Kate set her cup down and frowned. “An ultimatum?”
Sophie swallowed. “Yes. I’ve been ordered to choose a husband this season or else they’ll do so for me.”
Perhaps she was being slightly overdramatic. They did say they’d allow her to select from a range of options, but the overall effect was the same. She’d have to marry someone she didn’t love.
“Oh, Sophie.” Kate’s face fell, and she reached for Sophie’s hand. The warm, surprisingly firm grip was so comforting that she wanted to press herself up against her friend and cry. “I’m so sorry. Did they say who they have in mind?”
“No names were mentioned.”
“Surely it wouldn’t be anyone terrible,” Kate said, as if that was supposed to make her feel better.
While Sophie would be grateful not to have a spiteful, violent husband, she also didn’t relish the prospect of slowly withering away from a lack of care and affection for—or from—the person she would spend the rest of her life with.
“It won’t be Nicholas.” Her tone was bleak. As hollow as the cavity in her chest. “And if I can’t marry Nicholas, I won’t be happy.”
Kate made a sound of distress. “You will still have me. We can spend all our hours together.”
Sophie tried to summon a smile. “That’s very sweet of you, but you have a husband and a child, and I wouldn’t take you from them.” The pit of her gut was heavy. “Are you sure that Nicholas won’t marry?”
If he wouldn’t, she could foresee only two options. One: She’d have to choose her own husband—who, as she’d said, wouldn’t be Nicholas. Or two: Her parents would choose a husband for her, who also wouldn’t be Nicholas.
Either way, she wouldn’t have the man she wanted.
But if she were to make her own decision, she could at least exercise some control over her fate.
First, she had to be sure that she truly had no chance at persuading Nicholas to change his stance.
“I can’t be certain,” Kate began, giving her hand a light squeeze, “but he seems set on it. Perhaps you ought to speak to him on the matter.”
“And admit my feelings?” Sophie asked, aghast. “If he is against marriage as you say, then he might start avoiding me if I were to make my interest in him any clearer than it already is.”
After all, the only person who seemed oblivious to her feelings for Nicholas was Nicholas himself.
“There are… things you are not aware of in play.” Kate’s face twisted uncomfortably. “Things that might alter his stance if he had good motivation to do so.”
Sophie cocked her head. Nicholas had secrets? How intriguing. “Such as?”
Kate looked away. “It isn’t my place to say.”
“Not even if your best friend’s happiness is on the line?” Sophie’s heart constricted. Did she really mean so little to Kate?
Kate squirmed and refused to meet her gaze. “Speak to Nicholas. That’s my advice.” She picked up a biscuit and took a bite, remaining silent as she chewed and swallowed. “Do you truly care so deeply about him? You know I adore him, but you must admit that he can be reckless and irresponsible.”
“I know that.” Sophie refrained from pointing out that sheherself could also be considered both of those things. “But he makes me laugh like no one else, and he never judges me if I don’t comport myself as a lady ‘ought to’ according to society’s strictures.”
“I suppose that’s true,” Kate acknowledged, her gray eyes catching Sophie’s. “But assuming he isn’t an option—which I wouldn’t do, if I were you, until you’ve directly asked him about it—then are there any gentlemen you would consider marrying? Baron Sylvestor, perhaps?”
Sophie disentangled her hand from Kate’s. She drew in a slow breath and, satisfied that her nerves were under control, picked up her teacup and sipped. She grimaced. It was slightly too sweet. She must have been distracted and added more sugar than she’d meant to.
Hopefully she hadn’t ruined Kate’s tea too. Her friend would be too polite to say so.
“Baron Sylvestor seems warm and friendly,” Sophie said, sipping her tea again just to have something to do. “As my mother has pointed out, he is well regarded by his peers, and he dotes on the dowager. As far as I know, they aren’t poor. I believe he would treat his wife well.”
“But could you marry him?” Kate prompted.
Sophie didn’t know. Everything in her rebelled at the thought, but, if she were backed into a corner and marriage to him was the best way out, could she go through with it?
Probably.
