What should she do? Should she pretend they had never met? Instead of wondering why he was here, she ought to have been figuring out what she was going to do about it!
Dudley watched her with narrowed eyes.
Sophia glanced at Rhoda, who shrugged and laughed. “Not necessary, Lord Harold. We’ve already had the pleasure of meeting Captain Brookes. He rather came to my rescue, you see, in a skirmish on the street a few days ago. But we did not know he was a relation of yours. What a delightful surprise.”
Oh, thank you, Rhoda, you quick-thinking girl!
Dudley’s eyebrows rose. “So that would explain, Sophia, why you were in his company this afternoon at the circus. I did make an attempt to capture your attention, but the two of you moved along too quickly, before I could reach you.” He then sent a satisfied-looking gloat in Sophia’s direction. “I did not, however, see Miss Mossant.”
All eyes turned toward Sophia upon Dudley’s words.
But Rhoda again came to her rescue. “You ought to have tried harder, Mr. Scofield. And you would have been most welcome to join us. An outing is always more pleasant when the numbers are even. Would you not agree?”
He raised one brow. “My apologies. In the future, I will heed your advice, of course.”
But Lord Harold was not interested in who was with whom at the circus. He returned his attention to his cousin. “How unexpected, Dev. I am pleased to hear of your acquaintance. No one was injured, I hope? In the skirmish?”
Rhoda was doing such a fine job explaining all of this that Sophia merely looked to her friend to answer. “Heaven’s no, and all thanks to Captain Brookes. He is quite the hero.” Rhoda then went on to describe the events most dramatically, omitting the role played by Peaches and telling it as though it were she, rather than Sophia, who had been trapped.
From the corner of her eyes, Sophia watched Captain Brookes.
He would not contradict Rhoda. He must understand that she had not deceived his cousin willingly.
She hoped so anyhow.
Oh, this changed everything! Her heart, which already had felt heavy this evening, now plummeted to somewhere around the vicinity of her feet.
Captain Brookes would not meet her eyes. He simply followed the conversation with an unreadable expression.
“And today…” Rhoda wrapped up her story most convincingly. “…he offered to take us to view the lion in a more civilized setting. As we’d already fed the ducks, how could we deny ourselves?”
“How indeed?” Dudley chimed in. Of course, he had likely guessed that much of the story was fiction. But to call Sophia out, again, in a most public setting would have no beneficial outcome whatsoever.
For now, it seemed, Dudley’s attempt at creating trouble for her had been foiled.
All attention turned away from Sophia when a few of the duke’s acquaintances presented themselves at the door to the private box. She fixed a smile upon her face and turned slightly so as to appear interested in the various introductions and greetings. Her mama was in heaven, and Mr. Scofield most satisfied with his newfound importance.
She ignored Dudley, who still watched her.
Rhoda turned and whispered near Sophia’s ear. “That was somewhat alarming. Did you realize Dudley had witnessed you with Brookes? I wish it had been me who’d gone. And would you believe? Madam Chantel, ironically enough, canceled my appointment. You can only imagine how frustrating that was.” She spoke softly even though a great deal of noise droned around them.
Sophia wished to discuss all of this with Rhoda but was also aware of her fiancé beside her, and even more so, of Captain Brookes’ presence a mere few feet behind her.
Lord Harold placed his hand upon Sophia’s arm. “I would discuss a matter of importance with you, Miss Babineaux.” He sounded a little more his normal self, soft-spoken, quiet, humble.
Rhoda waved her hand toward Sophia and, turning toward the aisle, stood up. “My legs are positively exhausted from all this sitting.” Glancing pointedly at the few gentlemen not engaged in conversation, she hinted, “I would like for nothing more than to take a turn about the theatre before the production resumes.”
Both Captain Brookes and the marques rose. “Would you allow me to escort you?” The marques bowed in her direction. Looking a little disappointed, Rhoda fluttered her lashes and executed a pretty curtsey.
“I’d be honored.”
Which left Sophia and Lord Harold alone in the front row and Captain Brookes lounging in his seat behind them.
Lord Harold reached for her hand. “Miss Babineaux,” he said, such earnestness in his eyes, the same he’d had when he proposed, “…I cannot wait much longer to make you my wife. I would have that we set a wedding date, three weeks from Sunday, here in London, at St. Georges.”
This was the last thing she’d expected him to say! Good Lord, for a moment she had thought he was going to ask her to call the entire thing off.
“So then, you are not angry with me for arriving late this evening? You’ve not spoken to me in such tones before.”
