To her distress, he began pacing the entryway. Lord Shrewsbury came down the stairs. He must have been awaiting Sophie in the morning room. She closed her eyes and willed both of them away.
No greetings were exchanged. Instead, she heard the loud crack of a blow. When she opened her eyes, it was to find Lord Shrewsbury stretched flat on the floor. Into this scene walked Fanny.
“Frank! What have you done?” Before he could answer, her eyes landed on Sophie. “Oh, my love, you are drenched. Never mind these stupid fellows. Come with me. We must get you warm.”
Fanny asked Frank to carry Sophie and follow her up the stairs. Once in Sophie’s room, she dismissed him curtly. She stripped Sophie of her clothing and asked, “Your knee must pain you terribly in this damp.”
“It does hurt, Fan, but it will be better presently.”
“A hot bath will help.”
“Sally may have caught a chill. Please see that she gets one, as well. I was exceptionally foolish not to see that it might rain.”
“Where were you?” Fanny asked, wrapping a heavy quilt around her sister.
Sophie told her about her visit to Lady Manwaring. “Frank denies everything. I do not know whom to believe.”
“I know you are heartsick, but I am very worried you are going to become ill. You were on that cold floor in the attic all those hours yesterday, and now I cannot stop your trembling. Sophie, you must have a care for your health. You know you are not strong!”
A string of servants carrying jugs of hot, steaming water began entering and pouring her bath. Sophie climbed into the tub with Fanny’s help. Her sister began pouring the hot water over her cold, wet hair, and told the chambermaid to see to building up the fire.
Sophie’s chill did not leave her, even in the hot water. She tried to think of the things Frank had said, but all she could remember was Lady Manwaring’s scorn. Frank had admitted that she had been his mistress. What could cause him to have feelings for a girl like Sophie Edwards when he had had such a woman in his bed for who knows how long?
As her teeth chattered, a fierce headache began.
“Enough,” Fanny said. “We must get you dry and into your bed.”
Sophie was glad of Fanny’s comforting presence in the midst of her confusion.
{ 18 }
FRANK’S ANGER AT SHREWSBURY was contained as soon as he realized that his friend had seen him in his dressing gown, putting Lila into the hackney. That he cared genuinely for Sophie, Frank had no doubt. When Shrewsbury took his leave from the Deals’ house, there was an uneasy peace between them.
Instead of leaving with him, Frank asked the butler to show him to Buck’s library. The marquis frowned upon his entrance.
“You are not welcome here, Frank.”
“I can imagine how you must feel and I am sorry for it, but it has all been a misunderstanding and now Sophie has been drenched in this rain and I am worried for her health.”
“First, tell me how she could possibly have misunderstood your mistress’s coming and going the very day you had the temerity to kiss her! I knew you were a fribble, but I didn’t take you for a cad.”
Frank explained, “I love Sophie, Buck. There is nothing in this world that I would not do for her. And I respect her. You must believe, I would never treat her ill.” Leaning on the desk with his arms, he said, “There was never anything between Lila and me other than a convenience. We were often together socially at political doings. Her husband is in the country most of the time. But it was over between us the day after I met Sophie.”
Frank observed Buck’s raised eyebrow and stern countenance. His friend did not believe a word he was saying. He continued his attempt to persuade him. “Lila came the night after I realized I was in love with Sophie. She was bored, I think. Also, very drunk. She tried to reignite things, but I put her in a cab to go home. Nothing happened between us.”
“And you expect a sheltered miss like Sophie who has lived in the country all her life to understand and forgive your relationship?”
Frank put his face in his hands. “It is no worse than Shrewsbury’s and many others.’ You know that, Buck.”
“It looks very different from this perspective, Frank.”
He began pacing the library. “I wrote her a letter. She never read it, but she still has it. Falling in love with Sophie has changed me. It has made me want to live an intentional life. I told her what she could expect from me.”
Buck steepled his hands in front of him and leaned back in his chair. “It is going to be very hard for Sophie to learn to trust you again.”
“Did loving Fanny not change your life?”
“Radically, as a matter of fact. I never saw myself as the marrying type.”
“Then you must agree that it is possible for a man to change.”
“I see your point. But I tell you that you are going to have an uphill battle to convince Sophie of that fact.”
“I’m willing to face it.”