“I fear you have been missed,” he said to his companion as he helped her down from his carriage.
Before she could even take a step into the garden, her mother rushed up to her, holding a torch aloft. “My dearest girl, where have you been? I had thought you to have been abducted!”
Lord Kent appeared at her side. “Apparently she was abducted. What is the meaning of this, Trowbridge?”
“We went to …” Frank put a hand on Lady Melissa’s shoulder before she could continue.
“Lady Melissa has done me a great service this night.”
“And what sort of service would that be, hmm?” Lord Kent asked, his voice harsh. “You shall show your gratitude by marrying the gel, that is what you shall do! At least a dozen of Fitzwilliam’s guests have been looking for her this half hour. There is no hushing this up, young man!”
Frank’s whole body went cold. The statue, Eros, wore what seemed an evil grin as he targeted Frank with his arrow. Joy that had consumed him only a moment ago drained away like the last few grains of sand from an hour glass. He had transgressed the rules of the ton. His time of happiness, short though it had been, was come to an end. Frank was suddenly so weary he could barely stand. Sophie. Angel.
Lady Melissa whirled to face her father. “No!” she cried. “He loves someone else.”
“Nevertheless, you will be Lady Trowbridge,” her mother said with satisfaction. “Your first season, too, you clever gel.”
{ 23 }
AFTER A RESTLESS NIGHT, during which Sophie had pictured her future life with Frank, planned her wedding, and made a mental list of all the things she must ask Fanny, she received with delight Frank’s extravagant offering of two dozen long-stemmed red roses. Looking them up in her book, she saw that they meant “I love you.” Accompanying them was a letter that she opened with excitement. She could not recall ever having felt this exhilaration stirring in her body. What perfect felicity.
My darling Angel,
I am afraid we have what I am certain will only be a temporary hitch in our plans. Lady Melissa and I were seen coming into the Fitzwilliams’ garden together last night near midnight by her parents and half the guests at the ball, who were out looking for her.
Oh no! Tears stung behind her eyes. Exhilaration turned to dread. She knew what was coming.
We never planned for this eventuality, obviously. Her father and mother instantly, and with all the reason in the world, claimed that I had compromised their daughter. We kept your name out of it. I wanted you to hear from me instead of hearing the gossip or seeing the announcement in the Morning Post.
I beg you to still regard yourself as betrothed to me, though secretly, of course. I am certain your friend and I can come up with a scheme to break this engagement, though it may take some time.
I do not regret my impetuosity of last night. I was never so happy to find you well after all my horrid imaginings. Your kisses were sweeter than ever and must last me through this ordeal. I do not wish to sully your reputation by seeming to dangle after you while I am engaged to Lady Melissa, so we must both possess ourselves in patience.
I love you with all my soul,
Your Frank
Sophie wrapped up the letter with a sense of doom. Whatever Frank may say, breaking the engagement would not be easy. Melissa’s parents would be thrilled with the idea of Frank, an avid Whig, possessed of a substantive estate and good social consequence as a son-in-law. They knew nothing of his attachment to Sophie.
For moments, the shock held her motionless, without feelings. Then, one by one, all the visions of her future joy dropped away. A future without Frank.
The stark gray of abandonment stole over her, crushing her heart. Sophie knew she must consider their relationship at an end. She would carry this pain and no one would know it except her family. It was so deep that it would be a long time before it ended, before she could feel happy or even neutral again. Her illness had been nothing to this. At the moment, Sophie could not breathe without pain.
But she must bestir herself. After bad episodes in her childhood, that had been the only way to go on. She must shut away her tears even though the future looked black and empty.
Then another unwelcome thought occurred to her. She could not tell Fanny, Buck, Elise, or Peter the truth behind Frank’s engagement. They could not know of his improper midnight visit. It would only add fuel to the fire of what would be their disapproval of him. And Frank did not want her involved.
Looking at her roses, she tried to tell herself that he loved her and that was the reason for his heedlessness and the entire bumblebroth. But she dreaded the moment when her sisters heard the news.