It sounded delightful.
“As for Mr. Whitworth, the man doesn’t know what he wants, and even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. You can’t make your decisions based on him, my dear. You need to think for yourself and see what your future holds.”
“He went through a great deal to place me here, Harriet. I value that.”
“Yes, I suppose he did.” She pressed her lips together and narrowed her dark eyes. “Sophia, we are two willful, smart, and independent women. If we can’t determine a way to have everything we want in life, no one can.”
Thirty-Seven
As soon as Fitzroy was healed enough to ride again, Aaron subjected himself to the man’s extended presence by having him exercise the racehorses. The man had a potential future as a jockey, if he wanted it. He wasn’t a natural like his sister, but with a little experience, he would do well.
Fitzroy did not, unfortunately, suffer from the same case of jabber-jaw that Sophia did, so there were no dropped tidbits of news about his sister, even though he got a weekly letter from her.
Aaron kept hoping, though, for some indication of Sophia’s well-being. He had to assume that if she ever got into trouble or became truly miserable, her brother would do something about it.
Today, it was just the two of them training. Hopefully having Sweet Fleet running alone with Equinox would push the horse to work harder. Fitzroy sat on the younger racehorse’s back, waiting for instructions. Before Aaron could give any, he caught sight of a pair of horses riding along the berm. Unsurprising, since every pale horse running along the Heath caught his eye these days.
The riders were female, their skirts fluttering as the horses ran. One of the mounts was pure white, and the rider’s posture looked all too familiar.
“I don’t suppose you’d have told me if your sister was coming back to Newmarket.”
“No, I don’t suppose I would have.”
“Is that her?”
“If you have to ask, it doesn’t matter.”
Aaron gave Fitzroy his best glare. The other man laughed and gave a shrug. “Don’t be cross with me if you don’t like the truth.”
Turning his attention back to the horses, Aaron tore his eyes from the first rider and focused on the second. The tall purple plume coming out of the riding hat could only indicate one person. “It appears Miss Hancock has found her new companion.”
“That’s the rumor.” Fitzroy adjusted his position in the saddle. “She must not pay well, though. The rumors also say the companion has a second job.”
Aaron turned Equinox so that he could see both Fitzroy and the distant riders. “Do they say what sort of second job?”
“Only that she’ll work it when Miss Hancock takes her twice-yearly trips to London for her three-week shopping excursions.”
“That sounds like a convoluted arrangement.” The horses turned down the far side of the berm. Soon they’d be out of sight.
Fitzroy cleared his throat and Aaron blinked, realizing he’d been staring at nothing but grass.
“Right.” He adjusted his hold on the reins and lined his horse up with Fitzroy’s. “Why don’t we race back to the stable?”
Aaron had some investigating to do.
“IF YOU NEED your companion to attend a dinner party with you, one can only wonder why you want to attend in the first place.” Sophia turned the page in her book, refusing to look up at her employer.
Mrs. Carlton had been relieved by Sophia’s proposal to come to the school twice a year for a few weeks of condensed lessons instead of idling about the grounds. Those had been her words. Sophia had chosen not to take them personally.
Though her belongings now fit in a trunk instead of a knapsack, it hadn’t taken much to load it up and move to Harriet’s home.
That had been a week ago.
They’d ridden the Heath, gone shopping in Cambridge, and attended church. Harriet did not attend St. Mary’s, so Sophia had thus far been able to easily avoid everyone she knew. Though she’d received a few peculiar looks, no one seemed willing to risk an altercation with Harriet as long as Sophia maintained a quiet presence at her side. Jonas came to visit, but otherwise it had just been Sophia and Harriet.
Until tonight. Harriet was going to a dinner party and insisting Sophia come along.
The dinner was being put on by Lady Adelaide.
Sophia was not amused.
She wasn’t ready to see Aaron again, wasn’t sure when she would be ready to see him, and most certainly didn’t want to talk about it. “Isn’t that what companions do?” Harriet asked as she stalked into the room and loomed over Sophia’s chair. “It’s practically in the name that you accompany me places.”
“If you need my company at a party of friends, you might want to revisit whether or not they’re your friends.”
“Or perhaps you should remember they are yours as well.”
“My name wasn’t on the invitation.”
Grinning in triumph, Harriet dropped a square of parchment onto Sophia’s open book. It was a formally stated invitation to dinner, and her name was scrawled across the top in large, calligraphed letters.
Sophia cleared her throat. “This seems rather elaborate for a small gathering. I’ve nothing to wear that matches the elegance of the invitation.”
“Sophia Fitzroy, I would never have hired you if I’d realized what a coward you are.” Harriet crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose in the air.
“It is not cowardice to avoid situations that have a significant chance of causing great harm.”
“And what harm can come to you at a dinner party? If Lady Adelaide’s cook was inclined to poison people, we’d all be dead by now.”
Sophia closed the book and looked up at the woman who would likely always be a mystery to her, no matter the amount of time she spent in her company. “I’ve no concerns about the cook.”
“I can haul my own dining chairs over if you’re worried their furniture isn’t sound.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous.” Sophia couldn’t stop herself from laughing.
“Well, I’ve always thought the best way to converse with a fool was to be one yourself.”
“I’m not a fool.”
“Aren’t you? You’re sitting here, still stewing over what might have been instead of going out and discovering what could be. Seems a useless sort of pain to me.”
Sophia stood and crossed to the window. “What if he doesn’t want to see me?”
“What was that? I’m afraid if you whisper at a window, the sound doesn’t travel far.” Fabric rustled behind her and Sophia turned to see Harriet picking up Sophia’s discarded book. “What are you reading, anyway?”
“What if he doesn’t want to see me?” Sophia asked louder. With the question finally out in the open, all her other thoughts poured forth. “Aaron went through a great deal of trouble to get me that job—”
“You mean the one you still have?”
“Yes, in a way, but he doesn’t know the arrangement or why.”
“That’s why you tell him. Though if your brother’s worth his beans, he’s already dropped a hint or two.”