"At least the man is not dull. I understand Lord Byron is quite the rage in London," Sophy said tentatively, wondering if she had accidentally stumbled across a point of mutual intellectual interest.

"If by that you mean the women are busy throwing themselves at him, you're right. A man could get trampled under a lot of pretty little feet if he was idiotic enough to attend a crush where Byron was also present." Julian did not sound envious in the least. It was obvious he found the Byron phenomenon amusing, nothing more. "What else have we here? Some learned text on mathematics, perhaps?"

Sophy nearly choked as she recognized the book in his hand. "Not exactly, my lord."

Julian's indulgent expression was wiped off his face in an instant as he read the title aloud. "Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Women?"

"I fear so, my lord."

His eyes were glittering as he looked up from the book in his hands. "This is the sort of thing you have been studying? This ridiculous nonsense espoused by a woman who was no better than a demirep?"

"Miss Wollstonecraft was not a…a demirep," Sophy flared indignantly. "She was a free thinker, an intellectual woman of great ability."

"She was a harlot. She lived openly with more than one man without benefit of marriage."

"She felt marriage was nothing but a cage for women. Once a woman marries she is at the mercy of her husband. She has no rights of her own. Miss Wollstonecraft had deep insight into the female situation and she felt something should be done about it. I happen to agree with her. You say you are curious about me, my lord. Well, you might learn something about my interests if you read that book."

"I have no intention of reading such a piece of idiocy." Julian tossed the volume carelessly aside. "And what is more, my dear, I am not going to have you poisoning your own brain with the writing of a woman who, by rights, should have been locked away in Bedlam or set up in Trevor Square as a professional courtesan."

Sophy was barely able to restrain herself from throwing her full cup of tea at him. "We had an agreement on the matter of my reading habits, my lord. Are you going to violate that, also?"

Julian gulped down the last of his tea and set the cup and saucer aside. He came toward her deliberately, his expression cold and furious. "Hurl one more accusation about my lack of honor at me, madam, and I will not answer for the consequences. I have had enough of this farce you call a honeymoon. Nothing useful is being achieved. The time has come to put matters on a normal footing. I have indulged you long enough, Sophy. From now on, you will be a proper wife in the bedchamber as well as outside it. You will accept my judgment in all areas and that includes the matter of your reading habits."

Sophy's cup and saucer clattered alarmingly as she sprang to her feet. The lock of hair she had pushed behind her ear fell free again. She took a step backward and the heel of her slipper caught on the hem of her dressing gown. There was a rending sound as the delicate fabric tore.

"Now look what you've done," she wailed as she glanced down at the drooping hem.

"I have done nothing yet." Julian stopped in front of her and surveyed her nervous, mutinous expression. His eyes softened. "Calm yourself. I have not even touched you and you already look as if you have been struggling valiantly for your sadly misplaced female honor." He raised a hand and gently caught the dangling lock of hair between his fingers. "How ever do you manage it, Sophy?" he asked softly.

"Manage what, my lord?"

"No other woman of my acquaintance goes about in such sweet disarray. There is always some bit of ribbon or lace dangling from your gowns and your hair never stays where it is meant to stay."

"You knew I did not have the trick of fashion when you made your offer, my lord," she said tightly.

"I know. I did not mean to imply any criticism. I simply wondered how you achieved the effect. You carry it off so artlessly." He released the lock of hair and slid his blunt fingers around her head, tugging more pins free as he went.

Sophy stiffened as he eased his other arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She wondered frantically how long it would take for the tea to have its inevitable effect. Julian did not seem to be at all sleepy.

"Please, Julian—"

"I am trying to do precisely that, my love," he murmured against her mouth. "I want nothing more than to please you tonight. I suggest you relax and let me show you that being a wife is not really so terrible."

"I must insist on our agreement…" She tried to argue but she was so nervous now she could not even stand. She clutched Julian's shoulders to steady herself and wondered wildly what she would do if she had inadvertently used the wrong herbs in the tea.

"After tonight you will not mention that stupid agreement again." Julian's mouth came down heavily, his lips moving on hers in a slow, drugging fashion. His hands found the ties of her dressing gown.

