An Earl’s Fake Courtship (Preview)

Prologue 

1812

“Father wants to talk to us, Sophie.”

Sophie jumped. She had been so engrossed in what she had been reading that she hadn’t noticed that her brother had joined her. Jack stood over her, arms folded with a scowl. Sophie wasn’t surprised at the look on his face; he had been doing that a lot since their father married Madeline, and it was becoming a common mood for her older brother. It felt like whenever they were around the woman, it just chilled the atmosphere.

Sophie had no idea why her father married such a horrible woman, but she couldn’t argue against it, not when the Marquess of Buckinghamshire didn’t care to listen to her opinion. In his mind, despite being fifteen, she was still a little girl who didn’t have a voice in what he did with his life. Jack was in his twenties, so he should have been able to voice what he thought about their father getting married to someone a lot younger. And yet…

Their father had told them to stop being petulant brats and accept Madeline as their new mother. It had been four years since they got married, a wedding that Jack and Sophie weren’t aware of until afterward, and things hadn’t improved since then.

Closing her book, Sophie put it aside on the chaise.

“Any idea what it’s about?” she asked as she unfolded her long legs and stood up, dusting down her gown.

“No, but I have a feeling it’s to do with Madeline again,” Jack grumbled. “She’s been practically glued to his side for a while now, so I’m sure that’s the case.”

Sophie didn’t doubt it, either. They could barely talk to their father without Madeline being in the same room. There was no hope of speaking privately. Sophie missed that time she used to have with the marquess. It was not fair that they were being isolated and shoved off to one side because of their stepmother.

If she didn’t want stepchildren who were as old as Sophie and Jack, maybe she shouldn’t have married the marquess. Sophie had told her that once, but Madeline had simply told her that she was just a child, and she doesn’t answer to a little girl.

It was hard living in a house where it felt as if they were going to lose it if they breathed the wrong way. Sophie wouldn’t be surprised if it happened, at this point.

“As long as it doesn’t take too long,” Jack went on, absently rubbing his stomach with a grimace. “I want to go and lie down again. Standing upright is making me feel lightheaded.”

“Is your stomach still not doing well?”

“No. I thought I would be fine to go for a walk earlier, and now I’m regretting it as I feel so tired.”

Sophie squeezed her brother’s arm.

“It’s perfectly normal when you’ve been shut away for some time. You’re going to need to build up your strength over time.”

“It’s been more than a year since we started with stomach problems, Sophie. I shouldn’t be feeling this awful after so long.”

“Maybe it’s just the smell from the soap making factory nearby that’s making our stomach turn,” Sophie suggested.

Jack snorted.

“We’ve been living near that for years. Why would it change now?”

“I don’t know. I’m just thinking of the reason why both of us have been feeling off.”

“I know exactly why we’re feeling like this. It’s because of Madeline.” Jack shook his head. “She’s sucking the life out of both of us.”

Sophie didn’t know what to say to that. Jack had more hatred towards their stepmother than she did, and she couldn’t blame him for that. Despite hiding himself from everyone after their mother’s death, Jack and his father had been especially close. The marquess had trusted Jack with a lot of things, even though he was barely a grown man. Then he married Madeline, and he pulled away from his son. Jack hated that more than anything.

Sophie wondered if there was something she could do to make things better. But she had a feeling that it wouldn’t get better. Not unless Madeline left their lives for good.

Given how young and healthy she was, Sophie doubted that it would happen unless something shocking occurred. But the thought of causing harm to Madeline, despite her feelings on the woman, were enough for Sophie to sober up. She couldn’t wish harm like that on her stepmother, no matter their relationship.

“Well, come on, little sister.” Jack put an arm around Sophie’s shoulders and steered her towards the door. “We’d better go and see what Father wants. We’re not going to get it if we stay here.”

When they found the marquess, he was in the drawing room, sitting by the fire as it blazed away in the hearth. The marchioness sat beside him, sipping tea, and leaning into him, with her husband’s arm around her shoulders. Sophie looked at the two of them, seeming to be a picture-perfect couple, and couldn’t feel anything for it. The sight was not one of happiness, not in her eyes. She just saw a manipulative woman who hated them because they were in the way.

