Kane, Samantha - Brothers In Arms 4 (38 page)

At Love’s Command

invite them all personally. You can talk to Kate and Very about it. I’m sure you’ll need all new frocks and fripperies and whatever else it is that women need for these things.”

Sophie’s complexion turned pale. “A ball? You mean we have to attend?”

Derek sighed and sat back, shaking his head. “Of course you have to attend a ball in your honor, you widgeon. You and Ian are about the only two people who absolutely have to be there.”

Ian smiled devilishly. “Mmm, yes, well, I told my uncle you would be coming as

well, Derek, so he will be expecting you. That makes you the third person who really has to be there.”

Derek looked utterly astonished. “He’s going to let me come? I know you said he recognized our relationship, but that was in private. Surely he won’t want you to flaunt it in public.”

“No, he doesn’t. But I did promise that you would be discreet, as will Sophie and I and Uncle Victor, so there should be nothing untoward in your attending.” As Derek started to shake his head, Ian sent him a look that told him in no uncertain terms there would be no arguing. “I wish you to be there, Derek.”

Derek narrowed his eyes for a minute, then nodded grudgingly. “Fine. But don’t

expect me to dance attendance of any of the little husband-seeking vultures I’m sure your uncle will throw my way. I will not be palmed off to placate his social

obligations.”

Ian gave him a crooked grin. “I’m actually quite sure the purpose of the ball is to celebrate my marriage to Sophie, not marry you off, Derek.”

“Humph,” Derek muttered, “I wouldn’t be too sure of that. Your uncle is a wily

bastard.”

Sophie had been noticeably quiet during their exchange, and Ian looked at her. She looked vaguely sick at the thought of the ball. “Come now, Sophie, it will be a very grand affaire. You shall meet some nice people and some not-so-nice people. They will look you over and declare you unfit for a Witherspoon bride, lie to our faces, eat my uncle’s food and then leave. Then we shall come home and never think about them again.”

His last comment managed to make Sophie sputter with nervous laughter.

“Promise?” she asked.

“I won’t even think about them while we’re there,” Derek muttered in disgust, and that made Sophie laugh outright.

* * * * *

They arrived at Lord Randall’s that afternoon to a chorus of delighted greetings.

There were already several other gentlemen there visiting, and they all greeted Sophie warmly. She remembered most of them from the wedding, but wasn’t given the

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opportunity to be embarrassed about her dramatic exit from the wedding breakfast. It was laughed off as bridal nerves and she let the impression stand.

Ian announced the coming ball and invited everyone there to attend. There was

much discussion of who else might attend. Sophie was shocked to learn that Kate had yet to be out in society since her marriage to Jason, and Very had not been introduced to society yet.

“Well, we are not exactly welcome in most
ton
drawing rooms, my dear,” Kate said with a blush. “Our…situation is well-known among the
ton
, and universally frowned upon.”

“You mean the fact that you live with both Jason and Tony? Well, I hardly think that signifies. According to Ian’s uncle, as long as the husband and wife present a united front, what goes on behind closed doors is no one else’s business. Now that Ian is married, the earl assured him that no one will look askance at Derek in company with us.” Sophie’s tone was so matter-of-fact that silence greeted her announcement. Sophie looked around nervously. She had to force herself not to wring her hands. “Did I say something wrong?” she whispered to Kate.

Kate was blinking at her like an owl but shook her head at Sophie’s question. “No, no, Sophie, you’re right, of course, it’s just that we never thought about that. I think perhaps we have been fooling ourselves about why we hide here. Perhaps it’s not what the
ton
will think, but what we think.” She looked disturbed, and Sophie felt awful for upsetting her.

“Oh Kate,” she cried, “don’t be silly! I would have been afraid too, if Ian’s uncle hadn’t told him that. Was he wrong?” Sophie started to panic, and she could feel her breathing become erratic.

Suddenly Ian was there and Derek was frowning at Kate. “Breathe, Sophie,” Ian

told her quietly as he sat down next to her, “nice and slow. That’s it.”

“She hasn’t had one of those nervous attacks in weeks, Kate, and now you’ve gone and upset her. If Wilchester says no one will care, no one will care. They all bark like dogs if he tells them to, so if he tells them to ignore it, they will,” Derek growled at her.

