The Sheik's Son (21 page)

Her next pamphlet she titled “An Urgent Notice.”

She wrote that afternoon in haste as the ideas spilled from her.

“
The state is ruined; it waits for its salvation from the French, or at least from those that are the wisest and most respected in the Kingdom. The Nation is troubled by internal discord. Tempers are rising, insistent once again, and all is becoming hopeless.”

She would not let fear rule her and she would not be concerned about an inspector making inquiries. She would be found or she would not be, but that would not be the deciding factor in her writings. She would not stop for fear of being caught.

She finished the pamphlet and let the ink dry on the page before she re-read it and rang for Marie.

When the maid appeared, Sophie gave her different instructions. “Give this to someone you trust, perhaps your ten-year-old nephew. Have him deliver it to the printer.
D’accord
?”

A frown appeared on Marie’s face but she nodded. “
Oui, mademoiselle
.”

Sophie breathed a sigh of relief. If the printer had been identified, they would be looking for a young maid, not a boy. She would keep Marie safe, if not herself.

***

Unbeknownst to Sophie, once Monsieur Blanche received the new pamphlet he and his apprentice worked during the day and night to have the “Urgent Notice” published and on the streets of Paris by the next morning.

Monsieur Blanche had received such a favorable response to the previous pamphlets written by Jean Inconnu that he had been excited to receive another one. He was not at all picky on the subjects that he printed, only that they aroused the people to think and perhaps make a difference.

He had his suspicions about the true identity of the writer but he didn’t give it much thought.

As the sun streaked across Paris, the pamphlet was being distributed and people were already talking about it.

***

Following a night of drink and cards at Juliette’s, Sebastian and Etienne walked through the quiet Paris streets. Sebastian rebuked himself for being distant and cold with the madam. He had completed the act, giving them both pleasure, but he was merely going through the motions. She was a woman who was willing and he enjoyed the release, but it was not fair to her. Every time he held her or touched her he ached to see alabaster skin and hazel eyes set in an oval face. He wanted long auburn hair falling down her back and her cool skin against his.

Eventually he would need to make a decision. He could not continue to use Juliette. It was wrong. In the past, they had each been a part of the sexual act and had enjoyed it. Now, it was simply a way for Sebastian to achieve release and nothing else. It felt hollow and empty.

Etienne said little as they walked and each man was deep in thought when Sebastian saw the pamphlet on the ground. Someone must have dropped it, he thought, and he picked it up as Etienne slowed beside him.

He read the words and they almost blurred in front of his eyes.

“Damn her!” he cursed lowly.

“What is it?” Etienne looked over at the harmless pamphlet that his friend had stooped to retrieve.

“Damn.” He cursed again, but this time louder and with more anger.

“What?” Etienne was confused.

“Nothing,” Sebastian said, stuffing the pamphlet into his coat pocket.

Etienne would have pressed his friend for an answer but his mind had been on the night before and the mounting desire he felt for Leila.

He had come to Sebastian’s home in the carriage to take them both to Juliette’s that evening. While waiting for Sebastian, Leila had come downstairs wearing a simple gown that hung about her body. The fabric didn’t cling to her but he remembered in perfect detail the curves hidden beneath.

“Monsieur Pousson,” she greeted him.

“Mademoiselle Fairfax.” He nodded but edged away from her as she entered the salon.

“I haven’t seen you in awhile,” she said.

As it was the evening, she was dressed simply with her brown hair pulled back. She looked very young. He moved to the small bar and poured himself a brandy with a shaking hand.

“Is that to fortify yourself?” she whispered behind him.

“Leila.” He turned to her. “That weekend at the chateau was a mistake. My only regret was that I behaved so badly. You were innocent.” He was in turmoil.

Leila smiled. “I was a virgin. No longer, thanks to you.”

Etienne cringed. It was vulgar. “I’m sorry. I took advantage.”

“Etienne. I imagine you think this is your fault because you are older and more worldly. However, I wanted you, and I usually get what I want. And I did. I regret nothing.” She shook her head.

