protoviv7

@@@@@It was the oldest story in the worldman sows his wild oats and resists the snares of women for and years until bang!-when he's forty, he loses his head and heart to beauty and innocenceLady Sophia Dudley was seventeenShe had hair the gold ripe hay and eyes as blue as the summer sky and a pink-and-? complexion that put porcelain to shame At least so said the that were written about her and sold on all the street corners f( pennyShe was, in fact, a beautiful, shy girl who was very much I-her ambitious mother's control and who blushed often and lively because of all the attention and gallantries paid her saw quite a bit of her Sophia's private drawing room was next Scarlett'sIt was second best in terms of furnishings and the Saint Stephen's Green, but first in terms of people vying for sionNot that Scarlett's was by any means unattended; a rich well-received widow with fascinating green eyes would always demandWhy should I be surprised, thought Scarlett I'm twice her and I had my turn last yearBut sometimes she had trouble holding her tongue when Sophia's name was linked with Luke'sIt was common knowledge that a duke had asked for Sophia's hand, but everyone agreed that she'd do better to take FentonA duke had precedence over an earl, but Fenton was forty times richer and a hundred times handsomer than the Duke"And he's mine if I want him," Scarlett longed to sayWho'd they be writing ballads about then? She scolded herself for her pettinessShe told herself she was a fool for thinking of Fenton's prediction that she would be forgotten after a year or twoAnd she tried not to worry about the little lines in the skin beside her eyesScarlett returned to Ballyhara for her First Sunday office hours, thankful to get away from DublinThe final weeks of the Season seemed endlessIt was good to be home, good to be thinking about something real, like Paddy O'Faolain's request for a bigger allocation of peat, instead of what to wear to the next party And it was pure heaven to have Cat's strong little arms nearly strangle her with a fierce hug of welcomeWhen the last dispute had been settled, the last request granted, Scarlett went to the morning room for tea with