“Mr. Dandridge is not my suitor,” Elinor insisted.
Sophia winked. “Yes, Miss.”
With a slight groan, Elinor asked, “Why don’t you believe me?”
“Because your actions and words are saying two different things,” Sophia declared, rising. “What is wrong with having a harmless flirtation with Mr. Dandridge?”
Elinor moved to place her legs over the side of the bed. “Mr. Dandridge and I just got caught up in the moment.”
Sophia winked again. “Yes, Miss.”
“Will you stop winking at me?” Elinor asked, exasperated. “You must trust me that nothing is going on between Mr. Dandridge and me.”
“All right,” Sophia said. “I will drop it… for now.”
Elinor rose and sighed with relief. “Thank you.”
Sophia laid the dress onto the bed. “Is there something wrong with Mr. Dandridge?” she asked. “Does he have only one leg or does his breath smell?”
“Nothing is wrong with Mr. Dandridge,” Elinor asserted.
“Then why do you insist that you don’t have any interest in him?” Sophia inquired.
Elinor sat down in front of the dressing table and reached for a brush. “He wants to marry for convenience, and I will only marry for love.”
“Could it not turn into love?” Sophia asked.
“What if it doesn’t?”
Sophia walked over and held her hand out for the brush. “You are many things, but a fortune teller is not one of them. Who knows what your future holds for you?”
Elinor removed the cap off the top of her head and placed it onto the dressing table. “Regardless, Mr. Dandridge wants to sell the horse farm. I can’t allow that to happen. Lady Edith would be furious to know of his intentions.”
“Can’t you convince him otherwise?”
“How?” Elinor asked.
Sophia placed a hand on her hip and said, “Waggle your child-bearing hips around until he can think of little else.”
“That is utterly ridiculous.”
“Is it?” Sophia asked. “Mr. Dandridge already seems rather taken by you.”
The door opened and Aunt Cecilia stepped into the room. “Mr. Dandridge has arrived for breakfast. I told him you would be down shortly.”
Sophia made quick work as she placed Elinor’s hair up into an elegant chignon. “Now on to your gown.”
Once Elinor was dressed, she departed from her bedchamber and walked with her aunt down the hall.
Her aunt glanced her way. “Are you truly going to introduce him to Miss Fraser?” she inquired, her brow furrowed.
“There is nothing wrong with Miss Fraser,” Elinor defended. “Besides, she is of marriageable age and is seeking a suitor. That is precisely what Mr. Dandridge is looking for.”
“True,” her aunt conceded, “but if you keep being so obvious about your intentions, he might catch on.”
Elinor came to a stop and turned to face her aunt. “It is hardly obvious.”
Her aunt gave her a knowing look. “Mrs. MacBain is desperate and would marry a scarecrow, assuming it came with money.”
