Page 1 of A Wicked Viscount's Stormy Affair
Chapter 1
Sophie’s heart raced.
Excitement filled her.
This was the best thing that had ever happened to her, she could notwaitto embrace the big changes that awaited her.
“Are you alright, my love? You look a little overly excited. So does your little dog!”
Sophie turned to face her mother with a wide smile on her face as the carriage continued to drive the family down the cobbled streets. “Oh, I am quite well, thank you very much. I am truly thrilled about our upcoming adventure.”
She was a young lady who had spent her youth with her head in a book, reading about adventures and wondering if she would ever be lucky enough to leave Sweden, to see what the rest of the world had to offer. She had always been fascinated with England because it felt like the center of the world to her.
The grand city of London with its fancy balls and exciting society nights… knowing that her father was originally from England, and that she had roots there, took hold of her imagination.
Her mother, elegant and composed as ever, nodded in agreement. “Yes, the beating heart of England awaits us all.”
Sophie’s father could not seem to take his eyes off the surrounding scenery as they rode, almost as if he was drinking in the last remnants of Sweden before it was taken away from him forever. Once they set foot on that ship, it was unlikely that they would ever return. Not that Sophie minded. She had spent twenty long years there, her whole life thus far, and she was ready for a change. She could not wait to see what England had for her.
“How long until we are at the shipyard?” she asked, trying to capture her father’s attention, to remind him that while he might have been struggling to leave all of this behind, she could not wait.
“We should be there any moment,” he murmured. “Then it is on to the Gracemeadow Estate.”
There was a deep hesitation in his voice, which Sophie could understand. This trip to London was not merely an adventure. It was not only a chance for Sophie to experience the grand London balls in the hope that she might find herself a nice English gentleman to spend the rest of her life with. A husband who would only make this adventure that much more thrilling.
They were also returning because his mother had fallen ill. Sophie’s father needed to return to England so he could help his parents, and hopefully nurse his mother back to health, even if it was perhaps unlikely because of her age.
Sophie fell into silence as she thought about that. No wonder her father was uneasy. His trip to Sweden all those decades ago was supposed to be a short one, just a fleeting visit to explore the world some more. Clearly, he did not know that he was about to fall in love with Amelia Louise Anne Frederick, sister to the Swedish queen.
It was very unlikely that he expectedthisto be his trip home.
But just as quickly as Sophie sunk into worry about her grandmother, her father finally faced her with a smile. “But we are going to have a wonderful time exploring London. Not only will we have the Season, during which time you can introduce yourself to the London ton, we will be able to attend operas and visit the museums… there are many places that I would like to take you.”
“Do you think that I will be lucky enough to make any new friends in London?”
That was the one thing that Sophie was worried about leaving behind. Her Swedish friends. She had spent years attending school with them, and had endless memories. Would she be able to replicate that in London?
“Oh my goodness, Sophie,” her father declared as he reached across the carriage to hold his daughter’s hands. “Of course you will make friends in London. The girls there will be very keen to meet you. You are going to have a wonderful time meeting new people and making friends who will be by your side forever.”
Her mother also offered her a loving smile. “Yes, your father is right. I am sure there will be plenty of girls looking forward to meeting you. Especially when they find out that your aunt is the queen of Sweden. I am sure that will garner you a lot of attention from the London elite. They love anyone with connections to powerful people, and a queen is one of the most powerful!”
Sophie’s smile thinned a little.
She loved her aunt and was so happy that she was the queen, but she’d had bad experiences in the past where peopleonlywanted to be her friend because of her aunt. They had no interest in really getting to know Sophie at all. She did not wish to go through that again.
“Remember to be kind,” her mother said, misinterpreting the guarded look that had started to cross her face.
“And find friends who are also kind and true,” her father joined in. “I know that you have a good judge of character, my darling.”
The carriage rolled to a halt and as Sophie peered out the window, her heart skipped a beat.
There lay the shipyard, a bustling hub of activity, with sailors scurrying about, hoisting sails, and loading cargo, as passengers climbed aboard.
This wasit.
The moment that her life would change forever, and she could not wait.
Ships were always the start of the greatest adventures, there was no better way to explore than to see new lands. This was the first time that Sophie felt as if she was stepping in to her real self, her real life… her first real adventure.
