Free The Temporary Betrothal by Lily George

pale.” Lucy plied
her with her fan.
    “I—I’m fine,” Sophie stammered.
    “We shall have to find a way for you to meet up with him as we
leave,” Lucy said.
    Sophie shook her head, embarrassed by Lucy’s constant whispered
chatter. “Not now. The service is still going.”
    Lucy’s mouth quirked as though she were hiding a grin. “Ah, how
pious we are, even while thinking only of...him.”
    “Hush.” That was quite enough out of Lucy.
    The hymn ended with a last, drawn-out “Amen” that echoed well
up to the rafters. If the parishioners of St. Swithins were bored with a sermon,
Sophie reflected, they certainly seemed to enjoy the singing. Then they jostled
and pressed out of the pews, filing out of the three aisles in a noisy,
chattering mass.
    “Now, to get over to see your lieutenant,” Lucy murmured,
giving the church one all-encompassing sweep with her eyes, “we will need to
leave through the side. You see? He is over on the left. We shall have to fight,
but we can make it over.”
    “But even if we are able to get over to his side of the church,
how will we attract his attention?” Sophie followed Lucy, who was graciously
applying both her smile and her elbows to fight through the crowd.
    “Leave that to me,” Lucy called over her shoulder.
    As the crowd surged toward the main exit, Sophie and Lucy were
able to press through to the left aisle, where the sea of parishioners was
considerably thinner. Cantrill was a few feet ahead of them, walking slowly
toward the side door with a young man—surely that was the ensign, judging by the
slope of his shoulders and his slightly hunched gait.
    With an expert flip of her wrist, Lucy sent her reticule
sailing through the air, and it landed just inches away from the lieutenant. He
stooped down and scooped it up with his hand, turning around to find the owner
with a puzzled expression on his thin, serious face. Sophie’s heart lurched
anew. How handsome he was. The ensign paused beside the lieutenant, his boyish
face uncertain and clouded.
    “Oh, sir!” Lucy sang out. “You found my reticule. How very good
of you.” She caught Sophie around the waist and dragged her up the aisle. “It
was knocked clear of my hand by the bustle of this crowd.” She took the reticule
back and smiled at Sophie.
    She took the hint and assumed control of the social graces,
introducing each to the other.
    “Lieutenant Cantrill, Ensign Rowland, may I present Miss
Williams. She is the governess for the Bradbury girls, and a dear friend of
mine.”
    “So this is Ensign Rowland? How do you do, sir?” Lucy shook
hands cordially with the ensign, who said nothing, his clear green eyes wide and
unreadable. “Ensign, I was wondering if you could assist me with a problem. You
see, I must instruct Lord Bradbury’s daughters in the finer points of elocution
and pronunciation, and the best way to do so is by reading aloud.” She threaded
her arm under his elbow and piloted him toward the door. “But I am so rusty at
reading aloud myself. Would you be my audience? I should so like to have your
assistance...” Her voice trailed off as they disappeared into the crowd.
    “It seems Miss Williams is amenable to the idea of reading to
Rowland,” Lieutenant Cantrill observed, his eyebrow quirked. “Tell me, is she
always so...talkative?”
    “I am afraid so,” Sophie said with a rueful laugh. It was nice
to be standing here, talking with him comfortably. She liked his banter during
those rare moments when he allowed his guard to slip.
    “Well, then, she will be very beneficial to Rowland. No
pressure for him to speak, and a great deal of chatter to listen to,” Cantrill
replied, and offered her his arm.
    They trailed out the side door of the church together, but Lucy
was nowhere to be seen. Sophie peered around the milling pack of parishioners
once more, just to be sure. No, she had vanished, leaving Sophie quite alone
with Cantrill. She wasn’t sure if she should be