Betraying the Duke Read Free Page B

them? Usually completely fake and putting on this great façade? Well I am not going to do that! I am going to tell him how it is, there is no near hypocrisy coming from me! Not if I can help it!” Sophia said with a sudden burst of energy.
    “What?” Mary asked, still confused.
    “Oh you’ll see! Now go, go! I need to get dressed. Out, Mary!” Sophia said pushing her out of her room hurriedly.
    Sophia rushed to her cupboard and picked out a dress neither too fancy nor too casual and slipped it on and pinned her hair. I need to be subtle, otherwise Father will be angered thinking that I was set out to do this. I need to make it look natural.
    She waited in her room, for her father or mother to call and in a little while, she heard her father coming upstairs.
    “Sophia?” he knocked politely on her door.
    “Yes, come in,” she answered him, neutrally.
    “We need you downstairs, oh … you are dressed,” her father said, surprised that she was ready.
    “Yes, isn’t that what you do when people arrive to your house?” Sophia responded with a hint of bitterness.
    “Rightly so, now come on down and please, be on your best behavior,” her father said, leaving the door open and leaving, expecting her to follow behind him.
    She went downstairs, lifting her dress slightly above the floor so she would not trip. As she entered the living room, she saw a young man sitting uneasy on one of the settees. He straightened up when he saw her and gave her a polite smile before he darted his eyes off her, hoping not to be too rude or eager.
    “Ah, glad you have joined us Sophia!” her father said as though they hadn’t met in ages.
    “This is Elliot. He’s here to meet you. Why do not you have a seat right here?” her father suggested; sitting across from him.
    Sophia sat where she was asked to and analyzed the man who sat before her. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes, he was younger than she liked but she couldn’t say he was bad-looking. He fit a gentleman’s look well and he clearly knew how to dress.
    “Hello, it is nice to meet you Sophia. I am Elliot,” Elliot started the conversation as Sophia sat idle and was quiet.
    “Yes I know, my father just told me,” Sophia said, pointing out the absurdity of him having told her again.
    “Oh right! I am sorry. It is just, you are very beautiful and I am not one to get so nervous usually,” he said awkwardly.
    This is why I do not like little boys, Sophia thought to herself, unimpressed by the absence of masculinity and confidence that she very much admired.
    “Well, I will leave you two alone to get to know each other. I am glad you are staying for dinner Elliot. You are going to love the roasts my wife makes!” Sophia’s father joked, getting up to leave. Elliot laughed out of politeness, it was very obvious to Sophia.
    They were left alone and there was silence in the room.
    “So tell me about your interests and hobbies,” Elliot asked, trying to initiate conversation once again.
    “I have many…,” Sophia answered him “…some of which you may even oppose or dislike,” she added with an ulterior motive.
    “Some I’d dislike? Please do explain? I do not think I’d mind anything civilized and in the limitations of a decent, noble minded woman,” Elliot asked, highly amused by her statement and not taking her very seriously.
    “Define what you mean by the limitations of a noble minded woman? Are you trying to imply that I may not be? If I believe in something that women have not done so much before?” Sophia asked with an eyebrow raised.
    “In that case, it really does depend what you are on about. I cannot say anything more without you telling me what it is you are talking about,” Elliot said in a firmer tone now.
    “I want be a physician, like my father. I want a partner, a husband that would support me in this dream of mine,” Sophia said out loud, boldly.
    “A physician? Why so? Why would you want to leave the comfort of your house to be