Seduction by Amanda Quick Page A

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.
    Sophy eased herself slowly off the bed, her gaze never leaving Julian's
    magnificently sprawled form. He looked very fierce and wild lying there on the
    white sheets.
    What had she done?
    Standing beside the bed, Sophy gathered her senses and tried to think
    rationally.
    She was not certain how much Julian would remember when he awakened in the
    morning. If he ever realized he had been drugged his rage would be awesome and
    it would all be directed at her. She must contrive to make him think he had
    achieved his goal.
    Sophy hurried over to the medicine chest. Bess had once explained that there was
    sometimes some bleeding after a woman made love the first time, especially if
    the man was careless and less than gentle. Julian might or might not be
    expecting to find blood on the sheets in the morning. But it would tend to
    confirm his belief that he had done his husbandly duty if he found some.
    Sophy mixed a reddish concoction using some red-leafed herbs and more of the
    tea. When she was done she eyed the mixture dubiously. It certainly looked the
    right color but it was very thin. Perhaps that would not matter once it had
    soaked into the sheet.
    She went over to the bed again and dabbed a bit of the fake blood onto the
    bedding where she had lain a few minutes earlier. It was quickly absorbed,
    leaving a small, damp, reddish ring. Sophy wondered just how much blood a man
    would expect to find after he had made love to a virgin.
    She frowned intently and finally decided the amount of red-brown liquid she had
    used was not enough to attract much notice so she added some more. Her hand
    shook nervously as she leaned over the bed and a large amount of the imitation
    blood slopped over the edge of the cup.
    Startled, Sophy stepped back and more of the liquid cascaded onto the sheets.
    There was now a very sizable patch of wet, stained bedding. Sophy wondered if
    she had overdone it.
    Hastily she poured the remainder of the reddish concoction into the teapot. Then
    she blew out the candles and slid gingerly into bed beside Julian, careful not
    to brush against his heavy, muscled leg.
    There was no help for it. She would have to sleep on at least a portion of the
    wide, damp spot.
    FOUR
    Julian heard the bedchamber door open. Hushed feminine voices exchanged words.
    The door closed again and then he heard the cheerful clatter of a breakfast tray
    being set down on a table nearby.
    He stirred slowly, feeling unusually lethargic. His mouth tasted like the inside
    of a horse stall. He frowned, trying to remember just how much port he had
    swallowed during the course of the previous evening.
    It was an effort to open his eyes. When he finally did so he was totally
    disoriented. The walls of his room had apparently changed color overnight. He
    stared at the unfamiliar Chinese wallpaper for a long moment as memory slowly
    filtered back.
    He was in Sophy's bed.
    Julian eased himself up slowly onto the pillows, waiting for the rest of what
    should have been a very satisfying memory to emerge. Nothing came to mind except
    a faint, annoying headache. He scowled again and rubbed his temples.
    It was not possible he could have forgotten the act of making love to his new
    bride. The