A Most Unlikely Betrothal by Alice Kirks
Chapter 18
No one should be allowed to get up at an unearthly hour, but no one had made Richard do it. His eyes had simply popped open at half past three in the morning, and then he was fully awake with nothing to do but stare at the ceiling.
It was almost pitch black outside, a perfect night for stargazing. Would Sophia get out of bed and take advantage of the dead hour? Probably. She didn't appear to be a woman who sat around waiting for anything or anyone.
Richard pushed himself out of bed and dragged his bed sheet with him. Should he go outside and stargaze, or sit at his window? It would be more comfortable sitting in his own room, but the full effect of the sky would be lost.
“Outside it is.”
Richard had his own set of keys to most doors in the house, but Cavendish boasted every key to every lock in the building—big or small. The butler prided himself on having the responsibility rest solely on his shoulders and rarely let anyone handle the clanky lot.
Richard got as far as his bedroom door when he turned back, threw the sheet back on the bed and wore his dressing gown instead. It just made more sense and would keep him warmer should there be a chill in the air.
Slipping his feet into bedroom slippers, Richard belted his gown a little more tightly and left his room, taking care to walk with thought to those who were still sleeping. His bedroom was far from his parents, but the quiet of early mornings could make even a pin drop sound like a boulder falling out of the sky.
The servants would likely wake up in an hour to prepare breakfast and get the house moving for the day; his parents would sleep until at least eight o'clock before having their first cup of tea in bed, and finally making their way to the breakfast room around nine.
Richard preferred his breakfast earlier or much later but never in between. Nine o'clock meals tended to make him feel sluggish to start his day, but a seven o'clock breakfast gave him the drive to tackle his day ahead. Not that there was much tackling to be done—the life of an earl was not that of a servant, a truth Richard did not take for granted.
His life was filled with social eventsor leisure activities where he would simply do as he pleased until he grew bored. It was all rather mundane if he truly thought about it, but he hadn't known any other way of life.
“I'll bet Sophia will show me a different way,” he said to himself with a little smile.
The woman likely had busier days and a project of some sort to complete. Sophia enjoyed painting and struck him as the type of woman to have several artworks in various forms of completion. His mother had commissioned the young woman to paint her beloved dogs, but Richard didn't think that project had started yet. Everyone was too concerned about the wedding arrangements to think about a dog painting.
Richard paused at the front door, cursing himself when he couldn't find the key. It was no use looking for it in the dark! He moved towards a wall sconce and went through every key until a familiar one gave him relief.
“Finally!” he muttered, moving back to the door and slotting the key in.
It turned with a slight creaking noise, but it might as well have been a trumpet blast. Pausing, Richard looked around him and listened for movement. Stargazing at four in the morning didn't seem like something his parents or the servants would understand, but perhaps if he told them that he wanted to see a sunrise, they might see the merit in it.
When last had he witnessed one of those? Years, maybe. Richard had lost the awe he used to have for such things, but now it seemed to be coming back to him. Everything just looked fresher, newer, and more exciting. The world had woken up again, or was that just him?
As he stepped outside, Richard was met with insects communicating with each other and birds chirping. It suddenly seemed wrong to describe the early morning as the dead of night when it was alive with life. Some animals were nocturnal, weren't they?
By the time Richard had found a spot to sit on the dewy grass (he should have taken that sheet after all!), light had crept into the night sky and bathed it in a shade of blue with grey tinges. Some stars were still visible, but full constellations were harder to see. Oh well, a sunrise it was. It could be a conversation starter when he next saw Sophia, but it wouldn't end there.
Sophia was full of thoughts and ideas that intrigued Richard and kept his interest far longer than other women would have. Usually, he would spend time using his charms to enthral a lady and have her act coy in return. However, with Sophia, it was different. There was no need for charm, coyness, or any other game Richard was accustomed to. She was like talking to Nicholas, only in female form and more interesting.
Lying down, Richard rested his head on his linked hands. His gown and bedclothes would likely be soaked through by the time he stood up, but it would be worth it. He laughed at himself, astonished by how differently he felt. Perhaps he was more surprised that he had taken Sophia to his secret spot that most people were unaware of. Nicholas knew of it, but he had never been to the escape. Richard wasn't keen to call it a garden because it was more than that, and jungle didn't fit it either, although he had used the word as a young boy.
“Perhaps I shall ask Sophia to give it a name,” he thought aloud.
