Badcock (16 page)

A winsome smile played on his lips. Sophia was beautiful. She was daring. She was amorous.
I love you…

A shudder tore up his spine at the memory of her unguarded confession. At that moment, he’d vowed to himself to stop toying with her. After all, he was the libertine—the one experienced in such matters. He knew better than to entertain notions of love.

He exhaled roughly. He’d been surprised there hadn’t been a hailstorm of gossip regarding Sophia’s disappearance on her wedding day. And Hobbes, professional that he was, did not even flinch when Jack had assigned him the task of finding a lavish apartment in London. Surely the old man knew what Jack was up to.

Doubtless, Lady Huntingdon had spread talk of the scandal all over the countryside. It only stood to reason that she would muddy both their names, especially since she obviously felt slighted.

But why hadn’t the news reached
Amberley
? Jack’s gaze lingered on the Armageddon’s mane. Something was amiss. Terribly amiss.

“Stand and deliver!” a taunting exclamation arrested Jack’s attention.

His gaze shot to the source of the voice—and to where two pistols were trained on him. Surprised, but not shocked, Jack stared at Lord
Wisbech
.

Jack tugged Armageddon’s reins and the horse nickered as he halted. “Shall we settle this like gentlemen?” Jack asked.

Wisbech
burst into mirthless laughter. “Gentlemen?
Gentlemen
?”

Immediately, Jack began scanning the desolate road. Woods lined either side. There were no sounds of any approaching carriages or riders.
Wisbech
was angry. Justifiably so. Jack dragged in a deep breath. He hadn’t really thought
Wisbech
had anything of this nature in him. He’d assumed that the duke would quietly set his sights on another bride with a handsome dowry. Evidently, that wasn’t the case.

“Was it gentlemanly of you to abscond with my bride right under my nose?” Lord
Wisbech
sneered.

“That was an unfortunate mistake, Your Grace,” Jack said, still grasping to assess his predicament.

“Perhaps,” Lord
Wisbech
agreed. “But what about the second time? I’ve heard all about how you plotted to disgrace me on my very wedding day.”

“Plotted?” Jack asked, realizing Lady Huntingdon had indeed been scheming. At this point, there was nothing he could say to placate the duke.

“Yes. Lady Huntingdon overheard you. Again, very ungentlemanly of you, Stafford.”

“There was no plot,” Jack said, eyeing the pistols warily.

Wisbech
snorted. His white stallion took a menacing step closer. “You expect me to believe you abducted her against her will?”

“No,” Jack said, becoming angry. “It’s very simple to understand. She preferred a life as my mistress rather than spending one day as your wife.”

Wisbech’s
pale face blanched and time seemed to move at half speed as he aimed one of the pistols and fired. The explosion of gunpowder shattered the summer birdsong. Armageddon reared and shrieked as the bullet tore into his shoulder.

At once, Jack dismounted the injured animal and started toward
Wisbech
intent on beating him bloody beyond recognition but
Wisbech
leveled his second pistol on Jack and fired.

Chapter Ten

Sophia had no idea how long Jack had been gone but her nerves knotted in anticipation of his return. She climbed out of the creek and twisted her hair to ring the water out of it. Two more days. She smiled when she thought about it.

She would enjoy two more heavenly days with him before she had to face the world as a man’s mistress. Surely there would be scandal. She would be the subject of gossip for the entire season or until some other controversy occurred to catch the
ton’s
attention but secluded in an apartment or traveling abroad, it wouldn’t matter.

Sophia only hoped Jack’s marriage to Lady Hilda would not crush her. Knowing he would be sharing the bed of another woman—even if only to produce heirs—broke Sophia’s heart.

After retrieving her chemise from the branch of a tree, she slipped it over her head.

“Well, well,” a voice startled her. “If it isn’t Lord Stafford’s whore.”

Sophia froze as her gaze collided with Lord
Wisbech’s
. Incredulous, she blinked but he was still there. “Where’s…where’s Jack?” she asked.

Dressed in black, Lord
Wisbech
appeared sinister. Sophia tensed as he started toward her. “Jack?” he asked and a rueful smile stretched his thin lips. “
Jack
is dead, my dear.”

