Chapter 1

Sophie's heart raced.

Excitement filled her.

This was the best thing that had ever happened to her, she could not wait to embrace the big changes that awaited her.

"Are you alright, my love? You look a little overly excited. So does your little dog!"

Sophie turned to face her mother with a wide smile on her face as the carriage continued to drive the family down the cobbled streets. "Oh, I am quite well, thank you very much. I am truly thrilled about our upcoming adventure."

She was a young lady who had spent her youth with her head in a book, reading about adventures and wondering if she would ever be lucky enough to leave Sweden, to see what the rest of the world had to offer. She had always been fascinated with England because it felt like the center of the world to her.

The grand city of London with its fancy balls and exciting society nights… knowing that her father was originally from England, and that she had roots there, took hold of her imagination.

Her mother, elegant and composed as ever, nodded in agreement. "Yes, the beating heart of England awaits us all."

Sophie's father could not seem to take his eyes off the surrounding scenery as they rode, almost as if he was drinking in the last remnants of Sweden before it was taken away from him forever. Once they set foot on that ship, it was unlikely that they would ever return. Not that Sophie minded. She had spent twenty long years there, her whole life thus far, and she was ready for a change. She could not wait to see what England had for her.

"How long until we are at the shipyard?" she asked, trying to capture her father's attention, to remind him that while he might have been struggling to leave all of this behind, she could not wait.

"We should be there any moment," he murmured. "Then it is on to the Gracemeadow Estate."

There was a deep hesitation in his voice, which Sophie could understand. This trip to London was not merely an adventure. It was not only a chance for Sophie to experience the grand London balls in the hope that she might find herself a nice English gentleman to spend the rest of her life with. A husband who would only make this adventure that much more thrilling.

They were also returning because his mother had fallen ill. Sophie's father needed to return to England so he could help his parents, and hopefully nurse his mother back to health, even if it was perhaps unlikely because of her age.

Sophie fell into silence as she thought about that. No wonder her father was uneasy. His trip to Sweden all those decades ago was supposed to be a short one, just a fleeting visit to explore the world some more. Clearly, he did not know that he was about to fall in love with Amelia Louise Anne Frederick, sister to the Swedish queen.

It was very unlikely that he expected this to be his trip home.

But just as quickly as Sophie sunk into worry about her grandmother, her father finally faced her with a smile. "But we are going to have a wonderful time exploring London. Not only will we have the Season, during which time you can introduce yourself to the London ton, we will be able to attend operas and visit the museums… there are many places that I would like to take you."

"Do you think that I will be lucky enough to make any new friends in London?"

That was the one thing that Sophie was worried about leaving behind. Her Swedish friends. She had spent years attending school with them, and had endless memories. Would she be able to replicate that in London?

"Oh my goodness, Sophie," her father declared as he reached across the carriage to hold his daughter's hands. "Of course you will make friends in London. The girls there will be very keen to meet you. You are going to have a wonderful time meeting new people and making friends who will be by your side forever."

Her mother also offered her a loving smile. "Yes, your father is right. I am sure there will be plenty of girls looking forward to meeting you. Especially when they find out that your aunt is the queen of Sweden. I am sure that will garner you a lot of attention from the London elite. They love anyone with connections to powerful people, and a queen is one of the most powerful!"

Sophie's smile thinned a little.

She loved her aunt and was so happy that she was the queen, but she'd had bad experiences in the past where people only wanted to be her friend because of her aunt. They had no interest in really getting to know Sophie at all. She did not wish to go through that again.

"Remember to be kind," her mother said, misinterpreting the guarded look that had started to cross her face.

"And find friends who are also kind and true," her father joined in. "I know that you have a good judge of character, my darling."

The carriage rolled to a halt and as Sophie peered out the window, her heart skipped a beat.

There lay the shipyard, a bustling hub of activity, with sailors scurrying about, hoisting sails, and loading cargo, as passengers climbed aboard.

This was it.

The moment that her life would change forever, and she could not wait.

Ships were always the start of the greatest adventures, there was no better way to explore than to see new lands. This was the first time that Sophie felt as if she was stepping in to her real self, her real life… her first real adventure.

"Come on, Douglas," she whispered to her adorable Scottish Terrier, her constant companion throughout her life. "Let us climb aboard and see where the ocean takes us."

