But the guilt continued to mount. Her lies had trickled so far off course from the simple plan she’d initially concocted. Now she was lying to sweet, innocent people, intruding in this family event where she didn’t belong. She’d likely be in photographs of this day and when Nigel or Ellen saw them, they’d have to relive this all over again. The betrayal and the deceit.
Ellen reached for her hand. “Then I do hope we can get to know each other more. I swear I feel like I know you from somewhere, but it must just be how quickly we connected. You know how with some people, you just have that instant click.”
Yeah, that must be it.
“Anyway, I’m just really glad my brother found someone he actually wanted to bring home,” Ellen went on. “He’s always so busy working, maybe you can convince him to take more time off and visit his family.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Sophie promised with a smile.
Ellen leaned in and gave a one-armed hug before turning back to the reception and her guests...leaving Sophie alone with her drink and thoughts bouncing around. Even though this was all based on lies, Sophie had very good intentions, but she didn’t know if anyone other than her brothers would see that.
Even a glass of champagne wasn’t making Sophie feel better or helping her forget her problems. Once this magical day was over and she and Nigel were on their way back to New York, she would have to talk to him. She might have started this whole vendetta against Miranda, but the entire plan had snowballed and what could have potentially been the greatest thing in Sophie’s life was now likely ruined to the point of no return.
Nigel swirled his grandmother around on the dance floor and caught Sophie’s eye. When he sent her a wink, her entire body jolted from love.
She did love him. There was no denying the truth now that it stared her in the face...literally.
Now she had to figure out if she could clean up this mess she’d created, manage to reclaim her rightful inheritance, and hold on to the man she didn’t know she’d been looking for. Oh, and wait to see if he could fall for her because he was still unsure.
Sophie didn’t see a way to get out of the impending broken heart and she had nobody to blame but herself.
Fourteen
Sophie bundled her coat closer around her neck as she made her way from the car to Nigel’s jet. They’d spent another day at Shrewsbury Hall after the wedding, but now they needed to get back to work.
And she needed to get back to reality...which meant she needed to tell Nigel the truth.
Sophie figured once they were settled in for their flight would be the perfect time. He couldn’t storm out and maybe she could get him to see how all of this had gotten out of her control.
Not that she would make excuses. There were none. She’d blatantly lied to him and each time he called her Roslyn, she felt...well, like she was her own dirty little secret.
How could she have expected to prove Miranda was evil when Sophie had been doing evil herself?
Sophie boarded the jet as nerves curled through her. She’d spoken with both of her brothers last night and they supported her decision to tell Nigel. They’d agreed that maybe there was no dirt to be found on Miranda. They would have to find another way to get their property.
Settling into one of the white leather sofas, Sophie fastened her seat belt as she waited for Nigel to finish speaking with the pilot. She wasn’t nearly as nervous about flying this time, perhaps because she had too much on her mind. No matter how many times she rehearsed her speech, she was terrified to just let those words out in the open.
Nigel stepped thro
ugh to the cabin and his eyes immediately locked with hers. Her time was up.
“Are we all set to go?” she asked.
Nigel sighed and settled back against his seat. “We’re all good.”
“You don’t sound good.”
He lifted a shoulder and glanced back at her as he laced his fingers in hers. “I hate leaving my family. It never gets easier. That’s the real reason I don’t visit more. My grandmother thinks it’s because I work so much, but that’s not it. I can carve out time, it’s just difficult to come here and then have to leave again.”
Sophie understood that need to be close to family. She loved her brothers with her entire heart and couldn’t imagine living in another country where she couldn’t see them anytime she wanted.
“Do you ever think of moving back?” she asked.
“Not really,” he admitted. “I mean, I love it here, but I’ve made a home and a life in New York. I need to visit home more often, though.”
“Your grandmother and sister would love that,” Sophie told him. “Family means everything at the end of the day.”
“I agree. Which is why I’m hoping you’ll join me when I return next month.”