Grand Sophy Part III

Sophy is not as pretty as her cousin, but she is more sophisticated and has a circle of friends in London, who were in the army when they were stationed in Spain and Portugal, and she is popular with men. One suitor in particular is the rakish Sir Vincent Talgarth, who keeps proposing to her, but she keeps refusing him... She feels sure if she ever did take him up on his offer of marriage, he would be dismayed, but notices that he is rather flirtatious with Sancia though he knows she's engaged to SIr Horace. She gets on well with her cousins, becoming close friends with Cecilia and amusing the children...However, she and Charles dont hit it off. Miss Wraxton dislikes her and tends to emphasise her faults to her fiance, and Charles thinks that she has caused uproar in the family. Sophy organises a ball to launch herself fully on Society, and Charles is furious as he wanted the family to lead a quiet social life. However it goes ahead, and most unfortunately, Augustus Fawnhope is there, when Cecy's suitor Lord Charlbury turns up having recovered from his illness. Cecilia panics and announces to Charles and Charlbury that she and Augustus are engaged. Sophy can see that Charlbury is a good man and would probalby make a better husband than Augustus and she can also see that Augustus was not expecting the engagement thing, and is taken aback by it.. but she feels sorry for Cecy, feeling that Charles's nagging drove her into a corner. However, she talks to Charlbury and tells him that he still has a chance with Cecilia, if he plays his cards right. She suggests that after a week or 2, he should start to flirt with her, and she's sure that that will spark off jealousy in Cecilia, as she does admire Charlbury and likes him. Charlbury is not sure he is much good at these sort of plans but he likes Sophy and is willing to give it a go. Meanwhile, Sophy finds out what is bothering Hubert. He got into debt and pledged a ring to a moneylender.. Sophy visits the money lender and threatens him with a pistol so that he gives back the ring....in return for her giving him back the money Hubert borrowed. When Hubert hears of this, he is ashamed and goes to his brother and tells him of his folly, and he and Charles acheive a better understanding. Eugenia, however disapproves of Sophy's conduct. She thinks that her fiance's cousin is brash and unfeminine.