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A s it turned out, Letty was happy with the idea of a dog but did say she had no wish for hair to be all over the place. Buford, who had brought in the dog that Sophie thought had been brushed, nodded solemnly and assured her that would not be the case.

After she’d handed Timmy over to his nanny for a nap, Jenny arrived with a note for her.

“Buford and two footmen are in the garden running about with Doddy,” she said, walking in with a note. “This arrived while you were out walking, which I would have joined you on had I known.”

“I was quite able to walk with Timmy alone, Jenny, don’t fret,” Sophie said, opening the missive.

“It’s not safe for you to go wandering about.”

“And yet here I stand before you, safe,” Sophie said, not willing to go into what had actually happened.

Jenny harrumphed, which she excelled at, but said nothing further.

Reading the contents of the note from Amelia, she found it was an invitation to visit the Logan town house to see her collection of figurines.

“I am going out, Jenny?—”

“With me,” her maid said before she finished her sentence.

“With you, and we will leave shortly.” Sophie left the room to find Letty and tell her where she was going.

She located her writing letters in a small parlor.

“I have been asked to visit with Miss Logan, Letty, and I would like to go,” Sophie said, handing her the note.

“But of course, dear, you must go,” Letty agreed after reading it, “and I will accompany you.”

“That is not necessary, as I feel quite comfortable visiting Amelia alone.”

She needed something to take her mind off those men and seeing Lord Coulter again, and this was the perfect opportunity.

“Minerva, Miss Logan’s mother, is an old friend, Sophie.” Letty looked at the note she still held. “We came out together. She was a beauty,” Letty said as her eyes now filled with distant memories.

“As were you, Letty,” Sophie added.

“Thank you, dear. I had my share of admirers.” Sophie hid her smile. She’d heard stories about those admirers. “Minerva was my dearest friend before her parents forced her to wed, Sophie. A lecherous old man over three times her age.” Letty sipped her tea before she continued, her face serious now.

“To the eye, Lord Logan was a gently bred, wealthy, titled peer. He married Minerva and took her from London to his estate in the country. The last time we met, she told me how scared she was, but of course there was little I could do or say to ease that fear; I just prayed that Lord Logan would take care of my friend.”

Sophie could see by the expression on Letty’s face that had not been the case. “What happened?” she whispered, almost fearing what she was about to hear.

“He mistreated her and gambled every penny he had away. His estates were entailed, and she was left penniless.” Sophie could hear the anger in her sister-in-law’s voice.

“How did you find out?”

“When Minerva did not respond to my letters, I paid her a visit,” Letty said. “Henry was courting me at the time, so he offered to take me. We arrived to find my beautiful friend bearing absolutely no resemblance to the sweet young woman who had left London mere months before.”

“What did you do?”

“I found him, her husband. He lay in a drunken stupor on his bed,” Letty said, and Sophie could see the anger that still smoldered inside her.

“I threw a basin of water over him to make him wake up,” she said. “Then I told him I was taking Minerva back to London, and if he tried to follow, she would expose him for the man he was.”

“That was very brave,” Sophie said.

“Of course, he yelled and tried to hit me, but Henry had followed me and, astute man that he was, took in the situation with one glance and knocked Lord Logan to the ground.”

Sophie had been on the receiving end of Letty’s protection and knew exactly what she had done for Minerva.

“I think I would have liked your Henry, Letty.”

“Yes, he was the very best of men.” Letty sighed, dabbing the corners of her eyes before she continued with her story.

“We gathered her up, along with her terrified maid, and left. On the journey back to London, she told us everything he had done to her—all of it, Sophie.” Letty’s eyes looked bleak, which told Sophie more than words could say about just what had happened to Minerva Logan.

“She was a shadow of my friend,” Letty continued.

“When we arrived in London, I took her to my house. My parents were shocked, obviously, but reluctant to get involved, as Minerva’s parents were their friends.

It was actually my brother who came to her aid.

He had always been in love with Minerva, and he went to her parents.

Melton told them she was staying in London and they would have to go through him and the scandal he would create if they tried to send her back to her husband. ”

“How desperate she must have felt living with that man, Letty.”

“Very much so, and no one knew. Two weeks after we reached London, Lord Logan died in a hunting accident. He left Minerva alone, pregnant, and in debt. Her parents took her back in and cared for her.”

“But why do you not see her now if she was your friend?” Sophie asked.

“I do not know whether it was from embarrassment or a need to forget those awful weeks, but Minerva has not spoken to me since,” Letty said, and Sophie could see she was still hurting.

“But you saved her!”

“Minerva will not even look at me, Sophie.”

“We shall see about that!”

“Now, you will not champion this cause, as it is a lost one. I only hope that Minerva has been a good mother to Amelia, although I fear she has not, considering how the poor girl dresses.” Letty got out of her seat.

“I will accompany you today because I will not let Minerva mistreat you due to her dislike of me. I will make polite conversation, but there will be no reconciliation.”

We shall see, Sophie thought, but she kept this to herself.

The day had grown warmer in the short time she’d not been outside, and Sophie and Letty enjoyed the breeze through the windows as the Monmouth carriage carried them across London.

Timmy was now outside with most of the household staff and Doddy, having a wonderful time, and she doubted he’d miss her at all.

“After finding Doddy, we took tea this morning,” Sophie said, knowing she needed to mention this but not the two men who she thought were following her and Timmy.

