Hope for the Hopeless

Reminders and New Starts

The rest of Sunday had been a bit of a gruelling time for Sophie, from the moment they left the church, she was lectured by her father about her behaviour and her recklessness at sneaking out at night, about being at Benedict's overnight and not sending some sort of note.

"Papa! I get it. Please, it's fine, it has not hurt my reputation and even if Lady Whistledown does find out, we're getting married tomorrow and it won't even make her edition of the paper tomorrow because it was the Herrington Ball last night and Penelope was telling me that Cressida and Rosamund got into a fight because of Cavendar leaving town and both of them thought he was going to marry them and honestly, if the gossip sheet is not about that tomorrow, then i'll donate my entire wardrobe to the homeless sector..." Sophie said rolling her eyes

"Sophie..."

"No Papa, I am one and twenty in a few days time. I will be a married woman tomorrow... I am aware of what could have happened but nothing has happened so I need you to just breathe and leave me alone." she huffed at him.

"It's not that simple..."

"No Papa... it is. Everything is fine, tomorrow I will be Lady Sophia Bridgerton... Nothing can change that nor ruin it. The world already thought we were in love, and this had been planned thanks to Lady Whistledown, whoever they are, overhearing Benedict's outbursts and assumed that the reason for our quick marriage was due to it being planned for months and us just not announcing my own engagement to keep the Queen happy with her naming me her jewel..." Sophie sighed. "There has not even been a single rumour or whisper about Cavendar and him attacking me in the garden, my reputation is fine and as far as everyone knows, nothing untoward has happened... they will just see us for what we are tomorrow, a couple very much in love..."

Richard sighed, hating how pragmatic his daughter was, how much she was like her mother in these moments "that is still besides the point Sophie..."

"Papa, you and Mama eloped to avoid your arranged marriage... Charlie came along about 8 months into your marriage... oh yes, I am good at Maths remember" she smirked as her father went white "so please... we can spare the lecture now..." she said firmly and Richard knew he'd lost.

"Fine but you are staying put tonight..."

"Well considering my horse is already at Benedict's..." she teased

"Not funny..."

"It is a little but Papa he is going out with Charlie, Anthony and his other friends and to be honest, I need to sleep, I do not wish to look tired and worn on my wedding day. I am the daughter of Earl after all and need to look the part" she grinned and Richard just rolled his eyes.

He missed the time when she was a quiet little thing, when she would sit and watch rather than make comments but he realised now that she was watching and learning, retaining her information to use when it was most useful and he knew that she was going to be a wonderful mistress of her own home.

She was so much like her mother that it made him miss her all the more.

But it was on the morning of her wedding that Richard realised just how much Sophie was like her Mama.

He had no idea that Sophie hadn't actually gotten herself a brand new wedding gown but she'd opted for her mother's one.

She'd found it when she was 18 she'd been searching through some old boxes and fell in love with the silvery blue material and she remembered seeing an old painting, done weeks after their wedding of the two of them in it and she'd been determined that she was going to wear her mother's wedding gown when and if she got to marry Benedict.

She had arranged for a new gown which could work as a wedding gown in case she didn't marry Benedict but something that would work as an evening gown if she did all the while Madame Delacroix had been working on adjusting her mother's gown to fit her.