“Don’t you dare yell at Kate,” Jason growled right back, marching up to confront Derek, standing right in front of him.

“Then tell your wife to quit upsetting Sophie,” Derek barked at him, taking a

menacing step forward.

“Derek,” Sophie said breathlessly, “I’m all right, really. It’s not Kate’s fault. You said it yourself, I’m a little widgeon. But I’m not. See? I’m fine.” She sat up straight and tried to breathe normally. She was mortified that she’d made another spectacle of herself, and Derek was making it worse. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Look,

breathing,” she told him, taking three exaggerated deep breaths. “See? I’m fine.”

“Derek,” Ian said mildly, and after looking at the two of them, Derek stepped back.

“My apologies, Kate,” he said grudgingly.

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“Oh Derek, that’s all right. You’re quite right. If Wilchester tells them to they’ll ignore a white elephant in the ballroom.” She turned to Sophie and smiled. “You’re very lucky to have Ian’s family, Sophie. They care for him a great deal, and I’m sure those feelings will be extended to you.” She looked over at Derek, stricken. “I mean…I’m sure they feel that way about Derek too.” Her voice trailed off at the end, as everyone within hearing was aware that Ian’s relationship with Derek had caused the rift with his family.

Derek smiled wryly. “Well, that would be something to see, wouldn’t it? Now you all must come to the ball, if only to see me clasped to the bosom of Ian’s family.”

Ian sighed and relaxed next to Sophie. “See, Sophie, didn’t I tell you a ball would be great fun? Look how much fun we’re having already and it’s still weeks away.”

Sophie burst into laughter at Ian’s sarcasm. “Oh, great fun. Why, I eagerly

anticipate the fun escalating to at least a maiming or a good press ganging before I get to dance in front of hundreds of slavering
ton
critics, all barking like dogs.” The entire room burst into laughter at Sophie’s rejoinder, and even Derek smiled approvingly at her.

“Well, Ian, your wife’s idea of fun may be a little unorthodox, but I do like an Original,” an amused voice drawled from the drawing room door.

“Freddy!” Kate cried, holding out her hand as he came forward to greet her. “And Brett too, how lovely to see you. You’re back from Ashton Park so soon?”

“A minor unpleasantness that took very little time and ended in a wedding,” he

told her with a kiss for her hand. “There are things that require my attention there soon, however. But enough of that, what is this I hear about a ball?” He turned and kissed Sophie’s hand and she smiled shyly at him.

A duke was kissing her hand! She blushed as the quiet Mr. Brett Haversham

followed behind him.

“You positively glow, Mrs. Witherspoon,” Mr. Haversham said with a smile that

transformed him from plain to breathtakingly handsome. “Marriage seems to agree with you.” He looked at Ian and then over his shoulder at Derek, who was thumping the duke on the shoulder and laughing about something. “It seems to agree with all of you.”

Sophie blushed harder. “Thank you, Mr. Haversham,” she replied politely. “I quite find it to my liking.” She gave Ian a pert look and Mr. Haversham laughed.

The duke sat gracefully in a delicate armchair and smiled warmly at the gathering.

“So tell me why dear Mrs. Witherspoon will be dancing before barking dogs,” he

inquired politely, and Sophie laughed, her nerves at being in such lofty company evaporating. He was quickly filled in on the proposed ball.

“Well,” he exclaimed, astounded, “of course there will be no problem. Wilchester commands a great deal of respect among the
haute ton
.”

“You will attend, won’t you, Freddy?” Kate asked. “As Duke of Ashland you wield as much if not more power than Wilchester.”

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“I do?” Freddy asked. “Well, yes, I guess I do—just never thought to use it in such a fashion. If it is what you desire, dearest Kate, then I shall wear my most fashionable dancing slippers and lop off heads if anyone so much as frowns at you or Mrs.

Witherspoon. Will that make you happy, my dears?”

“You shall have to dance with Very, Your Grace. It will be her bow in society, and it would quite make her the envy of all.” Sophie looked around the room. “Where is Very?”

Kate and Jason looked uncomfortable. Tony sighed and Wolf looked out the door

into the garden. “She’s out in the garden, Sophie,” Kate said. “Why don’t you go and say hello?” Sophie cocked her head inquiringly at Kate, but the other woman subtly shook her head and indicated Sophie should go out, so she stood and excused herself.

