“With the benefit of age comes wisdom, so I have also come to that conclusion,” he added.
“Still, that does not excuse her entirely. She was your mother and as such should have offered you more than just a roof over your head. How did they die?”
“They were driving home from a neighbor’s party, and their horses took fright and bolted. The carriage collided with a tree, and they were both killed instantly.”
“How old were you?”
“Fourteen. My sisters were seventeen and nineteen.”
They drove in silence for a short time while Sophie thought through how to say what she must.
“Forgive me for believing you were promised to another. Clearly, I was meant to overhear that gossip, and I am ashamed to say I believed it.”
His eyes shot to her briefly. “You don’t believe it now?”
Sophie looked at him and sighed. “Is it true?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry. Society is not something I’m comfortable being part of, even as I have now walked in it for a while. The gossiping and?—”
“Bitchiness?” he asked.
Sophie laughed. “Yes.”
“And after what we have shared and lies between us, you were hurt to think I would be committed to someone else.”
“No! I have no claim on you, but?—”
“Sophie,” he said in a hard voice. “No other woman has a claim on me.”
Other woman?
“Have you had any contact from Jack Spode?” he asked her after a few minutes of silence.
“Not as yet.” Sophie hoped it would stay that way yet doubted it would.
“You will tell me instantly if he contacts you in any form. I will have your word on this,” Patrick said in a hard voice.
“I promise.”
“I have men working on finding Spode, but so far he is not easy to locate.”
“He has a sister,” Sophie said suddenly. “She left our village years ago. Her name is Sarah. I have not seen her or heard a word about her in many years.”
“Sarah Spode,” Patrick said slowly. “It could help.”
“She may be married or even passed now.”
“Possibly, but it is another place to start.”
Looking around her, she saw they were leaving the less built-up areas of London.
“Where are we going, my lord?”
“You’ll see, Sophie,” he said. “Relax, we will be there soon.”
When they stopped, it was outside a row of four shops. Patrick jumped down and handed the reins to his man. He then helped her down.
