As a result, Sophia had to develop thicker skin. But right now, she felt awful. She was reminded of what those ladies had said to her at the ball, and she wondered if there was going to be a repeat of that at her own wedding.
Wiping away a stray tear, she sucked in a deep breath and mustered up all the courage she had left to go back into the room and finish the fitting.
The sooner she got done with this, the better it would be.
CHAPTER 8
Sophia arrived at the Duke’s Estate early in the morning accompanied by Clara. She had been summoned by her soon-to-be mother-in-law for an etiquette lesson.
“Do they believe I am not well-mannered enough as is?” Sophia voiced her frustration, but in reality, it was just nervousness. She worried about being put to the test and failing.
“My Lady, this is just usual protocol,” Clara smiled warmly. “After all, you are not marrying into any regular household. You are marrying into the highest of the nobility.”
Sophia bit down on her lip and examined her nails. They were chipped on the sides. A sudden self-consciousness overcame her.
Surely, these were not the nails of the next duchess.
Sophia’s late father had been the Earl of Livingstone. She had inherited the title of lady. However, it was Aunt Rose who had raised her.
Aunt Rose could be considered an eccentric woman. She did not pay heed to propriety and therefore did not invest too much time in Sophia’s etiquette lessons. It was not that Sophia was ill-mannered by any measure, just that she did not get trained as thoroughly as others in her position.
She had not given much thought to the fact until now…
“I am not sure if you have done anything to ease my nerves,” Sophia frowned, looking up at Clara.
“Oh, but you have nothing to worry about,” Clara said with a sudden burst of reassurance in her tone. “You are already quite the perfect lady. I am sure this is only a formality. You will realize this very soon.”
Sophia shrugged her shoulders. The carriage had now rolled to a stop, and it was time for them to finally step out.
“I am not sure if I am the perfect lady,” Sophia whispered to Clara, thinking of the scar on her face and her ruinous reputation.
Before Clara had a chance to respond, the driver opened up the door for them. The two of them exchanged one last glance before stepping out of the carriage.
Sophia braced herself for what was to come. She knew that etiquette lessons were nothing to worry about as she did not think that she would be made to feel lesser by the Duke’s family. It was more so the nervousness of trying to appear perfect that plagued her.
Sophia shunned the idea of perfection. She just wanted to be herself.
Unfortunately, that was not enough when you had a Dowager for a mother-in-law to impress.
As the two ladies began to be led into the Estate by the butler, who was waiting for their arrival, Sophia took in the large expanse within which it sat upon.
Rows upon rows of trees stretched out as far as her vision allowed. In front of the entrance, there was a large fountain. Servants lined the entrance, all eager to catch a glimpse of Sophia.
She knew this fact before, but it was at that moment that she realized with great clarity that she and the Duke belonged to two different backgrounds. He came from generations of wealth while she was not used to this level of grandeur.
A few moments later, Sophia found herself standing in the elegant drawing room of the Duke’s estate. The room was adorned with luxurious furnishings, made only of the highest quality wood. It was still early in the day, and soft light poured in through the lace curtains.
In front of her, the Dowager sat delicately upon an upholstered chair. Her posture was perfect, and she looked to be a vision of elegance. Beside her, a woman stood tall. Both ladies had their eyes trained on Sophia, who tried to shake off her nerves and gave them a polite curtsy.
“Your Grace.”
“Nice to see you again,” the Dowager replied. “I hope the carriage ride was pleasant?”
“Of course. It all went smoothly.” Sophia never let the polite smile on her face slip. “Clara and I were able to arrive safely.”
The Dowager’s attention had already seemed to have moved elsewhere. She stood up and gestured for the woman beside her to follow. The two women began circling Sophia, their scrutinizing gaze burning a hole through her.
The other unnamed woman adjusted her spectacles as she took a good look at Sophia.
