Chapter 8

Sophia arrived at the Duke’s Estate early in the morning accompanied by Clara. She had been summoned by her soon-to-be mother-in-law for an etiquette lesson.

“Do they believe I am not well-mannered enough as is?” Sophia voiced her frustration, but in reality, it was just nervousness. She worried about being put to the test and failing.

“My Lady, this is just usual protocol,” Clara smiled warmly. “After all, you are not marrying into any regular household. You are marrying into the highest of the nobility.”

Sophia bit down on her lip and examined her nails. They were chipped on the sides. A sudden self-consciousness overcame her.

Surely, these were not the nails of the next duchess.

Sophia’s late father had been the Earl of Livingstone. She had inherited the title of lady. However, it was Aunt Rose who had raised her.

Aunt Rose could be considered an eccentric woman. She did not pay heed to propriety and therefore did not invest too much time in Sophia’s etiquette lessons. It was not that Sophia was ill-mannered by any measure, just that she did not get trained as thoroughly as others in her position.

She had not given much thought to the fact until now…

“I am not sure if you have done anything to ease my nerves,” Sophia frowned, looking up at Clara.

“Oh, but you have nothing to worry about,” Clara said with a sudden burst of reassurance in her tone. “You are already quite the perfect lady. I am sure this is only a formality. You will realize this very soon.”

Sophia shrugged her shoulders. The carriage had now rolled to a stop, and it was time for them to finally step out.

“I am not sure if I am the perfect lady,” Sophia whispered to Clara, thinking of the scar on her face and her ruinous reputation.

Before Clara had a chance to respond, the driver opened up the door for them. The two of them exchanged one last glance before stepping out of the carriage.

Sophia braced herself for what was to come. She knew that etiquette lessons were nothing to worry about as she did not think that she would be made to feel lesser by the Duke’s family. It was more so the nervousness of trying to appear perfect that plagued her.

Sophia shunned the idea of perfection. She just wanted to be herself.

Unfortunately, that was not enough when you had a Dowager for a mother-in-law to impress.

As the two ladies began to be led into the Estate by the butler, who was waiting for their arrival, Sophia took in the large expanse within which it sat upon.

Rows upon rows of trees stretched out as far as her vision allowed. In front of the entrance, there was a large fountain. Servants lined the entrance, all eager to catch a glimpse of Sophia.

She knew this fact before, but it was at that moment that she realized with great clarity that she and the Duke belonged to two different backgrounds. He came from generations of wealth while she was not used to this level of grandeur.

A few moments later, Sophia found herself standing in the elegant drawing room of the Duke’s estate. The room was adorned with luxurious furnishings, made only of the highest quality wood. It was still early in the day, and soft light poured in through the lace curtains.

In front of her, the Dowager sat delicately upon an upholstered chair. Her posture was perfect, and she looked to be a vision of elegance. Beside her, a woman stood tall. Both ladies had their eyes trained on Sophia, who tried to shake off her nerves and gave them a polite curtsy.

“Your Grace.”

“Nice to see you again,” the Dowager replied. “I hope the carriage ride was pleasant?”

“Of course. It all went smoothly.” Sophia never let the polite smile on her face slip. “Clara and I were able to arrive safely.”

The Dowager’s attention had already seemed to have moved elsewhere. She stood up and gestured for the woman beside her to follow. The two women began circling Sophia, their scrutinizing gaze burning a hole through her.

The other unnamed woman adjusted her spectacles as she took a good look at Sophia.

“Her posture,” she decided. “I am certain that could improve.”

“You think so?” the Dowager replied. “Then you must focus on it. We do not have much time.”

“You do not have to worry about a thing,” the woman assured, confidence laced in her voice. “I shall make sure she is a well-polished lady by the time I am done with her.”

Sophia had never felt so exposed in her life. She felt as though all her flaws were laid out in the open for judgment. However, at least the judgment did not feel hostile. It was for her improvement. That was the only solace she had on this occasion.

“Oh, I did not introduce you both,” the Dowager said, directing her gaze back to Sophia. “This is Mrs. Harington. She is the best etiquette instructor in London. Why, she is always busy, and it is a wonder that she made time to arrive here today.”

