The Accidental Mistress by Kate Harper Page B

they had first arrived in town but then she had mysteriously disappeared. Rumor had it that she had been seduced by the most wicked rake in town, but the matter was quickly hushed up. She had returned to the wilds of Lincolnshire and some predicted she would not been seen in London again for some time.
    ‘Oh Sophie, you don’t understand. Dev loves me. And have you ever seen a more handsome creature? Amelia Trigg looked absolutely sick when he came across the room and asked me to dance.’
    ‘Alice,’ Sophie began, then paused. What could she say to get through to the girl? As lovely as her cousin was, she wasn’t terribly bright. ‘You need to be careful, is all I’m saying. The man is an even more appalling flirt than you are.’
    ‘Nonsense.’ The look on Alice’s face had told Sophie all too clearly that, whatever she may say, her cousin was far too enamored with the Marquis of Roxburghe to listen. ‘Dev would never hurt me.’
    Time to try another tack. ‘So what was this promise that you gave him?’ Sophie enquired with some trepidation. Lord, let it only be a kiss that he was demanding from her addle pated cousin! It seemed unlikely. A man like Roxburghe was rarely satisfied with so little. Few women were safe from his attentions unless, she’d reflected wryly, they happened to be Miss Sophie Hartwell who had a habit of disappearing beside the radiance of her cousin’s beauty. Sophie never troubled herself overly much with her gowns or her hairstyles if they were going out for the evening for she knew she became invisible when she was standing next to Alice.
    ‘He wants to go away with me.’ It came out on a whispered breath.
    Sophie experienced a sinking sensation. ‘ Pardon ?’
    ‘I know!’ Alice had nodded, voice wondering, ‘The Marchioness of Roxburghe. Could anything be so marvelous? Think of the jewelry, the houses, the clothing . Mama is delighted.’
    ‘You’re mother knows that Roxburghe intends to seduce you?’ Sophie had said incredulously.
    Alice had shot her a hurt look. ‘Not seduce , Sophie. He intends to marry me. I absolutely know he does.’
    ‘And he has said as much?’
    ‘Not in so many words but he will.’ Alice had risen to her feet, ‘My dearest Roxburghe wears his heart on his sleeve and that heart belongs to me. Now I must go and find Mama. I want that new blue satin we ordered last week from Madam Martine for tonight. I simply must look my best.’
    ‘Alice, wait! What about Lord Halstead? I am certain he intends marriage and he’s dreadfully rich and utterly besotted with you.’
    ‘Oh… Halstead is very sweet, I’ll give you that. But he’s no Roxburghe.’
    Indeed he wasn’t. For a start, Halstead’s intentions were honorable. Sophie had put an anxious hand out, making Alice pause. ‘Does the Marquis mean to elope with you?’ Alice’s smile had spoken volumes, ‘When, Alice? When is this to happen?’
    ‘Soon. Very soon. Oh Sophie,’ Alice had sighed with rapturous pleasure, ‘A marchioness. Only imagine…’
    Sophie had been left to imagine all kinds of things, the chief of which was that it was likely her cousin was heading for certain ruin and a sudden return to Yorkshire with all her hopes in tatters. Truly alarmed, she had sought out her aunt who had been dozing in front of the fire in the drawing room, a novel from the lending library unheeded on her lap. It had proved to be as frustrating an interview as the one with Alice for Aunt Felicia was of the same opinion as her daughter, convinced Roxburghe intended marriage.
    ‘But Aunt,’ Sophie had said, exasperated, ‘If that was his intention then he would come and talk to Uncle Edward. He would ask for Alice in the usual way. Surely you must see that?’
    ‘And so he shall.’ Felicia Gaskell had said comfortably, ‘A gentleman can’t go around seducing girls like my Alice as he sees fit. He’ll come up to speed Sophie, you mark my words. And my little Alice will have done very well