Page 67 of A Dreamy Match Made in Heaven
“Well, anyway, what more has happened with you and Officer Kingsley? Has he proposed to you yet?” Sophia teased.
“Not yet, but I expect he shall very soon,” Adrianna said with a joyful smile.
“That makes me happy to know. I can see in his eyes when he looks at you that he sees only the wonder of love. It is very clear and evident that he adores you in every way. And I am delighted that you are so utterly cherished by him,” Sophia said.
“I never did expect it, but I am delighted by it. And he has told me a few rather interesting things of late. Things that I wish I could tell you, but I think it would be far better if you discover them on your own,” Adrianna suggested with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Sophia looked at her with curiosity, wondering what on earth she could be speaking about. It was too strange for her to suggest something like that and then go quiet about it. After all, Adrianna enjoyed meddling in the affairs of others. Why would she bother keeping quiet about something which gave her such an opportunity?
“Come now, you must tell me,” Sophia insisted.
“No, I fear that I cannot. But I do think that all shall come to light soon enough,” Adrianna said.
“You are being cruel,” Sophia remarked with a raise of her eyebrow.
“Not cruel. Strategic. There is a vast difference. And I think that what I am keeping from you is very much the sort of thing that you ought to learn on your own at a later time. I promise you that it shall all be worth it,” Adrianna told her with that same silly grin of hers.
Sophia was growing weary of that grin. It typically meant that Adrianna was up to something far worse than she could really imagine or prepare for.
“I hope you know that I don’t trust you,” Sophia laughed.
“I’m certain of that. But regardless of your level of trust or lack thereof, the fact remains that you have few other options. I know what I am doing and I hope that it is of benefit to you in the long term. In fact, I know that it shall be. Otherwise, I would not be pressing forward to make it happen,” Adrianna said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Her worries remained without ease, but Sophia chose to focus on the nature around them as she had been recommended to. It was quite beautiful, although the weather was growing somewhat chilly and she wished that she had brought her caplet to warm her shoulders.
“Are you alright? It’s a bit cold and I see you shivering,” Adrianna noted.
“Indeed. But I am fine. Just remind me next time that it would be wise to bring something,” Sophia said.
They continued their walk for another half an hour before going back inside and having some tea to warm up. The housekeeper at Adrianna’s estate was a charmless creature with dull eyes, and Sophia wondered what sort of life she must have had.
But Adrianna was always kind to her, and in those moments, Sophia would see the woman’s eyes briefly light up before they lost their fire again.
Adrianna was good at brightening things for others. She wished that she could be as skilled as that. But alas, as it was, Sophia was on the receiving end of Adrianna’s enthusiasm.
The housekeeper returned after a short time with her head in a humble position.
“Lady Alcott, Officer Kingsley is here to see you,” she announced.
With Sophia in the room, there was no need for a secondary chaperone and the man was allowed in. He greeted both women and took his seat, smiling with a fierce joy as he gazed upon the woman he was courting.
There had been a few times of late that Sophia had spent time around Officer Kingsley, and she was coming to find that she enjoyed his company. Not only did he look at Adrianna with such pride that she appreciated him all the more, but he was a genuinely good man.
“What have you ladies been up to this morning?” he asked them as he sat comfortably across on the sofa there.
“Merely a walk around the grounds and a bit of tea,” Adrianna replied, just as more tea was brought in.
“It sounds like a riveting day,” he teased.
“What else are young ladies meant to do when we are together?” Adrianna giggled.
“Ride and shoot?” he replied. “Billiards?”
Sophia and Adrianna laughed at his masculine suggestions. They would never be afforded such hobbies as those, and it was amusing to hear him say them.
But it truly did feel as though they had not been able to enjoy themselves all that much when they were consistently forced into the box of what women could and could not do for entertainment. In the end, Officer Kingsley made a suggestion that they all enjoyed.
“Why don’t we go for a ride? I know there is a bit of a chill, but it is not so bad and we won’t be gone long,” he promised.
