“Hmm. Very well. But I shall still have another word with Mr. Ellington.”
She jolted. “I don’t think that should be necessary.”
“From what I witnessed today, I do find it necessary. If I am not mistaken, he seems to have set his cap at you. I have tried to discourage him, even threatened his membership at Blackstone’s, but he seems quite undeterred.”
Sophia scolded herself for the thrill that raced across her skin.
“I found his reputation rather unsettling when it comes to courtship. An indecisive one, he is, frolicking from one muse toanother, his heart leaping from place to place like a toad on a pond full of lily pads.” Stepfather smacked his lips in dismay. “I am fond of Mr. Ellington as a friend, but I told him he shall never be permitted to court you or your sister.”
Sophia’s heart dropped. “What makes you certain of this…reputation?”
“He told me himself. I do respect that.” Stepfather paused. “But I shall keep my eye on him. If Mr. Percy Ellington could deceive your sister and me, I have no doubt that his cousin is capable of the same.” He crossed his arms, his expression marked with an alarming look of determination. He seemed to snap out of it suddenly, patting Sophia on the shoulder with a warm smile. “Let us hope Lord Finchley calls upon you soon. I expect he will make an offer any day now.” He winked.
Soonerthan you might think.Sophia placed one hand on the door, eager to close it over Stepfather’s sneaky smile. What did he mean about Isaac being a…toad on a pond full of lily pads? Her brow furrowed, and her skin grew colder. She had given herself the liberty to think that Isaac might have changed in the past four years. But if what Stepfather said was true, then he was still fully capable of altering his decisions on a whim…of capturing hearts he didn’t intend to keep.
Her heart had become bare and vulnerable, exposed to the dangers that only Isaac could cause. She couldn’t trust him. Not again.
After some effort, Sophia managed to shoo Stepfather and Aunt Hester kindly back downstairs. She called her maid to draw a warm bath, using her favorite lavender soap in an attempt to calm her nerves. She couldn’t leave Lord Finchley waiting more than a day or two for her answer. His pride might have already been bruised enough to ruin her chances of marrying him altogether. The realization brought about a pesky sense of relief, as if shewantedto be released from her obligation.
But if she rejected Lord Finchley, what did she expect would happen? Did she think Isaac would swoop in and save her from the repercussions? He could have been toying with her for all she knew. She needed something reliable and safe.
Love was never safe. Not in her experience.
Not in Prudence’s.
The somber sounds of the pianoforte still drifted through the house, and Sophia had had quite enough of it. Dressed in a clean gown, with her hair halfway dry, Sophia marched down the stairs and into the drawing room. There would be no more sulking from either one of them.
“Stand up, Prue.” Sophia planted her hands on her hips, staring at the head of dark curls in front of her. Prudence’s hands lifted from the keys, one eyebrow arched as she turned around.
Her eyes were rimmed in red, her nose and cheeks swollen. “I was almost finished.”
Sophia’s heart ached at the sight of her poor sister. She looked so small and fragile—far too young to have such a broken heart. If Sophia didn’t work hard to mend it, then Prudence could end up much like her elder sister in a few years, still pining over a man with dishonorable intentions. “We are going on a walk,” Sophia said in a firm voice.
Prudence narrowed her eyes. “Your hair is still wet.”
“I shall hide it under my bonnet. At any rate, it was raining earlier today. No one should bat an eye at it.”
Prudence stood with a sigh. “What if Percy is out today? I cannot bear to see him.”
“He is the one who should be afraid of seeingyou. He ought to be ashamed of himself. He is a hateful man.”
“But I did love him.” Prudence’s eyes welled with tears. “I miss Mama. I miss Flora and Thistle. I cannot wait an entire month for Mama to arrive in London. How shall I bear it?”
Sophia wrapped her arms around her sister’s small frame, squeezing tight. Sophia wished she could tell Prudence everything—Isaac’s sudden flirting, Lord Finchley’s proposal, and the hesitation she felt to accept it. But the words remained lodged in her throat. Surely she could bear all of it on her own. She was capable of making the right decisions, if only her heart weren’t so involved.
“A bit of exercise will raise your spirits, I’m sure of it.”
After a bit more coaxing, Prudence finally agreed to a walk in Kensington Gardens, where she was less likely to see Percy Ellington, and Sophia was less likely to see any of the gossipmongers who had attended the auction that day. The promenade at Hyde Park would draw the largest crowd at this hour of the day, so Kensington was a safer choice for both of them. By the time Prudence and Aunt Hester were ready to leave, Sophia’s hair was completely dry.
As expected, Kensington Gardens were serene and quiet. Shaded benches and flowering bushes dotted the edges of the path, and children played on the grass under the watchful eye of their governesses and mothers. The air carried the soft scent of spring blossoms, ringing with the occasional trill of a bird.
Sophia held her parasol at a slight angle to shade her face, though the sun was on its way down for the evening. She walked with her arm looped through Prudence’s, keeping their conversation as light as possible. Her sister’s mood already seemed to be improving, and she even stopped to smell a bed of primroses.
As they rounded a bend, Sophia expected to find yet another quiet, unoccupied path. Instead, she was greeted by the sight of a familiar gentleman. “Is that Mr. Baker?” Sophia whispered.
Prudence sighed. “Yes, and I already said I was not interested in him.”
Sophia gave a mischievous smile. “An introduction wouldn’t be harmful. You did say you are already acquainted with his sister.”
