Sophia
“Father, you will not turn Miss Torrence away, will you? She is scheduled to have tea with me this afternoon.”
When Mr. Weatherby attempted a reply, Sophia said quickly, “There will still be plenty of time for me to play a proper hostess to Charles when he comes for dinner.”
“Good. Well, I suppose it is all right then. We would not wish to turn away our scheduled guests,” he replied.
Sophia tried not to grin too much, and she outwardly accepted his answer calmly. “Thank you, Father. She should be here soon.”
She left his study and went to her own more private drawing room to wait. The maids were setting up the tea things there, so that they could avoid the ears of her father, who would surely have attempted to listen to them through the window if they sat in the garden.
Anne burst into the room, a little breathless. “Oh, forgive me, Miss Sophia,” she said, holding a letter out toward her. “I wanted to be sure to return by the time Miss Torrence arrived. I have just come back from Lord Addington.”
Sophia’s heart leapt with joy as she took the letter, reading:
Dear Sophia,
Do not think that I am so easily cowed to let the woman I love slip through my fingers a second time. Perseverance is now the order of the day, and I will bide my time.
In a couple of days, I shall make my case to your father again, but this time I will bring my own father to vouch for my character. As they have known each other for quite a while, I am certain your father would give him an audience. There are also the letters from my uncle stating my progress in the Americas. He will surely not deny us then. Fear not, my love. Do not lose hope.
Yours,
Jasper
Sophia sighed with delight, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at an expectant Anne. “Oh, Anne. He has a plan! I think that there could be hope after all!”
“He mentioned as much to me when I saw him. I wish you both very well. Let me know when there is another letter to send.” Anne removed her wrap. “As for the moment, I will go and make sure that everything is settled for your tea with Miss Torrence.”
“Thank you,” Sophia said with another delighted sigh. She leaned back on the chaise lounge, a new song in her heart. Despite her father’s rudeness to him, Jasper was not going to give up on her!
Languishing in her renewed hopes, Sophia did not know how much time had passed before the door was opened and Clara was announced.
Sophia stood up, hands cast forth, drawing her friend’s hands to hers. “Clara, you are most welcome. Your presence is much-needed.”
“Well, I see that I have found you in a pleasant mood.” Clara allowed the footman to pull out her chair to the tea table, and she sat down. A maid poured the tea for them both, and then the door was shut behind them on their way out.
“So you have, indeed. But it is soon to be spoiled this evening. That is why I am so happy you have come.”
“Oh? Tell me of this interesting day of many moods.” Clara lifted a tea cup demurely to her lips. Sophia noticed that her friend was looking rather bright and cheery as well, but at first she’d merely accounted for it by the loveliness of the day.
“Oh, there is so much to tell, I am not certain where to begin.” After a moment of thought, Sophia began her tale, explaining the situation with Charles and Jasper and how Charles had now been invited to dinner.
“What a prickly situation indeed, Sophia. I wonder why Charles would agree to come if he was so easy to accept your rejection.”
“I do not know, but I am filled with dread at what my father might do this evening or what he might attempt to persuade Charles of. Now, forget all that and tell me what has you so blooming this fine afternoon.”
Sophia leaned forward, wondering if the news was as she expected. She was not disappointed. “I am happy that my visit coincided with my good news,” Clara said, her face beaming. “I have accepted Viscount Dorwich’s proposal.”
Sophia gasped and clapped her hands. “Why, my dear friend, that is excellent news! Congratulations!”
Clara smiled widely. “Thank you. I am ever so happy.”
“So you have made your peace with it after all?”
“Certainly. I attempted to imagine my life without him, and it did not do me any good at all. I was to be miserable, and so I wrote to him saying that I was ready to give my answer, and when he came to my home, I accepted him. You should have seen him, Sophia. He was so happy.”
“Now that, I can understand even more. Did he happen to express his happiness in any sort of way?” Sophia asked wickedly, and once Clara nodded, the two of them set to giggling and enjoying one another’s company for the rest of the afternoon.
Sophia was loath to see the back of her friend, but she felt sufficiently amused and strengthened to endure the evening ahead. After Anne’s help with her toilette, Sophia reluctantly descended the stairs, hearing her father’s and Charles’ low voices in the main drawing room. When she entered, her father stood up.
“Sophia! We were wondering when you might grace us with your presence this evening.”
“Miss Sophia,” Charles said solemnly, and they bowed politely to each other.
When she lifted her head, she could see just how acutely uncomfortable the man was. That at least gave her some comfort. They were both there under duress. Could her father not see that?
Charles waited until she was seated, and then he sat down as well, while a servant brought her a tall flute of sherry. It took everything in her not to drink it all in one swallow. She took one tiny sip and listened with half an ear as her father began to speak to Charles on vague matters of business.
She couldn’t help but look over at her old suitor once in a while. How different he was from the earlier Charles! His eyes were downcast, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was even looking quite pale. She had the strangest urge to find a way to rescue him and send him out the door before her father got his claws into him.
A servant announced dinner, and while her father led the way, she and Charles walked next to one another. “You and your family have been well, I trust?”
“Very well. And you, Miss Sophia?”
She smiled tightly. “There have been better days, Charles, but I am assured that those will return soon enough.”
