Through It All

THREE

"Adam Lancaster?" Sophia asks in surprise.

She's standing in front of her parents, as they just told her the news. Her father smiles proudly as he watches her. Sophia was not expecting this at all. Adam Lancaster? The man who reads out loud at the plaza with his friends? The popular man whose Father owns the town's carpentry? The man who Lucia is so madly in love with even though she doesn't recognize it?

"Yes, we spoke to Mr. Lancaster Sr. and he agreed immediately, he is so fond of you," her mother replied interrupting her thoughts.

Her father looks at her daughter attentively; he sees something is wrong. "Sophia, are you alright?"

Sophia smiles. "Yes, I am surprised, that's all."

Her mother laughs. "Dou you know Adam?"

"Yes, well, only by sight."

Her mother was about to talk when Lucia interrupts, "Don't you think he is charming?" she says dreamily.

Sophia doesn't know how to reply, she never talks about men, less with her sister.

"He is a well-educated man with good manners, isn't that all that matters?" His father says while turning to Sophia, Sophia smiles, relieved that she didn't have to search for a reply. "Tomorrow we will be having them over for dinner; I want you to look your best."

"I will father," Sophia replies, trying to convince herself that Daniel is no longer one of her the choices.

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The day has come to an end and after spending the day with her French tutor reciting poems, Sophia is exhausted. She is in her room sitting in front of her dressing table, while Gilda brushes her hair.

"Gilda," Sophia starts unsure if she should ask. "Do you think Mr. Lancaster is the one I should marry?"

Gilda doesn't stop brushing her hair. "Your mother thinks so."

"What do you think?" she asks. Gilda's opinion was most important rather than her own mother's at a time like this.

"Well, is too soon to tell. Do you not want to marry him?"

"I don't know. What I really want to ask is, do you think he will want to marry me?"

"I don't see why he wouldn't. You are a very pretty girl with a great personality."

Sophia hesitates to answer but her mind is filled with so much confusion she starts, "When I see him out on the streets, I see someone who is confident, who seems to have everything under control. When he walks, he walks like he knows exactly where he wants to go. He is always around surrounded by his friends and everyone seems to like him. Now look at me, we have nothing in common."

Gilda finishes braiding her hair and looks at her through the mirror. "You don't know that yet. When I see you, I do see a confident young woman, who knows how to behave and who demands people to respect her. If he doesn't see that, then he must be blind."

"Please don't try to spare my feelings. I know I am not the most exciting person. I don't know how to change that, and I don't think I can. Mr. Lancaster... he is the kind of person who people want to be around with. He need to marry someone who is just as admired as he is; it's only fair."

Gilda doesn't like the way she is talking, so she pulls a chair next to her and says firmly, "Stop talking like that Sophia. You might think Adam is a popular man and that he has so many friends, but I bet that deep inside, he is not as happy as you think." She can see Sophia's skepticism so she continues, "I talked to Martha, the Lancaster's maid, and she said that the reason Lancaster Senior chose you to be his son's wife is because he feels like you might do well to him. You might be his medicine."

"Medicine for what? He seems happy."

"Sophia, you know that we can see faces but we can't tell how they feel in their hearts."

Sophia is not quite convinced, she's the girl whom people say is very quiet. A girl others would call insipid. She is the remedy that Adam needs? The popular man who has so much to give to this world? Her hands start to tremble as she comes to the realization that tomorrow evening, she will meet her future fiancé, but what if he didn't like her? What if he finds her boring? What if he fails to impress Adam Lancaster?