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Chapter One

1819

Miss Sophie Cavenhurst was not renowned for her patience or tact Nor, come to that, for her coure, a soft heart and a sunny disposition Young gentlemen frequently proposed and were as frequently turned down ‘You see,’ she would say with a smile meant to soften the blow, ‘it just would not do’ Which, according to her fond papa, showed she had enerally credited with

The trouble was that Sophie ainst the husbands of her two older sisters, and her swains had always been found wanting Mark, Lord Wyndhaentle and kind and dependable; Isabel’s husband, the recently knighted Sir Andrew Ashton, was dashing and exciting and was always taking Isabel off to foreign clih their wealth cah inheritance, Drew’s through international trade None of the suitors who had asked for her hand in e came anywhere near them

One thing she did not as a scapegrace like her brother, though she loved him dearly It had taken a really bad shock and a spell in India for hiive him his due he had saved the fa, including their ho, even the way he teased her

‘Sophie, you have exhausted all the eligibles in the neighbourhood,’ he told her one day in April ‘You are fast earning a reputation for being hard to please’

‘What is wrong with that? Marriage is a big decision I don’t want to make a mistake like Issie very nearly did’

‘And as a consequence will likely end up an old maid’

‘That’s why I want a Season in London I would meet new people there’

‘A Season?’ he asked in surprise ‘When did you think of that?’

She could not tell hi in love with Mark and that simply would not do She had decided that the best cure was to leave Hadlea for a time and try to find a husband to equal him What better way than a Season in London? ‘I have been thinking about it for a long ti one this year and she talks of nothing else’ The Martindales had an estate ten miles from Hadlea and Sophie had known Lucinda since they were at school together They corresponded frequently and often visited each other

‘I can quite see you would not want to be left behind, but what does our esteemed father say to the idea?’

‘I haven’t asked him yet’