The early morning sunlight gently streamed in through the windows, stroking Sophia's cheek with warmth. She hummed with pleasure as her body caressed the soft silk sheets.

Silk sheets? She didn't sleep on silk sheets and hadn't for a long time.

Sophia slowly blinked her drowsy eyes open and rubbed them to fight away her tiredness. Even in the dimly lit room, she could see the ornately carved bedposts looming in front of her carved with ornate designs.

Since when did she have such beautifully decorated bedposts as well? Hers was a soft, plain peach.

That's when the flashes of last night tumbled through Sophia's mind. Lord Cavendish's...no Blake's lips on hers. Her body pressed against his. His fingers and lips everywhere. Her hands tracing his chest and feeling the planes of his hard chest beneath her calloused fingertips. His tongue...oh what his tongue had done.

Sophia reveled in the hum that speared through her body at those wicked thoughts.

No! She had to stop there.

Sophia bolted upright on the bed, all her drowsiness evaporating in an instant. The covers fell away from her exposed bosom. She hurriedly pulled the covers up to hide her chest and glanced nervously to the right, confirming what she already knew.

Blake (for he could simply never be Lord Cavendish to her again) was sleeping soundly next to her and was snoring ever so softly. The sheets very loosely wrapped around his nether parts leaving his chest open to her gaze. Without thinking about it, she traced a finger down that bronze and muscular chest, the lines, planes, and muscles feeling like a stone under her touch. Last night had seemed like a dream but as she traced her finger and pressed it to the hollow of the throat, she knew it was definitely real. When he stirred, she hastily pulled her hand away.

That's when the panic truly set in.

Holy hell. She had landed herself in bed with the Marquess of Alton. They had...they had....

No, no, no, no, no!

Even in the dark, the sheets still reflected her lost virtue and Sophia wanted to crawl into a hole and perish. How did she let this happen? How could she? Her sister was engaged to him! If the London ton heard about this, oh god... Sophia did not even want to think about it.

She had already ruined her marriable status once with this man by clambering into his passionate embrace and now had ruined her sister's

Damn her curious nature and unsuppressed desires. Damn it all. The one thing she had vowed to herself she would never let happen...she had.

How could she let herself be seduced by this man? Damn it! Why did things have to get so complicated, so fast? She had ignored him; she had tried her best to stay the hell away from him and still ended up in his bed. At every turn, she had denied herself of him although her body seemed to ache for him. Every time they were in the same room, she felt herself being pulled to him like she was on a rope and he was reeling her in.

Yet, she had resisted. Time and again had maintained a casual expression, kept away the very wicked thoughts of him that spurted up at the wrongest of moments.

What on earth had gone wrong on the way?

She was shaking, whether with shock or something else but she knew she had to get out of there. Her carriage was probably gone to drive Colette home, but she could probably hail a carriage on the road. If anyone found her here...

Sophia had to sneak out discreetly and quietly and for that, she had to focus. With her deft fingers, she fastened on her clothes. Over the years, she had become accustomed to dressing herself without servants which were her greatest asset now, although the corset and dress were a bit trickier than her other garments. Usually, Colette aided with them, but she wasn't here now.

Just thinking of her sister caused a hot flash of shame and guilt to spear through her.

Looking in the full-length mirror in the room, she took her shabby appearance in. Her hair had completely out of her coiffeur and framed her face like a black cloud. Her lips were swollen and bright pink, her minimal makeup nearly gone. Her red dress was rumpled and wrinkled. Sophia looked she had an altercation with a tornado.

Sophia ran her fingers through her hair, fastening her curls into a tight bun. She smoothed down her dress and patted her cheeks to flush them with red. It didn't make her, by any means, presentable but it would have to do.

Slowly she trod towards the door, making sure her footfalls were completely silent. She had almost made it out successfully when her foot struck something hard and strong.

Sophia let out a string of curse words that would never come from a proper lady such as she but spilled out of her lips like rivers nonetheless before she controlled herself. She howled with pain and clutched her foot. It throbbed with pain unlike she had ever known, and she plopped down on the ground. Tears fell down her cheek and she bit her lip to prevent herself from wailing.

Devil's blazes!

How had she not seen that trunk near the doorway last night?

Her hollers and screams would have been enough to wake the dead, and it had thus undoubtedly woken up Lord Alton. He had jumped out of bed with his moss eyes filled to the brim with panic. He had adopted a fighter' stance, ready to face the attacker. Seeing no one in sight except Sophia rocking back and forth on the floor, he straightened out and smiled. The smile fell away from his face as he noticed her clutching her foot and sobbing silently.

Sophia looked at him with pain-filled eyes, begging him to help her. "I hurt my...my leg." Her words came out as a stutter because of her trembling lips. They abruptly stopped shaking when her eyes started moving downwards over his very naked torso and trunk. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink blushed when it rested on his nether parts. She quickly averted her eyes.

Blake smirked. "Enjoying the view, my lady?"

"Uh...umm," was her response. Sophia couldn't think of anything else for her mind had completely gone blank and her mouth absolutely dry.

When she winced again, he quickly fastened on his breeches and a loose shirt, running over to her as she cried out once again. He crouched onto his haunches.

"What in the devil's damned blazes happen to you?" Blake cursed while tenderly pulling Sophia's hands away from her foot.

It had swollen to the size of a small pumpkin and she yowled in pain as he softly pressed his fingers to it. "What happened? What were you trying to do in the dark?"

Sophia murmured something unintelligible in response.

