So, until she could find some weapon to counter his threats she was going to have to deal with the blackmailing demands for money. Jonathan could be led to believe she had very little now, that Step Papa gave her only a small allowance of pin money and insisted on having all her bills delivered to him. Then she could promise to pay him when she was married, and surely he would think her more vulnerable to continued demands when she was the duchess, because she would have so much more to lose.
Yes, that was the approach. Appear to yield and agree to pay in the future and meanwhile hope and pray that Mr Tanner came up with sufficient discreditable history to apply blackmail of her own. All while keeping this from Cal’s sharp eyes and playing the part of the modest, but happy, fiancée.
No-one said being a duchess was going to be easy.
Cal came across the drawing room towards her, his hand held out, and Sophie found herself smiling back with real pleasure. I do like this man, please let me keep him.
‘Sophie, darling.’ He lowered his voice as he reached her and took her hands in his. ‘Should you be out of bed?’
‘It is nothing,’ she murmured back, with a smile directed across the room to her mother. ‘I think I must have been more nervous than I realised and I get horrible headaches when I become very tense.’ A glance around the room told her that all of the guests must have arrived and the long chamber was full enough for her to be unable to see Jonathan. ‘I should speak to your aunt and apologise for not being here when she arrived. I have met her in London often enough for her to know I would not deliberately neglect the courtesy.’
Lady Peter was a big woman, bony rather than fat, and surprisingly colourless for such a large physical presence. She rose when Cal brought Sophie to her, smiled wanly and kissed her on both cheeks. ‘Dear girl,’ she murmured. ‘So happy.’
But not ecstatic, Sophie thought with an inward grimace. She supposed that Cal’s marriage heralded the end of her husband and son’s positions as heirs presumptive to the dukedom and no fond wife and mother would be delighted about that, however sensibly resigned they might be. It would be impossible that Cal’s long absence in remote and dangerous places had raised some faint, unacknowledged hopes in Lady Peter’s breast.
But the two families would adjust to co-existence soon enough, although the production of a male heir at the earliest opportunity might not be a bad idea. The thought of which led to an involuntary glance at the man at her side which was met by a disconcertingly warm smile.
‘I must drag Sophie away to greet the rest of our guests,’ Cal said, his hand sliding under her elbow. ‘You two can have a long talk later. What is it?’ he asked as they crossed the room to a knot of guests by the long windows open onto the terrace.
‘I was just thinking that the sooner you have a son, the better,’ Sophie said before she caught herself. ‘Oh. I didn’t mean – ’
But strangely Cal seemed neither to take her indiscretion as an expression of desire, nor as the insult to his aunt that it certainly was. His expression became guarded, almost dark, but all he said was, ‘You are quite right about that. We must discuss it later.’
Lord Peter and his son were with the group by the window, along with several of the bridesmaids and two gentlemen Sophie knew by sight. Jane, Phyllida and Amelie all greeted her with hugs and kisses, Ralph claimed a cousinly kiss which darkened Cal’s expression still further and she shook hands with Lord Peter, Mr Harrison and Lord James Fitzdene.
Where the devil is Jonathan? He was the last person she wanted to see, but the knowledge that he was here, that she was going to have to deal with him at any moment, was beginning to prey on her nerves.
It was fortunate that she was thinking of him, because when he said, ‘Miss Wilmott, what a pleasure to see you again,’ from directly behind her she did not jump or even, she thought, go pale.
Sophie turned slowly, a bright social smile on her lips. ‘Mr Ransome. You abandon London society for years and now I find you popping up wherever I turn.’
‘I thought you might have forgotten me,’ he said with that charming smile, the one that had dazzled her into loving him.
Cal had turned to say something to Toby who seemed to have been out on the terrace with Jonathan. It was safe to hit back, because she was not going to let him think he had cowed her. ‘Oh, no, Mr Ransome. I recall exactly where I last saw you that last time, and how you looked.’
He had been naked, except the stockings which bound him to the bedposts and a pink satin bow neatly tied around his flaccid penis. The venom in his eyes told her that she had just poked a viper with a stick, so she slid her hand under his arm and said, ‘Do show me what you were admiring from the terrace, Mr Ransome.’
He allowed himself to be led outside, then turned at the edge of the paved area, one hip negligently propped against the balustrade. ‘That was a very expensive little joke, Sophie.’
‘I am sure it was,’ she said, chin up. ‘But I do not have money now and I will not until I marry. My stepfather is not generous with my pin money.’
‘I could insist.’
‘I have no jewellery I can safely sell or pawn, no way of raising money. Jonathan, if you are greedy now and push too hard I would be forced to tell the Duke the truth. When I am married…’ She shrugged and waved a hand in a gesture to encompass house and land. ‘He will be generous. Just be patient.’
‘Very well. Much as I would like to punish you, Sophie, I would rather make you pay in money.’ His eyes were full of hate and resentment and she guessed he was jealous of Cal, as well as bitterly angry with her. ‘Revenge may be sweet but it pays no bills.’
He wanted both, she knew that. He wanted money and he wanted to torment her and the second desire was almost as great as the first. She repressed the shudder that was somehow more than anger, more than fear of his revelations.
‘There is still a payment you could make, Sophie my sweet. One that doesn’t involve any money at all. I have a large empty bed just upstairs, one that I would like you to warm up for me.’
And then she realised what was repelling her – he still wanted her sexually, he still wanted to force him
self on her and take his revenge in that humiliation as well as in any other way he could think of.
‘Unfortunately I will be too busy elsewhere, Jonathan, with someone else if you take my meaning, so I will have to miss the opportunity of discovering whether your technique has improved at all. It seems unlikely.’
‘Sophie?’ It was Cal, standing at the window. From his watchful gaze he had sensed something amiss.