Charles nodded but said nothing more, and they all were seated across from one another in the large dining room, which had been overly decorated. Sophia looked around at what her father had directed the servants to do and wanted to roll her eyes.
What was he trying to prove? Impress the man so much so that he could no longer avoid courting his daughter again? Sophia was embarrassed.
As they ate, her father again attempted to engage Charles in conversation about business. Perhaps it was just as her father had told her. He didn’t wish to mention the broken courtship but only show her what kind of man Charles was.
She found her mind wandering to Jasper and yearning to be with him again in the moonlight, his arms around her, the softness of his lips on her own.
“Sophia,” her father said calmly, and Sophia jumped to attention, her eyes wide. Would she ever stop being so jumpy?
“Yes, Father.”
“I do hope that you are paying attention. Charles was explaining to me his latest business ventures. Are you not interested?” Jonathan’s tone had an edge to it that annoyed her.
“Of course,” Sophia paled, feeling the weight of embarrassment. “But I did not know that my opinion on the matter was sought. I have heard Charles speak of his ventures in the past.”
Her father looked anything but pleased, but he said nothing else and returned to his conversation with Charles.
By the third course, Sophia was wondering if it was better that she was not so much spoken to, so that her mind was free to think about Jasper and if her father would accept his father’s vouching for her beloved’s character. The idea certainly held merit.
“Miss Sophia, I hope that your ankle is healing well,” Charles said eventually.
“Ah, yes, it has been doing quite well, thank you. I am not yet too confident to do a heavy morning of strolling just yet, but riding is suiting me well enough.”
“That is good news.”
Charles once again looked uncomfortably between Sophia and her father, and then dabbed at his mouth with his napkin. The final course of the meal was finished, and he stood.
“Forgive me, Mr. Weatherby, but it is getting late, and I do have an early engagement in the morning.”
Her father frowned, and Sophia was practically tickled with glee at his angry face, confused as to why he had not been successful.
“What do you mean, Charles? I thought you were to spend the whole of the evening with us. We were to drink port together after the meal.”
Charles seemed to grow paler, but she was proud of his persistence. “Again, I must be forgiven, for I had forgotten this engagement until now. It cannot be helped. I thank you for your hospitality.”
He bowed his head to Jonathan and then to Sophia. Sophia wasn’t sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her or not, but she thought that she saw a slight smile on Charles’ face as he bid them good night and left the room.
Jonathan stared after him, his thick eyebrows knit together. “Well, I am surprised at him now. To leave before the entire evening is over? Why, that is unlike a man who used to profess being so deeply in love.”
Sophia nodded at first, but at his last statement, she said sharply, “Father, Charles never professed to love me. I can tell you that.”
“Nonsense. He would have, and soon enough if you had not interfered!” He shook his finger at her, and it took all of her power not to roll her eyes.
“Well, I am finished as well, Father, so I think I will retire. Good night,” she said standing up.
He grunted, and then replied, “Good night.”
Sophia practically skipped away, seeing Anne once again in her room. “Anne,” she laughed, “I was afraid the entire evening that I might burst into laughter there in front of Father and Charles!”
“Why? What happened?” Anne asked warily.
“Charles has now gone, and Father is bristling with fury, for he had expected things to go differently tonight, I am sure. Besides, Charles did my father the dishonor of leaving before the entire evening was finished! He claimed that he had an early engagement in the morning, which is very possible, but it did not make my father any happier. I feel so gleeful I could burst! Let us hope he gives up this nonsense now.”
Anne chuckled and began to pull pins out of her mistress’ hair. “So what do you think he will do next?”
“I do not know, but I hope that he will not decide to bring another potential suitor to the house, for I think that Charles Derby is now done for. He looked far from pleased at having to be here, and it was truly a most uncomfortable affair.”
Sophia was glad that she could remove her pins and baubles from her neck and ears. She had not wished to dress to impress Mr. Derby, and was really only looking forward to events at which Jasper would be present.
“I will write another letter for you to take to Jasper, Anne. I will write to him all about the events of the evening. Will you take it as soon as you can tomorrow morning?”
“I will take it tonight. It is not so very late, and perhaps he will wish to write something to you this evening as well.”
Sophia sighed, clutching Anne’s hand and leaning her face against the soft skin. “You are so good to me, Anne. I would be very grateful indeed.”
Anne left to prepare a cup of hot chocolate, and Sophia hurried to write the letter. When Anne returned, she merely took the letter and bid Sophia good night.
Sophia slid into bed, but her mind would not calm. The candle burned next to her. She was too entertained and excited to sleep, and she wondered what Jasper was doing right then, or if he could sleep either.
An hour later, Anne burst into the room, smiling. Her dark cloak still hung about her as she rushed to Sophia’s bedside.
“Anne, what is it?” Sophia sat up, alarmed.
“It is Lord Addington! He is here again in the garden! Once he read the letter, he told me that he could not stay away. He wanted to come himself. Will you go see him?”
Sophia paused. The only time he had shown up unannounced before was on her birthday, but this romantic gesture never failed to send her heart fluttering, She hastily jumped out of bed, calling to Anne to help her with her appearance. “I cannot believe it, Anne! Perhaps he has a solution to our dilemma?” Hopeful, she left the room, descending the steps to rush out into the darkness.