Her reaction had been everything he had expected and more, and while Richard wasn't quite sure why he took her there, he didn't regret it. It might have to do with the crestfallen expression he had seen when Elizabeth insisted on drawing attention to herself. That was all the woman had done throughout the afternoon. Thank goodness he and Sophia were able to get away for some time, or he might have snapped and said something he would later regret.
Elizabeth was no longer the woman Richard frequently thought about. She was still beautiful and charming, but he wanted more. Shallow conversations no longer interested him, not after spending time in Sophia's presence. She wasn't concerned with the next social outing, the ton’s gossip, fashion, or even marriage and tended to avoid the topic altogether if she could help it.
“How on earth did I get through long afternoons and evenings with mundane chatter?” he asked himself.
He had to have been just as dull to find amusement in them, which said a lot for the company he kept.
A pinkish, orange glow stole over the sky, driving the grey-blue away. Just a sliver of the lightest blue separated the oncoming sunrise from the receding night sky, as though the colours were too afraid of mixing together. It was a spectacular sight. A quiet peace filled him as the sun peeked its head over the horizon, spreading its warmth to the world below.
The serenity Richard felt had little to do with the sun, and much to do with Sophia. He was no longer doubtful about his marriage to her now that he had some assurance that it wouldn't be the terrible mess he had initially believed.
The woman brought something into his life that Richard hadn't been aware was missing until the differences were too obvious to ignore. Sophia's calming presence had provided him with the opportunity to simply be himself, to be the person who wasn't constantly concerned that people were watching his every move.
Frowning, Richard shifted to a sitting position and drew his knees up. Since when had Sophia come to mean more to him than just the woman he was forced to marry and had to get along with? She was the one who now invaded his every thought and not her sister.
“But she's not my type,” he argued aloud.
The woman would not be able to survive a moment in the company of his usual acquaintances, and she was no more comely than she had been before they became an engaged couple. What had changed? The only difference was that he had come to know her better and enjoyed being around her. Surprisingly, Sophia wasn't as unattractive as Richard had believed, but he couldn't see any real change in her features. The conflicting thoughts left him stumped. How could someone be prettier, but not be pretty?
“I must be losing my mind,” he muttered.
However, something his mother had said the other day came to mind. The Duchess had spoken about Sophia's inner beauty and finding that to be true beauty. He hadn't agreed with her, but perhaps he had been too hasty in disregarding the matter. Elizabeth was beautiful, but her attitude was starting to repel him. Sophia was plain, yet she was also lovely to him. Could that be her inner beauty that he could see shining out of her?
If Richard had to choose which beauty he preferred, which one would he pick? The question left him stumped. He was accustomed to having his pick of gorgeous women and never thought he would marry someone no one else wanted. While he now disagreed with most of society's opinion of Sophia, he did agree that she was as undesirable as they come.
“But she isn't,” he said with a frustrated growl. “Not really.”
Richard couldn't ignore that he saw beauty in Sophia, but not with his physical eyes. A battle of the senses left him confused and in need of an objective opinion. Speaking to his parents was out of the question, which left Nicholas—the man knew more about Richard's situation than anyone else and wasn't prejudiced against Sophia. Perhaps he would have the right advice.
Richard waited for the sun to fully break over the horizon before going back inside and startling the servants. He had a little chuckle as he got ready for the day and had a simple breakfast of toast and preserves with coffee.
“Are you going out this morning, my lord?” Cavendish asked.
“Yes. Why?”
"Only that I might ready your horse for you, my lord. This may be one of the few times I get to do so before you are married and have your own butler."
The butler looked so morose that Richard had to laugh as he clapped the man on his shoulder.
“I'm not going anywhere, Cavendish. At least, not yet. Sophia and I will go on honeymoon for three or four months, and we'll come back home. By then, you'll be in the countryside with Mother and Father. I do not plan to start my own household until my bride is ready to do so. She might need a little more time before taking on her countess duties.”
The man's shoulders sagged with relief. “That's good to hear, my lord. I'll just ready that horse for you.”
Richard kept his eyes on the man until he disappeared, surprised by the butler's display of emotion. He never thought that Cavendish had much affection for him beyond that of a servant and master, but he was clearly wrong.
“Perhaps I should open my eyes more and take a look around me,” he advised himself.
* * *
Richard arrived at Nicholas's house a little after ten and caught the man at his breakfast.
“I've never known you to eat so late,” he commented, taking a seat.
Nicholas dipped a piece of toast in his runny egg, swirling it around before popping it into his mouth.
“I had a late night,” the man replied, his mouth full.
