Chapter 18
Meanwhile Sophia had joined Lady Carlfield in the drawing room.
She was sitting on the settee, staring at the opposite wall at nothing in particular.
A book was next to her, which she appeared to have been trying to read.
Having insisted earlier that Sophia should go to her bedchamber to rest before dinner, once the guests had gone apart from the Earl who was with Ned, and that she wouldn't need her again until then.
As a result Sophia was shocked now to find her ladyship in such a state.
She had come downstairs again by chance to visit the library, where she hoped to find a book she could read to help pass the time, since sleep had eluded her.
She still hadn't finished Northanger Abbey, and was hoping there would be a poetry volume instead which would interest her.
Something calm and soothing after their hectic day, but as she was crossing the hall she thought she heard Cynthia calling her name.
She stepped across the drawing room quickly, to kneel down in front of her on the ornately patterned rug.
Frightened because Lady Cynthia looked so much older, frail even, and she seemed to be exhausted after the day’s activities but which probably wasn't surprising.
Sophia knew that she had only sat down at the tea table, and been on her feet for the rest of the afternoon.
Joining those playing battledore as soon as she left it.
She had also walked around the garden on several occasions with different ladies, since Sophia had accompanied her throughout the afternoon.
Walking behind of course, and not alongside as she did when they were on their own.
The Countess of Duxbury had at one point passed Lady Lucy's bag and her own to Sophia, so that she could carry them.
Both of which were quite large, stuffed to the brim with what looked to be embroidery of some description, and were exceedingly awkward.
The Duchess hadn't noticed this straightaway.
Her back was turned after she had been drawn to a large purple flower in one of the vast beds.
The name had escaped her, and she was trying her best to recall it.
She was clearly annoyed by the Countess telling Sophia to carry their bags once she found this out, since it was for the maid to do and not her companion, which she was certain the Countess would know.
Without speaking her mind Lady Cynthia revealed her feelings in a frown which wasn't unlike the Duke of Carlfield's when he was displeased.
She also made a point of ignoring Lady Amelia and her daughter for the remainder of the afternoon, so far as she could without it being a case of extremely bad manners.
Giving Sophia instead her full attention, and concern.
Hoping that she hadn't become overly tired by all the activity.
Apparently also causing her not to hear the offer which was made by Amelia, for her to join them when they went into the house to play charades.
Not really knowing if she ought to call for assistance now, Sophia asked the Duchess if she would like to go upstairs to her bedchamber, and she could arrange for one of the maids to bring a dinner tray up to her.
If she didn't feel like having a nap, Sophia said that she would be delighted to read to her instead.
Secretly hoping that the Duchess would agree to this, so that she also wouldn't need to dine with Edward.
Still feeling overwhelmed by the events of the day, and because some members of the ton had deliberately ignored her.
Even gone so far as making it seem that she didn't exist during the tea party.
It had been horrible at times, then having to carry the Countess and her daughter's bags.
The last thing she needed now was to be pitied by the Duke!
At that precise moment Sophia wished Hannah and Owen were with her.
She missed them both dearly, and had started to be afraid that she would never see them again.
This train of thought was however interrupted by Lady Cynthia who appeared to have only just realised that she had been staring at the wall, and was asking Sophia if she would read to her.
Sophia was relieved to see the colour returning to her ladyship's cheeks, so she suggested reading from the work of one of her favourite poets.
Much to her surprise the Duchess declined, and said that she wished to hear something which Sophia had written.
She would also prefer to remain where she was on the settee, at least for the time being.
Leaving her companion with no choice other than to comply with her employer's request.
Somewhat reluctantly she picked up her journal, which was next to her on the floor where she was still kneeling, and stood up to take a seat in the chair opposite Lady Cynthia.
Flicking anxiously through the pages, without seeing the individual poems she had written, she couldn't believe that any of them would be good enough to be heard by the Duchess.
Until she eventually decided to read one of her nature poems, which Cynthia went on to compliment profusely.
However it wasn't what the Duchess had really wanted to hear.
It was perfectly acceptable, and nice in its own way.
With its talk of trees, the river, and clouds.
Her aim in asking Sophia to read one of her own poems had actually been to get her to reveal her passion again, which she had seen sparked in the carriage when she had talked about her work.
The words which came from her heart and soul, and she believed could also ignite the fire of love within Ned.
She didn't want what had happened earlier to deter her in any way.
As far as she was concerned she still wished for Sophia to become her daughter-in-law.
When the Duchess asked if she had another verse she could read which was about love, the romantic poem she had written in her bedchamber as the moonlight had been streaming through the window and she couldn't stop thinking of Ned, was on the next page of her journal.
She did like it she supposed, and although she hadn't intended to share it with anyone else, it was only Lady Cynthia.
She didn't need to know why she had written it, the words would never reach Ned's ears, and so she began to read:
"Capturing her heart in a swoon,
While the stars twinkled high above
The luminescence of the moon,
A Lord and Lady fell in love.
Unable to resist their hearts' desire
On such a beautiful night,
Or the light of the celestial fire,
It was true love at first sight.
Their kiss, warm and tender,
Fate allowed them to see
What neither could fail to remember,
Or know without doubt, couldn't be."
Sophia's voice, which had been hesitant at first until she became engrossed in the words, tapered off quickly and regained its uncertainty. When she realised with a start that Ned had walked quietly into the room. Having been drawn to her by the softness in her voice.
Whilst all she could feel was embarrassment, and shame that she had been so brazen as to voice her thoughts in a poem she wasn't in the least surprised by the way he was staring at her, since she had bared her soul to him.
Not understanding the impact of her words, or that they had touched the tenderest of places deep within him.
Something which no other woman had done before, not even Felicity.
The Earl had finally left, and Edward had been making his way to his study when he heard Sophia's voice.
He was captivated immediately, listening to her reading earnestly to his mother.
Cynthia looked up at him, and smiled contentedly.
Sophia had clearly written from the heart what she was now reading aloud.
As she also wanted him to listen to it, she motioned for him to be quiet.
He nodded, and sat down on the nearest chair.
As soon as she had finished reading, Cynthia erupted into loud applause.
Clapping her hands in delight, also because Ned couldn't have timed his entrance any better, and had heard all of Sophia's romantic verse which was wonderful.
When he also joined in the applause Sophia looked in his direction, and seemingly noticed his presence for the first time. Her cheeks flushed deep crimson. Whilst it was obvious from her face that she was in a state of embarrassment she muttered an apology then for not having a title to the poem.
Edward politely asked the name of the poet who had written such a delightful verse.
It reminded him of Lord Byron's love poems. Making her blush even more that he should have placed it in such high regard.
Even though he had guessed before he asked that it had been her, and when she was hesitant to reply, he knew that he had been right.
Before Sophia had time to say anything else, Lady Cynthia who seemed to have fully recovered her composure, interrupted and quite cheerfully told Ned that she had indeed written the poem.
Quite overwhelmed by the sentiments Sophia had expressed in the verse and her talk of love, he couldn't help wishing with all of his heart that she had written it about him.
It took every ounce of concentration he could muster to think quickly, and say something else that was complimentary.
At the same time remaining distanced from his feelings, and what he wished had been a reference to them.
Leaving Cynthia delighted that everything was still going according to plan, and she hadn't had any reason to doubt it earlier when she was staring at the wall in frustration.
Or to become despondent that the reaction Sophia had received today from the other ladies might well have deterred her from continuing to be very much herself.
A truly delightful, and charming, young woman who was quite capable of capturing Ned's heart.
Acknowledging that if the way he was looking at her now was the measure of it, she had already done so.