And there Sophia stood, feeling like a darn fool, while knowing too that last night had not been in her head. There had been a moment that passed between them, a hint at something more than what was promised in this marriage. The Duke had clearly felt it, spurned it, and was now doing everything he could to snuff it out before it risked growing worse.
While this should have relieved Sophia, she knew deep down that it did not. She did not want to develop feelings for Gabriel, she was determined not to, but they were there now, she could not escape them, and to say otherwise would make her a liar.
The following week was far harder than Sophia could have possibly imagined.
She spent it alone, or at least it felt as if she was. From sunrise to sunset, Gabriel was sure to leave the manor, always stating that he had ‘business’ to attend to, leaving Sophia to walk the empty halls of the manor as she contemplated how she had fallen so far, and in such a short amount of time
Sophia should not have cared that Gabriel was avoiding her. She should have been glad for the fact – this was what was promised to her, and what she wanted. But as the week stretched on, she continued to think back to that singular night, and her heart literally pained her as if it was trying to mock her sadness.
He wants nothing to do with me, and I know that now for fact. Perhaps it is a good thing, that things have turned out this way? Despite being married, Gabriel and I could never have worked, so why wish for the impossible?
She started to revert to her old self. The freedom that she had sought no longer appealed to her, and she found herself missing her old life. Dammit, at least that had been easy. She might not have had a choice in the things that she did, but at least she was told what to do and how to feel about it.
Now… now she was lost and had no idea how she might find herself again.
It was a relief one week in when Anna sent her a letter, inviting her to a famous tea salon in the heart of London. It was a chance to dress up, to get out of the house, and to spill her heart to her best friend so that she might be given some much-needed advice.
Of course, as this was Sophia’s current life, things were nowhere near that simple.
She arrived on time, dressed in a fashionable gown, her hair done up, her face painted. She walked inside and found Anna waiting for her, where she beamed and waved and started across the busy room. That was when she saw him…
It was Gabriel, and he wasn’t alone.
Sophia started and nearly tripped. Her entire being revolted, her stomach rose, and she thought she might be sick. He told her that he had business to deal with today, but he was sitting with a young lady whom Sophia recognized, but only because she had heard about her through others.
“Sophia?” Gabriel saw her gawking, just as she saw the passing of fear behind his eyes; akin to a dog found in the house when it knew it should have been outdoors. “What are you doing here?”
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish trying to breathe air.
“Ah, this is Her Grace…” The woman whom Gabriel was with purred and then tittered. “It is so nice to finally put a face to the name.”
Her name was Lady Clarissa Harwood. She was tall for a woman, long bodied, with a longer face. But she was regal looking, somehow delicate and strong all in one, with piercing green eyes,full lips, and curves to her body that made Sophia want to turn and run and never look back.
“Y – yes,” she stammered stupidly. “That’s me.”
“I had no idea you would be here.” Gabriel was out of his seat and coming for her. There were a dozen small tables in the salon, and he stepped around them quickly, nearly tripping on his way. “If I had known…”
“It is fine,” she lied, pulling herself together. “I am here to meet a friend.” She looked through the salon where Anna sat in a state of shock.
“Lady Clarissa Harwood,” the stunning woman purred as she approached. “I am sure you have heard of me.”
Sophia had heard of her through reputation. And if that reputation spoke true, then she and Gabriel had once been lovers… still were, by the looks of things.
“It is nice to meet you,” Sophia somehow managed.
“As it is you,” Lady Clarissa said with humor. “His Grace has been telling me all about you, and it is so nice to see if the kind things he says live up to the hype. In this instance…” Her eyes flashed over Sophia, and she produced a coy smile. “I am not so sure.”
Sophia lurched. The room turned around her. Gabriel looked caught in two worlds. And not thinking, barely able to stand, she turned and fled the salon without a second word.
“Sophia!” he called after her.
She stumbled through the front door, the sun blinding her, the noises from the street deafening her senses. She looked around, not sure where she was going or what she meant to do. And it was because she took a moment too long that a hand suddenly snatched her arm.
“Let me go!” she wrenched her arm free.
“It is not what it looks like,” Gabriel said, puffing and out of breath.
“I don’t… I don’t care what it looks like,” she said. “Isn’t that the point? You are free to do as you wish, and so am I. Why should I care about anything.”
