Page 56 of My Devoted Viscount (Brazen Bluestockings #2)

Mr. Ebrington sat in the armchair, his bulk almost overflowing Mrs. Digby’s favorite chair.

He had the same fair hair and blue eyes as his daughter, just as Sophia remembered from the last time they’d collected Mildred from school, when it was closing.

When she thought she’d never see them or Mildred again.

“What can you tell me of this man Huntley who Mildred claims is going to marry her, even after she scampered all over the countryside unchaperoned?”

Sophia had forgotten how bracingly direct he could be. Mr. Ebrington was descended from a baron but had made his fortune in shipping.

“You selected him, sir.” Sophia bit down on a smile at seeing him taken aback. “That is, you selected his cousin. The marriage agreement you signed only named the title, not the man. Fortunately the new Lord Wingfield is still willing to honor that contract.”

An avaricious gleam lit Mr. Ebrington’s eyes at the news he’d still get the title in the family that he’d originally coveted.

“But what is he like?” Mrs. Ebrington said, turning a pleading gaze upon Sophia.

“To what manner of man are we shackling my little girl?” She squeezed her daughter’s hand.

“There has to be more to him than his title and fortune—” she tipped her head toward her husband “—a handsome face, or a full head of hair.” The last was directed at her daughter.

Sophia considered how to answer. Mr. Huntley had always paled in comparison to Fairfax for her, but she knew how much Mildred adored him, and had seen the affection in Huntley’s eyes for the girl.

“Our hostess, Mrs. Digby, has known him at least since he attended university with her nephew, and likes him well enough that she insists he call her Aunt.”

“And who is her nephew?” Mr. Ebrington demanded.

“Lord Fairfax and Lord Wingfield,” Kendall announced at the doorway.

Mr. Ebrington stood.

Sophia could not have stood if the Prince himself entered, so shocked was she to see Fairfax.

Relieved, thrilled, but mostly shocked.

The two gentlemen swept into the room, bringing with them the scent of fresh sea air, their cheeks flushed from being outdoors. They must have come directly from dismounting their horses.

Several minutes were spent on introductions. Alerted to the men’s return, Mrs. Royston and Mrs. Digby arrived, as did Henry, who trotted around, demanding to be petted even as he sniffed everyone. Xavier and Wallace also strolled in and were introduced to Mildred’s parents.

“You seem surprised, cara mia ,” Fairfax said when he managed to get through the crowd to Sophia. He took her hand and kissed it as he helped her rise from the sofa.

Her knees wobbly, her insides melting at hearing his rumbling bass voice wash over her again, she struggled to form a coherent sentence. “I- I thought you’d be halfway across France by now.”

“France?” His brows rose in confusion.

“On your way to Italy.”

His expression cleared. “Ah. I can’t go. Not quite yet.”

Sophia saw Mildred and Huntley holding hands as they spoke with her parents. “Of course. You’re going to stay long enough to stand up with your friend at his wedding.” He had come back to support his friend. Not because of anybody else at Hobart Grange.

Certainly not her.

“No, I have a different plan in mind.” He hadn’t yet let go of the hand he’d kissed. Now he gathered the other so he could stroke his thumbs across the back of her hands. “What I would like is—”

He broke off at the commotion in the hall. Another coach had arrived and visitors disembarked.

Henry took off running, barking madly at the newcomers, almost tripping Enid on her way into the room with a tea tray.

Kendall appeared at the drawing room doorway. “Lord and Lady Ravencroft,” he announced.

“More guests!” Mrs. Royston exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

Enid quickly bowed her head and darted out of the room to get another tray so there would be enough cups to serve everyone, but not before Sophia noted her rolling her eyes. Then the name that Kendall had announced registered.

“Ashley?” Pulling free from Fairfax, Sophia wended her way through the crowd, ducking under arms where expedient, to greet her friend.

“Sophia!” They embraced, then pulled apart to inspect each other.

“Marriage seems to agree with you,” Sophia said, admiring her friend’s flattering traveling gown of royal blue that clearly cost more than their quarterly salary had been at Madame Zavrina’s.

Miss Ashley Hamlin, now the Countess of Ravencroft, had been a student at the Academy for two years.

She left to have her Season in London, only to return a few months later after her parents perished in an accident and Madame Zavrina added Ashley to the Academy staff.

