One Night Scandal

Bronwyn sat back down in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. “I told you something was wrong, Genna.”

“I need your solemn promise that you won’t speak a word of this.” She looked at Genna. “Not to your father,” she said and then looked at Bronwyn. “And not to Victoria or Anthony.”

Genna frowned but slowly nodded while Bronwyn just shrugged.

“Bronwyn, why don’t you go ask Mrs. Holmes for some biscuits,” Genna suggested.

“All right.” Bronwyn skipped out of the room and down the hall.

Genna immediately moved to a chair closer to Sophie. “Who is the father, Sophie? Have you told him yet? Do you honestly believe you can keep this from Father for long?”

Sophie laughed at the questions. “One at a time, Genna. I shan’t tell you the father’s name.”

“Does he know about the babe?”

“No. And I know I can’t keep it from him or from Father for more than two months. I just haven’t decided what I should do yet.”

“Oh, Sophie,” Genna cried. “You must tell the man . . . unless he is married. Please tell me he isn’t married! That would be dreadful.”

“He is not married.” Sophie looked down at her skirts and played with the folds. “But he is in love with someone else.”

“Perhaps, he is currently, but he might come to love you once you marry and have the child.”

Sophie looked over at her innocent half sister. “Would that be enough for you? Hoping your husband comes to love you?”

Genna’s blue eyes welled with tears. “I suppose not. Nevertheless, you are in a delicate position here. You rely on Father to pay most of your expenses, and your clients for extra money. Both of those sources of income may disappear if you think to have this baby without being married.”

For only being twenty-one, Genna was a very intelligent young lady. “I have already thought about that, Genna.”

“Then what will you do?”

Sophie wished she knew. After overhearing Jennette and Nicholas talk about her pregnancy, Sophie had thought of little else. The sense of betrayal from both of them wouldn’t leave her. In her heart, she knew there was only one option.

“I shall most likely have to leave the country.”

Chapter 15

Avis waited for Elizabeth to sit before she began. She had called them all to her house for only one reason. Something was going dreadfully wrong with their plan.

“Now,” Avis said, adjusting her skirt. “Does anyone know why Nicholas and Sophie appeared to be angry with each other last night?”

“Actually, it looked far more like Sophie was mad at Nicholas than he at her,” Elizabeth said. “It takes quite a lot to make Nicholas angry.”

“But not so much for Sophie,” Victoria added with a laugh.

Jennette nodded. “Perhaps one of us should pay a visit to Sophie to determine her ire.”

“Brilliant idea, Jennette,” Avis said with a smile. “But Sophie is very smart and will see right through us. One of us must have a valid reason to visit her. Otherwise she may become suspicious of us.”

All the women glanced over at Jennette. Pink tinged her cheeks. “Am I to presume you have all figured it out, then?”

Avis laughed. “I do remember how the evening sickness affected you with Christian. While I could not get out of my bed until after ten and then only after eating dry toast and tea, you were up early and feeling wonderful until late afternoon. It wasn’t difficult to determine your cause of illness the other night.”

“Well, you all guessed correctly. Blackburn surprised me with his reaction. I’d thought he would be angry to have another child so soon after Christian, but he is so pleased.” Jennette paused and sipped her tea. “So I will call on Sophie tomorrow to talk to her about the baby.”

“Excellent,” Avis said. “And do find out what has her so angry with Nicholas. I am certain it was not just the fact that he came to her party uninvited. There was something else going on and we must determine the cause so we can get them matched.”

Nicholas sat down behind his desk and tapped his fingers impatiently against the cherry wood. He’d summoned Mrs. Griffon over ten minutes ago, and she still had not arrived for their meeting. Pulling out her references, he stared down at the letter from Lord Westbury. It definitely said she’d been in his employ for twelve years.