Distracted by her Virtue

by Maggie Cox

  Dragging his fingers impatiently through his hair, he strode across the room and back again in a bid to try and dispel the red mist of fury that had stealthily crept up on him. When he returned to stand in front of his sister once more, much to his indignation he saw that she hadn’t taken his outburst at all seriously—instead, she was smiling … smiling, for goodness’ sake!

  ‘You’re in love with her, aren’t you?’ she commented in wonder. ‘That’s what I was going to say to you … that I realised you didn’t just want to get to know her to purchase the house. The real reason was because you’d fallen in love.’

  Jarrett stared at her in open-mouthed surprise. Then he clamped his teeth together and made a dismissive jerk of his head. But there was no point in denying it. He knew that there were times when he could be obtuse, but this wasn’t one of them. All Beth had done was put a name to the alternately painful and exhilarating intensity of the feelings he had for Sophia. But somehow to hear it declared out loud like that made it all the more real and incontrovertible.

  ‘Yes, I am …’ Now it was his turn to express his wonder.

  Immediately closing the gap between them, Beth flung her arms around him for the second time that evening. ‘I’m so happy for you. Honestly I am. Have you told her? Does she feel the same? If she doesn’t then I want to know why!’

  Lightly fastening his hands round her slim upper arms, he gave her a rueful smile. ‘The answer to whether she feels the same is I don’t know. But I do know that she’s the only woman I’ve ever loved—and the only woman I ever will love.’

  ‘And have you told her that?’

  He sighed. ‘We’re taking a break from seeing each other at the moment.’

  ‘You are?’

  ‘She has some things she needs to deal with … baggage from the past that still haunts her—’ He broke off from what he’d been going to say to take in a deep steadying breath. ‘She’s had the most horrendous time of it. That’s all I’ll say. I wanted to give her the time and space to take stock and find a way to put it behind her so that she can truly move on.’

  ‘So you were the one that suggested you have a break?’

  Doubt and guilt suddenly pulsed through him. ‘Yes.’

  ‘She must have been dreadfully upset if she cares about you as much as you do about her. It’s my experience that most women want love and support when they’re going through a hard time … not space,’ Beth remarked astutely.

  Dropping his hands from round her arms, Jarrett irritably spun away. ‘You really know how to kick a guy when he’s down, don’t you?’

  ‘I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I was only expressing an opinion.’ Folding her arms, she nibbled thoughtfully at her full lower lip. ‘And it doesn’t mean that I’m right. Maybe Sophia does need a break to sort things out in her head. I don’t know her well enough to comment.’

  Impatiently rubbing his hand round his jaw, he sensed his heart constrict with sudden dread. ‘What if she doesn’t?’ He frowned. ‘What if she did prefer that I stay with her and show her how much I care instead of suggesting we take a break from seeing each other? What if I’ve done the completely wrong thing?’

  ‘Go to her,’ Beth advised gently. ‘Go to her and tell her exactly what you’ve just told me … that you love her and want to be with her come what may. I guarantee she won’t ask you to leave.’

  ‘You can go in now,’ the receptionist advised Sophia.

  She rose from her seat in such haste that the glossy copy of Tatler slithered off her lap and fell to the floor. Flustered, with her heart throbbing like a drum, she quickly retrieved it and returned it to the polished table in the centre of the room. As she walked through the brass-handled mahogany door the receptionist held open for her she made sure she inhaled a good lungful of air to bolster her courage.

  The man she’d come to see was standing with his back to her by the huge plate-glass window. Its only adornment was the plain net curtain that allowed a good portion of very welcome light to flood into what was otherwise a quite sombre room. Attired in an immaculate charcoal-grey pinstriped suit, he cut a tall, imposing figure. When he turned round to focus his hard berry-brown eyes on her Sophia’s legs buckled a little … but only a little. His long face was much more lined and careworn than she remembered, she observed, and his mouth still curved down at the edges, denoting that he rarely ever smiled.

