The Hellion Bride (Sherbrooke Brides 2)

"Ah, and here is Hollis. You wish to meet the wife as well, Hollis?"

"Most assuredly, my lord. I am Hollis, ma'am. If you require anything at all, you have but to ask me."

Tea was dispensed. Mrs. Peacham and Hollis took themselves off. Sinjun was joyfully consuming scones and nudging Jeremy in his ribs as she pointed out the tastiest ones to him. He'd already moved closer to her.

Sophie took a bite of lemon cake. It was deli­cious. She looked nervously at the earl, who was thoughtfully studying her. The room was warm and pleasant. They'd been welcomed. They'd even been fed. Ryder had told his brother to call her Sophie. He'd told his brother to give Jeremy a horse. It was suddenly too much. Then, the earl smiled at her and offered her more tea.

Sophie burst into tears.

"Oh dear!"

"Sinjun," the earl said calmly, "I want you to take Jeremy to the stables and select a suitable mount for him. Go now. If it's still raining, why then, describe the horses to him."

Sinjun grabbed Jeremy's hand and nearly dragged him from the room. She said fiercely, leaning down to his ear, "Don't worry. Douglas will take care of your sister. I imagine she has had a very difficult time. She will be all right, Douglas will se

e to it. He's wonderful, you know."

Douglas waited a moment, then said to Ryder's weeping wife, "You have done very well. I believe I myself would have cracked under the pressure of coming here to a strange house filled with people you don't know, people who could make your life quite unpleasant. But you're here now and the peo­ple here accept you and welcome you and everything will be fine."

Sophie hiccuped and wiped the back of her hand across her eyes. The earl handed her a handkerchief and she blew her nose.

He moved back to lean against the very feminine desk, his legs crossed at the ankles, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Ryder stands the same way," Sophie said. "Only he does it to intimidate me. You look fine doing it."

Douglas smiled. "My brother tries to intimidate you? How peculiar of him. Usually Ryder has but to use his charm to receive any gift he wishes,"

Sophie blew her nose again, then tucked the hand­kerchief into her sleeve. "That's what he kept tell­ing me."

"Ryder had to remind you of his considerable charm? How very odd of him. Would you like to meet my wife now? By that time Mrs. Peacham will have prepared a room for Jeremy and aired your bedchamber. Later, if you wish, you can tell me more of what occurred on Jamaica. As I told you, Ryder wrote of important things, not the other superfluous things."

Sophie nodded and tried to swipe some of the wrinkles from her gown. She still looked wilted but she was nearly dry now. She caught a look of her­self in a mirror in the hallway. She looked a fright. She made a distressed sound, her hand flying to a strand of hair that hung damply down the side of her face.

The earl said easily, "Don't mind that mirror. It lies always. My wife has remarked upon it. Even my wife's sister, Melissande, who is so beautiful it makes your teeth ache just to look at her, avoids that mirror. I regret that my wife can't come here to meet you. We must go to her. Also, you don't have a red nose. She does."

The Countess of Northcliffe was in bed, propped up with pillows. Her nose was indeed red, her eyes watery, and she was sniffling. Her hair was a mar­velous shade of red and was braided loosely around a very pretty, pale face.

The introductions were made.

The countess stared at the girl who stood still as a Sherbrooke garden statue.

"As least you're wearing clothes," the countess said.

"I beg your pardon, my dear?"

"Oh, I was just thinking that Sophie is standing as still as our garden statues."

"And the statues, Sophie, are, unfortunately, quite bare of fig leaves and of shirts or trousers. My wife's mind has slipped a notch with this cold. It brought her low two days ago. She dislikes being kept in bed; she desires to be up and about, ordering all of us around mercilessly."

"He adores to tease me. Goodness, you've been crying. What happened? Douglas, weren't you kind to her?"

"No, Alex, I was vicious. I berated her for daring to come here. I told her she could sleep for two nights in the stables but then she would have to leave. However, I did give her my handkerchief."

"Well, it is true that Ryder actually marrying a wife is enough to overset one's thinking."

"He couldn't very well marry a monkey, Alex. I will bring up Jeremy later to see you. Keep your distance, Sophie, I don't wish Ryder to return home only to find his bride in bed with a red nose and a foul disposition."

The earl patted Sophie's arm, gave his wife a mock bow. "If my wife makes you uncomfortable, simply tell her to mind her own business. On the other hand, I have always found her utterly discreet and an excellent confidante. She also has an adequate sense of humor." He touched Sophie's arm once again, then took himself off.