Page 2 of A Wicked Viscount's Stormy Affair
“Come on, Douglas,” she whispered to her adorable Scottish Terrier, her constant companion throughout her life. “Let us climb aboard and see where the ocean takes us.”
***
The ship was huge, and grander than Sophie was expecting. It made her feel a little like she was in the midst of a London ballroom. Especially since her parents seemed to know everyone aboard and they seemed intent on introducing her to everyone. At least it felt like everyone. She was going to have to get far better at recalling names when they were flung at her in a whirlwind.
Hopefully it would not matter too much on the ship.
Eventually, the family were led to their quarters by a sailor with weathered hands and a lopsided smile. The suite provided for Sophie and her parents was massive, with separate bedrooms, each with comfortable looking beds overlooking the ocean. It was obvious that they were not going to want for anything while aboard. The amenities were wonderful.
“Lunch will be prepared for you soon,” the sailor told the family as he backed out of the room. “Just as soon as we get moving, there will be food for everyone. I am sure you are hungry.”
Sophie had not realized quite how starving she had become, but the mere mention of food made her stomach rumble. She pressed her hands to her belly, embarrassed but keen none the less.
She got herself dressed, perhaps far too quickly, and found her parents still lounging about in their stateroom, on a luxurious sofa underneath a glistening chandelier. Impatience shot through her, she was not sure that she could simply wait here until it was time to eat.
“I am going to take Douglas for a walk,” she said. “I do not think he will be still. He is excited and wants to see the whole boat.”
“I do not believe that he is the only one,” her father laughed as he waved her away. “Go, but please be back in time to eat. We do not wish for you to vanish since we left your ladies maid to tend to the house while we are gone.”
Sophie’s heart raced as she places Douglas on the lead and started to walk. In this moment, it felt to her like she was walking through the hallways of a hallowed castle. Somewhere new, somewhere exciting, an adventure just for her. She passed the dining room, admiring how glamorous it looked, like it was prepared for royalty. But Sophie was far more interested in the sun shining down on the deck, and the sound of the waves lapping underneath the boat.
“How are you finding the ship?”
Sophie was surprised to whip around and find herself face to face with the captain of the boat, who looked genuinely interested in her response. “Oh yes, it is lovely, I love it…”
“I am not so happy,” another voice interjected. A gruff voice that truly matched the man it came from. “My room is not the one that I wanted. The room I specifically asked for has been given to a minor lord. I think I am the one who should have received it.”
Sophie’s eyes widened. She had no idea who this strange gentleman was, but his attitude was a little unnerving.
“Ah, Gustaf Brandon the fourth.” But the captain clearly had more information to hand. “You have been assigned to a room that fits your budget.”
The man scoffed and rolled his eyes. “It seems to me like you find new money shinier than old money. That isnotan attitude that will get you very far.”
The captain shot her an apologetic look before he walked off with the angry man, leaving her to bask in the sunshine some more. She hoped that not everyone would have the same negative attitude towards this boat, because it was a wonderful vessel that was going to take them to somewhere shiny and new.
Sophie continued to walk and explore above deck while she waited for the boat to move. To try and distract herself from the rumbling in her stomach, she allowed her mind to wander, to daydream about what her life was going to be like in London.
She thought about the dresses and the balls, the evenings out where she would get to mingle with the London elite. The Ton. Her father had told her a little about them as she was growing up, but now she was going to get to experience them for herself. To meet the nobles and lords who she would add to her dance card and maybe even court.
Of course her parents were hoping that Sophie would find someone to marry, but she wanted so much more than that. She wanted love—real love—a little like the love she had witnessed between her parents growing up. She wanted a man to look at her with adoration, same as her father did when he was looking at her mother.
She wanted the sort of love that featured in her favorite romance novels as well. She wanted it all.
Sophie was a little worried that she might not be able to find what she was imagining. That it might all be too much. She had also heard stories of girls like herself being forced to marry for convenience, just picking a man because they did not wish to be a spinster. That was not the way that Sophie wanted her life to be.
She sucked in a sharp breath of air and tried to recall the wise words that her mother would always say to her. That she just needed to stay true to herself, and that would lead her to real love. That her own parents might not have wished her to wed the English Marquess who was only supposed to be on vacation in Sweden, but that she had stayed true to herself and her heart which led her to be happy forever.
That was truly what Sophie wanted to happen, but she was endlessly terrified that she would not succeed in her mission.
It was that terror which was the only thing that threatened to overshadow her excitement in to starting a new life, and she did not intend to let that win.
Chapter 2
The view of the water had been a good distraction when he first boarded the ship. George had managed to distract himself from the mess of his life for a bit, but that had all changed…
Well now it was no longer working. Now it was all coming crashing down on him all over again and it felt like the walls were closing in on him.
He needed to get out of this confined little cabin, even if he did notreallywant to face anyone out there.