  Lifting her chin, she met his forbiddingly stern countenance with an equally unwavering stare of her own. ‘Hello, Sir Christopher,’ she said coolly.

  ‘You’ve led me a merry dance, young lady. I’ve scoured the country looking for you,’ he answered irritably. ‘You weren’t using either your married or your maiden name according to my sources.’ Nodding curtly towards the leather-backed chair in front of the desk he scowled. ‘You had better sit down. I want to make sure you’re listening very carefully when I say what I have to say.’

  ‘What you have to say is neither here nor there. I haven’t come to hear one of your lectures on my conduct, and neither have I come to hear you set down terms for our future association. As far as me and my son are concerned, there isn’t going to be one.’

  ‘You can’t keep me from seeing my grandson. If this is how you intend on proceeding then I will issue a court order immediately for his custody.’

  ‘No, you won’t.’ Sophia’s voice was almost chillingly calm. Coolly she brushed away a piece of lint that clung to her jacket sleeve. ‘You won’t do that, Sir Christopher, because if you do my lawyer will slap a writ on you for substantial damages on my behalf. Not only that, but tomorrow morning you’ll find a very interesting and revealing article about you and your despicable son in your copy of The Times.’

  ‘You’re bluffing. You can’t afford a lawyer. My son left you with—’

  ‘Nothing?’ Sophia suggested helpfully. ‘You’re absolutely right, of course. And why did he leave his widow and his son with nothing? I’ll remind you. He left us destitute because he spent every penny that came his way on drink, drugs and any other seedy pursuit you care to mention. I even had to sell our home so that I could pay off the horrendous debts he’d accumulated. And of course that played right into your hands, didn’t it? You didn’t step in and offer to help pay his debts yourself, did you? Oh, no. Instead you arrogantly insisted that Charlie and I come and live with you, so that you could maintain control over us both. Do you know what, Sir Christopher? I’d rather drill nails in my knees and crawl along the ground in agony for the rest of my life than ever contemplate such a repellent thing! Your precious son was a vain, cruel man, who made my life hell from the moment he married me, and it’s hardly a surprise when he had the example of such a man as yourself as his father.’

  The barrister in front of her looked visibly shocked. His pale cheeks had turned quite florid and the veins in his temple throbbed warningly. Still standing, Sophia clenched her fists down by her sides so that her nails bit into her palms and refused to allow herself to be remotely intimidated.

  ‘And if I do decide to press charges,’ she continued, ‘I have to tell you that I’ve kept the vile letters you wrote me when you were still my father-in-law, warning me that if I ever told anyone what your dear son was putting me and Charlie through the consequences would be dire indeed. I would guess that they would be evidence enough for me to bring a very strong case, wouldn’t you? My lawyer thinks so. In fact, he can’t wait for me to give him the go-ahead so that he can start proceedings against you.’

  ‘Who is this damned lawyer you say you’ve hired? Give me his name.’

  ‘I don’t need to give you his name. At least not until I instruct him to bring a case. Suffice to say he’s got an impressive record in dealing with similar cases of marital abuse from the wives of men in the public eye.’

  ‘You damn little bitch!’

  The man behind the desk was shaking so hard with fury that spittle flew out of his mouth along with the insult. Sophia did flinch then—but only because she wa
s disgusted. ‘You can call me any names you like, Sir Christopher, but frankly I’m immune to them. I’m standing up for myself after five sickening years of unbelievable cruelty meted out by you and your son. If you want to maintain the esteemed reputation you’re so proud of, I suggest you think carefully about what you’re going to do. When I leave here it will be to visit the office of my lawyer. Whether I instruct him to prosecute you or not depends on your signature to the agreement I’ve had him draw up for me. The first thing I want you to agree is that you will never make any attempt, either now or in the future, to take Charlie away from me, or to interfere in his life or mine. If he chooses to see you when he’s grown up, then that will be up to him. Do you want to read the document, or do I simply tell my lawyer to go ahead and press charges?’

