Seduction (26 page)

things here."

Charlotte inclined her head. "You are quite right. That is the way this silly

male code of honor works, is it not? We settle everything here with pistols."

"Yes. Then it will be over."

Charlotte shook her head in wry amusement. "Poor Ravenwood. I wonder if he has

any notion yet of the sort of wife he has obtained for himself. You must be

coming as quite a shock to him after Elizabeth."

"We are not here to discuss my husband or his previous wife," Sophy said through

her teeth. The dawn air was cold but she was suddenly aware that she was

perspiring. Her nerves were stretched to the breaking point. She wanted to get

this business over and done.

"No, we are here because your sense of honor demands satisfaction and because

you think I share your concept of honor. An interesting proposition. I wonder,

do you comprehend that this definition of honor we are employing this morning is

a man's definition?"

"There does not appear to be any other definition of honor that commands

respect," Sophy said.

Charlotte's eyes gleamed. "I see," she said softly. "And you would have

Ravenwood's respect, if nothing else, is that it, madam?"

"I believe we have discussed this matter sufficiently," Sophy said.

"Respect is all well and good, madam," Charlotte continued thoughtfully, "but I

would advise you not to waste much time in an effort to get Ravenwood to love

you. Everyone knows that after his experience with Elizabeth he will never risk

love again. And, in any event, I must take leave to tell you that just as no

man's honor is worth rising at this hour, no man's love is worth taking any

great risk over, either."

"We are not dealing with a man's honor or a man's love here," Sophy stated

coldly.

"No, I can see that. The issues involved are your honor and your love."

Charlotte smiled slightly. "I can accept that those are not trifling matters.

They might, indeed, be worth a little blood."

"Shall we get on with it, then?" Fear surged through Sophy as she turned to Anne

who was hovering nearby with the case of dueling pistols. "We are ready. There

is no point waiting any longer."

Anne looked from Sophy to Charlotte. "I have made some inquiries into the

business of settling arguments in this fashion. There are certain steps we must

go through before I load the pistols. First, it is my duty to tell you that

there is an honorable alternative to going through with the challenge. I ask

that you both consider it."

Sophy frowned. "What alternative?"

"You, Lady Ravenwood, have issued the challenge. If, however, Miss Featherstone

will apologize for the actions that precipitated your challenge, the matter will

be at an end without a shot being fired."

Sophy blinked. "This whole thing can be ended with a simple apology?"

"I must stress that it is an honorable alternative for both of you." Anne looked

at Charlotte Featherstone.

"How fascinating," Charlotte murmured. "Just think, we can both get out of this

without getting any blood stains on our clothing. But I am not at all certain I

feel compelled to apologize."

"It is up to you, of course," Sophy said stiffly.

"Well, it is rather early for such violent sport, don't you think? And I am a

firm believer in taking the sensible course when it is available." Charlotte

smiled slowly at Sophy. "You are quite certain your honor would be satisfied if

I simply apologized?"

"You would have to promise to leave the love letters out of print," Sophy

reminded her hurriedly. Before Charlotte could respond, hoof beats sounded in

the fog.

"It must be Jane," Anne said in a very relieved tone. "I knew she would come. We

must wait for her. She is one of the seconds."

Sophy glanced around just as a big gray horse materialized out of the mist that

clung to the trees. The animal thundered toward them at full gallop, looking

like an apparition as it churned through the low fog. A ghost horse, Sophy

thought fleetingly, and it carried the devil himself.

"Julian," she whispered.

"Somehow this does not surprise me," Charlotte remarked. "Our little drama grows

more amusing by the moment."

"What's he doing with Jane's horse?" Anne demanded angrily.

The big gray was brought to a shuddering halt in front of the three women.

Julian's glittering eyes went first to Sophy and then to Charlotte and Anne. He

saw the box of pistols in her hand.

"What the devil is going on here?"

Sophy refused to give into a sudden, fierce desire to flee. "You are

interrupting a private matter, my lord."

Julian looked at her as if she had lost her mind. He swung down from the horse

and tossed the reins to Anne who automatically caught them in her free hand.

"A private matter, madam? How dare you call it such?" Julian's face was a mask

of controlled fury. "You are my wife. What the hell is this all about?"

"Isn't it obvious, Ravenwood?" Of the three women present, it was clear only

Charlotte was not feeling particularly intimidated. Her fine eyes were more

cynically amused than ever. "Your wife has called me out on a point of honor."

She waved a hand at the pistol case. "As you can see, we were just about to

settle matters in the traditional, honorable, masculine way."

"I don't believe any of this." Julian swung around to stare at Sophy. "You

called Charlotte out? You challenged her to a duel?"

Sophy nodded once, refusing to speak.

"Why, for God's sake?"

Charlotte smiled grimly. "Surely you can guess the answer to that question,

Ravenwood."

Julian took a step toward her. "Bloody hell. You sent her one of your goddamned

blackmail threats, didn't you?"

"I do not look upon them as blackmail threats," Charlotte said calmly. "I see

them as mere business opportunities. Your wife, however, chose to view my little

offer in a different light. She feels it would be dishonorable to pay me off,

you see. On the other hand, she cannot bear to see your name in my memoirs. So

she took what she felt was the only alternative left to an honorable woman. She

challenged me to pistols for two at dawn."

"Pistols at dawn," Julian repeated as if he still could not believe the evidence

of his own eyes. He took another step toward Charlotte. "Get out of here. Leave

at once. Go back to town and say nothing of any of this. If I hear one word of

gossip concerning this day's events I will see to it that you never get the

little cottage in Bath you used to talk about. I will make certain you lose the

lease on your town house. I will bring so much pressure to bear on your

creditors that they will hound you out of the city. Do you understand me,

Charlotte?"

