Chapter 11

Sophie needed a break from the dance floor.

It was wonderful that so many fine gentlemen wanted to show her a good time, but her feet had grown tired, and she needed a little break. Plus, Sophie had spotted Katherine at the refreshments table, and she was dying to gossip and catch up with her friend.

So she took a break from her dance card and excitedly grabbed Katherine's arm. "It is so lovely to see you again. How are you?"

"I am wonderful," Katherine replied with a soft smile. "I did not know if I would get a chance to speak with you tonight. You have been quite in demand on the dance floor. Is there a gentleman here that you have not yet spoken to?"

Sophie giggled. "I am not sure, but I have to admit that I cannot recall the majority of the conversations I have had tonight. No one has really inspired much interest."

"I would not say that is exactly true. You looked like you were having quite a wonderful time with Lord George Harrington. You did not stop laughing."

Just hearing his name made her heart skip a beat.

She could not stop the fizzle of excitement from racing through her body as she thought about him. His smile, his voice, his laugh… she liked it all. It was as if he sparked an intense energy within her that she had never experienced with anyone else before.

"Yes, well I have to admit, he is quite charming."

But Katherine's face fell at Sophie's words. "He may well be quite charming, but do not forget that he is rumored to be a rake who gambled all his family money away."

That rumor again… Sophie did not like the way it made her feel. She could not imagine George doing such a thing. It made her uncomfortable to imagine the man that she had grown so close to doing such a terrible thing to those in his life.

She recalled the moment on the ship when she promised to be his friend in London, so she did the one thing that she knew a friend should do. She defended him.

"That is a rumor only, it is not true."

"How do you know this?" Katherine insisted. "I do not wish for you to be fooled."

Sophie swallowed hard before continuing. "Because he is a very successful lord in Sweden. One with many businesses and booming profits. There is no way a man like that would risk anything on a gamble. I believe that rumor started as mere gossip because people did not understand why he had left London. They never bothered to learn that he went for a business opportunity. One that would actually help his family."

Sophie hoped that not only would Katherine believe these words, but that she would go on to let others know. George most certainly did not deserve to be treated as an outcast when no one knew for sure what he had done.

"Well, that is wonderful news, Sophie. I do not even need to question the authenticity of this because you are from Sweden. If anyone would know how successful he is there, it is you." Katherine smiled widely. "And that is very good news for you, because he seems to have taken a very keen interest in you."

Now that made Sophie's whole body light up with delight. She felt like one of those candles, flickering in the breeze.

"How do you feel about him, Sophie? Is he someone that you like also? Because you do seem to light up while you are talking to him. You do seem to enjoy his company."

Sophie parted her lips, about to give her friend a very honest answer, but she did not get a chance to respond.

"Lady Dashwood… it is so good to see you this evening. May I have your hand for this dance?"

Sophie was not sure how to feel. Her heart floated and sunk all at once.

"Lord Harrington… yes, of course."

She found herself much less keen to dance with Gregory than she did George, but with no real reason why. He looked the same, and had been nothing but nice to Sophie. She just did not need the same racing excitement in her heart.

But of course, this was not the time to get all caught up in that worry. She might come across as rude if she did not immediately follow Gregory, and that was the last thing that she wanted. Rudeness was not well received in London society. It could be taken so badly that it actually destroyed a lady's reputation, making it impossible for her to fit in, and even more challenging for them to find a suitable man to marry.

Sophie turned backwards and caught Katherine's smiling eyes as she walked. Her friend did not seem to see her dilemma at all.

"You look rather ravishing tonight, Lady Dashwood," Gregory declared as they got into the dancing position, his hands resting upon her very lightly, like he did not wish to touch her too obviously. This was nothing like George whose hands has not exactly behaved themselves at all. Not that she had been complaining. "I do hope that you are having a good night."

"The ball has been quite lovely, yes."

She did not feel like she could be open and honest in her conversation with Gregory. It was all stiff and awkward, like they did not quite know what to say to one another. She had felt like this a lot tonight, with many a gentleman, but having it be so strange with a man who looked like George was terribly confusing.

He was very proper, and acted just like a gentleman was supposed to, but for some reason that did not spark much excitement in Sophie at all.

