The Heart That Wins (Regency Spies Book 3) by April Munday Page A

life would be as Mary’s companion and Edmund’s friend. She would lavish her love on their children and her sisters’ children. The barrenness of her future appalled her, but she would not avoid it.
    “Between them, I think John Warren and your mother will give you much cause to grieve over the next few months.”
    “The worst is over,” said Sophia wiping the tears from her eyes. “I won’t have to meet my mother for the first time again and I have known since I turned him down that I have lost John’s love.”
    “John has treated you badly,” said Mary, gently, “and I do not wish to encourage your hopes, but you do not know that he no longer loves you.”
    “He would have written, or said something when we were in Paris. He didn’t even try to talk to me alone that night.”
    “As I said, he has treated you badly.”
    There was some noise in the hall; Edmund and Franz had returned.
    Sophia sat up.
    “I can’t…”
    Mary went to the door. It opened just as she got there and Sophia heard little of her conversation with her husband. Mary returned and sat beside Sophia again.
    “They will not disturb us.”
    “But..?”
    “Edmund didn’t want to bring you to Brussels, you know that. But you are too useful. He could not send you home.”
    “It’s not Edmund…”
    Sophia stopped before she could be rude about her friends’ guest.
    Mary surprised her by laughing.
    “Of course it isn’t. I know you could just as easily cry on his shoulder as mine. Franz is a stranger and we are not used to him. Edmund has spoken to him and he will not bother you again.”
    “Does Edmund..? Do you..? Do you hope..?”
    “That you will stop loving John and learn to love Franz? We both understand the nature of love better than that. But, my dear, we also know that Captain Warren is not the same man you fell in love with.”
    “You think he will be changed?”
    “As are you. When he comes to Brussels you will see how changed he is.”              
    Sophia considered this. She had known that the army must change him and she had seen him in Paris. She knew that he was not the boy she saw in her mind when she thought of John. He was more completely John than the boy she had known, as she was more completely herself. Despite this she had to face the truth.
    “He stopped loving me the day I turned him down.”
    Mary was going to say something, then thought better of it. She took Sophia’s hands in hers.
    “Until you know his heart, don’t guess.”
    Sophia nodded, but John’s heart was already clear to her; he no longer loved her.

Chapter Four
     
    Brussels society proved to be exactly what Sophia had expected. It was full of poor and idle people. The British population mixed fairly well with the native Bruxellois, but the latter seemed shocked by the behaviour of the former. Used to the hours kept in London, Sophia was not surprised by balls and parties that went on to the small hours, but Brussels was a town that was used to going to bed early. In many ways the social life was the same as it was in London and she and her friends looked forward to picnics and boating trips in the summer. There were clubs for Edmund and Franz to join, although Edmund was shocked to discover that a literary club of which he had high hopes was nothing more than a gambling club. He joined, nonetheless; gamblers were often desperate men, willing to sell what they knew for a few guilder.
    It was not expected that the Finches would be out much; Mary was pregnant and would not be in society at all. Since Edmund and her children were her life, this was no sacrifice for her. Edmund, on the other hand, enjoyed being in society, but his fears about his wife meant that he was more likely to be found at home than anywhere else, although he knew it was unlikely that information would come to him. This meant that Sophia was usually accompanied by Franz when she went out. At first this seemed the perfect arrangement; the handsome