An Ideal Husband? by Michelle Styles Page B

presume further. I didn’t want to put him to any trouble.’
    ‘I am sure it is no trouble, Sophie. Is it, Lord Bingfield?’
    Richard silently blessed Mrs Ravel. Sophie’s earlier caution in confiding in her stepmother had resulted in him gaining a valuable ally, one which he intended to exploit fully. Everything was fair in this battle between him and Sophie’s fears. He intended to win and unlock her passion. He wanted to see what she’d be like when she forgot herself.
    He could not remember when a woman had intrigued him as much. She made him forget about his family and his reasons for being in Newcastle.
    ‘It is not an obligation, but a pleasure,’ Richard added smoothly.
    Mrs Ravel shook her head. ‘I do wonder about young people these days. Not an ounce of romance in their soul. You two may say your goodnights in the drawing room. I am quite weary and will take myself off to bed. I do trust you, Sophie. Lord Bingfield, if Sophie failed to inform you—tomorrow and every Thursday is our At Home.’
    ‘I am grateful for the intelligence, Mrs Ravel.’ Richard gave Sophie a hard look. If she thoughtshe’d get rid of him that easily, she had another think coming. He intended to exploit the situation to his advantage and see what the woman Sophie tried to hide was like. ‘Sophie and I obviously have had other things on our minds. I’ll make a note of it, but I can’t make any promises.’
    Sophie marched ahead of him into the drawing room, her skirt slightly swaying to reveal her slender ankles. She stopped to turn up the gas lamps, bathing the room in a soft light before facing him with her arms crossed and blue eyes glowing like star sapphires.
    ‘What was that little demonstration with my stepmother in aid of? A goodnight in the carriage would have sufficed.’
    Richard assessed her with half-closed eyes. She was attracted to him and he would get her to admit it. Tonight. ‘You haven’t informed your stepmother of our arrangement. I would hardly wish for her to think ill of me. It would be impolite to miss an At Home simply for lack of knowledge. It might cause speculation. I believe there has been more than enough speculation and gossip recently. If you are not careful, people will begin to look at your waistline.’
    She flushed scarlet. ‘That … that is an impossibility.’
    ‘You were the one who uttered the wordsabout our impulsive marriage, not I. Women who have found their dream man often forget their sensibilities.’
    She gave a decisive nod and removed her gloves. ‘My stepmother has gone upstairs. There is no need for you to linger. Or indeed for you to appear at the At Home at all. We can slowly drift away. It will provide an excuse for me jilting you. Ultimately you can forget some important function. Isn’t that what men like you do? Selfishly put their own needs above others?’
    Her words stung. Women had flung the words at him before, but generally when he ended the association.
    He recalled the gossip of the Northern Counties Club about her icy behaviour. Was it him or all men? He clenched his fist and wanted to murder whichever man had sown the seeds of distrust.
    ‘There is every need,’ he said smoothly, plucking a stray thread from her shoulder. ‘Your stepmother said your next At Home was tomorrow. For your sake, I need to be there.’
    Sophie slapped her gloves against her hand. ‘What is your prediction for my stepmother’s At Home? They are not very well attended. The great and the good often have other calls to make.’
    ‘It will be full to bursting with well-wishers, people who have grudges and simply the curious, all wanting to know about the great romance and when our next appearance as a couple will be. The polite ones will only stay fifteen minutes, hoping to see us together in their allotted time, but the curious will find an excuse to linger and see if your unknown bridegroom-to-be puts in an appearance or if it was all fustian nonsense.’
    A faint line