1. The Wedding Duel by Katy Madison

Author:Katy Madison [Madison, Katy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-12-01T22:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

"Sophie, you cannot."

"Why not? If you won't escort me, I'll take Letty with me."

"It just isn't done."

"One little trip to Covent Garden. It can't be so very terrible." She stopped at the side of the street, glancing across the busy thoroughfare at a violet seller. The pretty girl wore a raggedy gown with a rip across her shoulder, and her too-short frayed skirts exposed her bare legs to the cold and damp London weather.

"I have all these beautiful new gowns, and I want the chance to wear one for an evening." She wished she could give the little violet seller one of them. The girl probably needed it worse and would at least be seen wearing it. "I promise I won't get into any mischief. It is a perfectly respectable place."

Victor caught her arm as she started to cross the street. "Not for a woman alone, it isn't. I won't escort you."

"Fine."

Victor let go of her arm.

Sophie darted across the street, weaving between a dray wagon and a hansom cab. She heard his call behind her. She knew she could do little to alleviate the wretched condition of some Londoners, but she could buy a posy and help the violet seller in her day-to-day toils. Not that Sophie found London as squalid and poor as her mother had portrayed it. Just an occasional situation tugged at her heartstrings.

For the most part, the city was so full of life. London abounded with noises, the hawkers and peddlers shouting their wares, the continual clip-clop and rolling rumble of traffic, the greetings of friends, the play of children, the odd cockney turns of phrase that drifted to her. She only had to take in the sounds to feel invigorated. It was all so wonderful, and she would have to leave soon.

Victor reappeared at her side. "For heaven's sake, Sophie, have a care of yourself. You could get run over, darting between traffic like that."

"Oh, pish."

He grabbed her arm, leaned close and muttered under his breath, "Have a care of your condition. Or if you cannot think of yourself and yours, think of how bad it should go for me trying to explain what happened to Keene. What if you fainted and fell beneath a dray horse? He should run me through."

Hardly. "I assure you, my health is fine. You are just being a wet hen today."

Victor gave her a sidelong glance. "You're not going to the theater, right?"

"I can't very well go without an escort, can I?" Sophie pursed her mouth, hoping he might change his mind. She wanted to do one thing exciting before taking herself and her new clothes back to obscurity in the country. She swallowed down her disappointment that Keene had not found her. She had hoped that he might have seen her on the street, been swept away by her new, improved appearance, sworn everlasting devotion, and offered eternal pledges to think of only her happiness. Not that the dream was anything more than a silly young girl dream.

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