“What do you want, Father?” Jack asked as he let go of Sophie and walked toward the fire. “Why did you want to see us?”

“Sit down, Jack,” the marquess said quietly.

“I think I’ll stand.” Jack folded his arms. “Anything you can say, just say it now. What’s Madeline said now to make us look like brats?”

Buckinghamshire frowned, and Sophie saw Madeline stiffen against him. She sat up and shifted on the cushions, her hand absently going to her belly before pulling away and laying in her lap. Something was really wrong here, but what?

“Fair enough.” The marquess sighed and stood up. “You and Sophie need to pack your things. You’re leaving tonight.”

Sophie wondered if she had misheard. Jack looked equally baffled.

“What… what did you say? We’re to leave?”

“Tomorrow. I’ve made provisions for you two at our residences…”

“Residences?” Sophie picked up on that. “Are you saying that you’re separating us as well?”

Her father turned his gaze to her, and Sophie saw how blank his expression was. She couldn’t see the man she knew as her father.

“You’re going to the coast to live there with my cousin Mary, Sophie. Your governess and a few servants are going with you. Jack, you’ll be given our cottage in Wales with your own household. Both of you will be properly provided for.”

“It sounds like you’re trying to get rid of us,” Jack growled. “Are you disinheriting me as well? You might as well go for the whole thing if you’re going to kick us out because of your wife.”

Their father’s eyes narrowed. His arm was still around his wife, and Sophie saw his arm tighten.

“You don’t need to go that far, Jack. This is the best for you and Sophie…”

“For us to leave? If this is best for us, you should keep us together.” Jack pointed at Sophie. “My sister and I are not going to be separated. We’re staying together.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible. You are going to Wales, and Sophie is going to Brighton. There are no arguments about this.”

“No arguments?” Jack was shouting now, making Sophie flinch. It was hurting her head when voices were raised. “Why would you do this to us? Why would you throw us away?”

The marquess’ jaw tightened. Then he rose to his feet. Sophie shivered, and she had to clutch onto a chair to keep her balance as the room tilted. Her father knew how to be formidable when he wanted to be, and now he towered over Jack. That was no mean feat as Jack was already quite tall, but he seemed to shrink before him.

“You don’t deserve to be my children,” he said quietly, although Sophie heard the words clearly across the room. “That’s all there is to it.”

Jack looked outraged. Sophie looked at Madeline, who wasn’t looking at anyone. She was still staring at her hands.

“This is because of her, isn’t it?” she demanded, her voice croaking.

“Sophie…” her father began.

“No, don’t you dare, Father! You’ve just told us suddenly that we’re to be sent away? And you say we don’t deserve to be your children?” Sophie managed to point at Madeline. “She’s been saying things in your ear. We’ve done nothing to warrant this!”

The marquess narrowed his eyes at her.

“You think you’ve done nothing? After the way you’ve treated my wife, your mother?”

“She’s not our mother!” Jack cried. “She may be your wife, but she’s not our mother!”

“And she’s the one who started all of this!” Sophie added. “She started all of this discord, not us! We didn’t start fighting this until she started being mean to us, but you wouldn’t listen!”

“I have been nothing but kind to you,” Madeline said evenly, the first time she spoke since they entered the room.

Sophie snorted.

“You’ve never been kind to us. Why would we believe that? You’ve caused all of this, Madeline. You don’t want us around, and now you’re getting the chance to get us out of your life, aren’t you?”

“Enough!” Their father barked, making everyone jump, and Sophie groaned as the room tilted a little bit more. “I don’t want to hear any more arguments on this. You and Jack are to get packing right now, and you’ll be leaving tomorrow. No more questions, no more protesting.”

“But, Father…” Jack started, but his father held up a hand.

“If you haven’t packed anything by the time the carriages are ready, you are going to leave with just the clothes on your back. I think you would prefer to have everything you want with you right now.”

“This isn’t fair!” Sophie cried.

“If you can’t accept my wife, then I’m not going to accept you, Sophie. It’s as simple as that.”

