Page 160 of From Rakes to Riches

“Will your wife be arriving later?” Lola asked, curiously.

“Oh, no,” he said with a sheepish grin. “I’m not married.”

A second awkward silence ensued and Lola noticed how Sofia never took her gaze from Mr. Wright. To his credit, he possessed an easy smile that prompted the recipient to do the same. Lola wondered what Sofia was thinking and whether if for at least a few minutes, she’d forgotten about Luca’s letter in her pocket.

“I really should go inside and get unpacked but that’s impossible until I find my key.” Mr. Wright said. He patted his waistcoat pocket again, his eyes never leaving Sofia. “Wait a minute. What’s this?”

He reached toward Sofia, whose expression grew wary with his unexpected gesture. Then with a flick of his hand, he produced the key as if he’d found it inside her left ear.

It was a charming trick and Sofia’s eyes twinkled from his attention.

“Why, Miss Gallo,” he said in that same affable tone. “You had my key all along. What other secrets are you hiding?”

This comment seemed to give Sofia a mental shake and her expression sobered.

“It was very nice to meet you, Mr. Wright.”

“Yes. Indeed, it was,” Lola added. “Now I should be on my way as well. I’ll see you soon, Sofia.”

Sofia climbed the stairs, pausing at the top to wave goodbye before she disappeared from the entry.

Once inside,Sofia closed the door and leaned against the panel to collect her emotions. What had just happened?

She’d received a letter from Luca.

And met her handsome new neighbor.

Her heart pounded furiously in her chest.

But from which circumstance, she did not know.

She removed the letter from the pocket of her pelisse cautiously, as if by handling it she’d evoke a spell and return to the pain of the past, even though the idea was ridiculous.

What could Luca possibly have to say after all this time? He’d probably moved on with his life and established a family now. Maybe he’d forgotten everything that had transpired between them.

But she hadn’t.

None of these thoughts and questions provoked the slightest glimmer of hope. She reminded herself that was a good thing. She didn’t want to waste time on hope.

What if she opened the letter and experienced the same heartbreaking agony that plagued her for months after leaving Italy? What if Luca confessed he still loved her? That would be awful because the circumstances hadn’t changed. They still couldn’t be together. And knowing he cared for her would prevent her from ever loving someone else. She’d be tormented by the knowledge when there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

Topolina appeared near her feet, the intuitive cat quick to offer comfort. Reaching down to scoop her up, Sofia went to her room, the letter held tight to her chest as she sat on the bed. Topolina leapt from her arms and settled on the counterpane with a sympathetic meow.

Perhaps she should put the letter away and think about it in the morning. Sleep had a way of clearing one’s mind and providing perspective. Except it didn’t matter how many days and nights passed. Lola was right.Not knowingwas not the answer. Nothing would settle itself until she read Luca’s letter. Not her emotions. Or her hopes. And definitely not her future.

“I’m making the right decision, Topolina,” she whispered as she broke the seal on Luca’s letter and unfolded the paper, “because there’s no going back and changing the past. It’s time for me to take control of my future.”

---