Free Never Courted, Suddenly Wed by Christi Caldwell

laughter
    And happily ever afters
    If only she'd kneel…

    “Sophie!” Geoffrey barked.
    Sophie’s fingers ground to a screeching halt. She fought back a wave of guilt when her mother buried her head in her hands and shook it back and forth.
    A glitter of what she thought was amusement filled Christopher’s eyes. His father on the other hand, appeared as though he’d taken a bite out of a sizeable lemon.
    Sophie stared down at the keys not feeling the sense of victory she imagined she should feel. Instead, she battled down the realization that she’d once again disappointed her family.
    “That will be all, Sophie,” Geoffrey snapped. The black look he favored her with indicated that Sophie was in a good deal of trouble when their company left.
    She scrambled to her feet, and dipped a hasty curtsy.
    A ghost of a smile played on Christopher’s lips. Was it because her performance had only fueled his every negative perception of her? Suddenly, Sophie wished she’d handled the evening altogether differently.
    Wished she’d not allowed her pride to interfere with her actions.
    “Uh-I…if you’ll excuse me.” She managed one more curtsy for Christopher and the marquess and hurried from the room.

Lady Ackerly’s Tattle Sheet

    Miss S.W. was reminded why young ladies should not tilt back on the legs of their chairs after she upended herself at the Marchioness of K’s music recital.
    ~6~
    “Do you know what hour it is?”
    Seated in the Duke of Mallen’s leather winged-back chair, Christopher glanced across Mallen’s office to the ormolu clock. “Five o’clock.”
    Mallen stifled a yawn with the back of his hand. “Five o’clock in the morning. The morning,” he said as though speaking to a small child. “And, isn’t it a bit early for brandy?”
    Christopher found his friend to be taking this conversation rather well, considering the favor he’d just put to him. He sipped from his glass of brandy. “I need your help, Mallen,” he pressed.
    Following last evening’s dinner party at Redbrooke’s, he’d thought about his conversation with Sophie as they’d strolled around the Red Parlor. She’d spoken with a refreshing degree of candor that really shouldn’t surprise him considering her lively personality. Right before he’d fallen asleep, an idea had come to him—an idea that very well might help him thwart his father’s plans for him and Phi. Said plan, however, involved leniency on the part of his close friend, Mallen.
    Mallen opened his mouth to speak. No words came out. Instead, he went and poured himself a brandy. He took a long swallow. “You would like me to court Sophie Winters?” He reclaimed the chair behind his desk. “Sophie. Emmaline’s dearest friend. The rather plump young lady…”
    Christopher shifted in his seat. “Ohhh, would we call her plump?” For some reason, Mallen’s insult grated on his very last nerve. Of course he should be incensed. He’d known the young lady since she’d been in the nursery.
    Mallen scratched his brow. “I didn’t intend it as an insult. I would call the lady more voluptuous than anything else. She has—”
    “Will you help me?” Christopher bit out. He’d heard quite enough from Mallen on Sophie’s attributes. He liked Mallen’s detailed description of Phi even less than the earlier perceived insults. He told himself the odd churning in his gut was merely a brotherly sense of affection for the young woman.
    Mallen tapped his fingertips along the rim of his glass. “I’d like to make sure I understand you clearly.”
    Christopher’s hand slashed through the air. “A ride in Hyde Park, an ice at Gunter’s. Nothing more than that.” He imagined those gestures alone should deter Redbrooke’s interest in pairing Christopher and Sophie.
    Mallen raised a brow. “If you were this romantic in your attempt to woo my sister, it is no wonder I ended up with Drake as a brother-in-law.”
    “I’m not trying to woo Miss Winters,”