Kane, Samantha - Brothers In Arms 4 (25 page)

He wasn’t sure if he was running to the Montagues or from Sophie and her nightmares.

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When he reached the stairs he stumbled to a halt. Montague was rapidly climbing the stairs, a hastily donned robe over his nightclothes and a candle in his fist.

“Montague, thank God,” Derek said loudly, not even trying to hide his relief.

“Quick, fetch Mrs. Montague. Sophie’s had a nightmare and she’s very upset.”

Montague stopped and visibly collected himself. “We heard the scream downstairs.

Mrs. Montague sent me to investigate. Shall I have her bring some laudanum?”

“Laudanum! Of course, why didn’t I think of that? Yes, laudanum should help her get some rest and settle her nerves. Please, Montague, and do hurry.”

Derek didn’t wait to see Montague back down the stairs. He turned and suddenly

felt a desperate need to get back to Ian and Sophie. What was happening? He ran back to Ian’s room.

He came skidding to a halt a few feet inside the room. Sophie was still in the corner, but she seemed calmer. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and her head rested on her knees as Ian knelt beside her, his hand rubbing up and down her back.

“Is she all right?” Derek asked a little breathlessly.

“She’s back to herself,” Ian said, “but still a little shaky.”

Derek leaned against the wall, his head tilted back, and closed his eyes in relief. His head flew forward again and his eyes opened as he glared at Ian in accusation. “What the hell did you do to her? I told you to take it slowly and let her get used to it. Jesus Christ, Ian, what is the matter with you?”

Ian stiffened in outrage. “I didn’t do anything she didn’t want, Derek. I let her make the decisions. She was in control.”

“Her? In control? Look at her, Ian! No matter what happened to her in the past, she was as good as an innocent virgin. You don’t fuck an innocent virgin to a screaming orgasm without repercussions!”

“Stop, please.” Sophie’s voice was quiet, wavering, wounded. “Please don’t fight.”

She raised her head and looked at Derek. He could hardly see her face in the room’s shadows. “I’ll be all right. It isn’t Ian’s fault, Mr. Knightly, really it isn’t.” She covered her eyes with a visibly trembling hand. “I’ve had these inconvenient episodes before, I’m afraid. I shall try not to disturb you again. I’m so very sorry.”

Derek hated her at that moment. Hated her for making him care. Because he did, no matter all his denials and protestations, he cared. He didn’t like to see her like this, didn’t like to hear her apologizing so abjectly for her nightmares. How dare she take the guilt on herself? There was someone else who deserved it far more, and someday he and Ian would find out who it was and make him bear the burden. Well, at least until they killed him. Derek felt the comfort of his old friend, anger, and embraced it.

“Stop being sorry,” he snapped, “and call me Derek. I won’t be able to stand having you call me Mr. Knightly all the time, as if I’m an unwanted guest.”

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Sophie drew back in surprise at his tone. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply any such thing. This is your home, of course, and I am the interloper. I do apologize if I’ve made you uncomfortable.” Her voice was still weak and raspy from her screams.

“Derek,” Ian growled in a warning voice, “this is hardly the time to take Sophie to task.”

Before Derek could answer, Montague and Mrs. Montague knocked lightly on the

bedroom door. “Mr. Witherspoon?” Mrs. Montague called out in a quavering voice. “Is Mrs. Witherspoon all right?”

“Yes, do come in, Mrs. Montague,” Ian called out to her.

Mrs. Montague bustled into the room with a shake of her head and rushed to

Sophie’s side. “Are you all right, my dear? Shall I help you to your room?” She cast a baleful look over her shoulder at Ian, who drew back in disbelief.

“No, Mrs. Montague,” Sophie told her quietly, “I’d like to stay with Mr.

Witherspoon. I don’t want to be alone.” She sounded so bleak that Derek’s heart clenched in his chest, and he gritted his teeth trying to suppress his empathy. He’d had enough nightmares of his own to recognize what she was feeling.

“I could stay with you, my dear,” Mrs. Montague offered, clearly still distrustful of Ian.

“No, please. It was just a silly dream, that’s all. I had too much champagne today and not enough food, I’m afraid. Hardly a recipe for a good night’s sleep.” Sophie was trying to make light of the episode and failing miserably.

“Take some laudanum, Sophie,” Derek ordered her. “Mrs. Montague brought some

and it will help you sleep.”