Letty did not need to worry about that too.

“Lord Coulter and Lord Sumner were there.” And that was all she needed to say on that matter.

“Really? I like that Lord Sumner, and Lord Coulter, too, but he is more austere.”

“Letty, he is suspicious of me,” Sophie said.

“So what?” She flicked her fingers. “There is nothing he can do about what we did, and we did nothing wrong. So stop worrying and enjoy the attentions of handsome men.”

“I do not want the attentions of handsome men. I want to get through this season and then back to Monmouth.”

“I know, but imagine if you found a man?—”

“Letty, I will never find a man in this world because of the life I once lived. Please do not believe otherwise,” Sophie said.

“Oh, very well, we will speak no more on it for now.”

“Ever.”

“We are here,” Letty said when the carriage stopped. Sophie knew what her sister-in-law was like when she got hold of an idea. She never let it go. But in this, she would. There was no way Sophie would marry… ever.

The house they were soon standing before was white and three stories and behind black iron railings. There was no color in the narrow gardens, and no weeds either. Just dirt.

“It once belonged to Lord and Lady Peters. They left it to Minerva, along with enough money to live on,” Letty said softly. “I believe that was due to the guilt they felt over wedding her to that monster.”

They entered through the gate and walked up to the black front door. Sophie knocked twice using the brass ring.

“If you will come this way, please,” the butler said after they’d announced themselves. “Lady Logan is expecting you.”

“This place looks like someone is in mourning,” Letty whispered as they followed the stiff-backed butler down a dark-paneled hallway.

The Monmouth women looked like two birds of paradise in such a gloomy setting.

Letty wore a beautiful pale blue dress with white trim around the cuffs and hem.

Sophie had chosen lemon, which seemed to suit her coloring, and had left her hair simple, not wanting to make the contrast between herself and Amelia too obvious.

“Lady Carstairs and the Countess of Monmouth,” the Logan butler announced in tones befitting the somber surroundings as they reached an open doorway.

Sophie’s first impressions as she entered the parlor were no different from those she and Letty had formed upon entering the town house. The room was decorated in dark colors, and the drapes were pulled against the bright sunlight. It was as if the house itself were in grieving.

“Sophie!” Amelia cried, rushing across the room to clasp her hands and give them a squeeze. Clearly, Lady Logan had not crushed her daughter’s personality completely.

“Amelia, unhand the countess and take your seat at once!”

“Sorry, Mother.” Amelia gave a little sigh as she let go of Sophie’s hands and returned to her seat, her previous excitement now snuffed out like a candle’s flame.

Minerva Logan sat in a very upright chair with a high back that resembled a throne. She wore her hair pulled severely back from her pale face, which accentuated a fierce scowl; her slight frame was dwarfed by a heavy dull brown brocade dress that extended from her chin to the floor.

“My lady,” Sophie said, sinking into a curtsy.

“Countess.” Lady Logan acknowledged her with one short word.

“I believe it is customary to curtsy before a countess, Minerva.”

Sophie stiffened at Letty’s tone. She quickly looked at Lady Logan, who seemed frozen to her chair now, eyes wide as they studied her old friend.

“Minerva,” Letty prompted, this time with a little more force. Sophie had never seen such a fierce expression in her sister-in-law’s eyes.

“O-of course,” Lady Logan said, then gained her feet and curtsied to Sophie, her movements stilted, almost as if the gesture was unnatural.

“Hello, my dear,” Letty said, turning to Amelia. “It is lovely to meet you again.”

“And you, Lady Carstairs.”

“I’m sure your mother hasn’t told you this, but we were once dear friends, Amelia.”

“Oh,” Amelia said, looking at her mother, whose face was now flushed with color.

“You will not speak of that time.” Lady Logan’s tone was fierce.

“What time, Mother?” Amelia looked worried.

“Sophie, go with Amelia to see her treasures,” Letty said.

“Amelia, you will stay here!” Lady Logan demanded in a shrill voice. “The countess has no wish to indulge in your ridiculous hobby.”

Sophie grabbed Amelia’s arm and pulled her from the room, quietly closing the door behind them.

“I will explain about that, Amelia, but we must first reach your rooms,” Sophie said to her friend as Amelia threw her a questioning look. Thankfully, she just nodded and led the way.

Amelia’s room was like the rest of the house, stark and dreary, but the display of small figurines was lovely.

“You have a wonderful collection, Amelia,” Sophie said, inspecting a brown horse with a long black mane.

“Tell me what is going on, Sophie.”

She needed to know, and Letty had not told Sophie to stay quiet on the matter. Besides, Amelia should know what was between her mother and Letty. So she told her everything she knew.

“So my mother and Lady Carstairs have not spoken since I was born? But they were friends?”

“Yes.”

“That is sad; perhaps if Mama and Lady Carstairs had remained friends, she would have been happier. She speaks to no one now and is usually just grumpy and angry.”

Which probably meant Lady Logan had made her daughter suffer because of her moods.

“I’m sorry, Amelia?—”

“I thought my mother was just always like she is now. But it seems that wasn’t the case if she and Lady Carstairs were friends, because she is so nice, and while I love Mother, she is not.”

Sophie didn’t know what to say to that or how to make it better. Instead, she allowed Amelia to show her every small figurine she had purchased and knew deep inside that this had been her solace. The place she’d come when life was too hard living with Minerva Logan.