When Jack arrived at the Hôtel Portois that evening, Mrs. Pennant was still too weary to attend the opera, but her fatigue played directly into his hands.
Sophie appeared reluctant to accompany him alone, giving him a cool greeting. Clearly she was still chagrined by his conspiracy with her elderly relative.
When he handed her into his coach, Sophie voiced her unhappiness. “It is callous of you to continue pursuing me when you know I cannot break my betrothal.”
She said little else as the coach got underway. Jack could tell she had no suspicion of his intentions until nearly half an hour later, when she noted that it was taking a very long time to reach the Paris Opera. When she glanced out the window, her growing confusion was obvious, for the cobblestone streets had turned to highway and the city environs had given way to rural countryside.
“Where are we?” Sophie asked.
Jack hesitated to answer, wanting to postpone the expected explosion as long as possible. “We have left Paris.”
“I can see as much. Where are you taking me?”
“To Navartania.”
She stared in disbelief. “You must be jesting. Not even you would be so brazen.” When Jack didn’t refute her, Sophie searched his face. “You actually duped me into entering your carriage so you could abduct me?”
“I’m afraid so.”
She was visibly shocked by his audacity. “Surely my aunt does not condone your shameless actions, Jack.”
“She doesn’t know.” He hadn’t told Mrs. Pennant because he suspected she would balk. It was one thing for her to support his courtship; it was quite another to aid and abet an abduction.
Sophie’s astonishment turned to concern for her great-aunt. “I didn’t think she would consent, even if she did bring me to Paris under false pretenses. But she will be beside herself with worry when I don’t return home after the opera. At her age, she should not be exposed to such fright.”
“I left a message to be delivered to her later this evening, explaining that you are safe and that I am taking you to see my father. I promised to care for you.”
Sophie’s reply held exasperation. “She entrusted you with my protection and this is how you repay her?”
“You left me with no choice, Sophie. This is the only way to save you from marriage to Dunmore.”
“I told you I didn’t want to be saved.”
“It is for your own good, love.”
“You are not thinking of my own good at all.” Taking a steadying breath, Sophie made an effort to reason with him. “You know that reneging on my promise would deliver a devastating blow to my parents.”
“It would only be a blow if you couldn’t marry a prince instead of a duke.”
“Jack …” she protested, struggling to rein in her aggravation. “You can’t truly mean to take me all the way to Navartania against my will.”
“I tried persuasion to no avail. You refused to accompany me.”
“For good reason. As I said this morning, there is no point in us even discussing a future together. It is far too late to change my father’s mind about my union with Dunmore, and even if it wasn’t, I cannot be so selfish as to only consider my own desires. I have to see the marriage through.”
Jack could see her next argument forming, so he forestalled her with a request. “Come with me to Navartania first, Sophie, and then decide. If you still are of the same mind about marrying your duke, I will return you to Paris.”
Her gaze remained skeptical. “How long will it take us to get there?”
“The better part of three days.”
“And three days to return?” Her eyebrows shot up in dismay. “Jack, an unchaperoned journey of such length will ruin me.”
“No, it won’t.”
“It will. And that will mean the end of my betrothal. Dunmore won’t want to wed a tarnished bride.”
“You won’t be tarnished. He will never know you are with me. No one will. I doubt your aunt will advertise your absence from Paris.”