“Surely, they will not take the entire day to write?”
Oh, why did her father have to choose today to be persistent in his attention?
“I promised Lord Byron I would send him my comments on his latest poem. It would be poor form to make such a distinguished gentleman wait. And I must choose my words carefully so as not to misrepresent myself. You see my predicament.”
“Very well. I, too, shall attend to my correspondence this morning. If you find yourself making good progress, we may yet fit in a ride while the air is warm. If not, we will both have spent the day productively.”
“Er…yes. Of course. That is an excellent plan. Thank you for thinking of my needs, Papa.”
“It is nothing. You know how important you are to me, Sophia.”
“Yes, Papa.”
“I shall join you for a light repast at lunch. Let us see how well we have applied ourselves by then.”
“Certainly. I will begin at once.”
Sophia could scarcely wait for her father to leave the room. She did not have a moment to lose.
“Katie, what shall I do? Tobias must be warned!”
“I could wait for him down the lane, miss, and stop him before he comes near the house.”
“No, no, if Papa looks in on me while you are out, he will demand an explanation for your absence. I do not want to get you into trouble.”
“What about the gardener? Thomas moves freely about the grounds. The master will not question where he is.”
“But will he recognize Mr. Mannerly?”
“I think everyone knows your gentleman by now, miss. We sort of keep an eye out for him, if you’ll pardon the cheek of it, miss.”
“I don’t know what to think of my affairs being spied on, but today, I am grateful for it. Here, let me write a quick note for you to take to Thomas. He is to give it to Mr. Mannerly, and no one else.”
“Yes, miss.”
Sophia scribbled a quick, untidy message. She folded and sealed it and sent Katie off in all haste, cautioning her to keep watch, lest the master see her.
She looked down at her dress. It had been a small triumph. And yet it seemed they made no progress. What was to become of their Mondays together? Did her father suspect Tobias’s interest in her? Would he clamp down harder than ever on her freedom, never trusting her to be alone again? Or had he thought only of her and her fondness for a carriage ride? If he would truly consider what she wanted, she may yet win him over.
Katie returned promptly, assuring Sophia she had not been seen. If their plan worked, Tobias would return home, undetected by her father. Their secret would be safe.
It was small comfort. Their cherished time together today was lost. Once a week had been little enough. Now she couldn’t be certain of any Monday.
The day stretched out interminably before her. It was impossible to concentrate on poetry. Instead, Sophia attempted some embroidery. It was only when Katie fetched her some tea an hour later—and brought news that Thomas had given Mr. Mannerly the note—that Sophia could at last breathe easier.
She settled a little and attempted to deal with her overdue correspondence, which proved a useful distraction. By the time her father had joined her for a light lunch, she had perked up a little and was ready to make the most of their outing together.After all, there was the chance that her father was simply in a good mood. Next week, all might be back to normal. Then again, was that the normal she wanted for herself?
Sophia wrestled with her thoughts until the footman announced that the carriage was ready. Once she was snuggly wrapped up within the compartment, her father seated himself opposite her, smiling benevolently. The coachman clicked his tongue and the horses shifted into motion. The reminder of her recent rides with Tobias brought a warm glow to her heart—and an ounce of courage. She knew what she wanted. She would not give him up. And if her father truly cared, he would not ask her to.
It was a big leap, too much for one conversation. She was not that brave, nor could she expect her father to change his thinking in an instant. But she could take a step in the right direction.
She licked her dry lips. “Papa.”
“Yes?”
“There is something I wish to share with you.”
“I am listening.”
