Turning so Lucy could help me out of my dress, I quickly began taking off my hose as she undid my corset.
“Did you … did you—”
Glancing over my shoulder and gave her a wicked grin. “Did I what, Mother?”
Lucy wrapped a robe around my body.
“You shall never see Daniel again.”
Dragging in a deep breath, I stared my mother in the eye. For once in my life, I was not going to let her push me around. “I’m afraid that would be rather hard to do mother, being that we are betrothed.”
I could see the anger flash across her face. “He has nothing!”
“He has everything I need and want.”
Throwing her head back, my mother laughed. “Like what? Love?”
In that moment, I felt sorry for my mother. She truly did not know what it meant to be in love. “This is nonsense, Sophia. Devlin Covington is a fine match. You will stop this ridiculous affair at once. Then we will arrange a party for you and Mr. Covington to get to know each other.”
My body shook with anger. I took a step forward as I made my way closer to my mother. “What would Mr. Covington think of me, Mother, if he knew I let another man fuck me all night long?”
Gasping, my mother reached up and slapped me across the face. Lucy let out a small scream. Placing my hand on the side of my face, I stood taller as I looked my mother in the eye.
“I love, Daniel. I’m going to marry, Daniel.”
Shaking her head no, my mother hissed through her teeth. “You will not.”
I grinned as I nodded my head. “I will. Because as we speak, his child grows within my stomach.”
My mother’s face turned white as her hands slowly covered her mouth. She took a few steps back. “Sophia, how could you? You may have ruined everything.”
Holding
back my tears, I looked away from my mother. “Please leave me be, Mother. I’m not feeling well and I need to rest before we head home.”
My mother dropped her hands to her side. Standing taller, she pushed past me and opened my door. Turning back to me, she whispered, “I hope you are happy knowing you broke my heart and ruined your life.”
The moment the door shut, my legs gave out. Lucy was right there to catch me. “Miss Montgomery, are you okay?”
Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head. “No, Lucy. I fear I’ve woken a sleeping monster.”
Pushing my hair back and out of my eyes, Lucy looked at me with a loving face. She was the same age as me and I often wondered what her dreams were. “I will draw you a hot bath at once.” Walking me to the bed, Lucy helped me to lie down. Rolling to my side, I wrapped my arms around my stomach and I prayed to God that I truly did have Daniel’s child growing inside me. The faster we married, the faster I was free from my mother.
As I felt my eyes grow heavy, I let them close. “Danny—”
THE HEAT ON my cheeks hadn’t left my face since Gael had begun reading the journal. Tucked into his side, I hoped he hadn’t notice. The depth of Sophia’s writing had touched something within as I craved to experience what she had written in her intimate moments with Daniel.
Gael shifted and I moved slightly away as he placed the journal on the coffee table. “Well, I think we’ve had a first date for the history books. Who can say they’ve read about their great-great-great grandparents having a little fun? And … I would say not only was my office desecrated by our grandparents, but this room as well.”
Gael’s joking voice had me giggling versus slowly dying of humiliation from the graphic scenes Sophia had described. “I would say there probably isn’t a room in this house they didn’t touch.”
Settling back into the couch, I nestled into his side and we both became quiet. The flames from the fire danced about. Reflectively, I talked. “Danny and Sophia loved each other. It’s evident. Sophia’s mother seems like a horrible person. She reminds me of my ex. I hope that love finds a way with them and conquers everything in the end. I know that sounds cliché, but it gives me hope.”
“I have hope for them. Do you want to read more?”
Sighing, I let contentment overtake me. “I’ll wait until it feels right to read the next section. It gives me a lot to think about and reflect on. Sophia knew who she was and I admire that.”
Soothing strokes from Gael along my arm left a warm feeling. “I want us to read the journal and go on their journey together, if you’re okay with that.”