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"To visit your cousins, actually" Sophia’s attention shifted to the strange bu their e, Lucy pulled Sophia’s hand against her rounded belly, placing her own hand on Sophia’s flat stomach "And you’re not At least, not discernibly"

No, not discernibly Sophia s her suspicions to herself

"Well," Lucy said, "that will disappoint the gossips"

At the ed "Lucy, you shouldn’t even be here A countess can’t be associated with such scandal"

"Scandal? Your husband’s to be knighted They’rehim out to be Lancelot, Robin Hood, and Lord Nelson all rolled into one You’ll be guests of honor at every table in London" Lucy craned her neck to peek into the corridor "Where is this living legend, anyway?"

"Gray? He’s at his shipping office" Sophia directed her friend to a chair "But even if he is to receive a commendation, surely I will not be welcohly"

"Because you broke your engagement?"

"Because I eloped with a fictional Frenchman!"

"You hed "Oh, no one knows about that Your parents told everyone you’d taken ill and been sent to the seaside to recover There may have been a few rumors to the contrary, but the fact that you fell into mad, passionate love with a heroic sea captain corroborates the tale quite nicely You did fall into mad, passionate love with him, didn’t you?"

Sophia nodded, numb with disbelief Could it be true? Her parents, her sister, her jilted betrothed, her friends … they had all kept her escape secret?

"Oh, I knew it!" Lucy clapped her hands "You "

"Perhaps another day" Sophia cast a glance at Bel

"I see," Lucy whispered, following her gaze "The story is that good, is it? Well, I suppose it will keep for another visit" She gave Sophia an appraising look "If you’ve been ruined, Isuits you You are radiant"

Lucy made a dismissive wave, but the assessment was true While Sophia would never have called her friend a great beauty before, she nancy rounded off Lucy’s sharp angles, and her dark-brown hair positively glea a tray laden with tea service and refreshood as to pour?" Sophia asked

"Certainly"

While the young lady busied herself with teacups, Sophia drew her chair closer to Lucy’s

"How is Toby?" she whispered "I can’t believe he never said a word about Gervais, when he had every motive to humiliate me publicly and demand restitution Was he horribly hurt when I left?"

"Which answer are you hoping to hear? That he has endured great agony for love of you, or that he has forgotten you already?" Lucy laid a hand over Sophia’s "He has suffered, but I believe his pride incurred a deeper wound than his heart Regardless, he is too good to huland for you You had us quite anxious, you know"

Guilt pinched in Sophia’s chest "How you all rateful we all are to have you safely home I’m certain your family will feel the same How could they complain? They’ll have a title in the family now, just as they alanted"

Bel interrupted their conference, a teacup and saucer balanced in either hand

"Miss Grayson," Lucy asked, accepting her teacup, "are you to have a debut this Season?"

"Oh, no" Bel handed the other cup to Sophia

"Maybe you should reconsider" Sophia perked, thinking of the possibilities "We had thought a foriven my situation But if the scandal has truly been contained … Bel h as she wishes She could even marry a lord, should she so desire"

"But I don’t want to marry a lord," Bel protested

"No, you don’t" Lucy reached for a teacake "It’s not nearly as a expectations Ever sinceafter another I’ asked to subscribe to Lady Thus-and-so’s charitable society or purchase vouchers for so pensive

"Jereives me more money than I knohat to do with, so naturally I support the my opinion on lofty topics … as if I understand tariffs or navies I try to s me a ridiculous amount of influence, simply because my husband’s stared down a few fusty members of Parliament" Lucy took a bite of cake "What ever you do, don’tadvice" Bel put down her teacup

Sophia touched Bel’s wrist "We’re only teasing You shall marry for love Your brother would not have it any other way"

"If that is so, than I doubt I shall marry at all," Bel said "My heart is already so full, with devotion to my family and passion for God’s work There cannot be rooan involved" Lucy gave Sophia a wicked smile

"Perhaps I could be persuaded to marry," Bel continued, "if I could find a man of consequence and principle, who possessed a keen sense of justice and shared my passion for charity …"