  In answer the barrister took the perfectly ironed handkerchief from his pocket and mopped the beads of sweat gathering on his face. He slumped down into his throne-like chair behind the desk with a defeated sigh the like of which Sophia had never heard him emit before in the entire time she’d known him.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  THE apple pie she’d made sat cooling on the sill by the open kitchen window. A tantalising breeze stirred outside, reminding her that it was late spring and soon the longer days would come. But tonight even the dark of the evening seemed kind.

  Sophia hugged herself. It had been many years since she’d felt content enough to contemplate nature without fear tainting her musings. Her daily life had been full of such unbearable hardships and challenges she hadn’t allowed herself much time for hopes and dreams. It had been too bitter to think that they would never come true.

  But today, after her late husband’s father had signed the agreement she’d given him, Sophia was free. Free at last from the chains of a destructive relationship that had imprisoned her mind, body and spirit for too long. At last she could make plans for her and her son’s future. Not only that, she could restore High Ridge Hall to the beauty it deserved—because Sir Christopher had made out a substantial cheque for damages to her and, as he’d gruffly added, ‘So that my grandson can be taken care of in the manner in which he deserves.’ It was probably the closest thing to an apology she would ever receive from that hard-hearted man.

  Yet she wasn’t quite as happy as she yearned to be.

  It had only been three days since she’d seen Jarrett, but each day had felt more like a year without sight of his handsome face, twinkling blue eyes and the sound of his resonant deep voice. Just how long did he intend them to be apart? Had these past three days helped him conclude that because of her damaged past she just wasn’t worth the stress and strain that a relationship with her might entail?

  Not wanting to dwell on too many negatives, Sophia restlessly got up from her place by the table where she’d been sitting sipping her tea to move across to the open window and take a breath of the soft night air. Once there, she paused to admire the tantalisingly aromatic apple pie she’d made, with its perfect golden crust and delicate decoration of leaf-shaped pastry. Her sole reason for making it was so that she could take it over to Jarrett and ask him to reconsider his suggestion about them taking a break. She was also eager to share the good news of her triumph today.

  But, glancing over at the kitchen clock, she saw that it was nearing nine in the evening. What if she’d left it too late for visiting or he wasn’t there? What if he was out for the evening or still at his office? Even waiting until tomorrow for the chance to see him again was too much to be endured …

  The harsh sound of the door-knocker suddenly filled the air, piercing her reflections. Scarcely pausing to think, she flew down the corridor, praying hard that by some miracle the caller was Jarrett.

  To her joy … it was. He was wearing a black cashmere coat over his stylish suit, and the spicy scent of his cologne mingled with the mild night air made Sophia’s tummy flip. He looked simply wonderful.

  Her first instinct was to immediately throw her arms around him so that she could feel the reassuring strength of his body against hers. She’d so yearned for the opportunity to do that again. But just then she saw what she thought was a flicker of doubt and maybe even reticence in his deep blue eyes, and she froze. In that interminably frightening moment Sophia wondered if he’d come to tell her that he was breaking their association off for good.

  ‘Hi.’ Her greeting was helplessly uncertain.

  ‘Hi, yourself.’ In the fading evening light Jarrett’s unreserved smile was like the sun coming out. ‘I know I suggested we should spend some time apart, but I’m afraid I’ve come to tell you that I just can’t keep to my part of the agreement after all.’

  ‘You can’t?’ She desperately wanted to smile back at him, but it was hard to control the quiver in her lips. ‘Why not?’

  ‘Why not?’ he echoed, ruefully shaking his head. ‘Perhaps you’d better invite me in first so I can tell you.’

  ‘Okay. Please come in, Mr Gaskill.’

  ‘It will be my pleasure, Ms Markham.’

