Chapter 12

The bright sunshine streaming through her bedroom window woke Sophie up in a sweet and gentle way. Not that she necessarily wanted to wake up—considering she had been floating through the most beautiful dream ever. A dream where she was still dancing with George, talking and laughing with him, to a song that was never going to come to an end.

But as the heat washed over her body and she allowed herself to bask in the sun, Sophie found that she did not mind another day coming for her.

It was another opportunity to work out what her next step in life was going to be.

After lying there for a while, smiling to herself, Sophie finally rose from her bed and dressed herself for the day. She wore a sage green day dress which she hoped would be the perfect look for when she took a walk after breakfast. Sophie was feeling far too tightly wound to simply spend the day sitting indoors.

"Good morning," she declared happily, the moment she spotted her father already seated at the breakfast table in front of a delectable looking spread. "What a lovely day."

"Yes, your grandfather was just recommending that we take a walk in Hempstead Park," her dad said. "The ton likes to make the best of a day like today, so who knows who we will see picnicking in the sunshine."

That was a perfect idea. It fit in really well with Sophie's plans for the day. And if she were to head to a place where the ton might be found, then there was a good chance that she would be able to see the man from her dreams for real.

It would be extremely wonderful to see George again this morning. Without the restrictions of music and dance, she might be given more time to speak with him, to learn more about his personality, and to see if her heart really was drawn to him most of all.

"I would love that. What a good idea, Father."

"I will ensure that the kitchen staff pack us some lovely food to share there."

"Will Grandfather be coming with us?" Sophie asked curiously.

"I think he wishes to stay behind with your grandmother today, to ensure she is feeling well. But your mother and I will come. I am very much enjoying introducing her to the ton."

Sophie laughed. "I am sure Mother is enjoying it too. She has always enjoyed making new friends."

"Yes, and the London elite very much like her too. Just as they seem to like you."

Sophie grinned as she started to eat her breakfast, mentally planning how the day might turn out. If she spotted George, then she would make her way straight for him and see if he was keen to talk as well. She would try and work out if he had been thinking about her all night long, just as she had been him.

Whatever was to happen, it was certainly going to be an interesting day.

***

"Grandfather was right," Sophie exclaimed once her and her family set foot on to the park. "There really are a lot of people here. It seems like everyone from the balls are spending the day here today."

She had not been expecting this. Sophie thought that she might recognize a few faces, but it really did seem like everyone wanted to be there that day. Hempstead Park was the place to be seen. She was grateful to be a part of it.

As she glanced at her parents, she could see her mother already distracted and waving to someone she had met and befriended in England. It would not be long before her and her father got caught up in some long-winded conversation with new friends, leaving her a little bored. She wanted to see if her own friends were here before they settled into a picnic spot.

"I will come and find you in a moment," she told her father. "I think I have just seen Katherine…"

It was not true, but Sophie was hoping that she could make it a truth by locating her.

"Be sure to take your Lily with you."

This was something that Sophie found a little irritating. She was not used to having an escort with her everywhere she went in London, especially when she was in public, but it was something she knew she had to put up with. She could not be seen alone, or in the company of a gentleman by herself. Not without risking her reputation, which of course was the most important thing here.

She did like her lady's maid, that was not the issue, and she knew that she would be given her distance and enough privacy if she needed it, but it was still irritating.

Sophie started to walk through the crowds, waving at those she recognized. Many of the gentlemen that she had shared dances with were there, but not the one face she was hoping to see. She had not yet been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of George. The fact that everyone seemed to be here only raised her hope that she would cross paths with him this morning, but without any sign of him that hope was starting to diminish a little.

"Lady Dashwood."

There he was! Sophie's heart skipped a beat with excitement the moment she finally caught a glimpse of him. She could not stop her lips from curling up into a smile…

But that smile soon faltered as she drew nearer to him, just to realize that she was mistaken.

This was Gregory, not George.

She did not like the mistake, even if they looked very similar. It made her a little uncomfortable.

"How wonderful it is to see you today. You look ravishing as always."

Sophie thanked him, although she was all too aware that Gregory had used the same compliment on her again. It was as if he did not know what else to say.

"It is good to see you too, Lord Harrington."

Her heart sunk, like her whole body was aware that this was the wrong Lord Harrington.

