Regency Affairs Part 2: Books 7-12 Of 12. Ann Lethbridge

We are engaged because the gutter press demanded a robust response. There is little point in denying the rumour as Lord Bingfield was prepared to do the honourable thing. I refused to do anything irrevocable without a proper settlement.’ Sophie patted her stepmother’s hand.

      Everything would work out if her scheme was allowed to happen. There had to be a simple way of trapping Sir Vincent and then saying goodbye to Richard Crawford before she started liking him too much. They were allies only because they faced a common enemy, not because they shared a mutual understanding or finer feelings.

      ‘You have eased my mind.’ Her stepmother took her mother’s single pearl and undid the clasp before fastening it around Sophie’s neck. ‘I hope you are not doing this just to please me. All I have ever wanted for you is to be happy.’

      A tiny prickle of fear went through Sophie. What if they didn’t succeed in trapping Sir Vincent? She pushed it away. They had to win. ‘And if I can’t do that within society?’

      ‘Your father worked his entire life to ensure his daughter would be gentry. You won’t dishonour your father’s memory.’

      ‘Trust me, please. I am all grown up. I’ve survived three seasons since Lord Cawburn without incident.’

      ‘It is what makes this situation so strange. I don’t understand how you could have met a man such as Lord Bingfield without me knowing.’ Her stepmother stepped back. ‘There, pretty as a picture. I do wish your father had lived to see you triumphant and in love.’

      Sophie straightened her blouse. With her favourite pair of earrings, and the cream ball gown with cascades of lace, she was armed for battle.

      Sir Vincent was not going to get away with his scheme and he wasn’t going to be allowed to wreck anyone else’s life. She simply had to figure out how to feed him information which would incriminate him before she did truly become besotted with Richard Crawford. She had to remember that above all things she had to keep her heart safe. Men who were not safe in carriages were best handled at arm’s length, rather than offering up her lips at the earliest opportunity. Boundaries were required and it was up to her to set them.

      She reached for her tortoise-shell fan and ignored the way her lips ached in memory of that kiss. Kissing complicated matters. They might be posing as an engaged couple, but it did not mean he had any finer feelings or regard for her. She was a means to an end.

      One last glance in the mirror told her everything she needed to know. The dress was passable, but she looked far too excited. And she was excited, excited about the possibility of beating Sir Vincent, rather than seeing Richard Crawford.

      ‘Shall we go? I feel capable of achieving great things tonight.’

      Richard drew in his breath as Sophie walked down the stairs. Tonight she was the perfect epitome of a redoubtable ice princess rather than a woman in distress. Her blonde hair was immaculate and the bodice of her ball dress skimmed the tops of her breasts. A single pearl nestled in the hollow of her throat. But for all her finery, he could see the nerves underneath—the slight hesitation on the last step, the pinched way she held her mouth and the way she clutched her gloves until her knuckles shone white. Sophie was less certain about tonight’s piece of playacting than she wanted to be.

      He had a great longing to throw her over his shoulder, and take her somewhere where he could protect her. But tonight was necessary for more than one reason. Not only would he demonstrate to Putney that seeking revenge on Sophie in this manner was doomed to failure, but he would also provide the perfect excuse for any visit to Newcastle. His father would understand the need to pursue an heiress far better than Richard’s need to be part of his mother and sister’s life.

      ‘You look exquisite,’ he said when Sophie reached the bottom of the stairs.

      ‘It is last Season’s dress and the sleeves didn’t alter as well I wanted them to, but I like the shape of the skirt too much.’

      ‘You sew your own clothes?’ Richard struggled to think of a woman of his acquaintance who would admit it. The last one was probably Mary. His mind moved firmly away from that memory. He was not going to start liking Sophie Ravel. He only became friends with women after he no longer desired them. To allow a woman into his heart and his whole life was to invite her to abandon him. It was not going to happen to him as it had happened to his father. He was the one who left first, before his heart became involved.

      ‘Only alterations. I want perfection and my stepmother ensured my accomplishments included both fine sewing and the making of clothes.’ Her smile lit the hallway. ‘One has to be practical. A dress can easily be made over into the latest fashion. I never want to disappoint.’

      ‘You won’t do that.’ He reached into the pocket of his evening coat. ‘But you are missing one thing.’

      She glanced down. ‘I believe I have everything. Slippers, reticule, fan and gloves.’

      ‘A ring.’

      Her cheeks flamed. ‘I … I hadn’t considered it necessary. Not for tonight.’

      His heart gave an odd wrench. It was ironic. Normally he was the one who put limits on his relationships with women, but this time it was Sophie. He’d seen the ring at the jewellers and knew it would be the one thing to give her confidence. ‘How else will people know we are engaged?’

      ‘A notice in the papers?’ Her laugh rang hollow.

      Richard held on to his temper. He wanted to murder the man who had made her so distrustful. She should try trusting him. He wanted to prove to her that he could solve their difficulty.

      ‘Hold out your finger and stop being awkward. It will remind you that you belong to me if you are tempted to waltz with any divine dancer. No flirting with any other man.’

      She held out her hand and he slipped on the ring, a pearl flanked by two sapphires. She twisted her hand back and forth. ‘It is very pretty and it fits. I never flirt, Lord Bingfield. It goes against my nature.’

      He allowed the remark to pass. He had seen a glimpse of the passionate woman underneath her frosty exterior and wanted to see her again. ‘I saw it in a jeweller’s window this afternoon and guessed your size. Sapphires for your eyes. It suits your hand.’

      ‘It is elegant rather than showy.’ Sophie tilted her chin upwards. ‘It is the sort of ring I would have chosen … if asked.’

      ‘I will remember for the future.’

      ‘You mean you don’t intend for her to have the family jewels?’ Mrs Ravel asked with a suspicious glance at the ring as she came to stand guard over Sophie. ‘I would have thought the fiancée of a viscount deserved something better.’

      Richard gave a quick glance at Sophie, who shrugged. She had obviously failed to confide in her stepmother about the false engagement as he’d expected her to do after he left. Intriguing.

      ‘Engagement rings have an unfortunate past in my family. With your stepdaughter, I thought it best to break with tradition.’ Richard made a bow. ‘Should Sophie wish it, she may of course exchange it for another.’

      ‘And the family jewels? I presume there are some. There again, the family jewels are always the first to go. Several women I know were palmed off with paste.’ She tapped the side of her nose. ‘You can always tell.’

      ‘Honestly, Stepmother! I explained that Lord Bingfield is not let in the pockets.’

      Richard controlled his temper. The pair had obviously dealt with a fortune hunter before. Could he be the one responsible for Sophie’s caution? A stab of jealousy went through him. He wished … Richard pushed the thought away. He never speculated on a woman’s past. Ever.

      ‘Kept in a vault at Hallington, awaiting the next marchioness. After we are married, the jewels can be reset to her taste. My father has always been clear on that.’

      ‘Admit it, Stepmother, you simply wanted to boast that I was wearing a family heirloom. Personally, I am