The Last Night in London by Karen White (reading list .TXT) 📕

that I disabuse them of the notion, of course. It’s much too fun to leave them guessing.”

“I’m not surprised at all,” Precious said. “She’s pretty as a peach and smart as a tree full of owls. The best thing I ever did was bump into her at the train station and ask if she needed a roommate, which I guess makes me pretty smart, too.”

Eva looked at Sophia for her reaction. Sophia laughed out loud. “And I would have to agree.”

Eva sighed silently with relief.

Their sandwiches and cakes arrived, and while the tea was poured, they were silent, waiting to speak again until the servers had quietly removed themselves.

“What do you tell them?” Eva asked, hiding her interest as she sipped from her green-and-white-striped teacup.

“Catty girls I let believe what they will. But good friends I tell the truth.”

Eva’s hand shook as she replaced her cup in its saucer, spilling a drop of tea. “The truth?”

“Yes—about your parents being killed in a tragic accident and leaving you without any family. It does you credit, you know. That you reinvented yourself and forged a new life. You’re very brave.”

“Thank you for saying that.” Eva looked into her teacup so she wouldn’t have to meet Sophia’s gaze.

“You both are,” Sophia said. “Precious came all the way across an ocean, leaving her family behind. That would have been very difficult. You must miss them.”

Precious nodded. “I do. I’m lucky to have found Eva. She’s become my family here. It helps me not miss my family back in Tennessee so much.”

She smiled across the table at Eva, and Eva smiled back, her eyes smarting.

Sophia cut off a bite of a custard-filled pastry, held it aloft with her fork, then replaced it on her plate. “I shouldn’t eat that. Mother says I’ll never be able to fit into my wedding dress if I’m not careful.” She looked wistfully at Eva and Precious. “Both of you can probably eat anything you want, can’t you? I’ll attempt not to be green with envy.”

Eva took a careful bite from her cucumber wedge sandwich and tried not to choke on it. She’d always been slender because she’d never had enough food as a child; she had gone to bed hungry more times than she cared to remember. She forced a smile. “I’m sure it will catch up with me one day, although I do think being so tall helps.”

Precious nodded. “That’s the thing with fashion, Sophia. Every woman can wear beautiful clothes, as long as they’re cut to flatter her figure. You’re built differently than we are, so different clothes will suit us best. You can still be the most gorgeous woman in the room.”

“Do you really think so?” Sophia said.

“Of course,” Eva said. “More important than what you’re wearing is your smile and character. I’m sure that’s what David loves most about you.”

Sophia’s cheeks flushed prettily. “Thank you for saying that. You are both such dears.” After a brief hesitation, she picked up her fork and placed the sweet pastry into her mouth.

After another sip of tea, Sophia said to Eva, “I trust you were reunited with your purse?”

“Yes, thank you. I’d been planning to send an invitation to tea to thank you for its return, and for the flat, but I received your invitation first. But I do want to thank you so much for your kindnesses. I’d like to think we’d be friends even if we hadn’t met through Graham.”

“Of course we would be. All three of us. And don’t be silly. The two of you are doing us a favor, accepting the offer to live in the flat. David’s quite fond of it—good memories of his bachelor days, I suppose. Besides, I was hoping the offer would sweeten you both up before I asked a favor.”

“A favor?” Eva said, surprised. She couldn’t imagine Sophia needing anything from them.

“Yes. You’re both models and have such wonderful taste in all matters to do with fashion, and I would like your help in selecting dresses for my two bridesmaids. I’m afraid my friends aren’t quite up to the task.”

“Of course. We’d love to help,” Precious said. “Right, Eva?”

Eva nodded. “Will we get to meet them so we can determine a flattering style?”

“Sadly, no,” Sophia said. “They’ve both recently married—breaking their mothers’ hearts by having quick weddings because their husbands have signed up for the Territorial Army.”

“Really? We’re hardly at war. Isn’t that a bit premature?” Eva looked down at her plate, where she’d just placed a large dollop of clotted cream on a scone, her appetite suddenly gone.

“Mother and Father don’t like to talk about such things in my hearing, but thankfully David doesn’t keep anything from me. He’s convinced that we are headed toward war. He works in Whitehall, so I trust his opinion. He’s actually talked about signing up himself.”

“Oh, no,” Eva said, her thoughts on Graham.

“I hope your David’s wrong,” Precious said. “For all of us.” And because she was Precious, she reached across the table and squeezed Sophia’s arm.

Sophia sent her a grateful smile, then turned to Eva. “Has Graham mentioned anything to you about signing up?”

Eva shook her head, her stomach turned sour. “No, he hasn’t. Perhaps he gets enough talk of politics and such at work and leaves it there. Should I ask him?”

“It’s all right,” Sophia said. “Maybe we shouldn’t know. I do rather resent David for telling me and spoiling some of the fun of planning our wedding.” Sophia drew her shoulders back. “But I’m prepared to reinvent myself and be brave for the first time in my life. Right now I need to ensure that my wedding goes as planned so that I have a son or daughter to keep me company if David is right and our men have to fight.”

Eva tried to offer a reassuring smile, but her lips wouldn’t obey. “They won’t, Sophia. I’m sure of it.”

“Yes, well, it’s all rather inconvenient, isn’t it?” Sophia used her fork and knife to cut into a chocolate-covered eclair,