Etienne was torn. He felt such remorse and wanted to approach her brother, admit all and take the consequences, even if it meant a duel to the death. The other part of him wanted to drag her onto the floor and feel her tight walls close around him again.

“Leila.” It almost came out in a groan.

“Stop torturing yourself. It’s unseemly.” She moved to him and touched his face with the back of her hand. She let her hand wander down his chest until it was in front of his breeches. He closed his eyes. She stroked him through the material, causing him to harden.

“My only true regret is that I can’t have you again. Married women have so much more freedom than unmarried ones.” She sighed deeply.

They both heard Sebastian coming down the stairs and moved apart. “Ready?” he asked as he entered the room.

Etienne downed another brandy and then cast a long look at Leila. “Yes.”

***

Later that week, Eugenie was to accompany Sophie to a Mozart piano concerto at the Theatre de l’Odeon. Several pieces by the composer would be performed and Luc would attend. Sophie had been preoccupied all day after she learned that the printer had rushed to have her pamphlet ready for distribution. She knew several people were talking about it and she was concerned about the response.

She was dressed in a lemon-colored gown with a scooped neckline, and her grandmother was in blue and grey dress. The carriage moved forward in line to drop them off at the entrance. The pair entered the theater quickly as a light rain was falling.

Sophie passed by the cloakroom and remembered Sebastian’s mouth on hers and their play of words. It seemed to be their way. They sparred, but nothing was ever settled or accomplished. She noticed Lizette with her father and smiled at them.

Several people she knew stood in the lobby, and she recognized Leila and Sebastian’s friend Etienne standing nearby as well. She breathed in a sigh of relief. Though Leila was standing near Etienne, she did not see Sebastian.

She watched the throng of people move forward and Luc was at her elbow, behaving attentively to her. He was courteous to both Sophie and Eugenie and offered to get them both a glass of champagne. Sophie admitted to herself that she enjoyed the attention.

Their box overlooked the stage and Eugenie took the choicest seat at the edge of the balcony, which never bothered Sophie. She liked to sit in the second row and survey the stage and audience at her leisure.

***

Sebastian was late in arriving and had asked Etienne to accompany his sister to the concert. For Etienne it was a pleasure and a curse, and all the more damning because he knew Leila enjoyed tormenting him. Any small move could cause him to shudder and she did it all on purpose.

A low neckline made even lower when Leila bent over to retrieve her fan from the floor caused him to crush his program in his hand. She merely smiled and eyed the poor program’s destruction. She brushed the back of Etienne’s hand innocently in conversation and he swallowed lightly. He moved his chair away from hers and she watched him with eyes like smoldering sapphires.

The noise from the audience below was loud and their private conversation could not be overheard by anyone.

Leila opened her delicately painted fan and waved it once in front of her face. “Find us a room, Etienne. I’ll make an excuse to get away.” She spoke to him, but looked out over the audience.

Etienne looked at her incredulously. “Are you out of your mind?”

“Not at all. I know exactly what I want.” Her blue eyes seemed almost black as they met his shocked ones.

“I don’t think any man wants to be chased and hunted in quite this manner, Leila,” he told her sourly.

“Oh! Is that what’s bothering you?” she said, smiling wildly behind the fan. “Then by all means, chase me.”

Etienne made a sound. “What you need is a spanking!” he said sharply.

Leila smiled. “I agree entirely. A spanking is exactly what I need.” She licked her lips provocatively.

He smiled as well and stood up. He moved toward her in a solicitous manner and pulled her up by her right elbow. He didn’t want anyone watching to think there was something wrong. He moved away from the railing and behind the chairs, taking her with him. There was a piece of drapery that could be used as a divider between the chairs used for the entertainment and the area behind the curtain, where there was a small couch and table for relaxation after the concert.

Etienne moved the drapes over to secure their privacy. He turned on her and his face was a mask of anger. “Leila, I swear on all that’s holy, I’ve had enough of your taunts and torments.” Etienne was being pushed to the breaking point.

He had pressed her up against the wall and held her slim forearms in his hands. “Have you?” She smirked.