***

The ship was huge, and grander than Sophie was expecting. It made her feel a little like she was in the midst of a London ballroom. Especially since her parents seemed to know everyone aboard and they seemed intent on introducing her to everyone. At least it felt like everyone. She was going to have to get far better at recalling names when they were flung at her in a whirlwind.

Hopefully it would not matter too much on the ship.

Eventually, the family were led to their quarters by a sailor with weathered hands and a lopsided smile. The suite provided for Sophie and her parents was massive, with separate bedrooms, each with comfortable looking beds overlooking the ocean. It was obvious that they were not going to want for anything while aboard. The amenities were wonderful.

"Lunch will be prepared for you soon," the sailor told the family as he backed out of the room. "Just as soon as we get moving, there will be food for everyone. I am sure you are hungry."

Sophie had not realized quite how starving she had become, but the mere mention of food made her stomach rumble. She pressed her hands to her belly, embarrassed but keen none the less.

She got herself dressed, perhaps far too quickly, and found her parents still lounging about in their stateroom, on a luxurious sofa underneath a glistening chandelier. Impatience shot through her, she was not sure that she could simply wait here until it was time to eat.

"I am going to take Douglas for a walk," she said. "I do not think he will be still. He is excited and wants to see the whole boat."

"I do not believe that he is the only one," her father laughed as he waved her away. "Go, but please be back in time to eat. We do not wish for you to vanish since we left your ladies maid to tend to the house while we are gone."

Sophie's heart raced as she places Douglas on the lead and started to walk. In this moment, it felt to her like she was walking through the hallways of a hallowed castle. Somewhere new, somewhere exciting, an adventure just for her. She passed the dining room, admiring how glamorous it looked, like it was prepared for royalty. But Sophie was far more interested in the sun shining down on the deck, and the sound of the waves lapping underneath the boat.

"How are you finding the ship?"

Sophie was surprised to whip around and find herself face to face with the captain of the boat, who looked genuinely interested in her response. "Oh yes, it is lovely, I love it…"

"I am not so happy," another voice interjected. A gruff voice that truly matched the man it came from. "My room is not the one that I wanted. The room I specifically asked for has been given to a minor lord. I think I am the one who should have received it."

Sophie's eyes widened. She had no idea who this strange gentleman was, but his attitude was a little unnerving.

"Ah, Gustaf Brandon the fourth." But the captain clearly had more information to hand. "You have been assigned to a room that fits your budget."

The man scoffed and rolled his eyes. "It seems to me like you find new money shinier than old money. That is not an attitude that will get you very far."

The captain shot her an apologetic look before he walked off with the angry man, leaving her to bask in the sunshine some more. She hoped that not everyone would have the same negative attitude towards this boat, because it was a wonderful vessel that was going to take them to somewhere shiny and new.

Sophie continued to walk and explore above deck while she waited for the boat to move. To try and distract herself from the rumbling in her stomach, she allowed her mind to wander, to daydream about what her life was going to be like in London.

She thought about the dresses and the balls, the evenings out where she would get to mingle with the London elite. The Ton. Her father had told her a little about them as she was growing up, but now she was going to get to experience them for herself. To meet the nobles and lords who she would add to her dance card and maybe even court.

Of course her parents were hoping that Sophie would find someone to marry, but she wanted so much more than that. She wanted love—real love—a little like the love she had witnessed between her parents growing up. She wanted a man to look at her with adoration, same as her father did when he was looking at her mother.

She wanted the sort of love that featured in her favorite romance novels as well. She wanted it all.

Sophie was a little worried that she might not be able to find what she was imagining. That it might all be too much. She had also heard stories of girls like herself being forced to marry for convenience, just picking a man because they did not wish to be a spinster. That was not the way that Sophie wanted her life to be.

She sucked in a sharp breath of air and tried to recall the wise words that her mother would always say to her. That she just needed to stay true to herself, and that would lead her to real love. That her own parents might not have wished her to wed the English Marquess who was only supposed to be on vacation in Sweden, but that she had stayed true to herself and her heart which led her to be happy forever.

That was truly what Sophie wanted to happen, but she was endlessly terrified that she would not succeed in her mission.

It was that terror which was the only thing that threatened to overshadow her excitement in to starting a new life, and she did not intend to let that win.