“No one does,” Sophie reassured her. “He’s a wonderful man and he adores you as I do, quite like a sister. But right now you mustn’t worry about anything except telling me what happened.”
Hannah drew a few long breaths and then reached into her pocket to withdraw the crushed paper she’d stuffed there earlier. “Did you read the paper this morning?” she whispered as she held it out.
Sophie took it and glanced at it. “I hadn’t looked at theScandal Sheet,no.” Her bright gaze darted over it, reading the words, and she slowly looked at Hannah. The blood had left her cheeks and her hands shook as she whispered, “Is that…”
Hannah nodded. “Me. It’s about me. I’m certain of it. The moment we have feared and dreaded and waited for is here.”
Sophie tossed the paper aside and grabbed Hannah’s hands, dragging her in for a tight hug. Hannah’s knees shook and she clung to her friend as waves of emotion hit her, nearly drowned her.
“Come,” Sophie whispered as she drew her to the settee. They sat together, and Sophie pulled her close. Hannah rested her head on her friend’s shoulder and let out a long, shuddering sigh.
“We knew it was coming,” she whispered. “My father has made no secret about viewing me as a commodity to be bartered. I suppose it makes him no different than most fathers.”
“He is very different,” Sophie spat. “Arranging a marriage that is mutually beneficially to the parties is one thing. Parading around your beauty, touting your virginity and practically creating an auction for the highest bidder is…it’s not proper.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Hannah whispered.
“Who has he chosen, do you know?”
Hannah sat up. “I fear it is Viscount Gordon.”
Sophie’s face twisted in disgust. “No. No!”
“That is the only man he has publicly bargained with as of late. Oh Sophie,howcan I stomach it if it’s true?” Hannah gasped.
Sophie shook her head. “You could not! All a man like that could value is your physical attributes. Your youth, your beauty, your innocence. How can you fight that?”
Hannah ducked her chin. Those were exactly her thoughts. After all, she could do nothing to change her age or her beauty or her—
She jerked her head up. Her virginity. That was the commodity some men valued over all others, as ridiculous as it seemed. But if she no longer possessed it…
“Hannah?” Sophie said, gripping her hand tighter. “What is it? Your expression is quite fierce.”
Hannah glanced at her friend. Sophie was married, and to a man who had once been known for his passions. She had gleaned from her friend’s blushes that their life together was quite happy in every way. But Sophie could not approve of the plan that Hannah had just hatched.
“It’s nothing,” she lied as she squeezed Sophie’s hand. “I just needed to speak my fears out loud to a friend.”
“I am that,” Sophie said softly. “Though I wish I could help more. Rowan could speak to your father. He has no title, but his success as a painter does give him some influence. Perhaps—”
Hannah held up a hand to stop her. “I cannot imagine my father would listen to him. He has listened to no reason from me or anyone else.”
Sophie let out a shuddering sigh. “This cannot be your future, love. It is so abjectly unfair.”
Hannah nodded. “Yes. But I will not give up. Perhaps for once the paper is wrong. Perhaps there is still a way out.”
She could see from Sophie’s expression that her friend didn’t believe that. Neither did she. Which was why she needed to carefully make her father believe a lie and protect Sophie from her shocking plan at the same time.
