The Accidental Mistress by Kate Harper Read Free Book Online Page B

Wales.’
    ‘Was he close to his father?’
    The woman snorted. ‘His lordship made Master Dev look like a saint! He was a bad seed, was the old lord.’
    ‘Perhaps his son takes after him.’ Sophie murmured, touching a hand to her throat and remembering the darkness that had seemed to take hold of Roxburghe.
    ‘No,’ Mrs. Chambers’ voice softened, ‘You can believe me when I say that the young master is nothing like his father.’ And with that, she swept from the room.
    Sophie sat back in her chair and looked around. It was a very big house for just one man. A house one could easily become lost in. Her own family home in Cumberland was never silent and often almost over full of people. Sometimes Sophie regretted the lack of privacy but she’d never felt lonely. Still, she reasoned, if Roxburghe ever did, he had another house in London and dozens of women to keep him company.
    ‘Perhaps that’s why he gets up to mischief,’ Sophie murmured to herself, ‘too much time on his hands and not nearly enough purpose in his heart.’ Her father, a man who was kept busy with the needs of his tenants and his large, boisterous family, was an enthusiastic supporter of keeping busy.
    Fortified with food, Sophie knew she must go and look in on her host, just to reassure herself that he was still breathing if nothing else. Rather selfishly, she hoped that he was still unconscious because he would be far from pleased to see her. But at least he now knew she was serious. If a woman was desperate enough to knock a man out to prevent him from having his way with her, surely it was enough to give the would be seducer cause to think. Bolstered by this thought, she asked a maid for directions and soon found the Marquis in his bedchamber, half lying, half sitting in the great bed, propped up by a mound of pillows. As Sophie crept forward she saw with relief that his eyes were closed. She would just reassure herself that he was still breathing and then she would return to her room for the evening…
    ‘Come to admire your handiwork?’ The deep voice made her jump.
    ‘I… I’m sorry! I thought you were sleeping…’
    ‘Or unconscious,’ he opened dark eyes and regarded her sardonically, ‘What did you hit me with?’
    ‘A bottle of claret. It wasn’t full.’ Sophie added hurriedly.
    ‘Just as well. If it had been you might have killed me.’
    Sophie sighed and came forward to stand a little way from the bed. His valet had removed his master’s clothing and Roxburghe wore a linen nightgown, open at the throat. It wasn’t in the least bit proper for a lady to visit a man in his bedchamber but, as this entire escapade had been less than proper, Sophie hardly thought it mattered. She could only be ruined once. His lordship must still be drunk – not enough time had elapsed to make him sober – but he was far more lucid than he had been and she could see at a glance that the madness had gone.
    ‘How is your head?’
    ‘Hurts like the devil.’ He sounded almost cheerful, ‘You have an unexpectedly good swing on you for a female.’
    ‘I play ball games with my younger brothers. Perhaps they have honed my abilities.’
    He didn’t miss the dry tone in her voice and grinned. It faded when she moved her head and he caught sight of her neck. ‘Come over here,’ he demanded, voice abrupt.
    Sophie pursed her lips. Rational or not, moving closer to the man did not seem like a good idea. Despite their brief, volcanic history he still seemed to be having an impact on her body that she was at a loss to explain. It thrummed gently through her, keeping time with the beat of her pulse, as if being merely being in the same room as the Marquis was having an effect. Moving closer seemed like a decidedly rash thing to do. ‘I feel safer out of your reach.’
    ‘Don’t be a little idiot. I’m not saying that I don’t still want to get you in my bed – God knows I do after what occurred downstairs! - but right now we have other