Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

“I’ll be waiting in the drawing room,” Penelope said, leaving Jasper and Peter alone.

Jasper had been somewhat taken aback by Sophia’s proposal, even as he himself had thought it was to be a proposal of a different kind. He had felt guilty at the thought of the game he had played with her and Henry, realizing now it was a game purely to Henry’s advantage, something he had not intended. If anything, he had hoped to see his cousin be the one to feel awkward, but instead, it was Sophia who had suffered. He had been trying to think of a way to apologize to her, but her suggestion of a flirtation seemed ample compensation. But as for telling others – even Peter or Penelope – Jasper thought it best to keep the matter to himself.

“What was all that about? You missed a lovely walk – Helen and Nora were telling us all about the magical creatures who live in the garden. I never knew such exciting things went on in a shrubbery,” Peter said, and Jasper groaned.

“Oh, nonsense. I’m glad I wasn’t there. And what do you mean, ‘All that?’ It was nothing, just some business,” Jasper replied, but his friend raised his eyebrows.

“Business? Yesterday, you were saying you had no interest in her. Did she come to you for advice?” Peter persisted.

Jasper sighed. He knew Peter could not be fooled, and yet he did not want another lecture on “playing games.” Peter would not approve of their trying to trick Henry, even if he agreed that the idea of him and Sophia marrying was a terrible one – for her, at least.

“She wants to invest some money – something her father left her, I suppose,” Jasper said.

“And won’t her cousin advise her?” Peter asked, persisting in his inquiries, even as Jasper looked up at him with an exasperated expression.

“Would you want that man advising you? No, she knows how I feel about the slave trade, and she feels the same. She doesn’t want to invest in plantations, or shipbuilding, or anything else of that nature. I merely gave her some advice. That’s all. Was there anything else?” he asked, and Peter smiled.

“If that’s what you want to say, then…” he said, and Jasper glared at him.

They were the best of friends, but when it came to matters of the heart, both men kept their cards close to their chests. Peter could be flirtatious, but often it was with the same kind of women that Jasper might be drawn to, and there had been occasions when they had argued over who would get the chance at any potential courtship. Since then, it had seemed better to keep their friendship and any romantic interests apart, even as they both remained eligible bachelors.

“It is, yes. I told you… the sooner this is over, the better,” Jasper said, though in truth, he was no longer certain he believed his own words.

The thought of a flirtation with Sophia, of a pretense at romance intrigued him. It would be a good game to play. But more than that, there was something about her. She was certainly attractive, and her independent spirit was different from that of other women. Jasper had dismissed her at first, but their encounter at breakfast, and now, had changed his mind about her – for the better.

“Well, you’ve still got a few more days of it. Why don’t you enter into the spirit of things, Jasper? What harm can it possibly do?” Peter asked, and Jasper nodded.

He had every intention of entering into the spirit of things, but as for what the rest of the party would think, Jasper could only imagine…

Sophia had been surprised at the ease with which the Duke had agreed to her plan. She had expected resistance – or even refusal – on his part. But despite his not having openly admitted it, there was no doubt in her mind as to the fact that Jasper was feeling guilty about having reignited the flames of his cousin’s intentions towards her.

Had the Duke not invited Henry to the house party, Sophia felt certain the idea of the two of them marrying would have been forgotten. After all, her cousin had already suggested the Duke himself – or Peter, even – as a suitable match. But now, Ethan’s attentions were turned back to Henry, and Sophia knew he would not be satisfied until the proposal was made and the deal was done.

“I was surprised to find you talking to Jasper. I was pleased – he can be so… difficult. But he’s really not like that normally. I don’t think he likes meeting new people,” Penelope said.

They were sitting on the terrace, taking the afternoon air after luncheon. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining in the bright blue sky above, and swallows circling over the lush green lawn. The flower beds were at their best, with blooms in every color nodding gently in the warm breeze, and a sweet scent of roses perfuming the air.

“I’m sure he’s not,” Sophia replied.

“But it must’ve been a shock to you – finding Henry here. Jasper just doesn’t think sometimes. That’s his problem,” Penelope said.

