Dominic (24 page)

*****

The
d
uche
s
s
li
s
tened i
n
tently
to
S
o
phie’s
story, te
a
rs co
m
i
ng
to
her
eyes
w
hen
told
of the
beating
and
her subsequent plight, even being
indignant
at
her
aunt’s tre
a
t
m
ent.

Taking hold of Sophie’s hand as
she sat beside her on the chaise, she said with decision,
“You shall
co
m
e
to
m
e.
W
hen
it
is
seen
th
a
t
I
too
am
at
Stovely,
a
n
y
talk
o
f i
m
propriety
will
be
dis
m
issed.”
Then,
s
m
iling,
“Indeed, my
dear,
although
the
official
season
is
al
m
ost
over,
I have a
m
i
nd to introduce you to society. I will bring you out.
Regina
is
eighteen
and she
is
already
out,
though Isabella is
o
nly fifteen and will remain in the schoolroom for
another
year.
It
will
be
delight
f
ul.
I
will
info
r
m
your
aunt.
She
should
not
object,
especially
when
it
is
known that you will be under my aegis.”

“But what of the d
uke...
?
” began Sophie.

“You
need
not
worry your
head
about
m
y husband,”
assured the
duchess
.
“
If
approached
in
the
correct
m
anner,
he
can
be
quite
reaso
n
abl
e
.
Indeed,
he will
add weight to any sche
m
e I
m
ay evolve.”

She turned
to
her son who had remained
silent
, standing by the hearth th
r
oughout the whole discourse. “It is
the
end
of
the
hal
f
-year
in
two
weeks,
Do
m
i
nic;
will
you
n
o
t
abandon
y
our
roo
m
s
and
co
m
e
to
stay
at
Blake
House
?
I
would
so
enjoy
having
you
with
us
again.”

His lordship grinned. “
B
ut father would not. One
m
ust have
consideration
for
his
t
e
m
per. No,
I
will
keep
m
y roo
m
s and
s
o
m
y independence.
I fought hard and long for it and it would not do to give it up now. However, it does not
m
ean
that
I
will
not
keep
m
y
eye
on
you,
brat,”
he said,
tweaking
one
of
Sophie’s
curls
as
he
passed
her chair,
not
noticing
that
his
m
other
looked
sharply
at
hi
m
, an unspoken question in her eyes.

*****

Sophie’s aunt posed no proble
m
. Indeed she was relieved
to
b
e
rid
of
her
charge
and
if
it
was
to
s
o
e
m
inent a
perso
n
age
as
her
Grace
the
Duchess
of
Le
a
r
,
then so much the better. She even still harb
o
red secret
h
opes of a
m
atch
with
the
young
e
arl,
such
could
still
not
be
ruled out.
However,
it
m
u
st
be
s
a
id that
s
h
e
gained
no satis
f
a
c
tion whatsoev
e
r
f
r
om her
inter
v
iew with
the d
uchess.
Upon
reflection,
she
th
o
ught
her
grace
a
little too
high
in
the
instep
for
her
taste,
even
though
she
had
been so obliging as to state t
h
at she would bear the whole of the expenses involved in bringing her niece out into society.
And
what
if
the
young e
arl
could
not
be
brought up
to
scratch,
then
at
least
Sophie
would
be
in
the co
m
pany
of
others
of
rank
and
fortune
and
did
she
not have a pretty enough face to rec
o
mmend he
r
?
Perha
p
s when
s
he too beca
m
e a person of rank and fortune s
h
e would not forget her aunt
w
ho had so kindly
taken her in when she was in need.

Chapter
Seven

After spend
ing a sennight at Stovely, The D
uke and Duchess of Lear returned to London, taking their new charge
with
the
m
.
However,
having
no
desire
to
return with his fa
m
ily, his
l
ordship stated his intention of re
m
aining in the country to await his dividends.

*****

A
l
m
ost as soon as the party arrived at Blake House, preparations
for
Sophie’s
entrance into society were set under way. Being unused to so
m
uch attention, she re
m
ained in a co
m
plete daze as
vi
sits were arranged to provide her with the wardrobe necessary for her
introduction to the aristocracy
.
W
hen
she
sho
w
ed
great
concern
about
the cost of the gar
m
ents being ordered, the
d
uchess brushed aside
a
ll
p
r
o
t
estatio
n
s.

“Tis nothing,” she declared. “I am enjoying
m
yself prodigiously and so are the girls. Of a sudden they have acquired
a
new
sister.”
To
her
s
elf
she
a
d
ded
as an afterthought,
I only wish that Dominic was here to witness our endeavors
.

However, as soon as the period of his
e
nforced rustication
was
over
and
his
fina
n
ces
were
restored, t
h
e
earl
also forsook Stoveley’s portals for the superior
attractions
afforded
by
the city
.
Arriving
at
his
rooms
rather later at night than he
had anticipated, it was then not until
noon
o
f the
following
day
that
he
was
able
to
pre
s
e
n
t hi
m
self at Blake House.

Upon entering the hallway the porter informed his lordship
t
h
at
his
p
ar
e
nts
a
nd
sisters
were
out
at
the present, only Miss Sophie re
m
aining at ho
m
e, and upon being
com
m
anded
to
supply
her
whereabouts
declared that he believed her to be in the long gallery.

Depositing
his
hat
and
cane
with this
worthy individual,
Vale
took the
stairs
two
at
a
ti
m
e
to
the
upper stor
y,
but
upon
entering
the
gallery
he
did
not im
m
ediately perceive
S
ophie. However, the sound of a s
m
all
sob
drew
his
attention
to
a
window
seat
at
the further
end
of
the
ro
o
m
where
s
he
sat
chin
on
han
d
, staring through the window,
oblivious of his arrival.