Page 73 of A Dreamy Match Made in Heaven
And it was not as though he would jump at the chance to be with Sophia so quickly that Lady Cranford would feel any immediate betrayal.
Thomas wondered again if Sophia had been matched to another. He felt certain that Officer Kingsley would have known and certainly would have told him had that been the case. But there was always the chance that Sophia had not mentioned it.
Miss Wainwright had found him a second prospect, so it would stand to reason that she might have found another for Sophia as well. But he thought that if she had, there was possibly still time.
It was his last chance. That, Thomas knew for sure. There might be nothing left for him regarding Sophia. She may have taken his words to heart and chosen to move on. She may have found another match. She may have decided that she no longer loved him or that they just were not meant to be.
And he would have to accept any of those possibilities. But whatever happened, Thomas knew that his affections for her were undying. If he had learned anything in the midst of all that had happened over the past few years, it was the fact that Sophia was the only woman in the world that he could ever love.
And that was enough for him.
As Thomas lay down to sleep that night, he closed his eyes to the thought that there might still be a happy future for him. There might still be the slightest of chances that he and Sophia would be together. And if they were together, nothing would separate them again.
This time, it would be forever.
Chapter 27
Thomas was anxious, with his stomach roiling inside his gut. He could hardly believe that he was taking this step and making this final decision. It had been something he had thought about time and time again and now, here he was, actually doing it. He was actually going to end his romance with Lady Cranford.
Although there was a deep sense of trepidation, Thomas could not deny the relief and even excitement that he felt. He was going to be free of the sense of duty that had plagued him. The duty to take on a responsibility he did not want.
The responsibility of faking love for an entire lifetime.
That would have been far too difficult, and knowing that he did not have to do that now was such a weight lifted from his shoulders.
But Thomas still had to take the difficult steps to making that happen. He was not free yet. He had not done that right thing just yet. He was still trying to get himself to the point of speaking to Lady Cranford.
By the time his coach pulled up to her family’s estate, Thomas was ready to get out and get it all over with. No matter how painful it would be, he had to do it.
“Thank you,” he said, when the coachman opened his door.
Each step to the entrance of the estate was agony. As though he might be walking towards his doom, he hoped that he would not have to face Lord and Lady Albers in the midst of this decision. And yet, he felt, he deserved that.
He had allowed things to go on this long and that was terrible enough of him. Why should he have the benefit of escaping their judgment? He had done nothing worthy of getting past it. He had earned wrath upon himself.
The housekeeper greeted him at the door and led him to the parlour where Lady Cranford sat. She immediately stood upon seeing him, and the housekeeper slid silently into the corner of the room.
“Officer Gregory, how lovely to see you. I did not expect you,” she said politely.
“Yes, you must forgive me for this intrusion. I was rather foolish not to have sent my card ahead of time,” he said, wishing that he had done something to prepare her.
“I fear that my mother and father are not here just now,” she said. “That is, if you wished to speak with them.”
The statement added at the end was clear enough. Thomas realised that Lady Cranford thought this was him coming to propose. Of course she would think that. It was strange for him to have shown up without a warning.
And if he was there to propose, he would need to speak with her mother and father first in order to get permission.
But Thomas took a deep breath and smiled politely at her.
“I came to speak with you, actually,” he began.
Lady Cranford looked nervous, but took her seat and gestured for him to do the same.
“You must forgive my intrusion,” he said again, still nervous to confess the truth to her.
“It is not an intrusion at all. What can I do for you, Officer Gregory?” she asked.
“Well, I should like to speak with you about the time that we have spent together,” he began.