Sophia could not decide if Penelope was being loyal to her brother or naïve. There was no question as to why both she and Henry had been invited to the house party, even as her friend might wish to believe it was an honest mistake. Jasper had been playing games, and now, Sophia had presented him with a new game to play, whose rules she herself was not entirely certain of.

“Well, it doesn’t matter now, does it? He’s here, and that’s that,” Sophia replied.

“And do you want to marry him? Henry, I mean? He’s nice enough, though terrible with money. You wouldn’t have a penny to your name,” Penelope said, and Sophia laughed.

“I’d marry a poor man or a rich man, it wouldn’t bother me. But I only want to marry for love, Penelope. I wish my cousin would realize it,” she said, and Penelope sat up and looked at her.

“Oh, but… can it really be so simple? I’ve tried to fall in love. Every time I go to a ball, I imagine doing so. But it never happens,” she said.

Sophia smiled. Her previous question was now answered. Penelope was naïve. There was something endearing about her being so, but if she truly believed falling in love was so simple, then she was deluded.

Sophia had never fallen in love. She had been attracted to several men in the past, and her feelings towards them had grown with the passing of time, until one thing or another altered them, but as for falling in love…

“No… but if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be,” Sophia replied.

She did not want to dash Penelope’s hopes, but in Sophia’s mind, there was the necessity of effort on the part of both parties for genuine feelings to develop. To fall in love required both sides to desire it, and if Penelope believed she could remain passive, she was certain never to find the love she so obviously desired.

“Do you think you’ll find love, Sophia? Oh, you’re so lucky – at least you’ve got someone who’s in love with you, even if you’re not in love with him. I’d love to have the chance to refuse someone,” Penelope said.

Sophia smiled. She knew there were many women who would envy her – those for whom romance, in any form, seemed to elude them. But Sophia was in no rush. She did not want to marry for the sake of marriage, and she was adamant she would only marry a man of her own choosing. That ruled out Henry – and all the rest. But having come up with a plan – however extraordinary – Sophia was determined to see it through. Her cousin would think her genuine in her advances, and it would hardly matter if, in a few months, Sophia conveniently lost interest in the Duke in favor of someone else. Her flirtations would buy her time, and she sincerely hoped Henry would find a woman to marry – just not her.

“I hope I will, yes,” Sophia replied, though she was not so naïve as to think she would not have to make an effort to do so.

She did not know what she imagined her ideal man to look like or resemble. As a child, Sophia used to play make-believe, imagining the day of her wedding. But as for the face of the man she was to marry, his identity had always eluded her. Would he be tall and dark? Would his hair be tousled or straight? Would his eyes be blue or green? For Sophia, such details hardly mattered. What mattered was the man himself, and whether she fell in love with him.

“But until then, you’ll have to suffer the attention of my cousin,” Penelope replied, and Sophia nodded.

“Yes, but not for long, I hope,” she said, intending to put her plan into motion as soon as she saw Jasper again.

That evening, the Dowager Duchess had arranged for a string quartet to play after dinner. The drawing room was to be cleared of the furniture and the rug rolled back to allow the guests to dance. She had talked of nothing else all day, and as Sophia dressed for the evening, she felt a certain sense of trepidation as to what was to come.

Henry would inevitably expect to dance with her, and any refusal on her part would be taken as a snub. But for her plan to work, she would have to snub him – she would have to be rude, even as she knew what her cousin, and Henry, would have to say about it.

“Will you wear the pearl necklace this evening, My Lady?” Spencer asked, holding up the necklace the late Earl of Milton had given Sophia for her debut.

It sparkled in the late evening sunlight streaming through the window, and Sophia nodded, smiling at the thought of the day her father had given it to her.

“Yes, I will. Thank you, Spencer,” Sophia replied.

She had thought about dressing more modestly for the evening, but if the others were to be convinced of Jasper’s flirtations, it would do no harm to appear attractive.

“You always look so pretty, My Lady,” Spencer said, placing the pearls around Sophia’s neck.

“Well, I’ve got an excellent maid to help me,” Sophia replied, smiling at Spencer, who blushed.

“I just hope… well, it’s not my place to say it, My Lady, but… I hope you won’t be forced into anything you don’t want,” Spencer said.

