"After tonight you will not mention that stupid agreement again." Julian's mouth came down heavily, his lips moving on hers in a slow, drugging fashion. His hands found the ties of her dressing gown.
Sophy jumped when the gown was slowly eased off her shoulders. She stared up into Julian's heated gaze and tried to detect some sign of cloudiness in his glittering eyes.
"Julian, could you grant me just a few more minutes? I have not finished my tea. Perhaps you would like another cup?"
"Don't sound so terribly hopeful, my sweet. You are only trying to put off the inevitable and I assure you the inevitable is going to be quite pleasant for both of us." He deliberately ran his hands down her sides to her waist and then to her hips, drawing the fabric of the fine lawn nightgown close to her figure. "Very pleasant," he whispered, his voice growing husky as he gently squeezed her buttocks.
Sophy began to burn beneath his intent gaze. The desire in him was mesmerizing. She had never had any man look at her the way Julian was looking at her now. She could feel the heat and strength in him. It made her as light-headed as if she had also drunk a cup of the herbed tea.
"Kiss me, Sophy. Julian tilted her chin with his fingers.
Obediently she lifted her head and stood on tiptoe to brush her mouth across his. How much longer? she wondered frantically.
"Again, Sophy."
Her fingers dug into the fabric of his dressing gown as she touched his mouth with her own once more. He was warm and hard and curiously compelling. She could have clung to him all night like this but she knew he would insist on much more than simple kisses.
"That's better, my sweet." His voice was growing thicker but whether it was from the effects of the sleeping tonic or his own desire was not clear. "As soon as you and I have reached a complete understanding, we are going to deal together very well, Sophy."
"Is this the way you deal with your mistress?" she asked daringly.
His expression hardened. "I have warned you more than once not to talk of such matters."
"You are always giving me warnings, Julian. I grow tired of them."
"Do you? Then perhaps it's time you learned I am capable of action as well as words."
He picked her up and carried her over to the turned-back bed. He released her and she dropped lightly down onto the sheets. When she scrambled to adjust herself the fine lawn gown somehow succeeded in working its way up to her thighs. She looked up and saw Julian's eyes on her breasts. She knew he could see the outline of her nipples through the soft material.
Julian shrugged out of his dressing gown, his gaze sliding along her body to her bare legs. "Such beautiful legs. I am sure the rest of you is going to prove just as lovely."
But Sophy was not listening. She was staring at his nude figure in amazement. She had never before seen a man naked, let alone fully aroused and the sight was staggering. She had thought herself mature and well informed, not an unsophisticated girl who could be easily shocked. She was, as she had so often informed Julian, a country-bred girl.
But Julian's male member seemed tremendous to Sophy's reeling senses. It thrust aggressively out of a nest of curling black hair. The skin of his flat stomach and broad, hair-covered chest was drawn tight over sleek muscles Sophy knew were quite capable of overpowering her.
In the glow of the candlelight Julian looked infinitely male and infinitely dangerous but there was a strange, compelling quality about his power that alarmed her more than anything else could have done.
"Julian, no," Sophy said quickly. "Please do not do this. You gave me your word."
The passion in his eyes flared briefly into anger but his words began to slur. "Damn you, Sophy, I have been as patient as a man can be. Do not bring up the matter of our so-called agreement again. I am not going to violate it."
He came down onto the bed, reaching for her, his big, strong hands closing around her arm. She could see his eyes were finally beginning to glaze and Sophy felt a shock of what must have been relief when she realized he was about to sink into sleep.
"Sophy?" Her name was a drowsy question. "So soft. So sweet. You belong to me, you know." Long dark lashes slowly lowered, concealing the puzzled expression in Julian's eyes. "I will take care of you. Won't let you turn out like that bitch, Elizabeth. I'd strangle you first."
He bent his head to kiss her. Sophy stiffened but he never touched her lips. Julian groaned once and collapsed back against the pillow. His strong fingers grasped her arm a few seconds longer and then his hand fell away.
Sophy's pulse was racing with unnatural swiftness as she lay on the bed beside Julian. She did not dare to move for several minutes. Gradually her heartbeat steadied and she assured herself Julian was not going to awaken. The wine he had drunk earlier together with the herbs she had given him would ensure he slept until morning.
Sophy eased herself slowly off the bed, her gaze never leaving Julian's magnificently sprawled form. He looked very fierce and wild lying there on the white sheets.
What had she done?
Standing beside the bed, Sophy gathered her senses and tried to think rationally.
She was not certain how much Julian would remember when he awakened in the morning. If he ever realized he had been drugged his rage would be awesome and it would all be directed at her. She must contrive to make him think he had achieved his goal.
Sophy hurried over to the medicine chest. Bess had once explained that there was sometimes some bleeding after a woman made love the first time, especially if the man was careless and less than gentle. Julian might or might not be expecting to find blood on the sheets in the morning. But it would tend to confirm his belief that he had done his husbandly duty if he found some.
Sophy mixed a reddish concoction using some red-leafed herbs and more of the tea. When she was done she eyed the mixture dubiously. It certainly looked the right color but it was very thin. Perhaps that would not matter once it had soaked into the sheet.
She went over to the bed again and dabbed a bit of the fake blood onto the bedding where she had lain a few minutes earlier. It was quickly absorbed, leaving a small, damp, reddish ring. Sophy wondered just how much blood a man would expect to find after he had made love to a virgin.
She frowned intently and finally decided the amount of red-brown liquid she had used was not enough to attract much notice so she added some more. Her hand shook nervously as she leaned over the bed and a large amount of the imitation blood slopped over the edge of the cup.
Startled, Sophy stepped back and more of the liquid cascaded onto the sheets. There was now a very sizable patch of wet, stained bedding. Sophy wondered if she had overdone it.
Hastily she poured the remainder of the reddish concoction into the teapot. Then she blew out the candles and slid gingerly into bed beside Julian, careful not to brush against his heavy, muscled leg.
There was no help for it. She would have to sleep on at least a portion of the wide, damp spot.
FOUR
Julian heard the bedchamber door open. Hushed feminine voices exchanged words. The door closed again and then he heard the cheerful clatter of a breakfast tray being set down on a table nearby.
He stirred slowly, feeling unusually lethargic. His mouth tasted like the inside of a horse stall. He frowned, trying to remember just how much port he had swallowed during the course of the previous evening.
It was an effort to open his eyes. When he finally did so he was totally disoriented. The walls of his room had apparently changed color overnight. He stared at the unfamiliar Chinese wallpaper for a long moment as memory slowly filtered back.
He was in Sophy's bed.
Julian eased himself up slowly onto the pillows, waiting for the rest of what should have been a very satisfying memory to emerge. Nothing came to mind except a faint, annoying headache. He scowled again and rubbed his temples.