Sophie didn’t recognize the man before her anymore. He looked like her father, but she didn’t recognize him anymore. It was frightening to see how much he had changed since getting married again.

“Come on, Madeline.” The marquess held out a hand towards her. “Let’s go. I think you need to go and rest.”

“Give me a moment, dear.” Madeline stood up, laying a hand on her husband’s arm. “I just need a moment to speak to the children.”

Jack scoffed.

“I’m not a child anymore. And you think you can bully us when Father isn’t around?”

“That’s enough, Jack.” He nodded at his wife. “Don’t be long. You shouldn’t be doing this in your condition.”

“Yes, dear.”

The marquess barely glanced at his children as he left the room, and Sophie felt colder and colder despite the fire in the room. As soon as the marquess shut the door, Madeline faced Jack and Sophie. Her expression had hardened.

“You’d better do as you’re told, the two of you,” she said tightly. “It’s best for everyone that we get rid of the problem here.”

“Problem?” Jack sounded incredulous. “There is a problem here, but it’s not us! We all know who the problem is.”

Madeline shrugged.

“Say what you want, but it’s best that you two leave the house. You’ll understand everything eventually.”

“Understand what?”

Then Sophie suddenly remembered her father’s words and how Madeline had touched her stomach. Her own stomach dropped.

“You’re going to have a child, aren’t you?”

Madeline didn’t answer, but her hand going to her belly was enough for Sophie to know the answer. Jack looked as if he was going to explode.

“What the… you’re having a child? But…”

“I’m doing whatever I can to protect my child from whoever and whatever can harm it. And if it means doing drastic measures, I’m going to do just that.” Madeline gave Jack a cool look before turning back to Sophie. “You’ll understand eventually, both of you. And I suggest that you be careful with what you’re doing around myself and your father. Because if you push it too far, you won’t be getting anything.”

Jack stiffened.

“Are you threatening us?”

“Take it however you want. But we’re doing what is best for the family…”

“You mean the family you make with Father,” Jack sneered.

Madeline didn’t answer, although Sophie was sure she saw tears in the woman’s eyes. That couldn’t be happening. Madeline never cried, not in front of them. Then their stepmother’s expression hardened, and she strode towards the door.

“I’ll make sure we finally get rid of the problem,” she said defiantly. “Then we won’t be having this mess happen all the time. It’s for the best.”

The door shut firmly behind her, and Sophie felt the room tilt even more than ever. Her sense of balance was still not good, and it seemed to have been lost completely. Jack caught her before she hit the floor.

“Sophie!”

“She… she can’t do that.” Sophie began to sob. “She can’t.”

“It’ll be alright.” Jack held her as he sat on the floor, rocking his sister as he held her close. “We’re going to be alright.”

“How? We’re getting sent away.”

“We’re not going anywhere. I’ll make sure of it.” Jack kissed her head. “Don’t worry about it, Sophie.”

Sophie believed him. It was all she could cling to.

 

Chapter One

1816

“I wish I wasn’t so nervous!” Alexandra Duffy exclaimed quietly as she wrung her hands, looking around at the throng of people. “I want to enjoy myself, but I just feel like I’m about to fall apart.”

Sophie laughed and squeezed her friend’s hand.

“You are going to be fine. We’ve been doing this for a year. You should be used to coming to a social gathering by now.”

“I know…” Alexandra bit her lip. “But I can never get rid of the nerves. My father is getting annoyed with them, but it’s not something I can get rid of so quickly. I’m probably going to be a nervous wreck for the rest of my life.”

“Oh, stop it. That just makes things worse for yourself.”

Alexandra huffed.

“And I wish I would stop. You think this isn’t annoying for me as well?”

Sophie knew how annoying it was to be like Alexandra on a regular basis. Her friend was painfully shy, and it took a while for her to warm up to things. Once she did, she was fine, but it was getting her there that was the problem. Sophie had been around it for years, so she knew what Alexandra was like. It could get a little irritating, but she understood; things like attending balls were incredibly difficult to navigate properly, especially when they were so young. By the time they were used to attending social events, they would be married and more comfortable in their own skin.