Sophia smiled at her reflection in the mirror on her dressing table. “Don’t worry, Spencer. I don’t intend to be,” she said.

Downstairs, Sophia found the rest of the guests gathered in the drawing room. The string quartet was already playing, but the guests were to dine first before the dancing began, and Henry now came up to Sophia, smiling at her with a confident look on his face.

“I’m looking forward to dancing with you this evening, Sophia. You look… beautiful,” he said, and Sophia nodded.

“It’s kind of you to say so,” she replied, glancing over his shoulder to where Jasper and Peter were helping themselves to sherry from the sideboard.

The Duke looked up, catching Sophia’s eyes, and he smiled at her, their gazes locked in a flirtatious look. Henry cleared his throat, and Sophia turned towards him, finding him looking somewhat perturbed.

“Yes, well… I’m sure we’ll have a very pleasant evening ahead of us,” he said, and Sophia nodded.

“I’m sure it will be,” she said, looking again in the direction of the Duke.

She did not want to make things too obvious. They barely knew one another, and for a romance to appear so quickly might raise questions. It had to look natural, and as they made their way to the dining table, Sophia intentionally took a place at Peter’s side, rather than the Duke’s.

“I trust you’re enjoying yourself. These house parties are always… interesting,” Peter said as the footmen placed large tureens of steaming soup on the table.

“I am, yes,” Sophia said, and she answered truthfully, for there was now a certain enjoyment attached to the proceedings.

Her cousin was sitting opposite her, and Sophia knew he believed he had gotten his way – that she would marry Henry, just as he had told her to do. But there was a satisfaction in knowing she would not do so, and that by the time the house party was over, he would be in no doubt as to her intentions, false though they may be.

“I’m glad. I was surprised to find you talking to Jasper earlier. He can be a closed book at times, but you seem to have… brought him out of his shell,” Peter continued.

“Yes, we had some business to discuss. An investment I want to make,” Sophia replied, and Peter nodded.

“He’s done remarkable things for the estate. It was on its knees when he inherited it. For a while, there was little hope of ever resurrecting its fortunes. But he’s done so, and he’s making a profit from his own investments. There are still thing in need of repair, like the house it self, but it not a priority for him. He prefers to focus on the business end of things, instead of their image. He even gives some to charity,” Peter replied, shaking his head.

Sophia was surprised – though pleasantly so – to hear this. She had not thought of Jasper as the sort of man who would give freely to charity, even as she reminded herself of the bad habit she had of keeping to her first impressions.

“Oh, is that so?” she asked, and Peter nodded.

“That’s right. He made a substantial donation to a local orphanage, recently. It allowed them to buy blankets and new smocks for all the children, as well as providing food for a month,” Peter said.

Sophia glanced across at the Duke, who was deep in conversation with his mother. He caught her eye and smiled, and Sophia smiled back, her feelings – her assumptions – towards him having changed for the better.

“Well, that’s very admirable, indeed,” she said.

The soup was followed by a side of beef, and the pudding was a steamed sponge with marmalade. It was delicious, but Sophia’s thoughts were preoccupied, and she kept wondering what would come next when it was time for the guests to dance. She had suggested to Jasper it would be her who would make the first move, but it was hardly proper for a woman to ask a man to dance with her, and in this, she knew convention would have to dictate.

“We’ll not split this evening. We’ll all go to the drawing room for the dancing – it’s all very informal,” Jasper’s mother said, rising from the table at the end of the meal.

The other guests rose, too, and Sophia caught Jasper’s eyes, hoping he would take the hint and ask her to dance. But the moment she stepped into the drawing room, Henry was at her side.

“I must have the first dance,” he said, holding out his arm to her.

Sophia could not deny him as much, and as the string quartet began to play, the two of them danced. Jasper was standing at the side of the room, watching as Sophia and Henry whirled and twirled with the other couples. The Batley sisters danced together, as did Peter and Penelope. Lord and Lady Frighton made another couple, and the Dowager Duchess danced with Sir Arthur. Only Ethan remained at the side of the room, too, and as Sophia and Henry continued to dance, she saw her cousin approach the Duke, who immediately looked disinterested at the prospect of a conversation.