This was most certainly not going to be a dance to remember. Not like the short time she had spent in George's arms.

"Have you been enjoying yourself in London?"

"Oh yes," Sophie responded, trying to throw herself right into the conversation, to try and give him a chance. "It is a wonderful city. The museums are fascinating."

"I am not one for museums," Gregory interrupted. "I do not have the time for history. Not when I am so focused on work and the present moment. That is the most important thing."

Sophie clapped her lips tightly shut. She was most certainly not going to talk about her favorite books with a man who had pretty much just stated that he did not have time for hobbies. There was not much else she wanted to say at all now. But that was alright, because Gregory had a lot to say. All about his work and how important he was. It did not leave Sophie much time and space to think of anything at all.

He was clearly trying to impress her, and the effort was nice, but this was no fun at all. She could not wait for this dance to be over, so she could return to gossiping with her friend. Katherine was much more pleasant to talk to than this.

***

Sophie's eyes drifted out the window of the carriage as she and her parents rode home after what had been one of the most intriguing nights of her whole life. She had a lot to think about, a lot of emotions to process. All of them surrounding just the one man. The only gentleman who had sparked anything inside of her.

Of course, Sophie was a little concerned when it came to George and all the rumors surrounding him. Just because she did not want to imagine him as a reckless rake who wrecked his family fortune, did not make it untrue.

She might have defended him in front of her friend, but that was something she would have to be certain of before she shared another dance with him. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that she could not fall for a gentleman who acted in such a selfish manner. Anyone who thought more about themselves than their family would not be the right man for her.

But her gut told her not to believe it. Not yet anyway.

"Well, tonight was rather interesting," Sophie's father suddenly said, drawing her attention back to him. "You met a lot of new people again tonight. How was it?"

Sophie smiled. "I had a lovely time, with friends I had met before, and new people. London society is very interesting."

Her mother leaned forwards with a knowing sparkle glinting in her eyes. "And is there anyone who you find particularly interesting? Have any of the gentlemen caught your eye?"

Sophie could feel a heat burning in her cheeks. She knew that she had to be blushing, so there was no point in trying to push her feelings down. Her mother knew her too well for her to try and hide anything anyway.

"I have enjoyed getting to know the gentleman that we met on the boat. Lord George Harrington."

"Oh, the man who is friends with Sebastian!" her father blurted out with excitement. "Yes, I thought that they were very nice people."

"George?" Her mother asked in surprise. "I assumed you were having a good time getting to know his brother, Lord Gregory Harrington."

"Ah, well he is kind too," Sophie admitted. "And it has been interesting to get to know him as well. But I have a much better conversation with George. I feel like we connect on a deeper level, and that we share a lot in common too."

"Well, you have both lived in Sweden…"

"No, mother, it is more than that. I feel like he really sees me for who I am. He understands me, and likes me for that."

That was the most honest that Sophie had ever been about her feelings for George, but it was actually very freeing to admit all of that. If her parents knew who had caught her eye, then maybe she would not need to bother politeness with other gentlemen at these balls.

Instead, she could focus on the one person who actually brought a smile to her face. The one person who listened to her and seemed to care what she had to say.

She watched her parents exchange a look. Her pulse pounded a little because she was a little nervous about how they would respond to this. Their opinions meant the world to her.

But her father beamed, and her mother nodded acceptingly.

"Whoever you chose to marry is your decision," her mother continued. "But he seems like a very nice man, and I am sure that he will find a way to make you very happy. Just be patient, my love. Remember that true love is not always the easiest path to find, and it is always possible that there will be bumps in the road. But we trust you to do what is right for you."

Her mother's words warmed up Sophie's heart and she allowed her imagination to run away with her. Knowing that George enjoyed reading as much as she did, made her wonder if that would make it easier to spend the rest of her days with him, if they were to end up married.

Would it mean they always had a lot to talk about? They could spend many a peaceful Sunday afternoon silently losing themselves in their own literary worlds by the fireplace, before then discussing what their reading had taught them that day.

She was starting to think that there was a reason he had been the one to save her, preventing her from plunging into the dark waters below, to her sudden death. George had been her hero because they were always meant to meet.

Perhaps because they were meant to be together forever…