Pinnacle (ONGOING)

Chapter Four - New Beginnings

     I awoke the next morning, eyes puffy and throat raw. At first, I coughed a little and wondered when I had caught such a cold, but as mornings following disaster frequented a sort of brief amnesia, it brought a sickening roil of remembrance that made one flinch to recall.

     I propped myself up when Polly the chambermaid came in, and I watched mutely as she tended to the fire. I came up beside her, shivering, and turned raising my dress to receive the delicious warmth up my shift like a summer had suddenly flushed through my aching body.

     "Sleep well, miss?" She asked as per usual to our morning banter.

     "Very" I stifled a yawn.

     That day I had done something very irresponsible. I took a carriage into the city, unchaperoned. I was desperate for some comfort food as the winter months coupled with yesterday's fiasco had left me wanting. I had gotten up early enough to make the shops but miss the rabble that would be further scandalized by my state, and I felt joyful, ambling around, taking tea alone, buying new ribbons. Soon I'd be able to do this at will when the ton began to view me as an old maid. 

     I had a small coin purse from the time I did a commission for our neighbors last year. It had not gotten me much, but the thought of making my own money excited me greatly, and there I was on my own spending it like a man. I thought myself invincible that day in fact, and so when a familiar voice spoke up at my back, I had nearly continued on, if only to keep the joy of the day that much more before Michael Rhodes had come to squash it.

     "I should have known I would find you here." He said, and I froze.

     "Mich-Mr. Rhodes. I had not known I would have the pleasure..." I said, instantly fearful. If anyone _anyone_ saw us together right then, it would have been a disaster.

     He strode nearer as if sensing my thoughts.

     "Actually it is Lord now since my father's passing, Sophie." My face burned at his use of my Christian name. He had said it as well with a with a small humble smile as if society were no more and it was just us two in the middle of the square. Him with his handsome stature, and me with crumbs on my face. He remedied this by dutifully offering me his handkerchief.

     "Thank you... And I'm sorry to hear of your loss." I fretted, unsure where this conversation was going, and used the rag to clean myself. I was mortified.

He had always been like this though, absolutely beautiful in every way and as subtly charming as a gentleman should be. 

     It was what had initially made me fall in love with the man.

     "Do not look so fit to bolt, friend." He laughed, it was a beautiful sound, like honey.

     "How we parted is in the past and frankly none of my business..." I blurted as if I had not been so emotionally involved it still stuck in my chest how the second that Diana had broken off the engagement, I knew that I would never see him again. I turned then and began walking towards my carriage, aware that the light flittering through the trees would soon be overhead, and I would be alone with the unflappable rake Michael Rhodes for society to see. To be truthful, his presence as my chaperone would be better for my image than being caught alone, but it also sewed a much more sinister theory in the heads of the Ton.

     That Lord Rhodes and Ms. Windle were courting.

     He matched my pace, thinking I was taking our conversation elsewhere, and soon we strode side by side. His long calves and sapphire frock coat came into view at the side of my vision, and I tried not to show how pathetically enamored I still was of his presence. Chocolate mid-length fluffy hair, and pleasantly arched dark brows rose above smiling triangular eyes of chocolate brown. He cut a dashing character; I could not deny it. And neither had several other ladies that he had ruined the reputations of.