Despite the fact that he’d nearly had his way with her.
Guilt washed over Sophia as she studied her dear friend.
Tall and willowy with dark chestnut hair, Rhoda was nearly completely opposite in appearance to Sophia. Her eyes were brown and serious, surrounded by the longest lashes Sophia had ever seen. And Rhoda was normally pale, but in that moment, two spots of color stood out on her cheeks.
The two girls had become friends when they’d found themselves relegated to the wallflower seating at the balls they’d attended. It was where they’d met Emily and Cecily as well. Emily, Rhoda, and Sophia were all from families with good connections but lacked respectable dowries. Cecily had had an enormous dowry, but hailed from the lower classes.
Married a mere six weeks ago, Cecily’d been told, by the Earl of Kensington, no less, that he’d done so for the sole purpose of winning her father’s money. He’d gotten his due, in the end, but that had done naught to change Cecily’s unfortunate circumstances.
And now Sophia was the second of them to become engaged — quite happily so! She loved Lord Harold! He was gentle and sweet-natured. He seemed tolistento her. Not many men who’d been in her life had ever taken the time to hear what she had to say.
Not many women, either, for that matter.
Except for Rhoda and Emily and Cecily.
Yes, Lord Harold possessed many attractive characteristics.
And, marrying Lord Harold ensured that she would be removed from her stepbrother’s proximity.
She could leave her stepfather’s home.
Oh, yes, she was quite happy to be engaged.
Rhoda was fidgeting, peeling some flakes away from her pastry in an un-Rhoda like manner. “I did, er, mention to him that we would be walking by the serpentine tomorrow afternoon.” At these words, she glanced up with a wicked smile on her face. “He responded as though he might see us there.”
Sophia frowned. So, Brookes would simply move along to the next London miss then. “Hmph…” she said. And then realizing her friend might become suspicious as to… well, that she herself was… But she was not! “Is this an assignation?”
Rhoda fluttered her eyelashes and looked at her lap again. “I would not call it that. But, I will admit to you that I am hopeful. I—”
“Hello? Girls? You’re taking tea upstairs then?” Sophia’s mother peeked through the door, her silver blond curls softly framing her face. Sophia imagined, and hoped, that she would have similar looks as her mother when she herself aged. Her mother was of Sophia’s same height and coloring, and today she wore a periwinkle-colored day dress.
Sophia’d not seen it before.
Finances had been tight for them until recently. The thought struck her that her stepfather must have done well with some investment or another.
“A new dress, Mama?” Sophia inquired in a cheerful tone. It was nice to see her mother looking fresh and fashionable, wearing something that put a cheerful gleam back in her eyes.
Her mother stepped in and twirled around twice. It was obviously a new dress, then, and she was evidently quite pleased with it.
“By Madame Chantal,” she said. “Delivered just this morning.”
Sophia and Rhoda simultaneously rose to examine the stitching and crocheted border. Another interest the four wallflowers had discovered they shared was a mutual appreciation for fashion. “Oh, this is lovely Mrs. Scofield,” Rhoda sounded impressed, as she ran her fingers over the silk thread.
“I love it, Mama!” Sophia echoed, smoothing the material of the skirt.
“Did you make any purchases this morning, Sophia dear? Something pretty to wear to the theatre tomorrow night for Lord Harold?”
The girls shared a knowing glance, and then Rhoda answered. “It took longer than I’d anticipated to retrieve my bonnet. At first, the shop assistant could not locate it and then when she pulled it out, we realized one of the ribbons was loose. We waited for her to repair it, and when she was done, we were both famished!”
Sophia’s mama accepted the explanation without question. “Nonetheless, Sophia dear, you should order a few new gowns next time you see Madame. As for tomorrow, we can add some lace or tulle to your rose frock. Men don’t usually notice such matters, and surely we can make it look as though it is brand new.”
Her stepfather must have improved their finances indeed! She would not discuss the matter with her mama in front of company. For now, she would simply be happy enough to see her mother looking so happy.
But she did wonder. Their improved status paralleled most coincidentally with her engagement.
Surely no relation existed between the two! For her marriage would mean that her dowry, small though it was, be demanded.
“I must say,” Rhoda said as she watched Mrs. Scofield repair her coiffure in Sophia’s vanity looking glass, “Sophia takes her looks from you, ma’am. Was your first husband fair-haired as well?”