Sophia trembled. She gaped. “D-dead?” she asked but her mind refused to accept it. “Where is he? Where?” Her voice rose hysterically.

Ralph smirked. “Lying on Hounslow Road with a bullet through his chest. Cut down by a highwayman.”

Realization stunned her. “You killed him. You…you bastard!” Anger engulfed her like an inferno. Her first reaction was to fly at him, fists flailing but somehow she resisted the urge.
The pistol.
Jack’s pistol was inside on the bedside table. He’d left it to keep her safe and he’d died because he’d been more interested in protecting her than himself. Guilt seethed, vying to override her rage.

Lord
Wisbech
advanced. Murder and revenge flashed in his eyes. He would kill her, too. Sophia did not doubt it. Lunging, she raced toward the lodge but Ralph followed on her heels, subduing her easily.

Heart thundering, she kicked and flailed at him. She flinched when her nails raked down his heavily powdered face. “You bitch!” he railed and slapped her so hard with the back of his hand that she sprawled to the ground.

The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth and she spat as she scrambled to regain her feet. His hand knotted in her hair and he yanked hard, dragging her back toward the creek.

Sophia struggled, clawing at his hands, scrabbling on the ground as she tried to gain some semblance of footing but all to no avail. The scream that tore from her throat died as he hauled her into the creek and pushed her head under the water.

Panic surged as she fought to hold her breath. Just when her thoughts began to dim, he pulled her above water. She gasped and sputtered.

“I told you I would kill you if you embarrassed me again,” he said and plunged her back under the water.

Sophia did not doubt that she would die this day. Part of her welcomed it. She could not go on without Jack.

An eerie calm descended over her and there was only the water rushing around her ears and the sound of her last breath bubbling out of her lungs. Acceptance that she was about to die inundated her and without warning, Ralph wrenched her back to the surface. “That should take the fight out of you,” he said. Confusion muddled her brain as he heaved her back toward the bank.

Coughing up water, she was no match for his masculine strength as he lifted her and shouldered her back to the lodge. Why hadn’t he just let her drown? Why?

His hand squeezed her backside and Sophia suddenly knew why he hadn’t killed her. He intended to rape her!

Summoning all the strength she had left, she pummeled his back with her fists and kicked her feet but it was too late.

With a laugh, he flung her onto the bed. Careful not to glance in the direction of the pistol lest Ralph see it and take it from her, she propped on her elbows and burned at stare into him. Loathing consumed her.

“You’re vile,” she told him.

He tore the fall of his breeches down and Sophia’s gaze dropped to where his cock reared from a nest of white-blonde curls. She inched backward but he seized her ankle and dragged her back down. He grasped at her free foot but she wrenched free and jammed her heel into his face. Her eyes widened when she heard his nose crunch.

Wailing, he took two faltering steps backward, covering his bleeding nose with his hands. “You bloody wretch!” he bellowed but as he charged for her again, she scuttled backward, groping for the pistol.

With a coolness she had no idea she possessed, she aimed the weapon, pulled back the hammer and squeezed the trigger. The pistol discharged with an earsplitting blast. Acrid smoke filled the air. Lord
Wisbech’s
eyes rounded as his hand went to his chest. Stunned, Sophia watched as the life drained out of his face and he wilted to the floor with a thud.

Shaking and gasping for breath, she scrambled to the edge of the bed, ready to beat him with the butt of the pistol if he wasn’t already dead. His eyes stared, fixed on nothing.

A sob racked her shoulders. “Jack,” she murmured under her breath.

“Sophia!”

Her heart skipped a beat. She whirled to discover Jack, his hand over his chest. Blood oozed between his fingers. “Sophia,” he gasped and collapsed in the threshold.

“Jack!” she cried and darted to his side.

“
Wisbech
…”

“He’s dead,” she said, trying to examine Jack’s wound.

His skin was so pale, Sophia feared the worst. She knew nothing about dressing an injury. Her joy at seeing Jack alive quickly turned to cold terror. “What do I do?” she asked.

“I need a…a physician. Leave me here and go to
Amberley
—” he said but Sophia interrupted.

“I won’t leave you. Can you ride at all?”

“Armageddon’s been shot, too.” Jack coughed and Sophia blanched at the sight of blood on his lips.