Sophie looked at him oddly for a moment. “No, I don’t like laudanum. I’ve been

drugged before, and I don’t like it.”

Not
I
’
ve had it before
, but
I
’
ve been drugged before
, thought Derek with rage. He clenched his fists.

“Oh come now, Mr. Knightly’s right, dear,” Mrs. Montague concurred. “There’s

naught to fear here and the laudanum will bring you a good, dreamless sleep.” She poured some in a glass and mixed it with a little water. “Here you go.” She tried to give it to Sophie but Sophie resisted, turning her head away and shoving the glass with her hand.

Ian took it from Mrs. Montague. “Thank you, Mrs. Montague. I’ll see she takes it.

You’ve been most kind. I’ll ring if we need anything else.” Reluctantly Mrs. Montague turned and walked to the door. “Yes sir,” she said uncertainly. Montague gathered her up and closed the door behind them as they left.

Ian turned back to Sophie. “Sophie, my love, take the laudanum. I’ll not leave your side. Nothing will happen.” She shook her head, not looking at him.

Derek had had enough. He’d gotten very little sleep the night before, the wedding had been a trial from beginning to end today, and now this. He grabbed the glass from 124

At Love’s Command

Ian, sloshing a little over the side. He squatted in front of Sophie and grabbed her chin with his free hand, turning her to face him.

“Drink the damn stuff, Sophie,” he commanded, putting the glass to her lips. He nudged her head back and Sophie’s eyes widened. “I’m exhausted and you must be

worse. You might be able to take more drama tonight, but I can’t. So drink it and let’s all get some sleep.” She opened her mouth and obediently drank as Derek tipped the glass for her until it was all gone. Derek stood abruptly and put the empty glass down on a nearby table with a thud. “There. Christ almighty, is this what our life is going to be like from now on? One catastrophe after another? If so, I definitely need more sleep than I’ve been getting lately.” He strode out the bedroom door, smiling as he heard Sophie muttering behind him.

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Samantha Kane

Ian and Derek were still at breakfast when Sophie came down late the next

morning. They’d all slept later than normal after the previous day’s—and night’s—

emotional turmoil. Ian was amazed at how calm Derek was about the whole thing. He’d expected to have to soothe his wounded feelings this morning, but Derek had entered with a rather cheerful greeting and settled in to a large breakfast. The cheerful greeting alone made Ian nervous. They chatted about inconsequential things and all the while Ian’s nerves were on edge as he waited for Derek to finally quit acting so pleasant and release the angry barrage of words that seemed to be all he had for Ian lately.

Derek motioned Montague for more coffee right before they all heard Sophie offer a maid a shy good morning in the hallway outside the dining room. Ian cringed,

expecting her arrival to be the catalyst that set Derek off.

She entered the room and Ian was struck by how enchanting she looked. Neither

their prolonged, passionate interlude nor the nightmare that followed showed in her glowing cheeks or sparkling eyes. She looked sweetly alluring in her new sprigged muslin dress, cut just shy of too tight so she looked demure and yet seducible. Kitty was a genius, Ian decided as he watched his new wife hesitate barely inside the doorway.

She was looking at Derek with trepidation.

“Good morning, Sophie,” Ian said pleasantly. “Do come and have some breakfast,

my dear.” He motioned a footman to pull out the chair to his right, directly opposite Derek. Sophie came over slowly as Derek lowered the newspaper he’d been looking at to peruse Sophie instead.

“Good morning, Ian,” she said softly. As inappropriate as it was, Ian couldn’t help physically responding to her husky tones as he remembered her voice last night, telling him she wanted him, screaming in climactic abandon. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and Derek gave him a knowing look with a raised eyebrow. “Good morning,

Derek,” she continued a little uncertainly, and Derek turned his scrutiny back to her.

She sat gingerly and accepted a cup of tea from Montague. “I would like to

apologize again for any inconvenience I may have caused last night. I don’t know what came over me—bridal jitters I suppose.” She smiled weakly.

“Montague, might I have that coffee now?” was all Derek said.

Sophie stirred her tea and when she set her spoon down it clattered out of her hand to the saucer noisily. She went to grab it and knocked her teacup over, spilling it all over the table. She jumped out of her chair, knocking it over as well. “Oh! I’m so sorry,”

Sophie rushed to apologize again. Montague came over to help the footman clean up the mess.

