going into supper. Sir James rose and held out his hand.
“And very lovely,” he continued.
Sophia’s fan fluttered and dropped enough to reveal an innocent smile. “I am sure you exaggerate, Sir James,” she said demurely. She laid her hand in his, and he placed it on his arm.
“Not at all. Surely you know you are the most beautiful woman in this room.” He led her to a table at the far corner of the room. It was partially obscured by some ferns, Sophia noticed, but she said nothing about their destination.
“Oh, no. Not as attractive as, say, Lady Ackleby?”
Sir James paused, and an admiring glint appeared in his eye. “Many men have found her so—or so I would suppose, of course. Then again, it is said she is not a clever women. Some men find that attractive as well. Sir Daniel Scott, for example, or Lord Weatherby.”
So, thought Sophia, delighted at this information. Sir Daniel and Lord Weatherby have been “involved” with the woman. She gave Sir James her most brilliant smile. “And you, Sir James, do you find clever women... attractive?”
“Mmmm, I find I do not grow bored with them as I do with women less clever. Beauty always adds to the attraction, of course.” Sir James’s eyes met hers, and he smiled.
He had a beautiful smile. Sophia felt a little breathless. How lovely it is to flirt with this man, she thought. So different from the much younger men who usually surrounded her. They were clumsy compared with Sir James.
“Although I understand the combination is not always appreciated by certain men,” continued Sir James.
A little shiver passed over Sophia, and she pulled her shawl over her shoulders. He has heard of my broken betrothal, I am sure of it, she thought. I must make sure he knows that it was I who broke it off because of Rothwick’s betrayal.
“Alas, it is true,” she said sadly. “Who knows what cruelty exists in a man’s heart? It is better that a lady break the connection when she learns of his perfidy than to live with certain betrayal of the marriage vows.” Sophia had the talent to make her eyes fill with tears without letting them fall, and she used it now.
It seemed almost as if Sir James’s eyes took on a look of amusement, but he said: “He must have been mad.”
Instead of being affronted by his directness, Sophia found herself looking up at him. His gaze was intent... compelling... and she found her heart beating a little faster. “I do not know. Perhaps I am not as beautiful as I have been told,” she blurted.
She shocked herself. She had not meant to say that, and what shocked her the most (though she could scarce admit it to herself) was that it was the first spontaneous remark she had made in many a year.
“No one lied when they said you were beautiful,” replied Sir James.
Sophia looked at him, and his eyes were not mocking, but admiring. She felt much better, for his remark restored her equilibrium.
“Some men merely lack... intelligence,” continued Sir James. “So easily... trapped.” He smiled at her.
She sat up straight. She hadn’t thought of that! That woman had trapped Rothwick. Of course! And he was known to be an honorable man. He would have no choice but to marry the harlot, in spite of her own, Sophia’s, beauty!
Sophia turned melting eyes to Sir James. “How terribly sad that it should be so!” she said softly, a hint of sorrow in her voice. “How horrid such scheming cannot be shown for what it is! One would think that right-minded people should work to show how badly people can be hurt by such duplicity.”
Sir James’s smile grew wider. “Most definitely, dear lady! I, certainly, would try.” He raised her hand to his lips.
Sophia shivered with a certain joy. She smiled back at him. “I thought you might,” she murmured.
Chapter 7
Linnea smoothed her skirt, reveling in the muslin’s newness. The dress was a deep royal blue, giving a pearly sheen to her skin, and the design was one that she
“And very lovely,” he continued.
Sophia’s fan fluttered and dropped enough to reveal an innocent smile. “I am sure you exaggerate, Sir James,” she said demurely. She laid her hand in his, and he placed it on his arm.
“Not at all. Surely you know you are the most beautiful woman in this room.” He led her to a table at the far corner of the room. It was partially obscured by some ferns, Sophia noticed, but she said nothing about their destination.
“Oh, no. Not as attractive as, say, Lady Ackleby?”
Sir James paused, and an admiring glint appeared in his eye. “Many men have found her so—or so I would suppose, of course. Then again, it is said she is not a clever women. Some men find that attractive as well. Sir Daniel Scott, for example, or Lord Weatherby.”
So, thought Sophia, delighted at this information. Sir Daniel and Lord Weatherby have been “involved” with the woman. She gave Sir James her most brilliant smile. “And you, Sir James, do you find clever women... attractive?”
“Mmmm, I find I do not grow bored with them as I do with women less clever. Beauty always adds to the attraction, of course.” Sir James’s eyes met hers, and he smiled.
He had a beautiful smile. Sophia felt a little breathless. How lovely it is to flirt with this man, she thought. So different from the much younger men who usually surrounded her. They were clumsy compared with Sir James.
“Although I understand the combination is not always appreciated by certain men,” continued Sir James.
A little shiver passed over Sophia, and she pulled her shawl over her shoulders. He has heard of my broken betrothal, I am sure of it, she thought. I must make sure he knows that it was I who broke it off because of Rothwick’s betrayal.
“Alas, it is true,” she said sadly. “Who knows what cruelty exists in a man’s heart? It is better that a lady break the connection when she learns of his perfidy than to live with certain betrayal of the marriage vows.” Sophia had the talent to make her eyes fill with tears without letting them fall, and she used it now.
It seemed almost as if Sir James’s eyes took on a look of amusement, but he said: “He must have been mad.”
Instead of being affronted by his directness, Sophia found herself looking up at him. His gaze was intent... compelling... and she found her heart beating a little faster. “I do not know. Perhaps I am not as beautiful as I have been told,” she blurted.
She shocked herself. She had not meant to say that, and what shocked her the most (though she could scarce admit it to herself) was that it was the first spontaneous remark she had made in many a year.
“No one lied when they said you were beautiful,” replied Sir James.
Sophia looked at him, and his eyes were not mocking, but admiring. She felt much better, for his remark restored her equilibrium.
“Some men merely lack... intelligence,” continued Sir James. “So easily... trapped.” He smiled at her.
She sat up straight. She hadn’t thought of that! That woman had trapped Rothwick. Of course! And he was known to be an honorable man. He would have no choice but to marry the harlot, in spite of her own, Sophia’s, beauty!
Sophia turned melting eyes to Sir James. “How terribly sad that it should be so!” she said softly, a hint of sorrow in her voice. “How horrid such scheming cannot be shown for what it is! One would think that right-minded people should work to show how badly people can be hurt by such duplicity.”
Sir James’s smile grew wider. “Most definitely, dear lady! I, certainly, would try.” He raised her hand to his lips.
Sophia shivered with a certain joy. She smiled back at him. “I thought you might,” she murmured.
Chapter 7
Linnea smoothed her skirt, reveling in the muslin’s newness. The dress was a deep royal blue, giving a pearly sheen to her skin, and the design was one that she
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