"Julian, you go too far," Sophy interrupted angrily.

Charlotte drew herself up, but most of the cool mockery had disappeared from her

expression. She did not look fearful, merely resigned. "I understand you,

Ravenwood. You were always quite good at making yourself very clear."

"One word of any of this and I will find a way to ruin all you have worked for,

Charlotte, I swear it. You know I can do it."

"There is no need to issue threats, Ravenwood. As it happens, I have no

intention of gossiping about any of this." She turned to Sophy. "It was a

personal matter of honor between your wife and myself. It does not concern

anyone else."

"I quite agree," Sophy said firmly.

"I would have you know, madam," Charlotte said softly, "that as far as I am

concerned, it is finished, even though no pistols were fired. You need have no

fear of what will appear in the Memoirs."

Sophy took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Charlotte smiled slightly and gave Sophy a small, graceful bow. "No, madam, it

is I who should thank you. I have had a most entertaining time of it. My world

is filled with men of your class who talk about honor a great deal. But their

understanding of the subject is very limited. Those same men cannot be bothered

to behave honorably toward a female or anyone else weaker than themselves. It is

a great pleasure to meet at last someone who does comprehend the meaning of the

word. It comes as no great surprise to discover that this remarkably intelligent

someone is a woman. Adieu."

"Good-bye," Sophy said, returning the small bow with equal grace.

Charlotte stepped lightly into the curricle, took up the reins and gave the

horse the signal. The small vehicle vanished into the mist.

Julian watched Charlotte leave and then he turned around to pin Anne with a grim

glare. He took the pistol box from her hand. "Who are you, boy?"

Anne coughed and pulled her cap down lower over her eyes. She rubbed the back of

her hand across her nose and snuffled. "The lady wanted a horse and carriage

brought round early this mornin', sir. I borrowed my father's nag and thought

I'd make a bit on the side if you know what I mean.”

"I will give you a very large bit on the side if you will guarantee to keep your

mouth closed about what happened here this morning. But if I hear of this I will

see to it that your father loses the horse and the carriage and anything else he

owns. Furthermore, he will know that it is your fault he has lost everything. Do

you comprehend me, boy?"

"Uh, yes, m'lord. Very clearly m'lord."

"Very well. You will drive my wife home in the carriage. I will be right behind

you. When we reach the house you will pick up a woman who will be waiting there

and you will escort her wherever she wishes to go. Then you will disappear from

my sight forever."

"Yes sir."

"Now, Julian," Sophy began earnestly, "there is no need to threaten everyone in

sight."

Julian cut her off with a frozen look. "Not one word out of you, madam. I do not

yet trust myself to be able to speak to you about this with any semblance of

calm." He walked over to the carriage and opened the door. "Get in."

She got into the carriage without another word. Her veiled hat slipped down over

one ear as she did so. When she was seated, Julian leaned into the carriage to

adjust the hat with an annoyed movement of his hand. Then he thrust the pistol

case onto Sophy's lap. Without a word he removed himself from the carriage and

slammed the door.

It was undoubtedly the longest ride of her life, Sophy decided as she sat sunk

in gloom in the swaying carriage. Julian was beyond outrage. He was coldly,

dangerously furious. She could only hope that Anne and Jane were spared the

worst of it.

The household had just begun to stir when Anne halted the carriage at the front

door. Jane, still wearing her black veil, was waiting anxiously in the library

when Julian strode through the door with Sophy in tow. Jane glanced quickly at

her friend.

"You are all right?" she demanded in a whisper.

"I am fine, as you can see. Everyone is all right, in fact. Matters would have

been even better, however, if you had not felt obliged to intervene."

"I am sorry, Sophy, but I could not allow—"

"That will be enough," Julian interrupted as Guppy, hastily adjusting his

jacket, emerged from the door behind the stairs. He looked perplexed at the

sight of Sophy in breeches.

"Is all in order, my lord?"

"Certain plans that were made for this morning have been canceled unexpectedly,

Guppy, but you may rest assured that I have everything under control."

"Of course, my lord," Guppy said with grand dignity.

It would be worth his job to say a word about this dawn's bizarre hall scene and

Guppy knew it. It was obvious the master was in one of his dangerous, quiet

rages. It was, however, equally obvious that Lord Ravenwood was in command of

the situation. With a quick, worried glance at Sophy, Guppy discreetly

disappeared into the kitchens.

Julian turned to confront Jane.

"I do not know who you are, madam, and I assume from your veil that you do not

wish to make your identity known. But whoever you are, please be aware that I

shall be eternally indebted to you. You appear to be the only one who showed any

common sense in this entire affair."

"I am known for my common sense, my lord," Jane said sadly. "Indeed, I fear many

of my friends find me quite dull because of it."

"If your friends had any sense, themselves, they would cherish you for that

quality. Good day, madam. There is a boy with a closed carriage outside who will

escort you home. Your horse is tied to the carriage. Do you wish additional

company? I can send one of the footmen along with you."

"No. The carriage and lad will be sufficient." Jane glanced in confusion at

Sophy who shrugged faintly. "Thank you, my lord. I do hope this is the end of

the entire affair."

"You may rest assured it mostly certainly is. And I hope I can rely upon you not

to breathe a word of the matter."

"You may depend upon it, my lord."

Julian walked her to the door and saw her into the small carriage. Then he

stalked back up the steps and into the hall. The huge door closed very softly

behind him. He stood looking at Sophy for a long moment.

Sophy held her breath, waiting for the stroke of doom.

"Go upstairs and change your clothing, madam. You have played enough at men's