"I intend to use deductive logic to determine which of them is guilty."
"Any one of the three would slice you to ribbons without a moment's hesitation. He would ruin you long before you could ruin him." Julian's voice was tight with fury.
Sophy's chin came up. "I do not see how he could do that as long as I am careful."
"Lord, give me strength," Julian said through his teeth. "I am dealing with a mad woman."
What was left of Sophy's self-control snapped. She leaped to her feet, her hand sweeping out to snatch the nearest hard object. Her fingers closed around the crystal swan on her dressing table.
"Damn you, Julian, I am not a mad woman. Elizabeth was a mad woman but I am not. I may be silly and stupid and naive in your view, but at least I am not mad. By God, my lord, I will force you to stop confusing me with your first wife if it is the last thing I accomplish on this earth."
She hurled the ornament at him with all her strength. Julian, who had started to rise at the beginning of her tirade, barely managed to dodge the small missile. It flew past his shoulder and crashed against the wall behind him. He ignored the impact and crossed the room in three long strides.
"Have no fear, madam," he said fiercely as he swept Sophy off her feet and into his arms. "I am in no danger of confusing you with Elizabeth. It would be a complete impossibility. You are, believe me, Sophy, totally and completely unique. You are a paradox in so many ways it defies description. And you are quite right. You are not mad. I am the one who is fast becoming a candidate for Bedlam."
He strode toward the bed and dumped her unceremoniously down onto the counterpane. As she bounced there, her hair tumbling free of its moorings, he sat down on the edge of the bed and began to yank off his boots.
Sophy was incensed. "What do you think you are doing?"
"What does it look like I am doing? I am seeking the only cure I can find for my affliction." He stood up and unfastened his breeches.
She gazed at him in shock as his heavy manhood sprang free. He was already fully, magnificently erect. Belatedly she gathered her confused senses and started to wriggle off the other side of the bed.
Julian reached over quite casually and wrapped one big hand around her wrist, effectively halting her retreat. "No, madam, you are not leaving just yet."
"You cannot mean to… to bed me now, Julian," Sophy said angrily. "We are in the midst of an argument."
"There is no point arguing with you further. You are beyond reason. And so am I, it seems. Therefore I think we shall try a different means of terminating this unpleasant discussion. If nothing else is achieved, I might at least obtain some temporary peace."
SIXTEEN
Sophy watched, torn between love and a seething anger, as the last of Julian's clothes hit the floor. He kept his grip on her wrist as he finished the process of undressing himself and then he tumbled her down onto her back.
Naked, he loomed over her, caging her between his strong hands. His eyes gleamed and his hard face was set in the stark lines of masculine arousal.
"I will tell you this once more and once more only," he said as he began the process of removing her clothing. "I have never mistaken you for Elizabeth. Calling you a mad woman was a figure of speech, nothing else. I meant no real insult. But it is imperative that you understand I cannot allow you to seek your own vengeance."
"You cannot stop me, my lord."
"Yes, Sophy," he muttered as he tugged her gown off, "I can and I will. Although I understand very well why you're skeptical on that point. Thus far I have given you little reason to believe me capable of fulfilling all my duties as your husband. You have cut a blazing swath through town, have you not? And poor, blundering creature that I am, I always seem to be following about ten paces behind, desperately trying to catch you. But this mad dashing about is at an end, my dear."
"Are you threatening me, Julian?"
"Not at all. I am merely explaining that you have finally gone too far. But you needn't worry. You have my word that I will do whatever it takes to protect you." He untied the tapes of her pleated cambric chemisette.
"I do not need your protection, my lord. I have learned my lesson well. Husbands and wives of the ton are supposed to go their own ways. You are not to involve yourself in my life, nor I in yours. I have told you I am willing to live by the codes of so-called polite Society."
"That is nonsense and you know it. God knows there is no way I could ignore you, even if I wished to do so." He finished removing the last of her clothing, and paused to sweep the length of her with his heated gaze. "And, my sweet Sophy, I have no wish to ignore you."
She felt the passionate hunger in him and the answering response in herself and knew that he was right. In bed, at least, neither of them could possibly ignore the other. A sudden suspicion came to her as his hand smoothed the curve of her thigh.
"You would not beat me," she said slowly.
"No?" He smiled, a brief, flashing, wickedly male smile that was as sensual as the movements of his hands on her body. "Beating you might be interesting." He gently squeezed her buttock.
Sophy felt herself warming quickly under his touch and shook her head with grave certainty. "No. You are not the type to lose control over your emotions and resort to violence against a woman. I told Lord Waycott as much when he claimed you had beaten your first wife."
Julian's captivating smile vanished. "Sophy, I do not wish to discuss either Waycott or my first wife just now." He lowered his head to close his teeth gently around one taut nipple. His fingertips brushed the tawny fleece below the gentle swell of her stomach.
"But while I am certain you would not use a crop on me," Sophy continued breathlessly as she felt his finger part her with great care, "it occurs to me that you might not be above using other means to… to ensure I do your bidding."
"You may be right," Julian conceded, apparently unconcerned by her logic. He kissed her throat, the curve of her shoulder and finally her lips. He lingered over her mouth a long while until she was moaning softly and clinging to him. Then he raised his head slightly to meet her eyes. "Are you worried about the tactics I might use to convince you to follow my advice, my sweet?"
She glared up at him, struggling to think clearly while her body concentrated only on the pleasure it was receiving at his hands. "Do not think you can control me in this fashion, my lord."
"What fashion?" He slipped two fingers deeply into her and separated those two fingers very slowly, opening her completely.
Sophy gasped and felt herself tighten with excitement. "This fashion."
"Never. I would not presume to believe that I am such a skillful lover that I could actually convince you to abandon all your fine principles for me." He withdrew his fingers with excruciating slowness. "Ah, sweetheart. You flow like warm honey for me."
"Julian?"
"Look at me," he whispered. "Look at how hard and ready I am for you. Did you know that the mere scent of you is enough to arouse me like this? Touch me."
She sighed with longing, unable to resist his sensual plea. When her fingers curled gently around his thick shaft she felt him pulse in reaction. She nuzzled his chest. "I still do not think this is a proper way to settle our differences, my lord."
He sat up and put his hands around her waist. "No more conversation, Sophy. We will talk later." He lifted her up and held her so that she knelt, facing him. "Spread your legs and mount me, sweetheart. Ride me. I will be your stallion and you will be the one who controls the passion in both of us."