At least that was what Alexandra’s father had said. From the way he explained it, he made it sound as if being unmarried made someone naturally unconfident. Sophie wasn’t sure how that worked. She liked to think that she was confident, to the annoyance of her brother. Jack kept telling her that she was a member of the ton now so she shouldn’t behave like she was still a child. Sophie told him that she didn’t care, and she was making the most of her time in Society.

After being ill for so long as a child, Sophie wanted to make up for it now. What was wrong with that?

“I wonder if someone’s going to ask us to dance,” Alexandra said, looking around at the various guests, at the people dancing not too far away. “I wouldn’t mind dancing right now. It would stop me feeling so jittery.”

“Why don’t you ask a gentleman if he wants to dance?” Sophie suggested.

Alexandra’s eyes widened. When her eyes were big like this, her hazel eyes looked more green than brown.

“What? Me? Ask a gentleman to dance? But we’re not supposed to!”

“Well, I’m sure it’s not that difficult. We haven’t got any dance cards tonight, for whatever reason, so I can see it happening.”

“But ladies aren’t supposed to ask a gentleman to dance!” Alexandra prodded Sophie in the side. “If you want to do that, you can ask for yourself. But I’m not going to do it.”

Sophie shook her head, sighing as her black ringlets bounced across her face and got in the way. Even with her hair perfectly curled, it still kept getting in the way. She brushed it aside.

“You know I don’t care for dancing. I would prefer to keep away from that as much as I can. It’s not something I want to do, not tonight.”

“Why not? You’re such an elegant dancer. I’m surprised that you haven’t done any dancing tonight, given how many people have been looking your way.”

Sophie was aware that there had been many gentlemen looking in their direction, but she ignored them. She was fine being present at the ball, but she wasn’t about to dance. It wasn’t a requirement; it was meant to be a way to show herself to the rest of the room and make people pay attention and want to court such a delightful young woman.

Sophie could do that without having to dance, as far as she was concerned. Besides, the idea of courting and finally getting married didn’t sit well with her for now. Not with the way Jack kept pushing her to find herself someone to marry. In his mind, once she had a year in Society and had her fun, she was supposed to find a husband and get married as soon as possible.

She was only nineteen. What was the rush? Sophie could never get a straight answer out of him. When they squabbled over it, Sophie was quick to remind her brother that he was unmarried, and he needed to focus on himself before he concentrated on her. As the Marquess of Buckinghamshire, he should be looking for marriage on his own. That got Jack to shut up for a while, but not for long.

She wondered what had happened to her brother. Ever since he had abruptly become the marquess after the sudden death of their father, Jack had changed to someone she couldn’t recognize. It was odd, and it was annoying. Sophie wanted her brother back, not someone who had become somewhat cold and closed off toward everyone, even her.

They had lost their father together, and they didn’t have to deal with Madeline any longer. They were dead and buried in the family crypt despite their protests about Madeline being there. They suffered together, so why would Jack pull away from her? He was taking his role far too seriously, and Sophie was fed up with not having the same relationship that they had before. Why couldn’t that come back? She wanted her brother, not a marquess.

Not that Jack would listen to her. He had turned into what their father had been before he died, and Sophie didn’t like it.

“I’m not going to do any dancing tonight,” she said, ignoring the appreciative glances from a group of gentlemen nearby. She focused on her friend instead. “I want to be able to socialize and have fun without my feet hurting. Dancing does take a lot of strength out of me.”

Alexandra scoffed.

“Nonsense! You’ve never let that bother you before.”

“Well, I am for now. Besides,” Sophie smiled as she linked arms with Alexandra, “how am I supposed to have a conversation with you if I’m twirling around with other people?”

“We have conversations all the time, Sophie,” Alexandra reminded her. “We do see each other pretty much every other day.”

“And I think you’re more interesting than these people here.”

Alexandra blushed, and gave a little giggle.

“Honestly, Sophie, you are silly.”

“At least it made you smile.” Sophie tugged her along. “Come on, let’s take a walk around the room.”

