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Sophie was a little worried about her sister in law, she’d not out and out said that she was back on the market and looking for a husband but the change in her clothing and their assumption that she was looking for a husband again had Sophie wondering if Francesca was truly ready.
She’d known how much John and Francesca had loved one another and saw the devastation that had rocked her when she’d miscarried their baby, her one last connection to John and Sophie had known it had been the reason she’d taken so long to come out of mourning.
It hadn’t just been John she was mourning but the loss of her child. It hadn’t helped that the Earl of Kilmartin had took off shortly after and left Francesca to deal with everything in the estate and whilst she was quite the most accomplished of her siblings and the most sensible, Sophie knew it would have taken it’s toll on her the younger woman and vowed she would try and speak to her.
So the morning after the ball, Sophie left her husband in his art studio, her boys where with Kate’s hellions in the nursery and she took the short walk from Bridgerton House to Stirling House.
She knew Francesca wasn’t expecting her and it was too early for any potential suitors to be there and whilst she knew Michael was back, everything she’d heard about the Earl, suggested there was no way on earth he would be awake just yet.
The butler let her in and showed her into the music room, which was not a surprise to Sophie in the slightest to find her sister-in-law there, the piano had always been her escape, like Eloise’s had been books, Benedict’s his art, Francesca found peace in her music.
“Sophie!” she smiled warmly as Sophie was shown into the room “I wasn’t expecting you today was i?” Francesca asked as she closed the lid to her pianoforte.
“No, but I wanted to come and check on you after last night. Kate and Anthony rather ambushed you about your return to the marriage mart and I wanted to apologise a little as I feel I rather forced you to go speak to Michael in public” Sophie said
“Oh, no you were quite right, it would have been everywhere today if I’d not spoken to him in public, never mind that we are in the same residence but I know Kate meant well but Anthony…” Francesca sighed
“I am sure you could have done without his bullish yell across the ballroom and him asking you loudly if you intended to find a new husband…” Sophie said “I had rather hoped that perhaps over 10 years of marriage would have made him a little calmer but alas…”
“No and Benedict didn’t help by nearly choking on his drink” Francesca sighed as she walked towards the little chaiselong and gestured for Sophie to take a seat.
“Subtly is not a Bridgerton male’s speciality I am afraid” Sophie said “even Colin…”
“What did Colin do? I barely saw him all evening”
“I… well… I think I saw him saying something to a few of his friends saying you were back on the market” Sophie said, knowing it was fruitless to not tell her
Francesca groaned “Wonderful, so I am going to have men sniffing around me and calling upon me all day”
“I am sure if you ask Michael he will help ward them off, as will Anthony… but it does bring me to the main reason I called around… i wanted to make sure you were ready, that you truly are ready to reenter the market?” Sophie said, leaning over and placing a hand on hers.
“Sophie, in all honesty, I am not sure if I ever will be. I don’t expect another love match, I… I want a family. I see you, Kate and even Daphne with your children and I want it so badly… I just… If…”
“I know” Sophie said, she didn’t need Francesca to say it, she knew that if Francesca had not lost hers and John’s baby, she wouldn’t be considering remarrying. “I just… I wanted to make sure, you looked so terrified last night, and then Anthony made it worse”
Francesca sighed “I know, i am not… thrilled to be the centre of attention again and i know it will likely be the case. I know Hyacinth and Eloise are still on the market but neither are showing any interest in marriage. Eloise is classed as on the shelf, I am nearly seven and twenty so i am not exactly a sparkling debutante but as a widow… and my connection to both the Kilmartins and Bridgerton’s… I’ve had enough men making lurid comments at me as a widow…”
“What?” Sophie said outraged
“Oh it’s nothing, it was just some young buck trying his luck…”
“You should tell your brothers…”
Francesca scoffed “Trust me, he won’t be making another pass at me… I am a Bridgerton’s first and foremost…” she smirked devilishly
“What did you do?”
“Lets just say… growing with four brother’s you learn what the erm… soft spot is… and he won’t be trying to use it any time soon” Francesca grinned
“Good Girl” Sophie grinned brightly.
“I know, I just hope I can find someone suitable, someone I can be friends with, someone whose company I can enjoy… I don’t expect to find a love match but a friend would be good.” Francesca said softly.
“I can understand that, I think…” Sophie said
Francesca tilted her head to the side “Do you?”
“I think so, I love Ben with all my heart but I love our boys, our family… it’s everything I ever wanted and for so long I never thought i’d get either but if the world had been cruel and robbed me off him before we had a family… I should think if I ever was to reenter, I know in my heart i’d never find another I'd love like him but a friend… that was all I could hope for. Someone kind, who would not treat me ill, who would make a good father then I guess I would be content” Sophie explained.
Francesca nodded “I think it's the best I can hope for, but I am glad that you understand, that someone does. Eloise didn’t understand why I'd want to remarry, why I'd not enjoy the freedoms I have. And Anthony just lectured me about not telling him and Benedict… well he ended up distracted after he saw you dancing with Michael so left me alone and Colin spent most of the night either with Penelope or Michael”
Sophie laughed “Ben is easily distracted but you’re welcome. I just wanted to make sure you were okay and if you ever need a break or need someone to talk to, you know you can come visit us or write to me… I will never judge any of you, you know that”
Francesca smiled and squeezed Sophie’s hand “I know. I am lucky to have such a wonderful sister like you”
A couple of months later as she read the letter from Sophie telling her of the changes to Colin and Penelope’s wedding and that Eloise was to marry, she realised that Sophie was always the one to remember to write to her with family news.
So it was why four days after she married Michael, Sophie, was the first Bridgerton she wrote to Sophie to say she’d married Michael and then again three weeks later when she realised that she loved him/