She felt several pairs of eyes follow her as she left the room.

She found Very hiding at the back of the pretty, informal garden. She was sitting in a little Greek folly, crying piteously. It was so unlike Very that Sophie stood in shock for a moment before hurrying over to her. “Very, darling, what’s wrong?” she cried, sitting down next to the miserable girl and pulling her into her arms.

“Oh Sophie!” she wailed. “It’s all my fault. And now we are to be separated.” She sobbed into her sodden hanky. The poor dear was not a good crier. She was red and splotchy and sounded as if her nose was stuffed with cotton.

“Shh,” Sophie soothed. “You must settle down, dear, and tell me everything.”

Very sniffed loudly a time or two and looked askance at her ruined handkerchief.

Sophie fished one out of her reticule and Very took it gratefully. “Well, I’ve had a good cry, so I guess you’re right, it’s about time to stop.” Sophie almost laughed. How like Very to refuse to linger in the depths of misery for long. With a final sniff and a delicate swipe of her nose, Very looked at Sophie and Sophie could see how unhappy she was.

“It all started when I let Wolf make love to me,” Very began, as if telling a fairy tale.

She got no further because Sophie interrupted with a gasp.

“You what?”

“Well, not make love exactly. We did not actually have sexual congress.” Very

made a face and then sighed. “Actually, we were also fully clothed. And neither of us climaxed. So perhaps made love is not the right phrase.”

Sophie’s shock had turned to suspicion. “What exactly is the right phrase?”

Very looked at her lap as she twisted the handkerchief in her hands. “He kissed me.

We kissed.” She looked over at Sophie then. “Michael was there.”

“Kensington?”

Very nodded. “I was kissing Michael, you see, and well, perhaps a bit more than kissing, when Wolf walked in on us. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to include Wolf, as he and Michael are lovers.”

Sophie gaped at Very. “They are?”

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Very looked at Sophie in bemusement. “I don’t know why that should surprise you.

After all, it’s the same situation you are in.”

Sophie shook her head. “Of course. I’m sorry, I just hadn’t realized. Do go on.” Part of Sophie was shocked at the revelation, part titillated, and part, the biggest part, vastly relieved that someone else could understand her predicament.

“Well, after Wolf kissed me,” Very paused, shaking her head, “no, after I kissed him, Michael had another of his attacks of conscience and stormed out.” A tear leaked out of Very’s eye and she dabbed at it impatiently. “And now it appears that Michael has left. No one knows where. Apparently he makes a habit of it every few months, when the guilt over his relationship with Wolf becomes more than he can bear.” She sounded so miserable, Sophie squeezed her hand.

“Are you sorry you kissed Wolf?” Sophie asked her gently, hoping the answer was no.

“Oh no,” Very said emotionally. “It made me realize I have deep feelings for him as well. It’s always been Michael, you see, and Wolf was just there, just part of Michael.

But that night, well, I wanted Wolf. I wanted to kiss Wolf. I saw him, really saw him, for the first time, and I saw how he feels about me, and I wanted him, with or without Michael.” Very turned anguished eyes to Sophie. “But Michael got very upset. Not out of jealousy, but because he thinks it’s wrong, the three of us together.”

“How does Wolf feel?” Sophie was no fool. She clearly saw the parallels between Very’s problems and her own. Perhaps if she understood Wolf’s feelings she’d

understand Derek’s?

“He cares for me, deeply, but he agrees with Jason and Kate and Tony.”

Sophie shook her head, confused. “They were there as well?” This might be a little more than Sophie could handle right now.

Very looked at her in horror. “Good God, no! Jason and Tony would have thrashed them both. No, this was the day of your wedding. They asked Wolf and me to take things slowly between us. They think I’m too young to make such a momentous

decision. They actually believe I may change my mind after I’m out in the world a bit more and entertain a few more suitors. More? I haven’t got but Wolf and Michael.

Where am I supposed to get more suitors?”

With a start Sophie realized that Very knew nothing of the ball. Quickly she caught Very up on the latest news.

“Oh, Sophie, that’s marvelous!” Very was overjoyed as she grabbed Sophie’s hands.

“You shall be so happy now that Ian’s family has accepted you and welcomed him

back. And a ball! I would love to go. Did Kate say I could go?”