It was nice being with Lady Alexandra Duffy. They had known each other for years, and Sophie didn’t know what she would do without her closest friend. Jack found Alexandra a little too irritating for his liking, but Sophie ignored him. He didn’t need to be around them if he didn’t want to, and Alexandra was loyal. She was always there whenever Sophie needed her, and that was much appreciated.

Especially when they woke up the morning after Sophie and Jack were told that they were to leave and be separated, and found that both her father and stepmother were dead. The housekeeper had found both of them after the maid couldn’t get into Madeline’s room to help prepare her for the day, and that was when they found her body. Sophie hadn’t been given any details as to how her body was, but it had been enough to send the housekeeper into hysterics to the point she left shortly after the funeral, unable to get over what she had seen. Her father’s valet had found him not long after, apparently in a similar state. They had both died so suddenly, and Sophie felt like she was in a strange dream when she heard about it.

What had happened to them was a mystery. People whispered that it had to be murder, but that died down pretty quickly. Then the general consensus was that they had both died of the same illness, one that had been plaguing Sophie and Jack at the same time. But they were younger and stronger when it came to their health, whereas it hadn’t been the same with the marquess and marchioness. Sophie thought that was daft—she had seen both of them the day before, and neither of them looked ill—but what else could it be? Much as she hated Madeline, it was clear that she loved her husband. She wouldn’t have done anything to hurt him, and she was pregnant, so why would she hurt her unborn baby, something she had been looking forward to since she got married.

It had all been incredibly strange, and questions still lingered years later. Sophie didn’t have any answers, admitting when the subject arose, that it was as much of a mystery to her as it was to everyone else. She couldn’t stop the rumors going around, mostly because she couldn’t disprove them.

If it was enough to whet the ton’s appetite when it came to gossip, then that was enough. She couldn’t stop it.

Alexandra had been there from the beginning, helping Sophie go through the confusion that was her life. She had held her friend as Sophie sobbed, mourning the man she saw as her father despite their final years together. She was the one Sophie could talk to whenever she felt like she was going to wobble in her resolve to put it behind her and move on.

Despite her nervous disposition, Alexandra was her rock. Sophie needed that.

“Ladies.”

Sophie stopped when a gentleman stepped in front of them. He seemed to tower over them, his broad shoulders wider than Sophie had seen on a person before. His dark hair was tousled with curls falling across his forehead, and he looked like his body was going to burst out of his suit. He was handsome, and everything was perfectly in place despite needing a slightly larger suit. But his dark eyes, focused on Sophie as he bowed, were what made Sophie pull up a little. It was rather unsettling.

A bit too intense.

“Allow me to introduce myself.” He straightened up. “I’m the Duke of Rothbury. Forgive me for the introduction in such a manner, but I just had to come over and greet two of the prettiest ladies in the room.”

Alexandra let out a slight giggle and her cheeks went as pink as her dress. Sophie didn’t react. Inside, she squirmed. It sounded far too rehearsed, and too much flattery. Nevertheless, she gave him a small curtsy.

“Your Grace. Nice to meet you.”

“Well, the pleasure is all mine.” Rothbury’s gaze was still on Sophie as he gestured towards the other dancers. “Would you like to dance, My Lady? I’ve been told that you’re an excellent dancer.”

Sophie blinked.

“Who said that?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Who said I was an excellent dancer?” Sophie asked.

“Plenty of people.”

“Like who?” Sophie challenged. “Because it’s been a while since anyone saw me dance, and I have a feeling you’re trying to flatter me, Your Grace. I don’t respond well to that.”

She knew that she was being rude towards a duke, but the fact that he was trying to behave like this was really annoying. Sophie didn’t like flattery; she preferred straight-talking, something that ladies were not supposed to engage in. Beside her, Alexandra tensed. She knew that this was a bad thing as well. But Sophie couldn’t back out of it now.

Rothbury looked relatively bewildered. Had he not expected her to say that in response? But he recovered quickly, and gave her a warm smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes this time.

“I can tell that you’re someone who speaks her own mind. I’ve not encountered anyone quite… quite like you before.”

