NDBRs: A couple of small changes. Thanks to Lizzy for her suggestions.
Paladin91
"Oh," Sophia gasped. "Oh, this is bad. This is very, very, terribly…bad."
She dug her fingers into Erik's upper arm and pulled him behind a tree.
"Wait here," he whispered. "I'll speak with him first."
"No!" Her grasp tightened and she stared up at him with her eyes wide and fearful. "I'll wait until he's in bed and then return to my room. He won't notice I was gone."
Erik furrowed his brow. "What if he decides to say goodnight and you're not in your room?"
Sophia bit her lip. "He won't…will he? Do you think he will?"
"He's your brother," he sighed.
"Former brother once he discovers this."
"But we haven't done anything," he protested. If he was to be crucified for taking a stroll with Sophia there had better damned well been a good reason, he thought to himself.
"Yes, but he won't ask questions. He'll murder me well before he asks questions."
Together they watched Philippe stroll out of the stable and trudge home. He appeared bent and tired to Erik, who couldn't understand why Philippe had returned home late in the night.
"Why do you think he's come home now?" he whispered.
Sophia shook her head. "Maybe he's worried."
Philippe was almost to the front of the house when Fidelio howled and galloped down the hillside. Seemingly unaware of his size, he reared up and hit Philippe square in the chest with his front paws.
A barrage of curses left Philippe's lips as he pushed the dog down. "You muddy, filthy, uncivilized beast! What in the hell are you doing out here?"
Sophia ducked behind Erik. "Oh, I think I might pass out."
He awkwardly reached around and patted her back but stayed his ground. After everything that had occurred, Philippe had no right to criticize him. As far as Erik was concerned, he'd proven himself already.
Erik heard a door open and close, followed by the sound of someone whistling. A moment later Citrine scuffed along the path and rubbed her eyes.
"You're quiet as a mouse, Philippe."
"Get this damned dog away from me!" he snapped.
Erik grabbed Sophia by the arm and pulled her to his side. "There. Go ahead of me."
"What? No!" she whispered loudly.
"Tell your brother the dog escaped," he whispered back.
"You tell him. He won't believe me."
With an exasperated sigh, Erik walked down the hillside first with Sophia following. Philippe, completely embroiled in his one-way argument, never glanced in his direction. He appeared fit to be tied as he continued to push the excited dog away and yell at Citrine, who stood with her arms crossed and a look of utter boredom on her face.
"It's the middle of the night and this damned dog is out attacking people. Why is he out? Who is responsible for this…this…indecent beast?"
"Tell his owner, not me," Citrine said when Philippe paused to take a breath.
"His owner is probably sound asleep in bed, oblivious to—" He waved his arms in the air and nearly clipped Erik on the chin.
Citrine cleared her throat and nodded in Erik's direction. "He looks awake to me," she said before she walked away. "Breakfast in two hours," she shouted over her shoulder.
Philippe started to protest, but Fidelio jumped up and licked him on the lips. Spitting onto the ground, he'd worked himself into an incoherent frenzy by the time he turned toward Erik.
"You must learn to control this dog," he said through his teeth.
Erik felt Sophia pressed against his back. He wanted to reach around and pull her into his grasp, but she was holding onto the back of his overcoat in an attempt to hide from her brother.
"He roams about like…like…like some wild beast!" Philippe continued. "If you don't watch him, I'll make certain there's no dog to watch."
"Oh, Philippe!" Sophia scolded.
Erik startled at the sound of her voice. He felt her push out from under his arm as she confronted her brother.
"He merely wants to greet you. Besides, he's not your dog."
She nudged Erik in the ribs as though she expected him to protest, but he was occupied with studying the way she stood.
"Hmm?" he grunted once she turned to face him.
"Did you hear what he said?" She scoffed at him when he didn't readily answer and then took the dog by the collar. "Poor Fidelio," she cooed. "These mean, terrible men ignoring my sweet little boy."
Philippe glanced from Erik to Sophia. "Why are you awake?"
