Maybe it was the blunt summary of the plot, the wistfulness in her voice, or the faraway gleam in Vic’s eyes as she stared out the windows into the darkness gathering over the grounds. Which ever way it was, in that instant everything connected and slammed into Sophia like a jolt of electricity she couldn’t believe she hadn’t felt until this moment.

“It’s you.”

Vic blinked a few times. “Pardon?”

God, why hadn’t she seen this before? Vic’s breeding, her demeanour, her close friendship with Emma, the way she protected her home, all of her comments about taking care of locals first. Sophia shook her head.

“What?”

None of the hoops and red tape Vic had thrown up around this production had ever been about her money. It was always about her sense of responsibility conflicting with her own relationships. She was a walking, talking, beautiful conflict of interest. In other words, she embodied all the things that drew Sophia to this role. “I’m playing you.”

Vic blushed profusely as she denied the charge. “I fear I’ve over-served you from our wine cellar. How will you be able to properly discern the light of this room in your altered state?”

She glanced at the windows to see the darkness outside had done little to dim the glow around them. “The light is fine, and I’m not going to let you change the subject this time, Your Ladyship. Do you know how important it could be for me to be able to actually talk to the person my life-altering character is based on?”

Victoria looked nearly stricken as she rose from the table. “I’ve already offered to be on set and available personally, but it’s gotten awfully late. Now that your lighting issues are resolved, shall we adjourn for the evening?” She didn’t wait for an answer, turning toward the door and leaving Sophia to follow her.

“Vic, come on,” Sophia called as she rushed to keep up. “Why are you being weird about this? Are you afraid I’m going to tell someone? I won’t, but who wouldn’t love to have people know they were the basis for one of the most admired female literary leads of the last ten years?”

“I suppose most people would enjoy that sort of notoriety.” Vic kept walking right on down the stairs. “I’m not most people, but even if I were, this character is not me, and I would be uncomfortable with the comparisons.”

Vic reached the front door and collected the coat off of Chuck’s shield as Sophia caught up.

“Which comparisons could you find unflattering?”