“I’m sure you haven’t,” Sophie said crisply. She sighed, and eased off on her attitude, knowing that she was going a bit too far. “However, I will be gracious and accept to have a dance with you. But just the one; I was not planning on having a dance with anyone tonight.”

Rothbury brightened.

“Then I am honored that you will have that one dance with me.” He held out a hand. “Shall we, Lady Sophie?”

Sophie started to reach out, only to stop when she realized what he had just said.

“How do you know my name?”

“I overheard the Earl of Marlow talking with the Marquess of Buckinghamshire about you, and I had to come and introduce myself. I was intrigued by how they were describing you.”

Sophie bit back a groan. So Jack and his friend had been discussing her, had they? She shuddered to think what they had been saying, especially when Harry Summers was involved. He did tend to say things that embarrassed Sophie. It was from a place of fondness, she knew that much, but it was still enough to make her squirm.

“Now you’ve got me worried by what my brother said, Your Grace.”

“Well, it was enough for me to want to be acquainted with you and ask you for a dance.” Rothbury’s hand was still out towards her. “Shall we?”

Sophie wanted to refuse, but she knew that she could manage just one dance. Just as long as she didn’t get asked again; she really didn’t want to dance if she could avoid it. The joy of it had been sucked out of her in recent years, and Sophie couldn’t bring herself to enjoy it again.

She hadn’t really wanted to dance since her father died. Last year, in her first Season, was out of obligation, but now she didn’t care what people thought.

Taking the duke’s hand, he led her to where the other dancers were lining up, standing across from her with a satisfied smile on his face. Sophie didn’t like that; it made her feel uncomfortable.

There wasn’t really anything wrong with the duke. He was handsome, very much so, but there was something about his intensity around her so fast that was unnerving. And the way he introduced himself to her without having Jack do it was not really proper. In fact, it was rather forward.

What was he doing? He had to be up to something, and Sophie was already suspicious.

The dance started, and they began to follow everyone else. Sophie had danced this particular piece many times before, so she flowed gracefully along to the music. The duke was very similar, and they seemed to get along very well while everyone watched. But Sophie was wishing that the music would speed up and she could leave. They didn’t touch during the dance, but Rothbury’s gaze was fixed firmly on her. Even when he turned away, his eyes never left her until the last possible moment.

Sophie had encountered people like this the year before when she entered Society at the age of eighteen. But it was nothing compared to what the Duke of Rothbury was doing.

What was going on with him? If he was flattered by her, that was fine, but he was going about it a bit too strongly.

Sophie had a bad feeling about him, and she didn’t like it. As she danced, all she wanted was to get away from him.

As soon as the music stopped and the dancers returned to their place, Sophie gave Rothbury a quick curtsy, mumbled her thanks, and hurried away. But she didn’t lift her head and see where she was going, only to bump into someone solid and almost stumble over. There was a startled exclamation, and Sophie looked up to see a gentleman with auburn hair holding a glass, the contents of which was dripping down the front of his shirt.

Her heart sank. Of all the things to do. Then again, given who it was she had knocked into, it could have been worse.

***

Harry could feel the cold liquid dripping through his shirt as he found an empty room. He searched the drawers and found some napkins, which he used to dab himself down. That was going to stain, certainly, and he was going to smell like he had been bathing in alcohol. Not how he expected his night to go.

And of all the people to bump into him, at least it was Sophie. He could embarrass himself like that with her. Somehow, being humiliated by his closest friend’s younger sister was better than another beautiful young lady bumping into him. He and Sophie could laugh it off, as they did with pretty much anything.

Which they had done, sort of. Sophie had looked horrified, but then she clamped her hands over her mouth and Harry had heard the sound of a giggle. It had made him give her a wry smile before excusing himself.

Sophie was more easygoing than anyone else. At least she wouldn’t scold him for getting in the way.

Then again, Harry had to blame himself for getting distracted. He had been watching her with the Duke of Rothbury during the dance, wondering why she had agreed to something like that. Even with her smile on her face and her serene expression, Harry could tell that Sophie was tense and she didn’t like being there. He wasn’t sure why, but it did look like she wanted to get away from the duke.

