fiance chapter 9

Felix asked casually, and Sophia quickly checked to see if her mother had left. “Do you believe it, Felix?”

“Believe what?”

“That I’m engaged to the Duke.”

Felix, who had been playing the piano, paused, his fingers hovering over the keys. He hadn’t expected her to bring it up so soon. Sophia, asleep for five months, was unaware of the furor her supposed engagement had caused. The news had even reached Felix, secluded in his mountain retreat. Although the Duke and her father were actively trying to quell the rumors, gossip, like spilled flour, only clouded the air the more it was stirred.

Society was divided. Some viewed the story of the Duke and Sophia through a romantic lens: a woman poisoned and slumbering, a man faithfully attending her side. A fairytale, made all the more enchanting by Sophia’s awakening. The Duke, whose heart had seemed an impenetrable fortress, was now captivated by Sophia. Everyone was eager to see how they would present themselves to society.

But positive rumors always have their darker counterparts. Sophia was well-known in society, but her mother, Janelle Hilden, held little sway. Just as the Earl had been cautious in his political dealings, Janelle had been equally reserved in social circles. People often described her as “demure,” which translated to a lack of influence. Sophia, therefore, had no real shield of social protection.

People speculated about what had transpired between the Duke and Sophia that night. Despite the Count and Duke’s efforts, the fact remained: the Duke had brought an unconscious Sophia to the Count’s residence late at night. The whispers Sophia now endured were persistent and venomous. Felix wanted to protect his sister, yet he was also perplexed by her apparent obliviousness as she casually mentioned the Duke. Sophia, always attuned to the currents of society, couldn’t possibly be unaware of her current predicament.

“I’ve heard the Duke is devoted to you,” Felix said, his expression gentle. “Is he truly treating you well?”

Sophia considered the Duke: his gentle manner, his warm countenance, his almost unbelievable affability. “I don’t know. I suppose so.”

“What do you mean, ‘I suppose so’? It either is or it isn’t. Tell your brother everything. I’ll lay down my life to prevent you from being forced into this engagement.” He winked playfully.

His hands moved across the keys, launching into a melancholic serenade. It was a piece written by a composer mourning his first fiancée. Sophia lightly punched Felix’s shoulder. “Are you suggesting I should just die?”

He chuckled. “Of course not. After losing his first love, Fernandi was practically sold off in his second engagement and lost almost all his musical talent. I just don’t want the same to happen to you.”

“I don’t really have any talent to lose.”

“Sophie, you’re kind and witty. Everyone looks forward to seeing you again. How can you say that’s not a talent?”

Touched by his affectionate words, Sophia rested her head on his shoulder. The truth was, she wanted to confess her fear of the Duke. When his blue eyes met hers, regardless of his expression, a chill ran through her. But such a confession would sound irrational, like the childish whimpering of a frightened girl. Felix, or anyone else, would likely take her hand and say, “You’re feeling this way because everything changed so suddenly. Spring arrived overnight, and you don’t have to adjust immediately. Take your time.” And unspoken, but evident in their sympathetic gaze, would be the thought, “Why did you do something so foolish, Sophie?” Even her loving brother’s kindness held a subtle reproach.