“Of course, the wedding was tiring for us all,” Duncan noted. “Jacob and I usually like to unwind together after big events over a glass of wine and some cards.”
“Sure, and I do not want to interrupt your moment any longer,” Sophia said.
Duncan could not help but notice how perfectly polite she was at all times. She really was a true lady, and it made him respect her more, for she did not have the same entitled attitude that a lot of the ladies of the ton possessed.
“You are a part of this family now, and your presence does not count as an interruption in the slightest,” Duncan reassured her.
Sophia nodded and gave him one last smile before she departed. As soon as she was out of earshot, Jacob turned to face him.
“I know what you are about to insinuate.” Duncan rolled his eyes. “Do not even start. I am merely being polite to her.”
“Really? I have never seen you be so polite as to lovingly wipe away a stain from jam from someone’s cheek,” Jacob teased.
“Well, to be fair, you have only seen me be polite with strangers. Sophia is neither a stranger, nor is she a man, so the rules of politeness with her differ,” Duncan argued.
“That is an awful lot of words to convey that she is your wife, and you should be doing that stuff for her anyway.” Jacob raised an eyebrow.
“Fair enough. That is true as well, but again, do not get my gestures confused for any notion of a brewing romance. I am merely…”
“Fulfilling your duty,” Jacob completed his sentence for him. “Yes, you have only mentioned that at least sixty times now. Makes me wonder if you are hiding your true feelings behind it.”
“Enough.” Duncan took a sip of his wine. “I challenge you to another game.”
Laughter filled the room. “Fair enough, fair enough. Let’s have it then.”
CHAPTER 14
Sophia tossed and turned in bed, a sense of restlessness overtaking her body. The bed itself was soft with sheets made of the purest silk and more pillows than she could ever need.
And yet, Sophia White could not get herself to fall asleep as hard as she tried.
Feeling annoyed at herself, she sat up straight in the bed, rubbing the sides of her arms with an irked expression upon her features.
“What is the matter…” she cursed under her breath. “Why can I not sleep?”
Her first night at the Duke’s estate was turning out to be a restless one. Resting her bonnet covered head against the pillow once again, she tried to give it one last attempt to sleep.
Sophia was not in her new room anymore. The clopping of the horses’ hooves alerted her to her surroundings, and she looked out the window of the carriage. The sky was dark and unwelcoming, and it left a lasting impression on Sophia.
She looked at her own reflection in the carriage window. Her features were younger, and she had aged in reverse by at least ten years.
“No, no, this is not right, driver,” she said, but her voice was not loud enough to reach him. “We are going in the wrong direction.”
But her protests were in vain as the carriage only picked up speed.
“No, stop, please…”
They were on top of a bridge now, and the rainstorm had only gotten worse. Thunder boomed loudly, and the bridge began to shake as though there was a massive earthquake.
“Stop, I must get out…”
Her protests grew weaker and weaker before the chain of the bridge collapsed, and the river underneath engulfed her inside of it.
“Stop…”
Sophia woke up startled. She wiped off the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead and exhaled a deep sigh.
“I suppose there is no running away from my nightmares, no matter where I go,” she muttered to herself, stepping out of the bed and throwing on her robe.