Rothbury hadn’t done anything to her that could warrant that response, although Harry had seen him looking at Sophie with an intensity that was rather bewildering. It was as if he had made a beeline for Sophie, and she didn’t know what to do.

What was going on there? Harry was curious to find out.

He went over to the window and used it as a mirror, the darkness outside helping him to see his reflection. It didn’t show much, but enough to say that it didn’t look as bad as it felt. Maybe it could be salvageable. At least it would give him an excuse to leave and not have to stand around looking like a fool hoping that nobody other than his friends talked to him. The unmarried young ladies were not annoying, but because he was unmarried as well, they seemed to hover close to him, hoping that they got his attention. Harry wished that they wouldn’t do that. Things just had to happen naturally.

It just made everything stilted, otherwise.

The sound of the door opening made Harry turn around, and he did a doubletake when he saw the curvy, raven-haired woman that was Jack Holmes’ sister enter the room. Why did Sophie look lovelier tonight than she usually did? Harry had no idea why he was so fixated on that when he hadn’t been before.

There was something seriously wrong with him. Sophie was pretty, but noticing it now was disconcerting.

“Sophie? What are you doing in here?”

“I wanted to see if you were alright.” Sophie left the door open and hovered near it, giving him a nervous smile. “I wanted to apologize for what happened. I didn’t intend to embarrass you like that.”

If it had been anyone else, Harry would have been rather short with them and gone for a slight scolding. But with Sophie, he couldn’t bring himself to be annoyed with her, even if his shirt was sticking to him and it was incredibly cold.

“You know, maybe you shouldn’t be in the room with me,” Harry teased as he leaned back against the dresser and folded his arms. “People are going to think that something’s going on between us.”

Sophie scoffed.

“I’m not coming anywhere near you. And with the door open, we should be safe. I’m not that reckless.”

“I should hope not. I don’t want to get on the wrong side of your brother.”

“I’m sure he would know that you wouldn’t do anything to me that was inappropriate.”

Harry grunted.

“Given how Jack has been lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if he started saying that if he found out what we were doing right now.”

Sophie didn’t respond, but Harry knew that she was thinking the same thing. Harry had known their family for years, before their mother had died. He had been around when Jack was ranting about his stepmother, when he was sick, and then helped him pick up again after his father and stepmother passed away. Since then, Jack had thrown himself into becoming the Marquess of Buckinghamshire, and he had changed. Something had shifted inside him, and Harry could feel his friend somewhat pulling away in recent years. It was strange, and Harry didn’t know what to think about it. Maybe his father’s death had affected him more than anyone anticipated; he had been one of the people to see his father’s body, after all. Jack hadn’t said anything about it, but whenever it was brought up, Harry saw his face blanch and he looked ill.

It was not a topic of conversation to have, so Harry left it alone. He just wished that he could get through to his friend somehow. He wanted the old Jack back.

“How was your dance with the duke?” Harry asked, deciding to steer away from a topic that was clearly making Sophie’s mood shift. “I thought you said that you preferred not to dance.”

“He was…very insistent.” Sophie frowned. “And I’m not entirely sure why. I’ve never met him before.”

“You’ve seriously never been introduced to him?”

Sophie shook her head. Harry was surprised by that. Normally, Jack would be the one to introduce people to Sophie, and he was a stickler with that. So why would the Duke of Rothbury approach Sophie without Jack being present? It wasn’t a bad thing, but it was something that wasn’t done unless they were already introduced. Even though the rules of Society were often constraining, they were still there. Rothbury would know that himself.

“What did you think of him?” he asked, fixing his attention on Sophie’s expression. “I mean, it must be a delight to have a man of his social standing paying attention to you.”

“Not with the way he was doing it. It was… a bit too much.” Sophie waved her hands about her. “You know when it feels like they’re trying a bit too hard? It was something like that.”

“Maybe he was so enamored with you that he couldn’t wait.”

“Then he should have approached Jack about it. I’m not comfortable with it, especially with his over-the-top flattery.”

Harry felt a sense of satisfaction hearing that. That pulled him up in surprise. Why on earth was he thinking like that about Sophie? She was his friend’s younger sister, someone he had known for years. So why would he suddenly find satisfaction hearing that Sophie turned someone down?

