Oh, George! What a dreadful thing to happen!’
When Sophia and her uncle finally managed to complete their journey, arriving in the middle of the night, a worried Aunt Alice, who had been waiting up for them, was beside herself.
‘The fellow’s absolutely without scruples,’ fumed George, pouring himself a glass of brandy and downing it in one. ‘And as for the humiliation he visited on our niece…’
Aunt Alice switched her gaze to Sophia.
‘You poor, poor girl,’ she sympathised. ‘To be manhandled by that brute!’
Sophia couldn’t contradict her elders but, in her heart of hearts, she didn’t feel she’d been manhandled at all. The Shadow had been nothing but courteous during their dance. Even though he had boldly tried to claim a kiss, and she’d instinctively moved to resist, a large part of her was regretting it now.
Sophia had never been kissed, unless you counted a clumsy attempt by a boy at a dance in her home village. She could not help but wonder what it would have been like to have been kissed by someone with more experience – and given his reputation, The Shadow must surely have plenty of that.
Aunt Alice hurried Sophia off to bed, but next morning, Eliza was full of her cousin’s adventure.
‘And to think it was The Shadow himself!’ she breathed. ‘Truly, you had a narrow escape. Though I hear he is very dashing,’ she continued. ‘Several ladies have been
