“They know,” she said to him in a fluster. “They must know.”
The two were standing in the back corner of the ballroom. Sophia had pulled him there, desperate to air her fears and hopefully come up with a new plan.
“Oh, you are just being hyperbolic,” he dismissed her as he looked around the ballroom; almost as if he was worried that they would be overheard.
“I am not,” she said hotly. “How was I to know your favorite food? How was I to know that –”
“It does not matter,” he spoke over her, his tone sharp. He smiled the whole time, however, just in case they were being watched.
“It does!”
“No, it does not.” He stepped into her, over her like a mountain bearing down on a small village. Her eyes widened and she had to resist the urge to take a step back. “You are new to this, so I understand your worry.”
“So are you,” she hissed.
“To being a duchess,” he corrected. “What you fail to realize is that it matters little what people think.” He looked around them again. “All anybody cares about is being seen, talking to us. That is what they will remember. Not…” He scoffed. “Not if I fail to recite your favorite piece of poetry.”
She looked at him flatly. “If that is the case, why do you keep on checking to make sure that nobody is listening.”
His eyes widened in surprise, and then a smile spread across his full lips. “Miss Sophia…” He chuckled. “I do this for you, remember. Say the word and I will happily announce the true reason we are engaged. See how that goes down.”
He was bluffing, she knew that he was. But Sophia balked at the mere mention that he might do such a thing. It would ruin her!
This entire evening… this engagement! It sounded like a good idea when first suggested but was just as quick to fall apart under scrutiny. Sophia was starting to realize why she spent her whole life following the rules, and she simply was not cut out for acting up and doing as she pleased.
Dammit, she cared what people thought of her. She always had.
None of that was to mention her reservations now concerning the Duke. How could she marry someone who she knew so little about? And someone who not only knew so little about her but did not care to find out more.
I never imagined that I would marry for love, but I always hoped I would at least like the man who I was forced to wed. But if my husband cares less than nothing about me, how can I care about him?
“Come on then.” He offered her his arm. “We best get back to it.”
She eyed the arm skeptically. “Should we go home? Before it is too late?”
He sighed. “Miss Sophia, all I ask is that you trust me. Do you trust me?”
“Not really,” she said before she could stop herself.
He laughed. “And once again, you prove to me why you need this. One day, you might even thank me for it.”
She doubted that very much.
Sadly, Sophia had no choice. She had made her decision, it was known by all, and she must stick with it. But would it be worth the cost? Was she really walking into freedom, or was she exchanging one prison for another? And worse still, she doubted that the Duke cared one bit about her misgivings.
That, she realized despondently, struck at the very heart of why this marriage could not work.
CHAPTER 11
“Oh, Sophia…” Helena was already starting to cry, and she had to pause and wipe the tears from her eyes before continuing. “You look heavenly.”
“Divine,” Anna agreed. “Like a princess from a fairytale.”
“Who would have guessed.” Helena took her arm and stepped beside her. “To think, all those years ago…” She laughed. “The League of Untamed Hearts. How foolish we were.”
“Speak for yourself,” Anna snorted.
Helena looked at her flatly. “Is now the time, Anna? I mean, really.”