“Oh, please. Do not embarrass me, Duchess Anna,” the instructor replied. “You know that I am always available whenever you decide to summon me.”

“I am glad to hear it. If we are to train the future duchess, then we need the best there is.”

Sophia gulped. She was still determining if she was expected to make any contributions at this point.

“My dear, why don’t you take a seat?” the instructor suggested to Sophia.

Sophia nodded and took a seat on the sofa in front of her. She made an active effort to keep her shoulders straight, as though she was balancing a basket full of goods on her head.

“A lady’s posture is one of the most important things about her. One could argue that it is the most important,” Mrs. Harington continued. “It tells you all you need to know about her and her upbringing.”

“Absolutely,” the Dowager agreed.

“Lady Sophia, you must maintain a poised composure at all times. You must sit up straight, shoulders back, and chin parallel to the ground.”

Sophia straightened her back up even further, even though her spine felt as if it would snap in half if she applied more pressure on it. Discreetly, she crossed her fingers.

Am I good enough now? she thought to herself.

“Very good,” the instructor affirmed. “I can work with it. But now, we must see your walk.”

“Yes, Lady Sophia. You must get up and walk to the end of the room and then back,” the Dowager agreed.

Sucking in a deep breath, Sophia did just that. She remembered how self-conscious she had felt at the ball. This seemed to be even worse.

Sophia began to take measured steps across the room. Once she returned to her original destination, the two ladies shook their heads.

“No, no,” Mrs. Harington interjected, looking disappointed. “You see, you must not be in a rush. You are to be the future duchess. A duchess is never in a hurry. Everyone else must wait for the duchess, not the other way around.”

Sophia felt her cheeks redden. Owing to her nervousness, she must have walked faster than she usually did.

“I can try again,” she offered in a meek voice.

“Please do.”

“Remember, a lady must never stomp her feet as she walks. She must glide across the room. She must move with purpose. She must be exuding grace and charm with every step.”

Sophia tried to remember all the things that were being told to her. Sucking in a deep breath, she walked again, but this time, taking much slower and more purposeful steps.

“Very good!” Mrs. Harington praised her immediately, but the Dowager was not so quick to be impressed.

“This is only the beginning,” the Dowager said. “There are many things that you must learn, Lady Sophia, if you are to become a part of this family.”

“I assure you that I will try my hardest.”

“You must, there is no other choice.” The Dowager’s words were stern. Sophia realized that her mother-in-law was going to be tough to please.

However, Sophia had always been eager to prove herself. She was not going to back down from the challenge now that she found herself in this situation.

“Shall we continue with the other lessons?” Mrs. Harington asked, pulling out a small fan from her bag and handing it over to Sophia.

“Now, the language of the fan is one that you must learn by heart,” Mrs. Harington explained. “A lady can use her fan to convey many important things.”

Sophia surveyed the fan in her hands. It had a floral pattern and seemed to be the result of the highest craftsmanship. She opened it and delicately fanned it across her face, the cool air serving as a much-needed relief from the heat that had risen in her cheeks.

“You see, your pace is far too fast than what the situation demands,” Mrs. Harington corrected. “A swift flutter suggests excitement or intrigue. What is there to be so excited of in this moment?”

Clearly nothing at all, she thought to herself but chose to smile politely instead.

“My apologies, Mrs. Harington. What do you propose the right way of doing this is?”

“Well, you must acquaint yourself with the different gestures that you can communicate with this little fan in your hands,” she said, pulling out another fan for herself. “You can use it in conversation when you are surrounded by watchful eyes, simply putting it in front of your mouth to convey messages that you do not want to be heard.”

Sophia nodded, looking down at her hands.

“A slow, leisurely wave could mean to indicate boredom. You may use it to communicate when you need to exit a conversation,” Mrs. Harington continued.

Sophia resisted the urge to wave it slowly in front of her face. She could feel the Dowager’s gaze on her from the corner of the room.

“Your mannerisms are the first thing that anyone notices about you: how well-groomed you are, how you hold your cutlery, and how graceful your walk is. Through all of these things, you represent not just yourself but your family.”

