THE MASKED BRIDE

Chapter 7

The Duke placed his hands on Sophia's shoulder as she started speaking

" I have not eaten yet, please mother set the table up for me" Sophia said to Clare

" Clare scoffed " as she was disgusted by Sophia calling her mother and ordering her to set the table for he

" she is finally showing off how crazy she is" Clare thought as she bit her tongue to refrain from responding to Sophia.

The Duke was standing defensively behind Sophia like an animal waiting to attack its prey

Clare obviously had a lot in mind to say to Sophia but she would rather with till the Duke was gone

"Clare set the table for now " Philip said as he knew so well the gravity of what they were in …. The Duke was for some unknown reason was smittened by Sophia which meant that they could not trouble her anymore or the Duke might truly kill them all as he know the the Duke's true nature.

Sophia planned to make the house unbearable for her family now that she was getting married just as they made the house unbearable for her.

" I will be back" Clare said as he left, she honestly didn't mind leaving as he needed to grab a break.

" why are there no Maids at the dining room to help you fetch whatever you need?" The Duke asked….. he knew the Baron was running low on funds but he never knew it was this bad, why did the old man throw a lavish party when he could have used the money to hire more workers and put his house in order

" if you had given me a notice that you'll be arriving, I would have place maid in here to serve you and Sophia well" said the Baron

"You are saying that I should have given you a heads up so you can create the illusion that you have many workers??" Theodore said as he saw through the Baron's schemes

Sophia smiled as she enjoyed her father being called out and the fact that her father could not talk back to the duke... she realized that her father only pick on those who are beneath him

While Sophia was enjoying her father breaking down, the sight of her smiling angered Amelia even more

" are you enjoying this Sophia? This is ridiculous don't think this would last long "Amelia said as she scoffed

" you shouldn work on getting rid of your jealousy green doesn't look good on you" Sophia advised.

Theodore snickered due to the fact that Amelia was wearing a green dress so Sophia's words have a double meaning….. he wanted to applaud her for slowly coming out of her shell but he knew too well not to do such in front of her family

" do you think his interest in you would last long after he sees what is under that mask?" Amelia asked

"Theodore before you get all engolf in this marriage, shouldn't you at least take a look at her face… are you not a bit curious to know what she is hiding under that mask….. shall we show him your true face Sophia?" Amelia said mocking Sophia

Sophia couldn't answer the question as he wasn't yet confident enough In herself to show the Duke her face ..

" there is no need for me to do that , I have seen her face without the mask before and how dare you stand before me and lie about her face " the Duke said

Sophia's eyes went while as she couldn't place where tje Duke was able to see her without her mask as the only place she takes her mask off is in her bedroom…..unless he saw when she was much younger before the accident happened and she started wearing a Mask.

" I lied about her face " Amelia said the word slowly to make sense of them ... how on earth would she lie about how disgusting Sophia's face looks behind the mask, it led her to believe the Duke has not seen Sophia's face and he was just lying.

" I am not lying" Amelia said defensively

I would excuse you for what you just said and as the saying goes beauty is in the eye of the beholder and clearly Amelia you don't have a good eye Amelia

" Theodore please be kind to my sister, she has always liked you so accepting that we're getting married is going to be a bit hard for her please understand " Sophia said adding salt to Amelia's wounds

" I so done here" Amelia said as he stormed off and left the dinning room

" I will speak with her" Philip said as he hurried up behind Amelia… he felt the need to smack some common sense into her since she wasn't using her brain

" Amelia wait for me….. do not walk away from me " Philip said

" what do you want Father, are you here to make me go back to play nice and apologize to her?.... That was supposed to be me, she is stealing my man and no one is doing anything about it " Amelia said as tears threatened to fall from her eyes

" you stupid girl. Do you think I planned for Sophia to marry the Duke? I already made plans for her to marry someone else but now that she wants to get married to the Duke I'm screwed... you have not lost the Duke yet" Philip said as he took her to the side so they can plot how to make use of the situation

Amelia wiped away the tears from her face, still confused as to how she hasn't lost the Duke

" he came to ask for her hand in marriage" Amelia reminded her father

" it take a while to plan for a wedding and there are those times when the person you are looking to marry can change the Duke might start off wanting to marry Sophia but if you play your card right, his attention might shift to you " Philip said to his daughter