Page 20 of A Counterfeit Engagement
On the Monday following the ball, Sophie arrayed herself for a walk through town and set out before she could lose her nerve.
Though the weather was unseasonably pleasant, it was no simple walk for enjoyment.
For the first time, Sophie found herself nearly dreading her approach to the Haverly townhouse.
Sarah was owned an explanation, she thought, and perhaps an apology, too.
It was all very well for Jonathan to say that they needed to marry to save both their reputations.
There was some truth to that, but a deeper, more painful truth was that, as a wealthy nobleman, society would have been willing to forget his transgressions and remember only hers.
It took all Sophie’s courage to climb the steps and make her introductions to the butler.
He quickly bowed her into the house, though she had not been expected.
It seemed he was gone for mere moments before returning and beckoning her to follow him, saying that Lady Sarah would be glad to receive her.
At least I am not to be left in suspense , Sophie thought grimly . If Sarah is angry with me, I shall have the relief of knowing the truth at once.
Sophie was unsurprised to find that the butler was leading her to the upper sitting room, home of a piano that Sarah particularly favoured.
Though it was smaller than the piano in the grand lower drawing room, she said it had a sweeter tone.
That was readily in evidence today, as the noble chords of Bach could be heard rolling through the halls.
“Miss Anderson to see you, Lady Sarah,” the butler announced at the door. Sophie made her formal curtsey as he bowed and left them. The music had abruptly cut off as soon as he had opened the door, and Sarah tumbled from the piano stool and crossed the room nearly at a run.
She grasped both Sophie’s hands and looked at her with a shaky smile and tears in her eyes. “Oh Sophie, I’m so happy,” Sarah said, voice trembling. “Now you and Isabel will really be my sisters. It’s all I could have wanted.”
“You are not angry with me?” Sophie murmured.
She was afraid that her voice was little steadier than Sarah’s.
“I did not mean for this to happen, truly. I cannot pretend that I am less than pleased that Jonathan and I are engaged in truth now. The circumstances may have forced our hands, but I would be lying if I said I regretted it. It is only…” Sophie trailed off, nearly gulping for air. Her eyes stung with unshed tears.
“Wait a moment,” Sarah said gently. “We have all the time in the world. Breathe and then tell me.”
Sophie nodded and took her good advice. It was not long before she could begin again.
“Sarah, I hope you will believe me when I swear to you, I did not intend to — to — to trap Jonathan. All London has been talking of what a brilliant match this was for me. It is true. But I swear to you I didn’t plan, didn’t intend for any of this to happen. ”
“Sophie, you goose,” Sarah said warmly. “Jonathan is no fool, you know, and neither am I. We have known each other for many weeks now, but it did not take me a day of acquaintance to know you better than that. You would never entrap a man or try to win a husband through trickery. Neither Jonathan nor any other man. It simply is not in your nature.”
“You have relieved my mind greatly,” Sophie said, her voice almost a whisper. “I have been so happy to think of Jonathan and I, together forever, that my happiness seemed almost guilty. And I could not bear it if my new sister thought me as low a schemer as Mary Collins.”
“Never,” Sarah said in a firm tone. She led Sophie over to the room’s comfortable sofa and gently but insistently nudged her to sit down. A handkerchief was produced from a mysterious pocket and presented to her, and Sophie realised only then that she needed it badly.
“Thank you,” Sophie said, and tried to get a hold of herself. Being tears of joy, her eyes were quickly dried, and she stiffened her spine and her resolve with a quick, firm breath.
“That is more like it,” Sarah said merrily.
“Do you know, I think Jonathan is even more delighted than I am, and I would not have believed it possible! Just think, I have always wanted as sister above all things. Now I have two, and not only that, it is you and Isabel! Luck does not come better than that, I think.”
“Sarah, stop, you will make me cry again,” Sophie said in mock reproach. She took a deep breath. “I am rather sorry that Mary Collins has bested us, though. Even if I am happy with the outcome in its own light.”
Sarah made a rather undignified snort. “Mary Collins, bested you? This may not have been what you and Jonathan intended, but it certainly is not the outcome she wished for! She was willing to plot and scheme and betray her own cousin to get her hands on Jonathan’s title, and now you will be the Duchess of Belford instead. Mary Collins must be furious!”
Their eyes met, and the two women dissolved into laugher, picturing Mary Collins’s look of fury.
“I can’t seem to stop laughing,” Sophie gasped. “Can you imagine? She had such a clever plan, and then —“ She made a broad, whooshing gesture, and they both broke out into another round of giggles.
It was some time before they returned to sobriety. Finally, Sarah shook her head. “Just think, Mary Collins might have been my sister instead of you.” She snorted. “That is a rather revolting thought.”
“Thankfully,” Sophie said, “that is a future that we will never have to see.” She smiled softly. “Sarah, I love Jonathan. It is truly no hardship to marry him. But I am deeply glad, all the same, that I will get you as well.”
“Jonathan is all the family I have,” Sarah said slowly. “Truly, he is my whole world. But it will be a joy to share him when I will get two such sisters into the bargain.”
“Good,” Sophie said decisively. “Now that we have that settled, there is much more to discuss. What think you, Sarah, of being one of my bridesmaids?”
“I would be delighted!” Sarah gasped, and the two fell into such an enjoyable bustle of planning and anticipation that the visit stretched long, indeed.
∞∞∞
It was not long after Sophie had left that Sarah heard a soft knock on the door frame. “Come in,” she called out. Her brother instantly entered the room. “Were you waiting until Sophie was gone?” Sarah inquired.
He nodded. “I wanted the two of you to have some uninterrupted time together. After all, your family is about to grow much larger. How shall you like it, sister?”
“I think you well know I shall be delighted. I hope we shall all live together after the wedding.”
“Unless Mrs Anderson has some objection, but I do not think it likely. The increase in good society would benefit us all, and I do not think the Andersons will much regret the loss of their cottage.”
“No, I should think not.” Sarah hesitated a moment.
“Jonathan, Sophie was afraid that I might blame her for your engagement becoming a real one. I do not, of course. I do not think I have ever met anybody less naturally inclined to deceit. But please tell me…are you happy in your engagement? Do you regret that you will lose your freedom after all, albeit not quite as Mary Collins intended?”
“Indeed, I do not,” Jonathan said with emphasis.
“Sarah, I have always known that I must marry one day.
But I feared — the example of our parents — I thought that —“ He trailed off in confusion, shaking his head, and began again.
“I have always known that I must make a practical marriage, that I had to find a woman who would agree to marry me without a lot of nonsense about love undying. I did not think that Sophie would agree to marry on such terms, but I am most pleased that she did. We shall deal well together, I am sure.”
Sarah hesitated. “Do you mean to say that you offered Sophie a marriage of convenience, without love, and she accepted?”
Jonathan chuckled. “I did not say it like that, little sister! There was no need. We both knew that our reputations and our family’s reputations were at state, and there was simply nothing else to be done.
Now, you must excuse me. I am off to tell Arthur the news, and I must write Nathan of it as well. ”
Sarah stared after her brother as he jauntily left the room, thinking how strange it was that such a clever man could sometimes be so very stupid.