Sophia nodded once again, feeling the weight of expectations on her shoulders get heavier with each word uttered.

“Absolutely,” the Dowager jumped into the conversation. “Right now, I may consider you a duchess in training, but you must learn quickly. My son is adamant about marrying you as soon as he can. Once you become his wife, you will be a member of this family. You will be representing us at every gathering you attend.”

“Oh, yes,” Mrs. Harington agreed. “And you will be expected to attend many gatherings. Would you attest to that experience, Duchess Anna?”

“Oh, when I first became the Duchess, it seemed that every day there was a new social event which I was expected to be at. I had an army of maids at home, and they all would assist with what to wear. Appearances are important.” The Dowager turned to Sophia, her gaze flickering over her scar for just a moment, “And I expect you to do everything to appear perfect at all times.”

“I…” Sophia stuttered, taken aback. “I assure you, I am a fast learner and will not disappoint you.”

The Dowager stared back at Sophia with a stern expression, but something in Sophia’s face must have convinced her of her sincerity, and she softened.

“I only tell you this for your own good. Soon, you will be subjected to scrutiny unlike any you have received in your life. I know because this was my experience. The ton is quick to judge and slow to forget. You must remain one step ahead of them at all times,” she explained earnestly.

It was at moment that Sophia found herself developing a soft spot for the Dowager. She realized that the woman did not have any foul intentions for her. On the contrary, she was just trying to protect her from what she had likely experienced. It was not meant to be personal.

“Thank you, Duchess Anna,” Sophia said, her words coming straight from the heart. “I shall do whatever I can to learn at a quick pace.”

The Dowager nodded her head.

“I should hope so. I will leave the two of you to have your lesson now for the rest of the afternoon. Later, perhaps, Lady Sophia, you can join me for a cup of tea before I send you back to your residence.”

Sophia nodded and watched the Dowager leave the room. Learning what she just had, she realized that the Dowager’s walk was graceful and purposeful. She exuded a strong aura. Sophia wondered if she would be able to do the same thing after her training was completed.

Their lesson continued on. Mrs. Harington was a strict instructor, but it was clear that she knew that she was doing. The woman looked to be in her fifties, but the way she carried herself almost hid the fact that she was old.

“We must now work on your conversation skills.”

“Ah, of course.”

Sophia was not a huge fan of social interaction. She had always considered herself to be a timid wallflower, choosing mostly to listen rather than assert her own opinions.

“A duchess is at the helm of a thriving social circle. She must have a large network of friends with whom she must maintain good relations,” Mrs. Harington proposed. “Would you like to guess how she must maintain those good relations?”

“By remaining active and attending events she is invited?”

“Close enough,” Mrs. Harington noted, “but a duchess must host her own events as well in order to solidify her raised status amongst her peers.”

“I see,” Sophia said, trying to keep up.

“Since a duchess is constantly under the scrutiny of the public, she must learn to be a perfect hostess and throw the best balls.”

Sophia nodded.

“I believe that is something I can learn from you as you are the expert.”

Mrs. Harington smiled at her kindly.

“I know it must feel like there is a lot of pressure on you, but I see a lot of potential in you. You must not worry too much. You will make an excellent duchess.”

Her words felt as though someone had poured a warm liquid over her freezing body.

“Thank you. It means a lot when it is coming from you, Mrs. Harington.”

“I know potential when I see it. You are a diamond in the rough. If we are to polish you, you will be shining brightly.”

Sophia blushed. The rest of the lesson went smoothly. Mrs. Harington taught Sophia the art of leaving a conversation politely and expressing gratitude, and at one point, she even called in Clara and the two ladies engaged in a civil conversation for Mrs. Harington to judge.

“Very good work, my dear,” Mrs. Harington. “It was a day well spent. Now, you may take an hour-long break. We shall resume when you return with new lessons.”

Sophia nodded as she took her leave. She was exhausted from constantly smiling and acting perfectly. She needed some time to herself. She decided that, before it was time to have tea with the Dowager, she could get some relaxation from taking a stroll in the garden.