An Unexpected Love by Tracie Peterson, Judith Miller Page B

all went according to plan, Jonas would be making a fortune from George Fulford’s Pink Pills for Pale People. Of course he’d not limit himself to Fulford. There were many investment opportunities, some safer than others. But he need not spend his nights worrying over poor investments now that he would have Fanny’s money. Should he make poor investment choices, he would make certain his records were carefully adjusted to show that it was Fanny who suffered the losses.

    England
    Sophie sighed and stared despondently out the window as they approached Illiff Manor. Despite the grandeur of the limestone manor house, the isolation of the English countryside was far from what Sophie longed for.
    “Is it not glorious, girls? Just as I told you?” Amanda’s mother questioned. She pressed a gloved hand to her throat. “It is too wondrous for words. We have beautiful estates in America, but there is something captured here in the ancientness of England that speaks to my soul.”
    “It is charming, Mother.”
    Sophie frowned. “And ancient.”
    Fanny tried without luck to suppress a giggle. Victoria seemed not to notice. “The house dates back to the fourteenth or fifteenth century, I can never remember which. It has been in the family for all those generations. There are over eighty rooms and some four hundred acres upon which you’ll find terraced gardens, streams, ponds, and wonderful trails for riding.”
    Sophie sighed louder than she’d meant to. The very sound of such drudgery only served to make her tired.
    Her aunt lifted the brim of her hat and studied Sophie. “Whatever is the matter, dear? Are you not feeling well?”
    Sophie rested her chin in her palm. “I do wish we would have gone directly to London. Why must we spend time out here in the country, where there is absolutely nothing to occupy our time? We didn’t come to England to sit in a garden with our needlework. If Lady Illiff were truly interested in entertaining us, she should have offered her London town house.” The carriage came to a stop, but Sophie did not look forward to stepping out, no matter how sore she was after the jostling ride from the train station.
    “I truly do not know how to please you, Sophie. Paul’s presence on board the ship caused you to grumble and complain, and now that he and his mother have departed, you remain unhappy.” Aunt Victoria frowned and shook her head. “I hope that will not be the case indefinitely. Lady Illiff is a dear friend. You may console yourself with the knowledge that we won’t be here for long, for she has requested we accompany her to London next week. Lord and Lady Illiff are generously hosting our visit. I trust you will treat them with respect and not embarrass me.”
    Before Sophie could utter her response, the driver opened the carriage door. In truth, Aunt Victoria was correct: Sophie should have been thankful Paul had taken his leave and gone to tend his ailing grandmother. Mrs. Medford’s company had proved to be much more pleasing than that of her son, which was quite a compliment considering Sophie had never been one to enjoy associating with older women.
    Daniel maneuvered between Fanny and Aunt Victoria as they ascended the steps of the manor house, and Sophie felt a wave of pity for her cousin. The reminder that Fanny would be forced to tolerate Daniel’s unwelcome advances and overbearing manner throughout the remainder of their journey eased her own self-pity for the moment.
    “Look at the ivy,” Fanny remarked. “I’d love to know more about it. It looks quite delicate yet so very intricate.”
    Sophie looked at the greenery climbing the manor house walls and shook her head. “Who cares about ivy? I can see ivy at home.”
    “Yes, but this is English ivy gracing a wealthy English home,” Amanda whispered. “Perhaps it is admired by wealthy Englishmen— single men who are enthralled with ivy only because they have no beautiful women with which to occupy their