“Because, my dear oblivious friend, it is the fourth match this season attributed to Lady Fairhart.” Hugo clarified. “Fourth. The woman is a phenomenon. Half the mamas in London are desperate to secure her services, and the other half are terrified she will match their daughters to men they have not pre-approved.”
Edward’s jaw tightened. He thought of Lady Sophia bent over her letters at Colborne’s printing office, her quill scratching across parchment, her face illuminated by candlelight. He thought of the secret she carried and the weight it must place on her shoulders.
He thought of her far more often than was wise.
“I have heard,” Hugo continued, oblivious to Edward’s distraction, “that Lady Fairhart once matched a baron’s daughter with a shipping merchant. A merchant! The baron nearly had an apoplexy, but the couple is said to be deliriously happy. Can you imagine?”
“Delirious happiness sounds exhausting.”
“You would think that.” Hugo sighed. “Speaking of exhausting, have you made any progress with your own matrimonial endeavors? Or are you still waiting for the perfect candidate to fall from the sky?”
“I am working on it.”
“Working on it.” Hugo snorted. “You have been ‘working on it’ for weeks. At this rate, Oliver will be of marrying age before you find a bride.”
Edward opened his mouth to respond, but the words died in his throat.
Across the room, Lady Sophia appeared near the refreshment table. She wore a gown of deep blue that made her skin glow like porcelain in the candlelight. Her hair was pinned up, exposing the graceful line of her neck, and Edward traced that line with his eyes before he could stop himself.
She turned, as if sensing his gaze. Their eyes met. Something flickered between them, electric and unsettling, before she looked away and resumed her conversation with Lady Guildthorpe.
“Ah.” Hugo’s voice held a note of amusement that Edward did not care for. “Lady Sophia. I wondered when she would arrive.”
“I had not noticed.”
“Of course you hadn’t. That explains why you have been staring at the refreshment table for the past five minutes.”
“I was contemplating the lemonade.”
“The lemonade.” Hugo’s grin widened. “Yes. The lemonade is quite captivating this evening. Particularly the way it wears blue silk and has eyes the color of spring leaves.”
“Go away, Hugo.”
“With pleasure.” Hugo clapped him on the shoulder. “I see Lady Fothergill near the musicians, and she owes me a dance. Do try not to set the refreshment table on fire with your longing glances.”
He sauntered off before Edward could murder him.
Edward waited until Hugo had disappeared into the crowd, then made his way toward the edge of the room. A small alcove near the terrace doors offered a measure of privacy, and he positioned himself there, watching the musicians tune their instruments.
Moments later, Lady Sophia appeared at his side. She did not look at him. She studied the painting on the wall as if it contained the secrets of the universe.
“Lady Georgiana Huxley,” she said, her voice pitched low. “Near the window. The blonde in the green gown.”
Edward followed her gaze. Lady Georgiana stood with a small group of young women, her posture elegant, her expression serene. She possessed the kind of classical beauty that painters immortalized in portraits with her fine features, pale skin, and golden hair arranged in perfect ringlets.
“She looks like a porcelain figurine.”
“She is accomplished, well-bred, and known for her kindness to children.” Lady Sophia’s voice held a note of impatience. “She volunteers at a foundling hospital every Tuesday. She speaks three languages. She has never been involved in a single scandal.”
“You make her sound like a saint.”
“Would you prefer a sinner?”
Edward glanced at Lady Sophia. A faint flush had risen to her cheeks. Whether from irritation or the warmth of the room, he couldn’t tell. He wanted to find out.
“What should I discuss with her?”
“Her charitable work. Her travels abroad. Her love of music.” Lady Sophia finally turned to face him, and the impact of her gaze hit him like a blow to the chest. “Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Pretend, for once, that you are capable of human warmth.”