She had to make a decision and she had to do it fast. Her gaze flew to the horse and then back to Jack. “I’ll walk if I have to but I’m not leaving you here,” she argued.

Instinctively, she snatched the sheet off the bed and tore the edge of it with her teeth so she could rip it into strips. Hands trembling, she quickly used the remnants to staunch Jack’s bleeding. He groaned when she pressed hard against the wound. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice quavering.

His skin had grown icy. “You’re going to be fine,” she said as she worked to secure the makeshift dressing. “I’ll get you home.”

He didn’t fight her as she scooped her arm under his shoulders and coaxed him to stand. With difficulty, he leaned against her and allowed her to help him back to his horse.

Armageddon nickered in protest as Jack hefted himself into the saddle. He slumped down on the horse’s neck, clinging to the animal’s coarse black mane. Sophia rushed into the house and returned with a blanket. After throwing it over Jack, she climbed into the saddle behind him and took the reins, saying a silent prayer the horse was strong enough to make the trek back to
Amberley
.

Sophia didn’t care that she wore nothing more than her chemise. Her only concern was Jack. Unmoving, he lay lifeless across the horse’s thick neck. Fearing the worst, she kept her hand on his back to make certain he was breathing. A lump welled in her throat but she refused to give in to tears. Not now. If Jack was going to die, she didn’t want the last thing he heard on this earth to be her sobs.

“Jack?” she asked as the horse finally stepped out of the woods and onto the road leading to Jack’s estate.

He grunted.

“We’re almost there, darling. I promise I will see you safely home,” she promised.

He muttered something she could not discern and she didn’t have the heart to ask him to repeat it. At least he was conscious enough to make a sound.

Armageddon stumbled and Sophia’s heart skipped a beat. “Don’t stop now, horse.” She squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath until the horse trudged on. Her heart twisted for the stalwart animal but she didn’t have any other choice than to urge him forward.

Jack’s shoulders slipped and Sophia quickly righted him, sighing her relief when he moaned. “Don’t leave me, Jack,” she whispered. “Please don’t leave me.”

This was all her fault. If only she’d married Lord
Wisbech
as she should have done, none of this would ever have happened. She should have been patient enough to produce heirs for Lord
Wisbech
and then she could have done whatever she wanted with Jack.

Foam began to ooze from Armageddon’s mouth.
No, no! Don’t die now, horse. Please, it’s just a bit farther.

She searched the area for a horse, for a carriage for anyone. Where was everyone? Why was there no one else on the road? No one who could help? As it was, she couldn’t push Armageddon any faster but she could lighten his load.

She slid out of the saddle and taking the reins encouraged the horse to follow her as she picked her way barefoot over the gravely, muddy road.

The thick woods thinned and up ahead,
Amberley
loomed like a shining beacon in the afternoon sunlight. “We’re almost there!” Sophia cried, glancing back at Jack.

He lay motionless across the horse’s back. Terrified, she quickened her pace. “Come on, horse. Faster.”

Tugging the reins, she half dragged the wounded beast toward the gates at
Amberley
. She debated running ahead and leaving the straggling animal to proceed as he could but she couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Jack.

At the gate, the horse finally collapsed. Sophia cried out as Armageddon drew his last breath. Jack landed with a grunt on the ground next to the mortally wounded animal.

“Get Hobbes,” Jack croaked.

Dragging up the wet hem of her chemise, Sophia flew toward the manor as fast as her feet would carry her.

A bevy of servants met her halfway up the drive. “Hobbes,” she gasped breathlessly. “I need Hobbes. Lord Stafford is injured.”

But already, several men were running out to collect their master. Exhausted, Sophia stared after them and just as she started to go to them, a coat encircled her shoulders. “Come inside, my lady.”

Her gaze clashed with Hobbes’. “But—”

“The others will bring his lordship. Come inside and let one of the maids see to you,” he said calmly.

Only then did Sophia look down at her soiled and tattered thin chemise and her bruised and cut feet. Pain she hadn’t allowed herself to feel earlier seemed to soak through her skin straight to her bones.

“Come inside, my lady,” Hobbes said, gently coaxing her with his arm around her shoulders.