After some initial awkwardness transitioning from student and teacher to colleagues, she and Sophia became fast friends.

Beyond the exquisite clothing, though, Ashley seemed to radiate a joy that Sophia had not seen in her friend since before they’d heard the news that the Academy would close.

Ashley blushed but couldn’t hold back a broad smile. “Allow me to introduce you to my husband, David.”

They had to wait a moment, as Lord Ravencroft was still greeting Mrs. Digby. After he hugged Mrs. Royston and bussed her on her weathered cheek, he turned back to his wife.

Sophia gave Ashley a knowing grin as her friend performed the introduction.

A startling streak of white framed the right side of Ravencroft’s handsome face, but the rest of his hair was a rich chestnut, worn loose and so long that it swept across his shirt points when he bowed over her hand, even longer than Fairfax wore his hair.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Walden,” he said in a rich, rumbling bass that rivaled the depth of Fairfax’s voice.

If Sophia had not already given her heart away and Ashley had not claimed him, Sophia admitted Ravencroft would have caught her attention, too.

“I’ve heard such wonderful things about you. ”

“I see you made excellent time,” Fairfax said from directly behind Sophia’s shoulder.

She startled, not having realized he’d remained so close. He stepped beside her to shake hands with Ravencroft.

“We were nearly ready to depart the inn when you arrived,” Ravencroft replied.

“And very happy to rearrange our visits with family.” Ashley brimmed with excitement.

Much more excitement than Sophia thought was warranted for a change in their honeymoon travel plans, despite how delighted she was to see her friend. There was no opportunity to quiz Ashley, as Mrs. Digby and Mrs. Royston demanded to be introduced to the girl who’d “stolen dear David’s heart.”

Mildred gave an undignified squeal of joy as she realized who had arrived and dragged Huntley over, their arms still linked, so she could greet Ashley.

Sophia tried valiantly to keep a smile on her face, her happiness for her friends woefully inadequate at making up for the pain of having Fairfax so near, knowing he would soon depart.

And so would she. Him for Italy, her for Dover. Or Exmouth. She needed to decide soon. Today, even, recalling the neatly tied bundles on the desk that indicated she’d completed her work for Mrs. Digby.

Perhaps she’d holiday in Brighton first. Or take a break from the seaside to erase memories of being trapped in sea caves with Fairfax and go somewhere inland. The waters at Tunbridge Wells were reputed to be healing.

“Oh good, they’re finally distracted,” Fairfax said, so close his lips brushed her ear.

She shivered with delight. “May I steal you for a moment?” Without waiting for a reply, he tucked her hand in his and stole out the door, towing her along, their fingers intertwined, not stopping until they reached the library.

He shut the door firmly behind them and led her over to the window, where the afternoon sunshine flooded the room and they could see every minute detail of each other. “I cannot tell you how much I missed you these past few days.”

Before she could think through what he said, he cupped her cheeks and slowly leaned down toward her, tilting his head to one side, and kissed her.

“Oh,” was all she could manage when he pulled back a few inches.

He licked his lips, tasting her, his warm brown eyes searching hers.

She stretched up on her toes to reach one hand around the back of his neck, the other tugging on his neckcloth, and urged him close. “Try telling me again.”

They kissed until her toes curled, all thought fled except the sensation of melding her breath with his, one of his hands sliding down her body and holding her close to him, one thumb stroking her neck.

A gull screeched as it dipped and wheeled past the window, breaking the moment.

She patted his chest with both hands, trying to dredge up enough willpower to push him away, and heard the sounds of crinkling paper within his coat.

“My lord, this is most unseemly. Someone could enter at any moment.” She couldn’t help licking her own lips as she tried to lean back, reluctant to end the moment.

“Vincent,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “I want to hear you say my name.”

She caught a handful of his long, silky black hair and twined it with her fingers, remembering how he’d reacted the first time she’d said his name in the drawing room. She’d been addressing his brother, but from the corner of her eye had not missed his visceral reaction. “Vincenzo,” she replied.

His pupils flared along with his sharp intake of breath.

She kept one hand playing with his hair, enjoying this last opportunity to touch him so intimately, still trying to summon the willpower to push against his chest, to push him away. Again she heard the crinkling of paper from inside his coat. “We need to stop.”

“On the contrary, cara mia ,” he whispered. “We’ve not yet begun.”