Something Scandalous

Get him back? Did she ever have him to begin with? She had no idea. Maybe this would help her find out.

“Elizabeth, you will always be considered the duke’s daughter. No matter what happened,” Sophie said, “you love him. Go get him.”

Somerton stared at her as if his patience had just about run its course. “Will you do whatever it takes to win him?”

“Yes.” Elizabeth felt as if they were speaking another language, yet they seemed to understand each other perfectly. “Please, what are you both talking about?”

“The duke is at Lady Whitely’s,” Sophie started.

“Who is Lady Whitely? I have never heard of her before,” Elizabeth said.

“Lady Whitely runs a…a…” Sophie looked over at Somerton for assistance.

“She runs a brothel,” he said simply. “And Will is there right now. If you don’t get over there, he might make a huge mistake.”

A brothel. Will was at a brothel. “Why?”

“I shall explain in the carriage,” Somerton said. He looked at Sophie. “You owe me far more than a name for this one.”

“You might be right,” Sophie said.

Elizabeth picked up her bonnet and walked out to the carriage with Somerton. A ripple of fear stopped her cold. She knew so little about the man she was about to be alone with in the carriage.

“What is wrong now?” Somerton asked in an impatient tone.

“I…I should not be alone in the carriage with you.”

Somerton laughed soundly. “That is the least of your problems, Lady Elizabeth. You just agreed to enter a brothel, and you are worried about being in a coach with me.”

She had not thought about it that way. “I actually have to go inside the brothel?”

Somerton held out his hand to help her inside the carriage. “Yes, my dear. Assuming you wish to save him from making a huge mistake.”

“I do,” she answered.

“All right, then. Lady Whitely is currently keeping him occupied with a little whisky and conversation. You will enter through the servants’ entrance and someone will escort you up to a private room.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

Somerton groaned. “I really don’t need to tell you that, do I?”

Elizabeth looked at him and shrugged.

“Seduce the man. Please tell me you know how to do that.”

Heat crossed her cheeks. Hopefully in the dark carriage, Somerton would not notice. “Of course.”

“Damn. You don’t know what to do.” Somerton leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling of the carriage. “Entice him, Elizabeth. Make him want you so desperately, he’ll tell you anything.”

She didn’t rebuke him using her given name when she knew she should. “How?”

“Lady Whitely will provide a very revealing gown. Flaunt your assets. Let him see what he is missing.”

“But he will know it’s me. He’s so angry with me that he will most likely dash from the room once he sees me.”

“Good point. I will make certain Lady Whitely provides a mask for you to wear. Keep only a few candles lit so the room is dark. Do not let him take off the mask until he rea

lizes what a huge mistake he has made. Let him grovel at your feet for forgiveness.”