She shook her head and took to cowering behind Erik again.
"Keep that dog away from me!" Philippe stormed home, still shooing Fidelio away until Erik called the dog back.
For a moment longer, Erik and Sophia stood in the middle of the yard while the dog sniffed at the door as though he expected for Philippe to return.
With a sigh she turned to him and frowned. "I should go inside."
He nodded, unsure of what had happened. The tenderness he'd felt with her in the orchard had soured, and as much as he wanted to recreate it, he knew she was wary of her brother.
"Goodnight?" she offered.
"Goodnight," he replied.
She pressed her hand to his chest and gave him a soft peck on the cheek before she jogged home, waved, and disappeared through the front door.
He shifted his weight, frustration coursing through his veins. It felt as though she'd left him partially filled, and as much as he wanted to convince himself that it should have been better than emptiness, he craved more.
With Christine there had been longing, but with Sophia there was a deep sense of arousal. Every second he was near her wasn't long enough, each touch satisfying yet only the beginning of a bigger, better moment he blindly sought.
Now alone, he felt as though he stood on the brink of hell. While Fidelio impatiently waited for his master, Erik took a deep breath and licked his lips. He still tasted her, still remembered the feel of her body against his. Memory would never be enough. He wanted more.
-o-
"Where is Sabine?" Sophia questioned as she stood in the doorway and watched her brother violently fluff his pillow.
"She won't leave."
"Oh," she said, discovering she had nothing of merit to add.
"Indeed. There is nothing for her in that damned house but she won't leave."
"Did you ask—?"
"Of course I asked! I insisted and she ignored me."
"Did you ask nicely or did you yell at her?"
"What do you think?"
"Judging from your current mood—"
"Why aren't you in bed? It's the middle of the night, for God's sake."
"You're awake," she said with an innocent shrug.
Philippe combed his fingers through his hair and exhaled. "I want to help her and her sister."
"That's very admirable."
"But she won't listen to reason. Why won't she listen to reason?"
Sophia thought a moment, knowing that Philippe wouldn't listen to reason, either. He'd stomp around for a while, huff and puff, and eventually flop down and sulk. It would still be a while before he descended into sulking, and she wasn't sure if she could stay awake to offer her sympathy.
"I honestly don't know," she said at last. "Perhaps you've done enough and need to allow her to make her own decision."
"Quit patronizing me!"
"Well, you asked me a question and I thought I'd answer."
He flopped down on his bed—a sure sign he was losing the battle and starting to wear out. She wrung her hands, uncertain if she should speak or not.
"Neither one of them should be there! It could be months before Monsieur and Madame Turro return from their holiday."
"They intend to stay until the Turros have returned?"
Philippe made no reply. He frowned and punched his pillow again, then tore off his cravat and tossed it on the floor. The last time Sophia had seen him in such a sour mood was when he'd been rejected by a little red-haired vixen named Natalia.
"Why did you decide to return home in the middle of the night?"
His reply was a grunt.
"Ah, I understand perfectly now," she replied.
"Do you find pleasure in my irritation?"
"Of course not. But honestly, I think you're acting juvenile. She's a grown woman and can decide for herself what's best."
"No, she cannot. She's making a terrible decision."
"You merely want to decide on her behalf."
"And what if I do?" he challenged. "I clearly know better than Sabine and I'm in a much sounder state of mind."
Sophia rolled her eyes. "Clearly."
"Why are you being sardonic?"
"Never mind. Goodnight, Philippe."
He sat up, apparently alarmed that he was losing his audience. "Where are you going?"
"To bed. You already made the decision for me. You wouldn't want a woman to disobey your orders when you're clearly of sounder mind, would you?"
"This isn't amusing, Sophia."
"Oh, Philippe. You're worked up over this and I don't understand why."
"I'll be glad when Aunt Anne is here. Then I'll have someone else to look over you," he grumbled.
"She's already here."
"She is?"
"Yes, and she arrived in a mood similar to yours." With that she closed his bedroom door and returned to her room where she stared at the ceiling until morning.