Before he could figure out why he was reacting that way towards her, someone appeared behind Sophie. A petite, slim girl with golden blonde hair that was piled up on her head. She looked splendid in a dark blue gown, her face clear of any imperfections. But instead of a smile there was an annoyed frown on her face.

Harry sighed. Why did she have to keep following him around? He pushed himself upright.

“Lady Elizabeth. Is there something wrong?”

Sophie turned, and jumped when she saw how close Elizabeth Warren was to her. Elizabeth barely glanced at her, giving Harry a cool gaze.

“I was beginning to wonder where you were, My Lord,” she said stiffly. “You disappeared suddenly from the ballroom.”

“I had an…incident.” Harry saw Sophie’s cheeks go a little red. “I just needed a moment or two to get myself more presentable.”

“Well, you don’t need to be hiding away in here, do you?” Lady Elizabeth stepped around Sophie, effectively ignoring her, and walked over to him, replacing her frown with a smile that made her face seem to glow. “Why don’t we head back to the ball, and we can sit in the dining room while you get yourself sorted? It’s better than being in here, don’t you think?”

The last bit was directed at Sophie with a sharp look. Sophie arched an eyebrow, and Harry had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Ever since Lady Elizabeth Warren had entered Society just a few months ago, she had fixed her sights on Harry. He wasn’t entirely sure why, and while he had been initially flattered in the beginning, her overconfident attitude was something that began to grate on him, along with her fixation on him. It was uncomfortable after a while, and while Harry had been polite and gently telling Lady Elizabeth that while he was flattered, he wasn’t interested, she just kept going. It was like she wasn’t listening.

Harry wished that she would. It put him on edge when he was out socializing himself. That was not comfortable, if he was being honest.

“Why don’t we all head back together?” Harry stepped around him and held out an arm to Sophie. “Lady Sophie, shall we? As you say, even an innocent conversation without a chaperone can be misconstrued, and we wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Sophie looked bemused as she slipped an arm through his.

“That sounds like a good idea. Are you sure you’re presentable, though?”

“I’ll dry off. It’s nothing my laundress can’t handle when I return home.” Harry looked back at Lady Elizabeth. “Are you coming, Lady Elizabeth?”

The woman pouted, and looked like she was going to kick up a fuss. But she pressed her lips together and nodded, striding up to him and taking his other arm.

“I’m coming. Hopefully, we can get to talk at some point this evening. I haven’t been able to speak with you since I arrived.”

Harry and Sophie exchanged glances. This was too much confidence, and it felt like Lady Elizabeth was already staking a claim on Harry. That was not good.

This evening was going to be a long one.

---

“An Earl’s Fake Courtship” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

In the aftermath of a family torn apart by betrayal, Sophie Holmes finds herself at the mercy of her brother’s demands to get married to an unnerving Duke. While she longs to find love on her own terms, her once-promised freedom fades into the shadows of duty and expectation. As the Season begins and the courtship forced upon her seems a dead end, her brother’s friend, Harry, emerges as an unexpected ally. Soon, Sophie agrees to follow his scheme and pretend courtship to shield themselves from the relentless pursuit of unwanted suitors.

If only she knew she would be trapped in her well-crafted web…

Harry Summers, the dashing Earl of Marlow, seeks to evade marriage having no intention of looking for a wife and settling down until duty calls. To appease his mother while securing their earldom and escape the advances of an overbearing Lady, he comes up with a special solution. Yet, amidst the charade, he discovers unexpected emotions for Sophie, questioning if his pretence may lead to genuine love.

Will his trick prove to be a fateful journey to his true feelings?

Sophie and Harry realize that they’ve been dancing around their feelings for each other for a long time. Amidst whispers of scandal and hidden agendas, they have to confront their real emotions before it’s too late. Can they break free from the constraints of society, embrace their unconventional love, and trust each other? Will Sophie and Harry unravel the mysteries of their hearts turning what started as a mere alliance into a true loving fairytale?

“An Earl’s Fake Courtship” is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

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