"I am known for my common sense, my lord," Jane said sadly. "Indeed, I fear many of my friends find me quite dull because of it."
"If your friends had any sense, themselves, they would cherish you for that quality. Good day, madam. There is a boy with a closed carriage outside who will escort you home. Your horse is tied to the carriage. Do you wish additional company? I can send one of the footmen along with you."
"No. The carriage and lad will be sufficient." Jane glanced in confusion at Sophy who shrugged faintly. "Thank you, my lord. I do hope this is the end of the entire affair."
"You may rest assured it mostly certainly is. And I hope I can rely upon you not to breathe a word of the matter."
"You may depend upon it, my lord."
Julian walked her to the door and saw her into the small carriage. Then he stalked back up the steps and into the hall. The huge door closed very softly behind him. He stood looking at Sophy for a long moment.
Sophy held her breath, waiting for the stroke of doom.
"Go upstairs and change your clothing, madam. You have played enough at men's games today. We will discuss this matter at ten in the library."
"There is nothing to discuss, my lord," she said swiftly. "You already know everything."
Julian's emerald eyes were brilliant with his anger and another emotion that Sophy realized with a start was relief. "You are wrong, madam. There is a great deal to discuss. If you are not down here promptly at ten, I shall come to fetch you."
ELEVEN
"Perhaps," said Julian with an icy calm that was impressive under the circumstances, "you will be good enough to explain this entire matter from the beginning."
The words shattered the ominous silence that had gripped the library since Sophy had cautiously walked through the door a few minutes earlier. Julian had sat, unmoving, behind his massive desk, studying her with his customary inscrutable expression for a long while before choosing to begin what would no doubt be a most unpleasant interview.
Sophy took a deep breath and lifted her chin. "You already know the essentials of the situation."
"I know you must have received one of Featherstone's blackmail notes. I would very much appreciate it if you would be so good as to explain why you did not immediately turn it over to me."
"She approached me, not you, with her threat. I considered it a matter of honor to respond."
Julian's eyes narrowed. "Honor, madam?"
"If the situation were reversed, my lord, you would have handled the matter as I did. You cannot deny it."
"If the situation were reversed?" he repeated blankly. "What the devil are you talking about?"
"You understand me quite well, I am certain, my lord." Sophy realized she was hovering between tears and fury. It was a volatile combination of emotions. "If some man had approached you with a threat to print the details of a… a past indiscretion of mine, you would have called him out. You know you would have done exactly what I did. You cannot deny it."
"Sophy, that's ludicrous," Julian snapped. "This is hardly the same sort of situation. Don't you dare draw any parallels between your reprehensible actions this morning and what you imagine I would have done in similar circumstances."
"Why not? Am I to be denied the chance to meet the dictates of honor just because I am a female?"
"Yes, damn it. I mean, no. By God, do not try to confuse the issue. Honor does not require from you what it would require from me in the same situation and you damn well know it."
"It seems to me only fair that I be entitled to live up to the same code as you, my lord."
"Only fair? Fairness has nothing to do with this."
"Am I to have no recourse in such situations, my lord?" Sophy demanded tightly. "No way to avenge myself? No way to settle a matter of honor?"
"Sophy, pay attention to me. As your husband it is my duty to avenge you, should that be required. And I am telling you here and now that it had better not ever be required. There is, however, no reversal of the situation. It is inconceivable."
"Well, you had best try to conceive of it, my lord, for that is precisely what happened. Nor were you the one called upon to deal with it. I was and I did the honorable thing. I do not see how you can fault me in this, Julian."
He stared at her, looking thoroughly taken aback for a few seconds before recovering himself. "Not fault you? Sophy, what you did today was outrageous and disgraceful.
It demonstrates a sad want of sound judgment. It was foolhardy and extremely dangerous. Not fault you? Sophy, those pistols are not toys, they are Manton's finest."
"I am well aware of that, my lord. Furthermore, I knew what I was doing with them. I told you my grandfather taught me how to use his pistols."
"You could have been killed, your little idiot." Julian shot to his feet and came around to the front of the desk. He leaned back against it, crossing one booted foot over the other. His expression was very close to savage. "Did you think about that, Sophy? Did you think about the risk you were taking? Did it cross your mind that you might well be dead by now? Or a murderess? Dueling is against the law, you know. Or was it all just a game to you?"
"I assure you, it was no game, my lord. I was—" Sophy broke off, swallowing uncomfortably as memories of the fear returned. She looked away from Julian's fierce eyes. "I was quite frightened, to be perfectly honest."
Julian swore softly. "You think you were frightened," he muttered under his breath before he said more distinctly, "What about the potential scandal, Sophy? Did you consider that?"
She kept her eyes averted. "We took steps to ensure that there would be no scandal."
"I see. And just how were you planning to explain a bullet wound, my dear? Or a dead prostitute in Leighton Field?"
"Julian, please, you've said enough."
"Enough?" Julian's voice was suddenly soft and dangerous. "Sophy, I assure you, I have hardly begun."
"Well, I do not see that I am obliged to listen to any more of your lectures on the subject." Sophy jumped to her feet, blinking back the tears that trembled on her lashes. "It is obvious you do not understand. Harry is quite right when she says that men are seriously lacking in the ability to comprehend things that are important to a woman."
"What do I fail to understand? The fact that you behaved in a shocking manner when I have specifically told you that the one thing I will not tolerate is gossip about you?"
"There will be no gossip."
"That's what you think. I did my best to threaten Featherstone this morning, but there is absolutely no guarantee she will keep her mouth shut."
"She will. She said she would."
"Damn it, Sophy, surely you are not so naive as to put any faith in the word of a professional harlot?"
"As far as I can tell, she is a woman of honor. She gave me her word there would be no mention of your name in print and she said she would not discuss the events of this morning. That is good enough for me."
"Then you are a fool. And even if Featherstone keeps quiet, what about the young boy who drove you to Leighton Field? What about the woman in the black veil? What control do you have over either of them?"
"They will not speak of this," Sophy said.
"You mean you hope they will not speak of it."
"They were my seconds. They will honor their word not to say anything about what happened this morning."
"Damn it, are you telling me that they were both friends of yours?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Including the red-haired lad? Where on earth would you meet a young man of that class and get to know him well enough to—" Julian broke off, swearing again. "I believe I perceive the truth at last. It was not a young man at all who was driving your carriage, was it, madam? Another young woman dressed in mens' clothes, I presume. Good lord. A whole generation of females is running wild."