“My only concern is for my daughter, Your Grace. And as she has told me already, she wants nothing to do with you. Shortly, you will be served with papers of annulment, and I suggest you sign them.”
“Let me speak to her! I demand to speak to her!”
“Demand all you wish. But Your Grace, you will never see Sophia again. You will not talk to her, you will not be within one mile of her. As far as you are concerned, she is dead.”
“I –”
“Good day!” The door slammed loudly in Gabriel’s face.
Sophia’s eyes widened at the conversation, and her heart raced at the implication. Standing where she was, she could have yelled out from the window and gotten his attention. There was a large part that wanted to…
What kept her from doing so was fear. That Gabriel had come to see her was something she did not expect, but that did not mean this was good news. For all she knew, he felt guilty, and he just wanted to make things right before ending their marriage entirely. For all she knew, he wished to confirm the finality of their marriage’s end so that he could move on once and for all.
But what if…
Her pulse quickened as she considered what this likely meant, and excitement began to trickle through her as she wondered if Gabriel had come here for the reason that she dreamed of. That maybe, just maybe, he was going to admit that he loved her…
Sophia thought quickly.
She darted back into her room and snatched her diary. Next, she scribbled a quick message across a blank page and tore the page free. She folded it in her hand, then her eyes fell on the saucer of cold tea sitting on her dresser. Her eyes lit up and she raced for the saucer, picking it up just as she heard the lock on her door unclick.
“There she is…” Her father took a step into the room.
“Father!” she gasped and spun about, saucer of tea in hand. “What… what was that commotion?”
“It was nothing to concern yourself with, dear,” he said without emotion. “Did you hear any of it?”
“Only the end,” she lied. “But I could not make it out.”
He studied her closely, searching for the lie. She held his stare, doing her best to look innocent. “Might we talk?” he said eventually.
“Oh? About?”
“I know that this…” He gestured to the room. “That it might seem a little harsh, dear. What, with everything that you have been through, no doubt you think your mother and I to be tyrants.” He chortled as if at a joke.
“Not at all,” she said earnestly. “You are doing as you think is best. As is best for me.”
His smile was soft. “I blame myself, sometimes. I should never have allowed…” He sighed. “If I had denied His Grace’s offer, we would not be in this mess in the first place. Alas, the expectations of society, I was blinded by them, failing to see what was best for my daughter.”
“Father, it is not your fault.”
“Regardless, past errors can be fixed. Or, at least, they can be made up for. Over the coming weeks, I have no doubt that you are going to hear rumors about His Grace. He might even try and reach out… a vain effort to trick you into forgiving him.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I know his type,” her father sneered. “What is important is that you do not fall for it. Men like that do not change. They are incapable of such a thing. And if he does try and apologize, it is only so that he might save himself. Sophia…” She thought her father was going to go to her then in comfort, but that was never his way. He stayed by the door, as stiff as a statue, his kind words marred by how coldly they were spoken. “You believe that your mother and I only want the best for you?”
“I do,” she lied effortlessly.
“Then listen to us. No matter what His Grace says or what you hear, he means only to hurt you. No good can come from falling for his lies, and I ask only that you trust the process. We will find you a new husband, in time, a husband that you deserve.”
Her stomach turned at the idea of marrying someone her parents chose. The fact that it was even being spoken about! Could they not see how upset she was? Why would they think that remarrying was the right choice for her?
They do not care about me at all. What they care for is their own reputation, and I am merely an extension of that. But Gabriel… he never cared for such things.
“Thank you, Father. I trust you.”
He smiled and exhaled with clear relief. About to turn and leave, he noticed the saucer of tea that she held. “What’s this?”
