What You Desire (Anything for Love 1)

“Does anyone mind if I sit down?” Dane asked with a deep sigh, throwing himself down on the sofa.

James scowled. “I have not finished with you.”

“Nor I with you,” Dane replied with a smirk and a raised brow but then winced and dabbed the cheekbone under his left eye.

“Perhaps we should all sit,” Annabel suggested. “Sophie you sit here with me,” she continued, casting James a mollifying glance as she took the seat next to Dane, leaving Sophie to squash in beside her.

James looked at the three of them, shook his head and then sat in the chair.

Whether the uncomfortable silence caused James to consider the fact that he was indeed a hypocrite, or whether he was desperate to prove a point to Dane, Sophie could not decide. Even so, James found it necessary to offer some explanation for his recent attachment.

“Sophie,” James began, looking down his nose at Dane before turning his attention to his sister. “I want you to know, our marriage is … well … what I’m trying to say is that Annabel and I love one another.” He stressed the word love and flicked Dane another irritated glare. “And although —”

“You mean you’re the Annabel?” Sophie rudely interrupted, turning to face her sister-in-law with some surprise. “The one who escaped from Labelles?”

Annabel’s face flushed. She glanced down into her lap and fumbled with her fingers. “Please do not think ill of me. I did not go there of my own volition.” She looked up into Sophie’s eyes. “You see, I was hired by the Comte de Dampierre to act as governess to his three children. Only, he did not have any children and instead I found myself a prisoner in his house.” She swallowed deeply. “Had it not been for James, I am sure I would have been forced to,” she paused and shook her head, “I’m sure you know what sort of a house it is,” she added solemnly.

Sophie did not have the heart to tell her she was wrong. Her fate would have been far worse than she could ever have imagined. She would have been sold and transported abroad to some godforsaken place, where the price was high for girls with fair skin and innocent eyes. Of course, she had not told Dane that little bit of information because he would overreact and then they would argue and she did not want to waste time doing that. There were far more pleasurable ways to spend time in his company.

Shuddering at the thought of what it must have been like to be lured away by the Comte de Dampierre, Sophie said, “You must have been terrified.” She placed her hands over Annabel’s and gave them a reassuring pat. “Well, you are safe now and must not worry about it anymore,” she continued with some optimism, aware that Dane’s expression could best be described as deeply cynical.

Annabel looked up at Sophie, her eyes also filled with doubt. “But we have just heard that Dampierre wants the necklace and I know James will refuse to give it to him.”

“I’ll be damned

before I’ll give that reprobate anything,” James declared with an air of superiority.

“Then why offer it in the first place?” Dane complained. “What did you expect?”

“It wasn’t me,” James blurted sounding like a naughty schoolboy. “It was Monty. You know how he gets. I’d made the mistake of telling him my reasons for coming to town,” he shrugged. “He thought it was all some sort of joke, thought I was in my cups when I offered Madame Labelle five hundred pounds for Annabel.” With pursed lips, he gave his wife an apologetic nod of the head.

Annabel cast him a reassuring smile. “Monty was not aware I had passed a note to James explaining my dilemma and begging for his help.”

Dane cleared his throat. “Perhaps Dampierre is not as clever as he would have us believe.” When they all looked at him with rather mystified expressions, he clarified, “to allow you access to paper and ink.”

Annabel sat up straight, her eyes wide. “Oh, it was Madame Labelle who gave me the paper and urged me to write the note. She said my escape must appear credible. That is why she could not take the necklace.”

Sophie and Dane both sat forward with wide-eyed expressions and directed their question to Annabel. “Madame Labelle helped you escape?” they said in unison.

Annabel nodded. “I climbed out of the bedchamber window. Madame Labelle helped me to tie the sheets and James was waiting for me at the bottom.” She glanced over to her husband with a look of pride and adoration.

Dane was still gaping, but Sophie was not surprised. Deep down, she knew Madame Labelle was an honourable woman who, where possible, would see justice done. In this instance, she had risked her neck, quite literally, to save an innocent girl and Sophie felt a sudden urge to do something, anything to rid her of Dampierre for good.

“Did you know about this?” Dane asked as he met her gaze.

Sophie shook her head. “No, of course not!”

He seemed to take no comfort from her answer. “You mean to tell me, during the thirty minutes you paraded about in Leicester Square, she never even mentioned it, never even hinted at the possibility?”

“No,” Sophie replied bluntly.

James appeared aghast. “You met with Madame Labelle, in a public place, for all to see?”

“I did not meet with her,” Sophie replied with an air of hauteur. “Mr. Shandy did.” She offered him a satisfied smile as though that should be explanation enough.

James held his chin in his hand. “I’m confused.”

“Now you see what I have been forced to put up with,” Dane snorted. “Perhaps it is I who should be punching you.”