“You keep stepping on my toes, Henry,” Sophia complained, for the Viscount was not a good dancer, and now he did so again, apologizing profusely as they collided with the Batley sisters.

“I just can’t stop looking at you, Sophia. Those pearls you’re wearing, they’re beautiful,” Henry said.

Sophia smiled. Once again, she realized there was nothing inherently wrong with Henry. He was not a nasty person, even though he did think she was his to possess. But the thought of marrying him, of spending their whole lives together, was not something she wished to entertain – not for a moment.

“My father gave them to me – for my debut,” Sophia replied, and Henry smiled.

“Ah, yes, your debut. How I wish I’d known you then – we wouldn’t have had to go through all of this, would we?” he said, and Sophia forced a smile.

“No… but I think it’s good for a woman to make mistakes,” she said.

Henry was too caught up in his own infatuations to realize she was talking about him. Her mistake had been to give him even a little bit of her attention. He had taken her politeness as interest, and the matter had proceeded from there. Flowers, calls at the house, invitations to picnics and the theater…

“And then she finds the one,” Henry said, and Sophia smiled.

“Yes, I suppose she does,” she said as the music came to an end.

Now was the point at which she dashed his dreams on the proverbial rocks of their supposed romance. She would approach Jasper with flirtatious intentions. He would respond in kind, and the seed would be sown. She knew it was cruel, but cruelty was necessary if happiness was to prevail. They stepped apart, and Henry bowed.

“There’ll be another dance in a few moments,” he said, as though expecting her to immediately agree to partake in it.

“I’m going to take the air,” Sophia said, and giving the briefest of curtsies, she stepped away from him, turning towards the doors leading out onto the terrace.

Her cousin was still talking to Jasper, but as she approached, the Duke – seemingly having no qualms about appearing rude where Ethan was concerned – stepped forward and gave a curt bow.

“You look very pretty tonight, Lady Sophia. Will you step out onto the terrace with me?” he asked, offering her his arm.

Sophia glanced at Ethan, who looked immediately taken aback. She smiled and nodded. “I’d be delighted to, thank you,” she said, taking Jasper’s arm.

The two of them stepped out onto the terrace. Sophia did not turn around, but she knew the rest of the guests would be looking at them. Henry would be livid, and Penelope and her mother would be surprised to see the apparent change come over the Duke. Peter would be bemused, and as for Ethan, he would be struggling to understand what such a gesture could mean – both for him and for Sophia.

It amused Sophia to imagine all of them, even as she now glanced up at Jasper and smiled.

“I was going to ask you to dance, but he got there first,” the Duke said.

“There’ll be another dance in a moment, won’t there?” Sophia replied, and Jasper nodded.

“And I won’t take no for an answer,” he replied.

Sophia laughed. She knew it was all for show, but there was no reason why the two of them should not enjoy their charade. She was curious to learn more about him, for she really knew nothing at all. Their previous meeting had been brief, and given her weakness for first impressions, Sophia had dismissed the idea of any further dealings with the Duke, even as circumstances had now brought them back together.

“I hope Henry isn’t too angry,” Sophia whispered.

She had still not dared to look over her shoulder, even as she knew the matter could be brushed off. Henry had no absolute claim over her. They were not betrothed, and if anything, it was Ethan’s fault for leading Henry on and making him expect what Sophia was not willing to give. She knew how surprised the others would be to see this apparent affection between the two of them, but Sophia was adamant about the impression she wanted to give.

Should Henry challenge her – and he really had no right to do so – she would merely feign surprise at his having interpreted the sight of her and Jasper together on the terrace for something it was not, hoping he would soon realize it was. The matter had to be played out for long enough to cast doubt on any possible arrangement, and quash any thoughts as to marriage on everyone’s part – Henry’s, Ethan’s, Sophia’s mother…

“Oh, let him be. It’s what you want, isn’t it? You can’t prevent the marriage without causing some upset. He thinks it’s a certainty. But I’m sure he won’t waste time securing a match for himself. Henry always has an eye for gaining the advantage,” Jasper replied.

At that, Sophia realized she knew little of Henry, too. It had been several months since she had last seen him, and before that, their meetings had been carefully choreographed, rather than intimate. Sophia had not imagined Henry to be the sort of man who would have other interests in women, but Jasper was sure to know his cousin, even if the specifics were somewhat vague.