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“It’s all right, Sophie,” Ian told her as he picked her chair up from the floor and helped her back into it. The servants were clearing off the table linen efficiently and laying new.

Derek sighed. “I suppose this means no coffee?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Sophie gushed and looked around for Montague. “Do get Mr.

Knightly some coffee, Montague.” She looked back at Derek, all but wringing her hands. “I’m so—”

“Yes, sorry,” Derek said flatly. “Could you, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, stop being sorry all over my breakfast? Hmm?”

“Derek,” Ian said warningly, narrowing his eyes at the other man. He’d really

wanted to be wrong about Sophie bringing out Derek’s bad side this morning, but he knew him too well.

“Yes, Ian, don’t upset Sophie, I know. You can stop growling at me.” Derek shook out his paper. “But honestly, must she apologize for everything, even things that aren’t her fault, for Christ’s sake? She’s going to start apologizing for the rain falling and the crops lying fallow if we let her go on this way.”

“Oh,” Sophie squeaked indignantly. “I never.”

“Well, you’d better start,” Derek told her as he leaned back in his chair with a sly smile. “Whatever it is you haven’t done, I mean.”

Sophie stood up again, her eyes wide and her lips thin with annoyance. Ian was

torn on whether or not he should intervene. Sophie would have to learn to deal with Derek on her own, and while not ideal, this morning was as good a time as any.

“Oh, are you going to run out again? Ask them to get my horse on your way by if you’re not crying too hard, would you?”

“Oh,” Sophie seethed, “and to think I was actually worried about your welfare

yesterday. I shan’t make that mistake again!” She turned and moved briskly toward the door.

“Now she’s leaving and she didn’t even eat anything. Is she going to drop by each morning to spill things and ruin my coffee?” Was that a smile Derek was hiding behind his newspaper?

“Oh!” Sophie spun back around to face Derek, her cheeks red with anger. “You’re insupportable,” she hissed at him. “I wouldn’t eat breakfast with you if you were the King of England!”

“If I were the King of England, no one would eat breakfast with me. That way I

would be assured of getting my coffee.”

Sophie growled furiously as she marched out the dining room door. “Insufferable,”

they all heard her mutter as she stomped away.

Derek tsked at Ian. “That one has a temper, Ian. You shouldn’t provoke her like that.” He was grinning devilishly.

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Samantha Kane

Ian sat stunned for a moment. He was at a complete loss as to what to do. He’d

never seen Sophie like that. She’d actually growled at Derek. Sophie. Growled. It was so inconceivable that he wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it. And Derek actually seemed happy about it. Derek. Happy. Ian pinched himself. “Ow!”

Derek looked at him strangely. “What the devil are you doing? Did you just pinch yourself?”

“I was just checking to make sure this wasn’t a dream. Would anyone here care to tell me what’s going on? You seem quite delighted that my bride just insulted you and stalked out of the breakfast room. And Sophie…I don’t even know where to start. I’ve never seen her say boo to a mouse, and yet she just gave you a rather firm dressing-down.” Ian lowered his head to his hands. “Should I follow her? Should I smooth her ruffled feathers? Or should I let her be good and angry at your impossibly rude behavior, to which she has every right?”

Derek sighed contentedly. “Poor Ian.” Ian tilted his head and glared balefully at Derek with one eye. Derek placed an elbow on the table and took a sip of coffee. “I thought Sophie needed to gain a little confidence. But she can certainly hold her own against me, and, after all, let’s be honest, I do tend to drive most people to madness. She will have no trouble with the harridans who stalk the salons of London.” Derek relaxed back into his chair, smiling. “I believe I may bring out the worst in your little bride, Ian.” He laughed out loud. “I have decided I’m going to like living with Sophie.”

“Oh good Lord,” Ian moaned, flopping back in his seat. “You what?”

“Mmm, you heard me. I believe I shall torment young Sophie until she is a match for any bounder, cad, bitch or raping mongrel she may have the misfortune to come across.” Derek’s face had grown dark with anger, and Ian couldn’t have loved him more than at that moment. Even though he felt threatened by Sophie, professed to dislike her and was in general an ass about most things, he was moved by her and was willing to offer her his protection. Ian slid forward in his chair and reached out to lay his hand over Derek’s where it rested on the table.