A new sort of panic swept through Sophia, brought on by the prospect of actually going through with this harebrained scheme. Edward was like a brother. She’d grown up alongside him. The idea of even feigning a courtship with him felt wrong. So it shocked her to learn he would do so since she was certain he must feel the same.
“I’m not the least bit comfortable with this,” she said. “It’s deceptive. What if someone gets hurt? Never mind the fact that I don’t believe your parents would give their blessing even if Jack were to propose. Which I doubt he will since he doesn’t love me in return.”
“That’s where we disagree,” Felicity said. “Kaitlin and I are of the opinion that Jack does love you but that he just hasn’t realized it yet. All we want to do is give him a nudge - a chance for him to come to terms with the contents of his heart before it’s too late.”
“Too late?” Sophia spoke the words with difficulty.
Felicity tilted her head. “You are two and twenty years of age, Sophia. How much longer do you think it will be before the Fenmores insist you marry?”
“I haven’t really thought about that,” Sophia told her. “It isn’t something we’ve discussed and with the murkiness surrounding my birth taken into account, I never really considered…”
“Perhaps you should,” Kaitlin told her gently.
Sophia supposed her friend was correct. She’d just gotten used to the way things were. A thought struck and she bit her lip as she pondered the recent church services she had attended with the Fenmores. They’d both been eager to introduce her to some of the local young men - a couple of farmers and the newly arrived school teacher. Furthermore, they were singing Edward’s praises to her every day now. Only she’d not put much weight in any of it until this very moment.
Had they been actively trying to bring about a courtship?
If so, then that had to mean they expected her to start thinking of marriage. Even if they’d not yet told her so directly.
She sank against her seat with a long exhale. Had she been two years younger, like Felicity and Kaitlin, and in their social position, she would have been presented at court. Parties would have been hosted in her name in an effort to find her a husband.
Sophia’s insides tightened as she considered the pressure Felicity and Kaitlin must be under. And as their friend, ought she not be there to offer support, regardless of whether or not she was forced to face Jack?
A deep inhale and the subsequent exhale brought her duty toward them into focus.
“Very well,” she said. “I’ll attend the dinner.”
Relief shone in both of her friends’ eyes.
“Thank you,” Felicity said. She seemed to hesitate before asking, “You’ll bring Edward with you?”
Sophia couldn’t very well go alone, and since the Fenmores didn’t care for grand affairs, he was her best choice of companion. “Yes. But not as my fake fiancé.”
Having to see Jack again would be bad enough without also trying to deceive him.
But when she spoke with Edward later, Sophia realized she wouldn’t have to do so if she agreed to his proposal. She stared at him while trying to come to grips with what he’d just said. “You… You want to marry me? In truth?”
He gave her a frank look. “Lady Felicity and her sister gave me the idea.”
Sophia blinked. “What they proposed, according to what I know, was for you and me to fake an engagement in the hope that Hawthorne would try and pursue me. I realize how ridiculous that sounds, but I suppose they think he’d get jealous or something and… Well, I told them I wouldn’t do it.”
“Because it would be wrong,” Edward said.
Sophia nodded. “Exactly.”
“But would it be so terribly wrong of you to actually consider me instead? As a genuine option?”
She shook her head. “You don’t love me, Edward. Not in that way at least. Do you?”
He shrugged. “I love you in my own sort of way, Sophia. And as such, I do believe you and I could be happy together.”
“But what about…” She waved her hand to avoid speaking the word.
“Desire?” he asked, studying her. When she gave a quick nod, he said, “In my opinion it’s overrated. Of greater importance is how well we get along, and you and I have a shared history. Our values are similar. I know you, Sophia, and you know me.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
There was a pause, and then he reached for her hand. “I realize your heart belongs to Hawthorne, but he has given you no reason to hope he’ll ever be more to you than the brother of your dear friends.”