“Is he really like that?” she asked, and Jasper nodded.

“He always has been. I don’t have much time for him, really. But he is my cousin, I suppose,” the Duke replied.

“And we can’t choose our family, can we?” Sophia said.

She now chanced a glance over her shoulder back into the room. The musicians were about to begin another waltz, and Lord and Lady Frighton were standing in the middle of the room, poised to begin dancing. Henry was whispering to Ethan, and casting furtive glances in the direction of the terrace, whilst Penelope and her mother were deep in conversation – presumably about the same topic. Sir Arthur had fallen asleep, and the Batley sisters were standing by the terrace doors, their eyes fixed on Sophia and Jasper, their hands clasped together.

“What energy you both have,” Helen declared, and Jasper groaned, though he did not turn to look at them.

Sophia smiled. “Oh… do we?” she asked, mindful of Helen’s previous predictions about her.

“Oh, yes, the strongest of auras,” Nora said, nodding.

“Quite mad,” Jasper said as the string quartet took up the waltz.

Jasper now turned and offered Sophia his arm. Sophia took it, knowing it was but further confirmation for the onlookers as to what was going on between them.

Sophia knew she would get questions – from Henry, from her cousin, from Penelope… but it did not seem to matter, not when the prospect of her freedom was in sight. She knew Ethan was a snob, and he would see the prospect of her marrying a duke as being far more worthwhile than her marrying a viscount.

The truth about Henry’s dire financial straits was now known, and even Ethan could not possibly want Sophia to marry into trouble when a more tempting offer was suddenly presented.

“Sophia, we can dance now,” Henry said, stepping forward as Sophia and Jasper stepped into the drawing room.

“Oh, but… I’m going to dance with Jasper… with the Duke,” Sophia replied.

Henry looked angry, but there was nothing he could say, as, now, Sophia and Jasper began to dance. Unlike Henry, Jasper danced effortlessly. He had all the poise and skill of one who had practiced long and hard, and to dance with him was an unexpected pleasure.

“I do so love a waltz,” Sophia said, and Jasper smiled at her.

“So do I. On my grand tour, I visited Vienna – the balls there were spectacular. It’s where I learned to dance. It’s something of a passion of mine, though I don’t get nearly enough opportunity to indulge in it. Penelope obliges me at times,” he said, twirling Sophia in a full circle, and narrowly avoiding Lord and Lady Frighton, who were moving at a far more sedate pace across the dancefloor.

Once again, Sophia was taken by surprise. She had not thought of the Duke as the sort of man who might enjoy dancing, and to hear him speak of his grand tour intrigued her. Sophia had never left England. Bath was the furthest she had traveled. But the thought of visiting the great European cities – Paris, Florence, Rome… Vienna – filled her with delight.

“How wonderful. They say Vienna is beautiful – though often overlooked in favor of more southern climes,” she said, and Jasper nodded.

“Most people make straight for the Italian peninsula. I adored Florence. But Venice was too hot – perhaps I was there at the wrong time of year. But Vienna in the spring…” he said, and a wistful look came over his face.

“I’d like to hear more about it,” she said, and her words were genuine.

She had not expected to find such common interests between them, and as the waltz came to an end, Sophia felt an unexpected sadness at their parting. She knew it was all an illusion, even though her interest in what he was saying was not. But she could only hope that the Duke was not entirely playacting or treating the whole thing as a game. There was no reason why the two of them could not get on, even though the game would come to an end with the conclusion of the house party.

“I’m sure there’ll be a chance to…” Jasper said, but he was interrupted by Ethan, who caught Sophia by the arm, causing her to turn around.

“Sophia, what’s going on?” he asked, and Sophia glanced back at Jasper, who smiled.

“Oh, don’t mind me, Ethan. I was just… taking a liberty,” he said, and with a nod to Sophia, he turned and crossed the room to where his mother and sister we standing.

Sophia looked at her cousin with what she hoped was an entirely innocent expression on her face, even though she knew just what her actions would be interpreted as.

“What’s wrong, Ethan? Don’t you like the idea of me marrying a duke?” she asked.