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T hey had woken Letty, and she was now dressed in a thick brocade dressing gown and slippers. Staff had been roused, much to Sophie’s horror, and tea was brewed, which Letty, Sophie, Patrick, and Stephen all now sipped.

Doddy was upstairs on guard beside Timmy’s bed. The dog had been ecstatic to have them all return home.

While Sophie felt like a wrung-out rag, both men still looked alert.

“You should have woken me. I could have helped,” Letty said for the fourth time.

“I’m sorry, Letty, I thought only to protect you,” Sophie said around a yawn.

The elderly woman waved her hand about as she struggled to contain her emotions.

“Yes, well, you will not do so again!”

“I promise.”

“You look like a courtesan in that outfit,” Letty added, looking at Sophie and shuddering.

“I could hardly go about dressed as a lady,” Sophie said, quickly doing up her top two buttons.

“She played her part very well,” Patrick surprised her by saying as he got to his feet.

“I will arrange some men to guard the house, both front and back, until we catch Jack Spode,” Patrick added.

“Plus more footmen. He will be angry when he realizes we have foiled his plans, and I do not want him attempting to enter your home again.”

“I had thought we were rid of him, that horrid beast who tormented you, Sophie,” Letty said. “It seems he is like a weed—extremely hard to remove.”

“We will remove him,” Patrick said steadily. “You need fear him no more.”

“I don’t think?—”

“Thank you, Lord Coulter, that should make us all sleep better,” Letty said, cutting Sophie off.

“Please allow me to also thank you both again with all my heart for finding Mary and Timmy. I fear we owe you much.” Letty got to her feet, and after crossing the room, she kissed Stephen and then Patrick on the cheek.

“I have told them everything, Letty,” Sophie added when her sister-in-law reached her. “I had to.”

“I understand,” she said.

“Sophie’s secrets are safe with us,” Patrick said solemnly.

“I know they will be.” Letty kissed Sophie’s cheek now.

“You need to show caution now,” he said. “No risks.”

“We will of course take care, but that man is not turning us into victims,” Letty said.

“We will not be hiding in this house but continuing with our lives. However,” she added as Patrick opened his mouth to speak, “we will go nowhere without footmen and maids. And never alone. I won’t have Jack Spode believing he has us cowed, Lord Coulter. ”

“Very well, and your courage is to be admired, even as I wish you both simply stayed inside these walls for a while.”

“We will be cautious,” Sophie added.

“Excellent,” Letty said, and with a final goodbye, she left the room.

“I will see you in the carriage, Patrick,” Stephen said, giving Sophie a quick hug and taking his leave next.

“How can I thank you for what you did for me tonight?” Sophie whispered, suddenly feeling awkward around the man who knew so much about her and knew her intimately. “I came to you, and you did not hesitate to help, even after I’d told you my lies.”

“I would always rather know the truth, Sophie,” he said solemnly. “But I understand why you and Lady Carstairs did what you must to survive.”

Now that they had Timmy back, she wondered what he really thought about what she’d done. The distance between them was not great, yet neither of them breached it. Now that the danger had passed, there was a tension between them she didn’t know how to ease or if she should.

“If ever you need anything from me, my lord, you have only to ask.”

“I am my lord again?”

“I don’t know what you are,” she said honestly.

“And now is not the time to work through that either. You’re exhausted. Go to your bed, and we will talk more soon.”

“Thank you,” Sophie whispered.

He closed the distance between them, cupping her face in his big, warm hands.

“You have thanked me enough.” His kiss was soft and gentle.

A kiss to soothe, not fill her body with passion.

“Go to bed, my sweet Sophie, and I will call on you soon. Show caution—don’t leave the house without two footmen and a maid. ”

“I know, but we must live our lives, as Letty has said, Patrick.”

He exhaled slowly. “I know, but I want you safe.” Their eyes held for long seconds. “Do you understand what I’m saying, Sophie?”

“I do, and I want you to promise me you will not do anything rash and end up in danger also.”

His smile was gentle, and then he was kissing her again. Before she could stop him, he’d turned and walked out of the house. He hadn’t reassured her he wouldn’t walk into danger, and that thought alone was the one that sat heavily on her shoulders as she climbed the stairs.

Checking on Timmy, she found his door open and Leonard, the footman, sleeping in a bundle of blankets beside his bed with Doddy. Both were snoring softly, and Timmy was snuffling. The sounds had Sophie smiling for the first time that night.

In her room, she stripped off her clothes and washed in cold water. She then climbed into bed. Her last thought was for the man who had rescued her brother and Mary tonight. The man that now knew about her past. The man she was now sure she loved.