An Offer from a Gentleman with 2nd Epilogue Read Online Free PDF

agreement.
    â€œJust once,” Mrs. Gibbons said, “for just one night, you will be the belle of the ball.” With a smile on her face, she slowly turned Sophie around until she was facing the mirror.
    Sophie’s breath caught. “Is that me?”
    Mrs. Gibbons nodded, her eyes suspiciously bright. “You look lovely, dearling,” she whispered.
    Sophie’s hand moved slowly up to her hair.
    â€œDon’t muss it!” one of the maids yelped.
    â€œI won’t,” Sophie promised, her smile wobbling a bit as she fought back a tear. A touch of shimmery powder had been sprinkled onto her hair, so that she sparkled like a fairy princess. Her dark blond curls had been swept atop her head in a loose topknot, with one thick lock allowed to slide down the length of her neck. And her eyes, normally moss green, shone like emeralds.
    Although Sophie suspected that might have had more to do with her unshed tears than anything else.
    â€œHere is your mask,” Mrs. Gibbons said briskly. It was a demi-mask, the sort that tied at the back so that Sophie would not have to use one of her hands to hold it up. “Now all we need are shoes.”
    Sophie glanced ruefully at her serviceable and ugly work shoes that sat in the corner. “I have nothing suitable for such finery, I’m afraid.”
    The housemaid who had rouged Sophie’s lips held up a pair of white slippers. “From Rosamund’s closet,” she said.
    Sophie slid her right foot into one of the slippers and just as quickly slid it back out. “It’s much too big,” she said,glancing up at Mrs. Gibbons. “I’ll never be able to walk in them.”
    Mrs. Gibbons turned to the maid. “Fetch a pair from Posy’s closet.”
    â€œHers are even bigger,” Sophie said. “I know. I’ve cleaned enough scuff marks from them.”
    Mrs. Gibbons let out a long sigh. “There’s nothing for it, then. We shall have to raid Araminta’s collection.”
    Sophie shuddered. The thought of walking anywhere in Araminta’s shoes was somewhat creepy. But it was either that or go without, and she didn’t think that bare feet would be acceptable at a fancy London masquerade.
    A few minutes later the maid returned with a pair of white satin slippers, stitched in silver and adorned with exquisite faux-diamond rosettes.
    Sophie was still apprehensive about wearing Araminta’s shoes, but she slipped one of her feet in, anyway. It fit perfectly.
    â€œAnd they match, too,” one of the maids said, pointing to the silver stitching. “As if they were made for the dress.”
    â€œWe don’t have time for admiring shoes,” Mrs. Gibbons suddenly said. “Now listen to these instructions very carefully. The coachman has returned from taking the countess and her girls, and he will take you to Bridgerton House. But he has to be waiting outside when they wish to depart, which means you must leave by midnight and not a second later. Do you understand?”
    Sophie nodded and looked at the clock on the wall. It was a bit after nine, which meant she’d have more than two hours at the masquerade. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Oh, thank you so much.”
    Mrs. Gibbons dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. “You just have a good time, dearling. That’s all the thanks I need.”
    Sophie looked again at the clock. Two hours.
    Two hours that she’d have to make last a lifetime.

Chapter 2
    The Bridgertons are truly a unique family. Surely there cannot be anyone in London who does not know that they all look remarkably alike, or that they are famously named in alphabetical order: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth.
    It does make one wonder what the late viscount and (still very-much alive) dowager viscountess would have named their next child had their offspring numbered nine. Imogen? Inigo?
    Perhaps it is