HISTORICAL ROMANCE: Scottish Romance: Scars of a Highlander (Highlander Alpha Male Romance) (Historical Fantasy Scottish Time Travel Romance Short Stories) (14 page)

“You seemed to get on well with the young duke.” Her mother said with beady eyes that were looking out of infatuation.

“I think he was the same as most.” Sophia said with indifference.

“It did not seem so last night.” Her mother said with frustration in her voice.

“Perhaps you saw only what you wanted to?” Sophia countered.

“Perhaps.” Her mother said in a quiet voice that made Sophia’s strain to hear it. “But you cannot continue to be so choosy.”

“Can I not?” Sophia asked.

She looked at her mother who had started to flush with color. Sophia knew that the discussion of marriage always upset her, but she did insist on bringing it up so often.

“You are not as young as you used to be.” Her mother said with a sour look on her face.

“Then it is a good job I intend to marry a man who judges me on my mind and not my beauty.” Sophia said stubbornly.

“Should that man exists, he will still certainly care about your beauty.” Her mother said with enough force to almost make it fact.

“Then I shall never marry and I will always remain a burden to you.” Sophia said with a slight teasing tone.

“Oh, Sophia.” Her mother said loudly and dramatically. “What will become of my poor nerves if you continue like this?” She asked, but Sophia knew that she didn’t expect an answer.

“I’m sorry mother.” Sophia said gently. “I haven’t meant to upset you.”

“This isn’t about me. You silly and foolish girl.” Her mother said sternly. “One day I will be gone and your brother’s married and you will have no one. You will end up on the streets or working as a maid just so that you might be able to get bread!” She said with her voice steadily rising.

“Mother you’re being overly dramatic.” Sophia said in an attempt to calm her down.

“No Sophia. This stops now. You will meet with that duke again.” Her mother said and then she stood up.

“Mother, you can’t be serious?” Sophia said with a worried frown on her forehead.

“I’ve never been more serious. This has to stop Sophia. I cannot and will not spend the rest of my life worrying about you. What would your father say?” Her mother said and then she walked out of the room.

Sophia sat silently and ate the rest of her breakfast. She could feel an odd contrast between the stillness that surrounded her and the turmoil that was raging a storm in her stomach. Her mother had threatened to force marriage upon her before, but she had never gone through with it. There had been something in her mother’s tone, though. There had been something in her eyes that had set panic alight in Sophia’s stomach.

She stood up once she had finished her breakfast and headed to the library. She could still hear her mother’s voice in her head as she pushed open the door and slunk into the barely used room. It had been her father’s favorite room of the house. He had spent his life collecting books to add to his collection, which one day he had intended to read. Sophia had taken it upon herself to finish his quest when he passed away.

“What would your father say?” She heard her mother say again.

What would he say Sophia wondered to herself, as she sat down by the fire and opened up the book that had been left on the table from the last time she had been in there?

******

A few weeks had passed since the dukes had arrived in the town and Sophia hadn’t seen Edward since the night that she had hosted the dinner. She told herself that she wasn’t bothered. She told herself that she didn’t care if she never saw him again, but there was an itch at the back of her mind, which made her doubt whether or not what she was telling herself was true.

She looked at herself in the mirror after the maid had finished fastening her dress. Her mother had picked it out for her. It was a pale pink shimmering piece that flared out the hip with lace and netting. She couldn’t deny that she looked beautiful. The dress made her look as though she was a princess in waiting.

She left her hair down and it flowed down her back in soft curls. She slid a butterfly hair clip into her hair at the side so that it wouldn’t fall onto her face during the night and then she headed downstairs to meet her mother who was waiting to leave.

“You look lovely.” Her mother said.

“Thank you, mother.” Sophia said and then they walked out of the house and into the back of a horse ridden carriage.

Sophia’s mother had chosen their best-looking horse to pull them to the ball. It stood tall and handsome against the night sky with its jet black hair and ashen mane. Sophia watched it gallop from the small window that let them see out front, as they made their way to the town dance hall.

The journey was short, but it had taken enough time to allow the cold to sink into Sophia’s bones. She shivered as she stepped out of the carriage and onto the street. The snow had started to fall lazily from the sky and small flakes were landing on her arms, as she obstructed their way to the floor beneath her.

Sophia could hear the delicate melody of stringed instruments being played from the dance hall. It flowed out into the street as though its beauty was not bound by the walls it had been surrounded by. Sophia walked into the brightly lit room and took in the thousands of candles that flickered and danced with the movement of the air around them.

The room was much warmer than it had been outside. A large fireplace crackled against the center of the back wall and with the help of the candles it had heated the whole room up to a very agreeable temperature.

There were already couples dancing to the music that was being played by a band who were sat in the corner of the room. Sophia watched a couple as they glided across the dance floor. They looked like they had been born from the music. They looked like they had always been meant to dance that dance.

Sophia could feel a gentle smile playing across her lips as she watched them. They looked happy together and she was sharing in that.

“I thought I might never see you again.” Edward’s voice said playfully.

Sophia found her attention being pulled away by her voice and she turned to face him.

“I had hoped the same.” She said matching his playful voice.

It was like she couldn’t help herself. She knew that he was like all the rest, but he was so playful and most importantly he let her play back.

“Now I never said I’d hoped.” He said with a forlorn face.

