Sophie blinked, taken aback at the vehement tone. “Of course, you are, but—”
“Very good. There is no reason, then, to have been paying me an enormous fee these last twenty years, and there is no reason you cannot accept assistance from a family member.”
Assistance was no longer needed, of course, but that fact could not hope to dim the generosity of Mrs. Summers’ offer.
Sophie took her friend’s hand and enclosed it in her own. “You have gone through a great deal of trouble. For me, for my father, for all of us. Thank you.” She gave her a peck on the cheek. “I love you very much.”
Before the tears shining in Mrs. Summers’ eyes could began to fall, Sophie added, “But should you ever again take it into your head to manipulate me like a puppet on a string, I shall indeed break your nose.”
William followed Alex into a side yard with a tall wall that afforded some mea sure of privacy.
“Before you commence with the breaking of any bones,” William stated calmly. “May I point out that Sophie was never in any real danger from my plans?…Also, I am an old man.”
Alex hit him on the nose.
“You may have taken precautions against physical harm, William, but Sophie could have been ruined,” Alex snapped. Then, with a sigh, he reached down and offered William a hand up. “And you’re not a day over forty-five.” Alex blinked as if just realizing something. “My God, you must have been a mere boy when you began working with my father.”
William pulled out a handkerchief and used it to stop the flow of blood from one nostril. “I was fourteen years old on my first assignment, sixteen when I met your father. He used to call me old man,” he chuckled. “Thought it was funny, his being a solid decade my senior.”
“I’m sure he did,” Alex murmured distractedly. “William, was there anything else you haven’t told me about the night he died?”
“No.”
“The rest was true then? He died in France saving a compromised agent?”
“The agent wasn’t compromised, Alex. He wasn’t even in play. It was the last years of the Terror. A person only had to look at their neighbor askew to be denounced. But yes, he was an agent, and yes, he was going to die, and your father died saving him. We made it all the way to the coast before running afoul of the local authorities. It was just rotten luck.”
Alex accepted that with a small nod.
Neither man spoke for awhile, Alex lost to his thoughts and William patiently dabbing at his nose as the blood flow slowed to a small trickle.
Finally, William said, “You’ll need a special license. I suspect you won’t run into much trouble there, being a duke.”
“It’s already been handled. I sent Whit for one the night we came to London.”
“Before Sophie was compromised,” William stated with obvious approval. “Excellent.”
Alex threw him a disgruntled scowl. “This was damn humiliating, you know.”
“But worth it, eh? Sophie will make you a very happy man.”
“She already does,” Alex admitted, before adding, “I agreed to let her return to her father after an heir is born or, in the event that proves impossible, after five years’ time. I hope to convince her father to return to England by then, or convince her to stay.”
“Won’t be necessary. He’s already on his way. Before leaving China, Mary accused the viscount of jeopardizing Sophie’s future happiness with their nomadic way of life. Lectured and chastised the poor man no end, I’m sure.”
“She is formidable,” Alex agreed. “Come on then, let’s get you back inside before the ladies begin wondering if we’ve run each other through.”
William gave his nose one more dab and eyed the ruined handkerchief. “I appreciate your not breaking my nose. Quite charitable of you, really.”
Alex just shrugged and held open the door. William was halfway through the threshold when Alex stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
“Who are they? The others you promised my father to help?”
“Can you not guess?”
A slow smile spread across Alex’s face.
“May I assume your silence on this matter?” William asked continuing on his way.
“Only if you allow me the pleasure of assisting in Whit’s downfall. Any candidates in mind?”
“Miss Mirabelle Browning.”
“Good Lord!” Alex cried, and then promptly shut his hand in the door.
Twenty-nine
They were married the next day. Alex wanted to hunt down a vicar and have the ceremony performed that very afternoon, but Sophie insisted that they wait until Kate, Mirabelle, and Evie could arrive from Haldon Hall. She wished her father and Mr. Wang could be present as well, but Alex was already put out with just a day’s postponement. She didn’t think he’d be willing to wait the several weeks it would take for them both to arrive.