decided to accept at least half his advice and try to sleep. Instead of returning home, though, she climbed the stairs of his comfortable town house and crawled into his bed, where the sheets smelled of Jessup and offered at least some comfort. If the butler, Malcolm, thought it odd that she was there in his master’s bed, he gave no indication.

To Lucia’s surprise, she drifted off to sleep almost at once and didn’t wake until she heard someone in the room. Her eyes opened. “Any word?” she asked, as Jessup entered his bedchamber, still in his overcoat.

He shook his head. “I went to the Lord Thomas’s London house.” He removed his coat and then hung it on a hook on the back of the door. “Not terribly welcoming, that family. I say Sapphire’s done herself a favor if she’s cut ties with that young man.” He approached the bed. “I could barely make heads or tails of what Charles was saying, but apparently he attempted to escort her home and she threw some sort of temper tantrum and got out of the carriage right on the street.”

“Sapphire, a temper tantrum?” Lucia sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes. “I find that difficult to believe.”

Jessup perched on the edge of the bed and looked at her. “As do I.”

She took his hand, peering up at him. “You think Charles was lying?”

“I think he was not telling me the entire truth. Apparently, your wild colt, Angelique, and Lord Carter put on quite a spectacle at the masquerade ball last night.”

She gave a wave of dismissal. “Yes, yes, she already told me.”

He raised a bushy eyebrow. “She told you what she did?”

“Not exactly, but I don’t I care. What I care about right now is finding my Sapphire. I want to speak to that upstart Charles at once! How dare he allow her to get out of the carriage alone in the middle of the night! Has he no idea what kind of danger can befall a young woman, unescorted on the streets of London at night?”

“Darling.” Jessup took Lucia’s hand in his. “I’ve thought of one possibility.”

“And what’s that?”

He hesitated.

“Please,” she begged, squeezing his hand. “If you know something else, no matter how terrible, you must—”

He smiled kindly. “Are you always so dramatic, my love?”

“I am and that’s why you love me.”

“What I wanted to say is that Lord Wessex sailed for America this morning at dawn.”

“Lord Wessex!” She exhaled the words as she glanced down at her hands, which appeared more wrinkled than she remembered. “Angelique mentioned the American, as well.” She looked up into Jessup’s kind, brown eyes. “Do you think he could have had something do with her disappearance?”

He shrugged. “You did say that you thought they were attracted to each other, only you weren’t certain either one was aware of it.”

“But if they were going to go away together, my Sapphire would have come and told me. She would never have run off like this.” She inhaled sharply. “Do you think he could have taken her against her will?”

“I find it hard to believe anyone could force your Sapphire to do anything against her will, but…” He stopped.

“But what?” She continued to gaze into his eyes.

“Blake Thixton is a man used to getting what he wants.”

She clasped her hands. “I only pray that she is with him and that she’s all right. Do you believe he will do right by her—I mean, if she has run off with him on some impulse?”

“You mean marry her?”

She nodded.