Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

“We simply must do this again,” Lady Frighton said, after breakfast was over.

The other guests had expressed similar sentiments, and Jasper’s mother had assured them she would make arrangements for a repeat of the house party very soon.

“And perhaps a few other guests to add to the party,” she said.

“The more the merrier. There’s such energy in a large group. Nora and I thrive on it, don’t we, dear?” Helen said, and her sister nodded.

“Certainly, we do. But being here has been quite a revelation – Venus and Neptune,” she said, glancing at Sophia, who blushed.

Whether Venus and Neptune really had come together in a celestial dance, and whether that coming together had any bearing at all on Sophia and Jasper was a question not worth asking. Sophia could only imagine the lengthy explanations she would receive at the hands of the Batley sisters. But there was no doubting that some good fortune had come about as a result of the time spent at Weston House.

She would be sad to leave, and not only because of Jasper, but because of Penelope, too. The two of them had rekindled the friendship they had once known, and Sophia now felt a sense of sisterly affection towards Penelope, one she hoped would continue in the coming months.

“I’m sure Venus and Neptune can meet again,” Jasper said, and the other guests smiled.

Only Henry remained stony-faced, as he had done throughout most of the previous days – at least since discovering his chances of securing a match were rapidly depleting. If one good thing had come out of the house party, it was this, and Sophia could only be grateful to Jasper for having played along with her ruse.

“We’ll look forward to welcoming you all back to Weston House very soon,” the Dowager Duchess said, and it was clear she, too, had enjoyed herself.

“I’ll make sure my mother can come, too, next time,” Sophia said, and Jasper’s mother clapped her hands together in delight.

“Oh, yes, I’ve missed her so very much. And she’ll be delighted to hear your news, won’t she?” she said, glancing at Jasper, who smiled.

“Is the whole world to know, Mother?” he asked, and his mother smiled.

“Well, why not?” she asked.

After breakfast, Sophia said goodbye to the other guests. She and Ethan were leaving later that morning, but Sir Arthur, Lord and Lady Frighton, and the Batley sisters were leaving earlier.

“Goodbye, dear. I hope it won’t be long before we hear more good news,” Lady Frighton said, kissing Sophia on the cheek.

The guests were gathered in the hallway, and Sophia smiled, thanking Lady Frighton for her kind words, even though she felt sorry to think they would not be realized. There was to be no betrothal, no announcement, no grand Society wedding, and as the guests departed, she glanced at Jasper, who seemed to be in something of a contemplative mood.

“We’ll leave at noon, Sophia. Have Spencer get your things ready,” Ethan said, and Sophia nodded.

But a sudden thought now occurred to her, and she glanced at Jasper with a slight smile playing on her lips.

“I think I’m going to walk in the garden – just to take the air. It’s such a beautiful morning,” she said.

The evening before, she had feared the thought of finding herself alone with Jasper amongst the shrubbery, but now, her words were an invitation, and she hoped he would realize that.

Ethan seemed to not realize her intentions, and he nodded, waving his hand dismissively, before stating he would go to his bedroom and see to it that his things had been packed just so. Penelope was caught up in a conversation with her mother, and Sophia took her leave, slipping out of a side door into the garden.

She was glad to feel the early morning sun on her face, and she smiled to see two little birds frolicking together in the bird bath, their chirping song filling the garden with a sweet sound as Sophia crossed the grass, making for the shrubbery. She wanted to sit on the same bench Jasper had been sitting on the previous evening, hoping he would find her there.

And perhaps he’ll tell me how he really feels.

She was not certain as to what those feelings might be.

If it was simply a game, the Duke was playing it well, and if it was not, there was no reason why he should hold back his feelings towards her. In Sophia’s eyes, the game was no longer such. She did not want to play games, and if it was to be real, she was only too happy for it to be so. As she sat on the bench, the air around her perfumed with the sweet scent of the garden, Sophia wondered what it would be like to be courted by Jasper – what it would be like to call herself the Duchess of Weston…

Now you’re just being foolish.

It was clear Jasper did not want to marry. If he had wished to do so, he would have already done so, though the question of an heir surely remained. If he was to work so hard at returning the estate to its previous good fortune, he would not very well abandon it to some distant relative, just as her own father had done. Sophia was musing on this thought when footsteps approaching caused her to look up. A moment later, Jasper appeared behind the trellis, smiling at her with a questioning look on his face.

“Did you invite me?” he asked, and Sophia blushed.

“Well… yes, I did,” she replied as he came to sit down next to her.

“I’m glad you did. This is where I wanted to meet you last night,” he said, and Sophia smiled.

“And I was too… scandalized to do so,” she replied.

The Duke laughed.

“There’s nothing scandalous about two people talking in a garden. I always say, those who see scandal in innocence are the ones who need to examine themselves. Their minds are clearly taken up with the carnal,” he said, and now it was Sophia’s turn to laugh.