“No, but I did.” Sophia said with a smile.

“Do you think perhaps you could stand my company for one dance?” Edward said with a glance to the dance floor.

Sophia could feel herself being torn over how to answer. His beautiful brown eyes were luring her in and making her want to say yes, but her stubborn spirit knew no good could come from it.

“I should think that I don’t really have an option.” Sophia said finally.

“I should think that you of all people always have an option.” Edward said quizzically.              

“Would you now?” Sophia asked Edward.

She watched his face carefully to see whether he was making fun of her.

“I certainly would.” He said.

He wasn’t lying. Sophia was pretty sure that she could tell that he was telling the truth.

“And why is that then?” She challenged him.

He smiled at her and her eyes got drawn to his lips. She wondered what they might taste like on her tongue. She wondered whether he would kiss her softly or whether he would pull her in and kiss her deeply. Her eyes continued to hover on his lips until he finally replied.

“You know your own mind.” He said simply.

“Don’t most girls?” Sophia asked because it didn’t seem like, a trait that could be considered rare.

“Well, if they do, they certainly don’t speak of it.” He said with a slight frown.

Sophia didn’t say anything.

“So would you like to dance?” Edward asked again because he felt as though the question had been lost in the conversation.

“Yes.” Sophia said finally and she noticed a small glimmer that danced across his eyes when she did.

They walked out onto the dance floor and then Edward took Sophia’s hand in his. She could feel a spark of electricity run up her spine, as the heat from his hand warmed her own. She stepped out into the dance and they moved around the dance floor with only each other as company.

“You really do look stunning in that dress.” Edward whispered softly as he pulled her in closer to his body.

“Thank you.” Sophia said.

She could feel her cheeks matching the pink tone of her dress, but she ignored the sensation.

“You could be the most fascinating girl that I’ve ever met.” Edward said as the music slowed and they pulled away from each other.

“Then you can’t have met many girls.” Sophia said with a slight shrug.

Edward laughed loudly, as though she had just made a great joke and then he shook his head with a look of wonderment on his face.

******

Sophia could feel her body overheating from her encounter with Edward and she sat down at a table that had been left empty. Everybody from the town had turned up for the ball and the room was full with people who were all enjoying their nights.

Sophia turned her head to the next table where some local girls were gossiping with one another.

“Have you heard about him?” One of the blonde girls said as she pointed at Edward.

“What about him?” A red head asked her with eyes that were alive with curiosity.

“Well, my brother told me that he’s slept with more than three girls.” She said with a look of disgust on her face.

“How does your brother know?” One of the brown haired girls pointed out quickly.

“He travels with him.” The blonde haired girl shrugged. “Apparently he’s got quite a temper on him too if he’s had one too many to drink.” The girl said matter-of-factly.

“I saw him dancing earlier with that Sophia girl.” The redhead said with excitement over being able to add to the conversation.

“That doesn’t surprise me.” The brunette said with almost a bored tone to her voice. “That Sophia thinks she’s too good for everybody in this town.”

“Well then more fool her.” The redhead said. “There are plenty of good guys in this town.”

“More fool her indeed.” The blonde haired girl said. “My mother reckons she’ll end up an old maid.” She added and then the whole table laughed.

Sophia felt like going over to them and giving them a good slap, but she knew that she couldn’t. She turned her head away from the table so that their voices got lost in the buzz of conversation whilst she thought about what they had said.

She wondered whether any of it was true. She wondered whether Edward had really slept with so many girls and whether he planned on doing the same with her. She laughed to herself as she realized that everything he had said was with that intention in mind.

She had been stupid she told herself. She had let herself believe that Edward might be different, but she hadn’t meant it like this. She hadn’t meant that she wanted someone who would take away a girl’s dignity and give them nothing in return.

She found herself standing up before she realized that she wanted to leave. She headed for the door at the front of the building, but her mother caught up with her before she had a chance to pull on the handle.

“Where are you going?” She asked with an annoyed look on her face.

“I’m going home, mother.” Sophia said.

“You are doing no such thing.” Her mother said with an angry tone. “I’ve had enough of this from you. You will go out there and socialize with these people.” She added.

Sophia looked into her mother’s eyes and sighed when she realized that she really didn’t have a choice.

“Fine.” She said as she walked back into the room.

She looked around at all of the happy faces and felt a twang of annoyance at her mother for making her stay. She didn’t want to be around these people. She had heard what these people thought of her and she had no interest in playing nicely with any of them.

She walked back over to her lonely table and sat down. She was thankful at least that the table’s candle had long since burnt out and it left her in a small patch of shadow and away from the straying eyes of people.

“Are you hiding from me?” Edward asked as he stepped into the shadows.

“I’m hiding from everyone.” Sophia said.

“Do you mind if I take a seat?” He asked.

“You can do as you please.” Sophia said with a slight shrug.

Edward shivered dramatically. “Does it feel cold in here to you?” He asked.

“No.” Sophia said bluntly.

“It must just be this conversation then.” Edward said with a small smile.

Sophia shook her head at his joke.

“Can I ask you something?” She said as she kept her eyes looking out into the room and not on Edward himself.

“Anything.” He replied in a smoldering voice that made Sophia’s eyes beg to turn and face him.

“Is it true that you’ve slept with other women before?” She asked him directly.

“Yes.” He replied instantly.