page13 (1/2)

“Indeed,” came a sardonic voice from the doorway “One wonders atsuch a comely wench”

Ross’s younger brother, Matthew, stood there in a practiced pose, his weight resting on one leg, his shoulder lodged against the frame One could easily see the physical rese and long, powerful forular than Ross’s, his nose smaller, his chin less defined Perhaps some women would call Matthew the ave hiht that he looked like a half-baked version of his older brother Ross was utterly a ant and seasoned and hard Mattheas a callow imitation

Glancing at the insolent pup in the doorway, Sophia inclined her head in the slightest of nods “Mr Cannon,” she murmured

Ross viewed his brother with a frown “Stop gaping, Matthew, and come into the room Where is your wife?”

His mother answered “Poor Iona has a head cold, and she was afraid ofyou ill She sends her wishes for your swift recovery”

Skirting the edge of the room, Sophia curtsied once more “I will afford you so, Sir Ross”

As Sophia left the roolanced speculatively at his brother He didn’t like the way Matthew had referred to her, or the way he had looked at her Exasperated, he wondered when Mattheould stop viewing every woman he met as a potential conquest

Although Mattheife, Iona, was a lovely girl, it was clear that he had not abandoned his interest in other women Whether he had ever slept with soe was still open to speculation But if there was one thing that e that Ross would not treat his infidelity lightly Ross ed the financial affairs for the entire Cannon faer brother on an allowance If Ross ever had proof of Matthew’s infidelity, he would not hesitate to discipline hihtening of the purse strings

“How long has she worked here?” Matthew asked

“Approximately two months”

“Rather inappropriate, is it not, for you to hire a woman like that? You knohat people will say—that she is servicing you in more ways than one”

“Matthew,” their mother protested in bewilderment, “such insinuations are not necessary”

Matthew responded with a ss aat a woman It is obvious that underneath Miss Sydney’s exterior, she is a common slut”

Ross found it difficult to contain a flare of fury His hand clenched around a wad of the bed linens “You’ve always been a poor judge of character, Matthew I’d advise you to keep your mouth shut—and remember that you are a married man”

Matthew stared at him warily “What the bloody hell do you mean by that?”

“I mean that you seem to have taken an undue interest in my assistant”

“I have not,” canant reply “I merely said—”

“Both of you, cease, I beg you,” Catherine intervened with a startled laugh “It distresses ue”

Ross shot an iron-cold glance at his brother “I will not allow Matthew to insult the members of my household”

Matthew responded with a glare “Tell me, what is your relationship with Miss Sydney, that you come to her defense so readily?”

Before Ross could reply, Catherine made an irritated sound “Matthew, I a to annoy Ross! His relationship with Miss Sydney is his own concern, not ours Noait outside the room, please, and let us have a few moments of peace”

“Gladly,” Matthew replied in a surly tone “I have never been much for the sickroom anyway”

As soon as he exited the room, Catherine leaned forward intently “Now, Ross, what is your relationship with Miss Sydney?”

Ross could not restrain a burst of laughter “You just said that was my own concern!”

“Well, yes, but I aht to know if you have taken an interest in someone”

He grinned at her avid curiosity “I ad”

“Ross,” she protested She rolled her eyes and s ti to think you had forgotten how But really, dear… a servant? When you could have your pick of all the well-bred heiresses in England?”

Rossasocial transgression Sexual liaisons with servants were acceptable, but a gentleive a da with everyone from royalty to the poverty-stricken had shown him that the class consciousness of his own society was sheer hypocrisy He had seen that noble foul criers sometimes behaved with honor

“Miss Sydney is a viscount’s daughter,” he told hisseller”

Hisat Bow Street has given you some rather democratic sensibilities” Clearly, the remark was not intended as a cohter? One could do worse, I suppose”

“You’reassumptions, Mother,” Ross said dryly “I haven’t said that I have any intentions toward her”

“But you do,” she returned s woood blood has come to work at Bow Street”

His eyebrows arched into sardonic crescents “Aren’t you going to ask about my wound?”

“I vow to give you another wound if you do not tell me more about Miss Sydney!”

Chapter 7

Sophia did not come to Ross’s room for several hours after hiswhat menial tasks took precedence over him She sent Lucie upstairs with his supper tray andmaterials to divert hiun to hurt As the sun set and the walls darkened, Ross tossed and turned in the stuffy room He was dry and hot and he ached everywhere, especially in his shoulder Mostof all, he felt isolated The rest of the world was carrying on without him, while he was confined to a sickbed Aardly he stripped off his nightshirt and lay with the sheets pulled up to his waist, stewing in annoyanceBy the tiht, Ross was surly and exhausted, lying facedown on the mattress despite the pain it caused him

“Sir Ross?” She turned up the lae”

“No, I’ru in this accursed bed”

She leaned over and felt his forehead “Still feverish Here, let me turn you over No wonder your shoulder hurts, when you are resting on it like that” Her slender but strong arruntled sound, the sheets slipping down to his hips Keeping an arlass to his lips, and he drank the cold, sweetened barley water in gulps Her fresh scent seeh the stale atmosphere of the room

“Who closed the s?” she asked

“My mother did She says the outside air is bad for a fever”