“Well, yes, I suppose, that’s true – or they wish they were the ones caught up in a scandal, if only to bring some color to their otherwise monotonous lives,” she replied, and Jasper nodded.

“Absolutely. But I wonder… why did you want to talk to me?” he asked.

Sophia had hoped he would furnish the answer for himself. That it would be he who would lead the conversation, directing it towards what she hoped he felt, or was beginning to feel, just as she, too, was beginning to feel something. It was a strange sensation, one she had not experienced before – not to this extent, at least. There was an intensity to it, a longing for his companionship, and a fear of their separation.

“Well… if you’re not glad of it…” she said, not knowing if he was being purposefully obtuse.

But he shook his head and smiled.

“Oh, but I’m very glad of it. I wanted to talk to you last night, don’t forget. But you were… scandalized,” he said, and Sophia laughed.

She liked the way he teased her, and it seemed he would continue to do so now.

“I just… well, if we’ve got to leave today…” she said, fearing Ethan would appear at any moment to take her away from him.

“Perhaps you could stay another night. If I was to mention a business deal to Ethan – one requiring immediate attention from those considering investing – we could prolong things a little longer,” Jasper said, a smile playing on his face.

Sophia’s heart skipped a beat. There was no need for it – the prolonging of their intimacy. They did not need to make any form of show or pretense. The seed had been sown. Lady Frighton was probably, even now, planning whom she might tell first of the yet to be announced engagement of the Duke of Weston to the Earl of Milton’s cousin. It would be the talk of the ton, and there was no longer any question of Sophia marrying Henry. But in the possibility of what Jasper was suggesting, there was something more.

He wanted to be with her. He wanted that intimacy. He wanted her.

“Yes, I’d like that,” she said, and Jasper nodded.

“Then I’ll tell him you’re staying. If he objects, I’ll tell him I’ll cut him out of the deal. There’ll be no cotton mill,” he said, and Sophia laughed.

She knew her cousin would not object. Ethan was fickle, and if he believed he would be denied this advantage, he would do everything he could to regain it.

“And if we stay, will we… you and I…” she said, not knowing how to articulate what she was feeling, for it really did not make sense to her, or rather she was somewhat afraid to admit it, fearing, even now, that he did not share her sentiments.

“I’m sorry if I burdened you with my troubles last night. It’s just… I found it very easy to talk to you. Remarkably so, in fact. You seemed to understand,” Jasper said.

“I’m glad you did. And I hope you know I didn’t mind at all. I was only too glad to listen,” Sophia replied.

She had not thought it an imposition on his part. In fact, she had taken it as a sign of a growing intimacy between them. She had not thought a man like the Duke of Weston would need a confidante, but in expressing his vulnerabilities, Jasper had shown another side of himself, one she could not help but find attractive. He smiled.

“I’m glad to hear it. It’s kind of you to say so. Some women would… well, they think a duke shouldn’t have problems – that I should be entirely immune from such things, and that if a problem occurred, I should have no recourse to anything but resolving it myself,” he said.

Sophia smiled. She did not believe anyone was without their problems, though her own appeared pale in comparison to his. He bore the weight of the dukedom, and his father’s failings. Had it not been for Jasper, the entire edifice of the title and estate would have collapsed. She could only admire him for what he had done – and was doing.

“You’re only one man – as much as I’m sure it pains you to hear it said,” she replied, but Jasper shook his head.

“No, sometimes it’s good to be reminded of such things. You’re right. I might have a particular image I convey. But beneath it all… I struggle at times. My father left me with nothing. Everything I have now, I’ve worked hard for – more than hard, I’ve shed blood and tears. And poor Penelope, too. She didn’t deserve any of this. She deserved her debut, and all the happiness it should’ve brought her. I know she received it in the end, and there was the happy coincidence of the two of you sharing the occasion together, but she deserved more. She really did,” he said.

He was sitting close to Sophia, and now, instinctively, she reached out and took his hand in hers. He did not pull it away, and now she squeezed it, smiling at him as he glanced at her, a slight blush creeping up his cheeks.

“You’ve done so much for Penelope. She’s truly blessed to have a brother like you,” Sophia said, and the Duke smiled.

“I rather think it’s I who’s blessed to have a sister like her,” he said, and Sophia smiled back at him.

“She’s a delightful person,” she said, still with his hand clasped in hers.

For a moment, they sat together on the bench, surrounded by the sweet scent of the roses, hand in hand. There was no doubt in Sophia’s mind as to the fact that this was no longer a ruse. It was what they both wanted, and having both shared their intimacies – the Duke talking about his father, and Sophia having already confessed her worries about Henry and the matter of a forced marriage – it seemed there could be no retreat from what was now so obvious.

“I’m so glad we met, Sophia,” Jasper said, and Sophia blushed.

She felt the same, but she was still curious as to why he should feel the way he felt. What was it about her he found attractive? What had led him to confide in her as he had done?