  ‘Will you come into the kitchen with me first? I have a surprise waiting for you … two, in actual fact.’ Confident now that she had nothing to fear, Sophia caught Jarrett’s hand as she slammed the door shut behind them and guided him into the long dim hallway. The firmness of his grip as he curled his fingers round hers thrilled her right down to the marrow. ‘Shut your eyes and don’t peep,’ she playfully instructed him as they stood on the threshold of the kitchen rendered cosily warm from her baking.

  Jarrett obediently closed his eyes. ‘Has Charlie come back home?’

  ‘He’s coming home tomorrow afternoon. Did you think that was the surprise?’

  ‘I did,’ he admitted. ‘I’ve missed not seeing the little man.’

  ‘You have?’ Sophia could have kissed him for that.

  ‘Yes, I have. Now, just how long do you intend to keep me in suspense before you give me my surprise? There’s a seriously tantalising aroma in here, and it’s making my mouth water.’

  Retrieving the pie in its still warm dish from the windowsill, she set it carefully down on the table in front of him. ‘You can open your eyes now.’

  He gave a throaty chuckle when he saw the pie. ‘You made this for me?’

  Sophia’s cheeks flushed with pleasure. ‘I promised that I would—remember?’

  He didn’t reply straight away. Instead he slipped off his cashmere coat and laid it over the back of a ladder-backed chair. Then he turned round to her and circled her tiny waist with his big hands to impel her gently but firmly against him. ‘Want to hear why I couldn’t keep to my part of the deal?’ he challenged.

  With her heart thudding hard inside her chest, her glance locked joyfully with his, she answered softly, ‘Yes, I do’

  ‘I couldn’t stay away because I love you, Sophia. I love you with everything in me that’s good and noble and honourable, and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I adore you. I know that you probably need plenty of time and space to heal the pain of your past but I was hoping I could help you by being the one you turn to when things get rough. I don’t want you to have to cope with your troubles on your own. I’ll always do whatever I can to make your path a little easier, I promise.’

  It wasn’t easy to form a reply because her heart was full to overflowing with a great swell of love for him. In her wildest dreams Sophia had never imagined a man would ever say such wonderful things to her—and mean them. But she only had to see the truth and concern in Jarrett’s eyes to know that his declaration was utterly genuine.

  ‘I guarded my heart against you, you know,’ she admitted softly, laying her hand over the lapel of his fine wool jacket and sensing the heat from his body that permeated it. ‘But somehow … somehow you managed to storm all my defences and reach me. I think I’ll spend the rest of my life being glad that you did. These past three days without you have felt like a prison sentence. Just in case you haven’t already realised … I love you too.’

  She
heard the sharp intake of breath he emitted before he lowered his head and kissed her. His warm lips moved over hers with a kind of savage hunger that electrified her, and she responded with an equally voracious desire, her hands moving urgently over his hard male form as if she wanted to climb right inside him. It made her realise that the youthful fascination she’d once had for her husband was nothing but a short sharp breeze when compared to this urgent, quiet storm that tore through her whenever Jarrett was near.

  Tearing at the buttons on his shirt to free them, she moved her hand inside the material so that she could feel the throb of his heartbeat and the warmth of his skin, even as he made a similar move and palmed her breast through her sweater. She released a ragged moan when his fingers teased and then pinched her nipple, a spear of scalding erotic heat flashing right through her core.

  It became quickly evident that their urgent fumbling was not enough for either of them, but it was Jarrett who articulated his frustration first.

  ‘We need a bed.’ Breathing hard, he grinned as his gaze lit on her animated flushed face. ‘I adore you, my angel, and will always treat you with the utmost respect, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t lust after you like crazy. Any time that I don’t have you in my arms … in my bed … is wasted time as far as I’m concerned.’

  ‘Well …’ Sophia dimpled as she lovingly touched her hand to his cheek. ‘Will my bed do for now, do you think?’

  ‘That answer is music to my ears. But first I have a question to ask you.’

  ‘Oh?’ Already weak with anticipation of making love with him again, she tried hard to stem her impatience to head straight for the bedroom. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Will you marry me?’