Sophy jumped when the gown was slowly eased off her shoulders. She stared up into Julian's heated gaze and tried to detect some sign of cloudiness in his glittering eyes.

"Julian, could you grant me just a few more minutes? I have not finished my tea. Perhaps you would like another cup?"

"Don't sound so terribly hopeful, my sweet. You are only trying to put off the inevitable and I assure you the inevitable is going to be quite pleasant for both of us." He deliberately ran his hands down her sides to her waist and then to her hips, drawing the fabric of the fine lawn nightgown close to her figure. "Very pleasant," he whispered, his voice growing husky as he gently squeezed her buttocks.

Sophy began to burn beneath his intent gaze. The desire in him was mesmerizing. She had never had any man look at her the way Julian was looking at her now. She could feel the heat and strength in him. It made her as light-headed as if she had also drunk a cup of the herbed tea.

"Kiss me, Sophy. Julian tilted her chin with his fingers.

Obediently she lifted her head and stood on tiptoe to brush her mouth across his. How much longer? she wondered frantically.

"Again, Sophy."

Her fingers dug into the fabric of his dressing gown as she touched his mouth with her own once more. He was warm and hard and curiously compelling. She could have clung to him all night like this but she knew he would insist on much more than simple kisses.

"That's better, my sweet." His voice was growing thicker but whether it was from the effects of the sleeping tonic or his own desire was not clear. "As soon as you and I have reached a complete understanding, we are going to deal together very well, Sophy."

"Is this the way you deal with your mistress?" she asked daringly.

His expression hardened. "I have warned you more than once not to talk of such matters."

"You are always giving me warnings, Julian. I grow tired of them."

"Do you? Then perhaps it's time you learned I am capable of action as well as words."

He picked her up and carried her over to the turned-back bed. He released her and she dropped lightly down onto the sheets. When she scrambled to adjust herself the fine lawn gown somehow succeeded in working its way up to her thighs. She looked up and saw Julian's eyes on her breasts. She knew he could see the outline of her nipples through the soft material.

Julian shrugged out of his dressing gown, his gaze sliding along her body to her bare legs. "Such beautiful legs. I am sure the rest of you is going to prove just as lovely."

But Sophy was not listening. She was staring at his nude figure in amazement. She had never before seen a man naked, let alone fully aroused and the sight was staggering. She had thought herself mature and well informed, not an unsophisticated girl who could be easily shocked. She was, as she had so often informed Julian, a country-bred girl.

But Julian's male member seemed tremendous to Sophy's reeling senses. It thrust aggressively out of a nest of curling black hair. The skin of his flat stomach and broad, hair-covered chest was drawn tight over sleek muscles Sophy knew were quite capable of overpowering her.

In the glow of the candlelight Julian looked infinitely male and infinitely dangerous but there was a strange, compelling quality about his power that alarmed her more than anything else could have done.

"Julian, no," Sophy said quickly. "Please do not do this. You gave me your word."

The passion in his eyes flared briefly into anger but his words began to slur. "Damn you, Sophy, I have been as patient as a man can be. Do not bring up the matter of our so-called agreement again. I am not going to violate it."

He came down onto the bed, reaching for her, his big, strong hands closing around her arm. She could see his eyes were finally beginning to glaze and Sophy felt a shock of what must have been relief when she realized he was about to sink into sleep.

"Sophy?" Her name was a drowsy question. "So soft. So sweet. You belong to me, you know." Long dark lashes slowly lowered, concealing the puzzled expression in Julian's eyes. "I will take care of you. Won't let you turn out like that bitch, Elizabeth. I'd strangle you first."

He bent his head to kiss her. Sophy stiffened but he never touched her lips. Julian groaned once and collapsed back against the pillow. His strong fingers grasped her arm a few seconds longer and then his hand fell away.

Sophy's pulse was racing with unnatural swiftness as she lay on the bed beside Julian. She did not dare to move for several minutes. Gradually her heartbeat steadied and she assured herself Julian was not going to awaken. The wine he had drunk earlier together with the herbs she had given him would ensure he slept until morning.