Page 6 of A Dreamy Match Made in Heaven
“Of course not-”
“Then cease with your excuses. Move forward,” Adrianna declared.
Sophia knew that her friend was right, but that did not mean that she was ready to leave the home.
The seclusion had been the only comfort that she had felt in such a long time. Sophia did not believe that going out would do her any good, other than to bring her humiliation. If she went out and was seen by the other young women of society, she would feel the sadness of all that she had.
She would know that they gossiped about her, sharing rumours as to why the Earl had left her. Young women in society were a cruel breed. There was no doubt of that. And Sophia had little desire to expose herself to their cruelty when she was still trying to recover from the ways she had been treated by the Earl.
Oh, and if the young women were so cruel in their words, what were the men saying about her? All of those eligible bachelors, waiting, ready to find their own match. By now, surely they all knew that she was a mere castoff. Sophia was not worth their time.
She had been rejected by a man far superior to any other and the next man would simply be a poor substitute. They would fear the wounding of their pride by being with a woman who reeked of failure in her past matches. They would not wish to associate with her in any manner.
But still, Adrianna expected her to push forward and move on. Adrianna, her mother, her father, and even the housekeeper - each of them had such an expectation. But Sophia could not see a path forward.
“How do you expect me to do that?” Sophia asked. “I cannot simply go to another ball and find a new husband.”
“No, you cannot. But that is not what I am asking of you,” Adrianna smirked.
Sophia suddenly felt very anxious. She saw something in her friend’s eyes that brought her fear. What was Adrianna hoping for? What was she thinking about that was so evidently amusing to her?
She didn’t wish to know. Sophia thought it would probably be best if she ignored this conversation, if she retreated from it. Anything to get her out of whatever madness Adrianna wished to push her into now. No, she would have to find a way, ignore the suggestions, pretend to be ill.
But…
A tiny spark lit within her. Sophia had longed to be a strong, brave woman. She had wanted to overcome the parts of herself that others viewed as weak. She had wished to accept her emotions and hold them captive rather than allowing them to define her. All of these things had been a part of her.
All of these things had been desires that she had suppressed because she did not believe herself capable of them.
And if Adrianna was about to suggest something that might push her to this, perhaps it was worth listening to. Perhaps she could make herself ready to move forward and be a new woman. A brave woman. A strong woman. A woman who cared not if she was rejected by a thousand Earls and Officers.
Yes, she could face whatever challenge Adrianna wished to present her with. Because she would no longer be the weak woman who simply pandered for the loves she had lost. She would seek out a life that had meaning beyond her rejection.
“Alright, what is it then? What do you think I ought to do to get through this?” she asked.
Adrianna grinned wider than ever.
“There is a woman that I know of in London. A woman who can help you move on from this,” she replied.
“A woman in London? How exactly is she meant to help me move on? What sort of woman is she?” Sophia asked.
“She is a matchmaker, Sophia. And she has a perfect track record. Not one of her matches has ever failed. They have all succeeded in producing happy marriages. Not only that, but she works to ensure that the matches are appropriate to society. So there shall never be a question as to whether or not a couple belongs with one another,” Adrianna explained.
“A matchmaker?” Sophia asked, incredulous and not at all liking the thought.
So much for being brave. This is a terrible idea. Why would I entrust my heart to some woman in London who does not even know me?She wondered.
“Oh, do not look so horrified as all that. As I said, she has a proven excellency. I know many people who have used her services and come out the better for it. In fact, my eldest brother was a patron of hers. And you know that he is married to a lovely, genial woman,” Adrianna pointed out.
“Truly? Your brother and his wife met through this woman?” she asked.
“Yes.This woman, as you call her, is none other than Miss Georgiana Wainwright. She comes from a long line of women in this business, so she learned from an early age how to match men and women and decipher which personalities are best suited to one another,” Adrianna continued to explain.
But no matter how convincing she was, Sophia could not deny that she felt anxious while thinking about this option for her own circumstance. Would it work for her? Would she be happy in a marriage that had been arranged by someone else?
“I’m not sure…” she said, trying to convince herself one way or another.
The thought of a matchmaker was astounding. Sophia could hardly imagine doing such a thing, especially when she was still grieving the loss that she had so recently experienced. Having another woman find her a potential husband sounded like a foolish thought.