“I am, too. But… what changed between us?” she asked, and he sighed.

“A man shouldn’t admit such things, but I’ll tell you. You make me feel safe, Sophia,” he said.

It was one of the nicest things Sophia could imagine anyone saying to her. She had not ever thought of herself in such a way, and certainly no one had ever said as much to her. To make someone feel safe was a sign they trusted you implicitly, and it seemed remarkable to think she and Jasper had already reached such levels of intimacy.

“Do I… really?” she asked, and he nodded.

“You do, yes. A week ago, I’d never have thought any woman could make me feel so. But you’re different, Sophia. You listened to me. And you shared your own difficulties, too,” he replied, and Sophia smiled.

“Yes… I suppose I did. I’m glad. And I’m more than happy to listen. I want to listen,” she said.

All the while, their hands had been clasped together, and now, with their gaze fixed on one another, Sophia felt her heart rate quicken. She thought again what it would be like to kiss him – for him to kiss her. He would lean forward, the scent of his cologne mixing with that of the roses, their lips pressed together…

“Sophia? Are you out here?” Ethan’s voice echoed across the gardens, and Sophia instinctively withdrew her hand from Jasper’s and rose to her feet.

“Let me go and talk to him. I’ll gain another night. It’ll be fun, especially not having all those dull guests around us,” Jasper said, rising to his feet.

“No more Venus and Neptune?” Sophia asked, and the Duke laughed.

“Oh, well… I think Aunt Helen might occasionally get things right,” he said, winking at her.

Sophia smiled, and she watched as Jasper hurried off, calling to Ethan across the lawn. She thought again of how close they had come to sharing a kiss, and how certain she now was of her feelings for him, and his for her. It was no longer a ruse, but something real, even as she did not entirely know how it would play out. But the thought was pleasing, and as she returned to the house, she pondered what might be – what could be, if only she pursued it.

“Sophia, a word with you, please,” a voice said as she entered the house.

Sophia was startled out of her musings, and she looked up to find Henry standing in front of her. Had he been waiting for her? The two of them had barely exchanged a word since it became apparent Sophia’s interests lay elsewhere, and Sophia had hoped he had already left, along with the other guests.

“Oh… Henry. I thought everyone else had gone,” she said as he stepped forward.

“I’m leaving later on,” he replied, and Sophia nodded, trying to step past him, even as he blocked her path.

“I see. Well… I think we might be staying another night…” she said, hoping he would realize the implications of what she was saying.

But instead, he seized her by the hand gripping her so tightly that she let out a cry of pain.

“Henry… you’re hurting me,” she exclaimed, and his eyes grew wide with anger.

“Am I? And what about you hurting me? I know what you’re doing, Sophia. A duke… yes, a far better prospect than a viscount. But you’ve allowed yourself to be taken with my cousin and his wiles. He’s not interested in you. Not really. He’ll toy with you. You’re his plaything at the moment. But as soon as he’s bored with you, he’ll cast you out. And then where will you be?” he snarled.

Sophia pulled away from him. She was more than ready to strike him if he dared touch her again. Her eyes flashed with anger. He had no right to treat her in this way – to assume some apparent ownership over her. Besides, she did not believe a word he said about Jasper, whom she could only believe to be entirely sincere.

“And I suppose the answer is, with you,” she said, glaring at him.

He nodded.

“I don’t blame you, Sophia. He seems a most attractive proposition. But scratch the surface, and you’ll see differently,” Henry said.

“I’ve done more than that. I know you’re wrong, Henry. If you think your cousin’s like that, then you’ve misjudged him,” Sophia said, but the Viscount shook his head.

“Have I? Don’t you think I know him better than you do? He’s my cousin, isn’t he? We grew up together. I know him far better than you do, and what I’m telling you is the truth. I’ve seen it before – a pretty young lady strikes his fancy, he turns on the charm – he oozes it. And then… he forgets all about you once you’re gone. You’re just one in a long line. But when he does forget you, I’ll be waiting, and I’m sure your cousin won’t waste any time in begging me to take you back,” Henry said, and with that, he turned and marched off across the hallway, leaving Sophia with tears in her eyes.

She had been certain Henry’s words were false, and yet what he had said about knowing his cousin better than anyone else was surely, in part, true. She knew the two of them had grown up together, spending months at a time together at the home of their maternal grandmother.

And I really don’t know him at all.

She had been so caught up in the thought of what Jasper promised her that she had barely stopped to consider the alternative. But he had played his part in the ruse so well, and if he could act one part, he could surely act another, too. Henry’s accosting had left her confused – scared, even. She had no doubt he was right about Ethan. If the ruse was discovered, or if Jasper’s intentions turned out to be different from what she had believed them to be, Ethan would go at once to Henry, begging him to take Sophia back.

But I won’t do it.

Sophia went to find Penelope to share the good news of her staying an extra night at Weston House, even if the prospect was now tainted by Henry’s words…