"Speak up, Sophia," Blake irately exclaimed as he assessed her injury. It looked like nothing was broken just terrible sprained.

"I was trying to leave. Discreetly," Sophia murmured as her features scrunched up with agony.

Blake looked up at her meeting her steady gaze. Cold waters clashed with mountain greens and the world seems to still around them. Blake cleared his throat. "Discreetly, eh?"

Sophia pressed a palm to his cheek and Blake leaned into it involuntarily, feeling the roughness of her hands.

"My lord. I will not deny last night happened or that it was in any way bad. But it is a mistake and wrong. I let my desire get the best of me and I acted on it. You are," Sophia laughed bitterly, "marrying my sister. Or I hope you are because, given this situation, I don't know how she'll react or if she would even want to go through with the marriage anymore."

Sophia wished she wasn't so bitter but it was hard to not be so. Last night had been the most sensational and magical night of Sophia's life, even if it had completely and utterly wrong. Anyone would want more nights like that, but she could not have it. Ever. All she would have would be a memory that would hopefully warm her for all the cold, lonely nights to come.

Blake opened his mouth to say something and then closed it, thinking better of it. Putting his arms around her back and beneath her legs, he lifted her. "Now, let's get you up on the bed and I'll wrap a cool cloth around your ankle. It's just a sprain. You'll be fine soon, angel."

"Don't call me angel," Sophia murmured immediately, but her heart was not in it.

He quickly wet a piece of cloth from the adjoining bathroom and brought it back to Sophia, gently wrapped it around her leg. He held it in place till Sophia could do so herself, his touch soft and tender.

"Th... Th....Thank you. You didn't have to do this," Sophia whispered gratefully. "Did your mother teach you how to do this?" she asked softly.

He sat at the edge of the bed; his hands placed loosely on his lap. At her question, he raised his eyebrows. "You remember what I told you all those years ago about my mother teaching me medicine?

"Of course."

He bowed his head, hiding his rather large smile. "Yes, she did. Yet, more than teaching me, I believe I learned how to treat sprains more out of practice on myself. The Duke of Buckhaven and I, a close friend of mine often hurt ourselves trying to climb trees in our younger days although my mother repeatedly warned me not to. After the fifth time I fell and hurt my arm and leg, she gave up and told me to take care of the injury myself."

"Why am I not surprised you did exactly what you pleased even then?"

He turned his head towards her and whispered, "Perhaps because it's true even now."
Sophia gulped and turned her head away, breaking the stare they exchanged.

A brief silence encompassed the room before Sophia said, "I know I was a willing.... participant in last night's.... adventure, but no one but my sister can know about us. If anyone asks about why I had to stay here, you must tell them I tripped on the stairs and sprained my ankle so bad I could barely walk. I had to stay here, in the guest bedroom, until I could return home today to then visit a doctor. Will your servants keep quiet?"

Blake nodded. "They've been around since my youth. They won't say a word. I'll ensure it."

"Good. I will break the news to Colette and inform you about what she says. Hopefully, the wedding is still to continue." Sophia grimaced, clearly dreading the thought.

"What if it did not matter what she says? What if we got married instead?" Blake breathed out and she whipped up her face to meet his gaze.

"What are you saying? You have gone mad."

"Sophia. I have taken your virtue. You may be with my child although I did use linen protection. Those things cannot be predicted."

Sophia breathed in an out and gritted her teeth. "If I get with child, which is unlikely given the precautions you carefully took, we will see what can be done. And as for my virtue, as long as no one knows, it will not be an issue. Besides, it is not as if anyone were to marry me to actually care about my maidenhood. No, this was a mistake but it needn't turn into a tragedy. If Colette can move beyond this altercation, there is no reason to break the courtship."

I don't want to marry her! She doesn't want to marry me! Blake wanted to scream but he kept his mouth shut. He would have to consult Lady Colette about their next move. Sophia could not know about their plans just yet but that didn't mean he could try to confirm if the plan in question could work.

"I understand. But, Lady Sophia, if there was a way we could get married without any of the consequences that would occur if we did, would you want to marry me?" Blake curled his fingers into the sheets, waiting for her answer.

She bit her lips, considering his question. After a few moments, she slowly nodded. "Yes, I can see myself married to you. Sometimes I wish that's what happened all those years ago, although it wouldn't have been possible."

"As do I. I still regret that my cowardice cost me you," Blake whispered without thinking about it.

Sophia's mouth dropped open slightly and she blinked up at him. "I...don't know what to say."

Blake took one last look at her pensively, his eyes boring into her soul. "You know what I wish you would say and I know you will not say it as it would hurt Colette and our courtship. The truth is, Colette and I hold a deep respect for another, but there is nothing between us. It would be a passionless marriage, and after meeting you, feeling things I have never felt before, I can't live like that. I could get a mistress, but I do believe in being faithful to my spouse. And no one could ever match up you, Soph. No one."

"Oh," Sophia exhaled. She was struck speechless.

"I believe I wasn't supposed to hear it, but she called me a boring imbecile," Blake grinned.

"She did?" Sophia replied and her laughter tinkled through the air.

"Yes." He laughed. "You're the one that has excited me has challenged me at every turn. We fit together perfectly Sophia and you know that as very well as I."

"I truly do wish it could be any other way but it cannot. Now, I must go home. Help me up. We can't delay the inevitable."

That wasn't true, for the inevitable could be delayed but never thwarted. Sophia and Blake were the living examples of the same. They just didn't know it yet. 

A/N:  What did you think of this chapter ;)?

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