“Yes. I want everything to stop. If you continue to tease me like a little slut I’m going to tell Sebastian everything.”

Leila blushed at the harsh word he used because they both knew she had only known one man intimately. But she was behaving like a trollop with him.

“Everything?” Leila gasped.

“Everything,” he confirmed.

“How many times did we make love at the chateau?” she asked, playing dumb.

Etienne closed his eyes. Even now he wanted her. “Leila, you can’t do this. We can’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“This. There are rules.”

“Rules can be broken.”

“No, they can’t. You can’t ask me to find us a room. We can’t meet. Nothing can happen. The chateau was a mistake.”

“No. It wasn’t.” She moved her lips to his ear. “Even now I remember you inside me. I want you so badly.”

Oh Jesus
. He was fighting a losing battle. Why was he fighting? He growled.

He took her mouth with his and the minute he released her arms, she was pulling him tighter to her. She was so luscious and sweet he couldn’t stop. Lord help him, he couldn’t stop. He was pulling up her skirt and petticoats and pushing her against the wall at the same time he was opening his breeches. Suddenly he was pressing into her tight, wet core as she was wrapping her legs around his waist.

He took her against the wall like a common slut even as she moaned in his ear. He anchored her to the wall, pushing into her again and again. Her breathy sighs and moans filled his ear but no one past the drapes could hear them over the din of the loud audience. She climaxed with a breathy sigh in his ear as he emptied his seed deep inside her.

She closed her eyes as she felt his thickness still within her but Etienne felt nothing but shame after the climax. He had taken her again. It was against everything he believed. He was not behaving honorably. He had soiled an innocent virgin and the sister of his friend, no less. It was only a few minutes later as the music began that Sebastian joined them and Etienne excused himself. He needed to get away from Leila.

***

Sebastian had not planned to speak with Sophie until the ball, but when he saw her outside with her friend during intermission, he knew he must take this opportunity. The subject would place her on the defensive, so this was as good a time as any.

“Mademoiselle Gauvreau.” He nodded to Sophie and to her friend, who he remembered as Lizette Robidoux. “Mademoiselle Robidoux.”

Lizette nodded and politely excused herself. It was obvious that Sebastian had sought out her friend to speak with her.

“Sophie.”

“Yes, Sebastian?”

“I think you’ve completely lost your mind.” He would not mince words.

“Do you?”

“Sophie, what are you doing?” Genuine concern showed across his face, and suddenly she knew what he was talking about.

“I’m not a child.”

“Does your father even know?”

“Of course not.”

“So you aren’t a child, yet you hide your writings.”

“He wouldn’t understand.”

“Half of France will not bloody well understand.” He cursed his English side and the words he had picked up from there.

Sophie saw other couples out enjoying the evening air during intermission and she turned to Sebastian. “I won’t be silenced.”

He felt himself drowning in her hazel eyes. “This is dangerous. Do you know there is an inspector who is searching for you?”

Sophie looked at him and nodded. “Yes, I know.”

“And yet still you write.”

She jerked her chin up at him. “Yes.”

“I thought to warn you, to keep you safe, but you seem quite intent on ruining yourself.” He looked at her, willing her to see the great folly of this path she was on.

“Ruining myself? Why? Because I write the truth? Because I want others to know the truth?”

“You love to hide behind your books and words,” Sebastian told her. “But these words are dangerous. And France is in a dangerous time.”

Sophie turned from him. “I can’t refrain. I wish this door hadn’t been opened. Ever since Madame Necker’s salon, all I do is read and realize how different things are from what I thought they were.” She almost pleaded with him.

“I’m sorry,” Sebastian said sincerely.

“No. I’m glad. I would rather know than be ignorant.”

“And you must write?” he asked.

“Yes. Don’t you see? I was enlightened, and now I may enlighten others.”

“At risk to yourself, Sophie.” He almost whispered the words.

“They won’t find me, Bash. My maid’s nephew delivers to the printer and he thinks it’s a male cousin who writes the pamphlets,” she said with certainty.