Page 64 of Love and Other Disasters

Sophie wanted London, and the noise and chaos found there. She wanted to visit Madam Clover and her friends at the pleasure house as often as she could. Nash had kept her in the countryside for so long and clearly intended to keep her here forever.

No, Nash was not the one her heart wanted to be with or love.

Sophie hurried upstairs and went straight to the children, gathering up Isabelle and Liam on her lap and hugged them tight. These children might have been her family forever, if she had a heart to barter for the honor of making a proper marriage. Becoming a wife on any terms except having her love returned was too high a price for a woman like Sophie Regina Radcliffe. Sophie had rules for how she lived her life now. She also no longer had a broken heart. It was repaired completely but it had been claimed by an unavailable man again.

Chapter Nineteen

“So, you’re back early,” Jasper said to the duke when he was urged to sit in the chair opposite him in the library. But although pleased to see his brothers, Jasper was going to end this conversation as quickly as possible today.

He wanted to follow after Sophie to learn what Nash had just said to her. He had never seen her look so pale. She could hardly look at him, either. It made him fear Ravenswood had somehow learned of his scandalous secret house party and convinced Nash to get rid of her because she’d played a part.

The duke had given away nothing though while Nash and Sophie had been talking behind closed doors across the hall. Ravenswood turned over the paper, a picture of calm unconcern, as he studied the next one without looking up to answer. “Yes.”

Jasper shifted in his chair. Watching others read his handwriting was awkward, even worse when it was his own brothers. Jasper had written his thoughts on the management of the estate instead of simply regaling the duke with an impossibly long recital of changes he thought should be made, only to have them forgotten. In total, there were seven pages detailing improvements that could save the duke, if not quite a fortune, enough money to make a difference over the years.

He’d yet to find a moment to mention the arrival of Isabelle. He would rather Nash was there for that announcement to watch the expression on his face. Cavorting with one’s own wife was no scandal but not knowing he’d done so might shock Nash a little.

“And the house party? How was that?”

“Quite enjoyable for the most part, though our brother might disagree with my sentiment,” Ravenswood said, a tight smile on his lips. “He found the company dull and grew more irritable as the days passed.”

That sounded about right for Nash in any setting. “And Lady Stephanie?”

Ravenswood lowered the paper slightly. “She remains available for marriage.”

“Did you ask her?”

“No.” The papers lowered even more to reveal a troubled expression on the duke’s face. “The right moment did not present itself.”

Jasper nodded. He could understand how Ravenswood might feel about marriage. How soon was too soon to know that a change in one’s life was meant to be?

The duke cleared his throat. “Well, get on with it. Rail at me, too, for my inaction.”

He frowned at his brother. “Why would I do that?”

“Nash has not let up for days. But perhaps he’s said enough on the matter for the both of you,” Ravenswood murmured.

“Most likely he would. It matters not to me when you propose. You’ve said you’ll marry, and I believe you will,” he answered.

“Thank you, Jasper,” the duke said, exhaling as if he was comforted by his faith in him. “You’ve always been the easiest of brothers.”

And then he went back to reading Jasper’s notes without another word about marriage or Nash.

While Jasper waited for the duke’s response to those notes, he rang the bell and requested coffee be served. He could not leave until he heard what the duke thought of his ideas. But he kept glancing at the windows and the doorway, hoping to see Sophie come downstairs again.

Her schedule with the children would have been thrown out the window with his brother’s sudden return, and he wondered what she was doing right now. No doubt something Nash had ordered her to do, and unpleasant, judging by the look on her face a moment ago.

Jasper needed to see her, and it had to be before the dinner hour.

“Nash, would you come in here and kindly sit down with us,” Ravenswood called out loudly.

Nash emerged from the ducal study next door and took a seat nearby. But he jiggled his knee, looking for all the world like there was somewhere else he’d rather be. When the coffee arrived, he refused a cup, too. It was unlike Nash to appear so impatient or so distracted, but then, he’d never had any interest in Jasper’s ideas before.

The duke cast a sour look Nash’s way. “Take a look at this.”

“Why?” Nash bit out as he looked toward the door again.

Ravenswood handed him the sheets of suggestions with a heavy sigh and sat back. “Our brother has been busy, and I think his suggestions are worthy of consideration.”