Gregory might look very similar to George, but there was no attraction there. None at all. Her feelings for George went far deeper than surface level.

"Would you like to come for a walk with me, Lady Dashwood?"

Sophie nodded, because there was absolutely no reason to refuse this request. Since George was not around, she thought it wise to use the time getting to know Gregory a little better. Perhaps he would loosen up a little in a less stressful environment.

With her lady's maid not too far behind them both, she followed Gregory around the park, trying her hardest to listen to what he had to say about business and finances. She really did try to listen to everything that he had to say, because clearly, he was very fascinated with money, but she could not make it work. She could not stop her mind from drifting off to think about something else. Anything else.

"…and so my brother…"

His brother.

Now that he had been mentioned, Sophie could not help herself. She allowed the words to fall out of her mouth before she really thought about the consequences of what she was doing.

"Your brother… the man who was on this ship with us. Where is he today?"

She could not help but notice that Gregory's face faltered a little. "Well, since my brother has a terrible habit of gambling and drinking too much, I can only imagine that he is sleeping off some terrible hangover in some dive bar somewhere."

Sophie's heart sunk.

She had defended George to Katherine, but maybe she was wrong. If Gregory was repeating the same rumor, then maybe there was more to it. Just because Sophie struggled to envision a hung-over George slumped over some sticky bar somewhere, did not mean it was not true. She really did need to get to know George for who he really was, and not who she imagined him to be.

"I see," she just about managed to mutter back. "Well that is a shame."

She needed to see him, to ask him herself, to know the truth about who Lord George Harrington really was.

"Yes, he is nothing like me. He has never been able to keep himself on the straight and narrow. He has never much liked rules."

"Even when you were children?"

Gregory lit up at the interest. "Oh well, in our childhood he was a very lost boy. I always felt most sorry for him. It was obvious from the moment that we were born that he was jealous of me."

"It was obvious?" Sophie was a little confused and she could not help but express it.

"Oh yes. He followed me around like a dog, always wanting to be involved in whatever I was doing. He wanted to be friends with my friends, and work where I worked. Yet he was far too clumsy and foolish to ever do anything. It was quite embarrassing really. I tried my best with him, but it was too difficult. I could not seem to mold him in a way that would make him fit in at all."

"Really?"

"Oh yes." Gregory leaned in to whisper conspiratorially to her. "He always wanted to be in my position. To be the one who inherited everything. Finding out that I would end up being the lord that I am today almost crushed him." He shook his head looking a little sad now. "It was terrible when I had to cut him off financially, but he had spent far too long gambling away our fortune and it was breaking my father's heart. We had to leave his gambling debts to him, since he was the one who created them. I can assure you, Lady Dashwood, that having to cut your own twin brother from the family is utterly heart breaking. Not a choice I ever wanted to make, but I had to. It was the only way I could protect my family name."

"But your brother has made a success of himself in Sweden, has he not? He has worked hard and built up businesses…"

Gregory's eyes darkened once more. "Well, I do not know if success is the word that I would use to describe it, but I understand where you are coming from. He left to escape his debts here, and I see that gave him a chance to start over. But I can assure you what my brother considers success is not what anyone else thinks."

Sophie was incredibly confused. She did not know what to think about any of this. Gregory's words were terribly convincing because he spoke them with such conviction. If he were saying them about anyone else, then Sophie would have had no trouble believing him.

But until she spoke to George herself, she would not fully accept anything. She could not embrace Gregory's story, it was too strange for words.

"What is that fuss?" Gregory suddenly asked, pointing across the park.

Sophie narrowed her eyes curiously. "I am not sure. It looks like new people have arrived."

"Someone who has caused quite the stir."

As soon as the crowd parted a little, Sophie caught a little glimpse of the new visitors to the park. Her heart immediately leaped into her throat. There was Lord Sebastian Akerson and the man she had spent all morning hoping to see.

Lord George Harrington.

Gregory's face fell once more. He clearly was not happy to see his brother here, which only piqued Sophie's interest. Did the brothers not get along? Why would that be? The gambling story made the most sense because losing a family fortune would upset anyone. But she still could not envision it.

Not from the man who had most definitely captured her heart, whether he knew it or not.