“You could have just answered me before you put that piece in your mouth,” Richard complained.
“Where would the fun be? Anyway, I know you are not here to go on about my breakfast habits. What has happened this time?”
“Can a man not come and see his best friend without there being a specific reason?”
“Yes,” Nicholas agreed. “But that's not the case with you. What is it this time? Your parents? Sophia? Elizabeth? Or perhaps your wedding that is mere days away?”
Richard's stomach clenched at the thought. He was no longer resistant to marriage, but it still gave him a bit of anxiety. It was a big step, after all. One minute he would be a single man, and the next, a married man. It was no wonder that marriage terrified some people.
“I am conflicted,” Richard admitted. “But I did plan to see you this week for a last hoorah before I became a married man.”
Nicholas lifted an eyebrow and put his utensils down. “Hoorah? What would this hoorah entail? I hope nothing too drastic. I have heard of some men who wreak havoc before marrying their brides. If that is your intention, then I must inform you that I will not support you.”
“You're jumping ahead of yourself, Nick. I only meant a little brandy and reminiscing about my single years. I have no intention of sowing my oats before my wedding. Sophia deserves better than that.”
Nicholas nodded, this time buttering a piece of toast. “Good. What are you conflicted about?”
“This might sound ridiculous to you, but it's rather important to me,” Richard began. “Now, do not laugh at me when I say this.”
“That is a sure way of getting me to laugh.”
“Nicholas.”
The man sighed. “Oh, very well. I'll contain my mirth for the time being, but if the matter truly is amusing, then I must laugh.”
Richard was reluctant to share anything now, but his head would likely explode if he didn't. He took a deep breath and explained his predicament in one go:
"I fear my feelings for Sophia are growing, but my mind still tells me that she is not my typical woman. She is painfully plain in appearance and would not survive ten minutes with our acquaintances; however, I can sit and listen to her all day and quite gladly give up the mindless conversations that revolve around the same things when with our other friends."
Nicholas sat back in his chair, his head tilted back as he gave Richard a searching look. “Do you think you have fallen in love with Sophia?”
“Heavens, no!” Richard immediately denied. “This has nothing to do with love. I simply like Sophia more than I liked her before.”
“That's a good thing, isn't it?”
Richard wasn't explaining himself very well, was he? “That's not the point. Part of me is affronted that I would like someone like Sophia or see any beauty in her, while the other part of me welcomes the change wholeheartedly. I even prefer her company to Elizabeth.”
“Again, that's a good thing, isn't it?” Nicholas insisted. “You are making a mountain out of a molehill, Richard. If you believe Sophia to be good and beautiful, then let it be so. She will be your wife in a matter of days, and it'll make the transition from single to married easier. Do not question a good thing so much.”
Richard sighed. “I suppose you're right, but 'tis not as easy as you think.”
“It could be if you stopped worrying about what society thinks.”
“I'm not worrying about what others think,” Richard said.
“Indeed? From where I am sitting, it seems you are doing just that.”
Nicholas resumed eating, offering him some toast and tea, whichRichard declined. He couldn't eat right now, not with his stomach in a knot.
What am I actually afraid of? What others will think of me once I marry Sophia? Most people do not expect me to, but I want to.
“My problems aside, has anything significant happened to you?” Richard asked. “I have not seen you in some days.”
“Actually, yes,” Nicholas admitted with a grin.
“Do tell. You seem pleased about it.”
“This may come as a shock to you, but seeing your changed behaviour, I know you will not protest my decision.”
This seemed serious. “What is it?”
“I'm interested in courting Miss Rose Pilkington.”
Richard's jaw dropped. “Rose? Sophia's best friend.”
Nicholas nodded slowly. “Yes. I like her and find her refreshingly different.”
That was what Richard had said about Sophia. “Well!” said Richard, giving a shrug. “I suppose I should congratulate you on coming out of your self-induced loveless state. Any friend of Sophia's is a good enough person for me.”
Nicholas grinned, reaching over to clap Richard on the shoulder. “I was hoping my best friend would say something like that. Isn't it odd that we're both interested in women we would have never looked twice at?”
It wasn't just odd, but amazing considering their usual preference. Someone had once passed a comment that a man could only be happy if he married a plain woman because she would remain by his side for all time. A beautiful wife would come with stress and was usually high maintenance.
How would his life be with Elizabeth as his wife? The woman was lovely, but her disposition grated on his nerves. On the other hand, Sophia held the promise of a fulfilling life.
Perhaps there is some truth to that after all.