Sophia and the Duke by Stacy Reid

Author:Stacy Reid
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2019-09-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

Sophia rested her chin on her drawn-up knees and stared at the family’s headstone. Leaning in, she brushed a few twigs and leaves from her sister’s and arranged the flowers, so they did not hide her name. Imogen had reburied her family in the family plot so they could be nearby.

“How are you today, Hetty?” Sophia murmured.

A newfound sense of peace settled inside her as she stared at their graves. It had been slowly happening, and with each visit, the pain had grown less and less until an acceptance had settled in her heart. Now when she visited, Sophia allowed only the happiest of memories to cloud her thoughts, and she fancied her family resided in heaven, a place her father had ardently believed existed.

“William is back.” Then she proceeded to tell her family about the race with Tommy, the archery competition she had entered with some of his friends who had believed her to be a lad at the time…and finally, she confessed to making love with William.

A blush heated her cheeks as she recalled the passionate way they’d fallen onto the grass and what had come next. After kissing her passionately for several more minutes, he had shown enough restraint when they hadn’t made love again. So many emotions had filled Sophia’s chest she had asked him for space, and he hadn’t hesitated to grant it, only asking her when he should send his carriage for her.

‘Three days, she’d said. Send your carriage for me in three days.’

“He is sending a carriage for me this evening. I…I am going to spend some time with him before I start my travels. I dare not tell Lydia or Aunt Imogen, though did I send a letter this morning informing them I am staying a bit longer in the countryside to avoid the scandal in town. A very good excuse, I believe and one I am not guilty of saying. What do you think?”

Of course, no one answered, but an unexpected gust of wind rustled through the beech trees, swaying even the heavy branches, and scattering the fallen leaves all over Sophia. She gasped and then laughed. “Is that approval? Or is that you papa, screaming your displeasure that I abandoned my virtue without the benefit of marriage?” A thing she still could not believe had happened but would never regret.

Shaking her head at her silliness, she spent another few minutes before pushing to her feet and walking back to the main house. Once inside her chamber, she called for the maid Aunt Imogen had sent down with her.

“I’ll be leaving Hertfordshire for a few days,” Sophia said as soon as the maid entered.

Mary smiled. “I’ll pack for both of us immediately, Miss Sophia. A few day gowns, dinner gowns, a ball gown, and a riding habit?”

“Yes,” she said, “but Mary, I shall be going alone.”

The maid’s eyes widened at the scandalous proposition. “Miss Sophia,” she gasped, with evident alarm. “Lady Cadenham bid me—”

“I know what my aunt asked of you,” she said with a gentle but firm smile.

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