the capillaries in my eyes are bursting
if our love died would that be the worst thing?
#WOEWEPT. headcanon based portrayal of sophie bone
(nee l'congiÉ) of bbc's ghosts. featured on a multi-muse. written by frankie.
ABOUT.
"My marriage was arranged. I was 14, she was 12. Noble families, both. Model couple, really, for the time. We had a title and a big house and the lands, riches. Didn't love each other. She didn't even like me. Didn't laugh at my jokes. Didn't really understand each other. She was French, so... Might have been nice if we could have chosen who we married."
Sophie Bone is a minor character taken from BBC's Ghosts. She is basically written as an original character, with only three events (her marriage to Humphrey, the Bone Plot, and the death of her nursemaid) featured on my timeline actually being seen in the show.Sophie L'Cognié was born in 1533, to a French aristocratic family; a family with strong Catholic beliefs. Her mother Eléa died in the process, which left her to be raised primarily by her nursemaid, Margaret, and her older brother François. She had virtually no relationship with her father, Raoul nor did she crave one. She grew up with little interest of her rich lifestyle, tending to stick close to her brother like a shadow, or busying herself with her own hobbies.She lived in France up to 1546, before she was ripped away from her beloved home, and forced to marry into an English Noble family, wedding the only heir, Humphrey Bone.Their marriage was not a happy one, Sophie forever resentful that she had to leave France, and was emotionally alone, aside from Margaret in the large, family manor: Bone Hall. Humphrey did try to please his wife, tried to make her happy and content, but she would have none of it. Until she was nineteen, she understood little of the language (she continued speaking French, and no one interacted with her enough that she felt the need to learn the English tongue), nor did anyone attempt to learn French for her comfort.In 1558, Queen Elizabeth I, a Protestant Queen, became Queen of England, which isolated Sophie even further. Sophie came from a Catholic family, and was a very faithful woman. She took confession nearly every week back in France, and began returning to Catholic Churches in England in 1555 to continue practising. This was more to have someone to speak to, though, as she sometimes didn't feel as if she could tell anyone, even Margaret, what she was feeling deep down.She was sold into a country that had her beliefs and religion banned and prosecuted when she was only 24. Sophie could never get over the trauma of leaving France behind, and soon every part of who she once was began to be chipped away. Humphrey is a walking reminder of that. He's a nice cage, a friendly captor, who wants so badly to make things better for her-- but she is a caged animal nonetheless. She legally belongs to him and knows that if he were cruel to her, there's nothing she could do about it. She is lucky, a woman in her time to have been paired with someone like Humphrey, but is unable to move past her own hurts.She continued attending church as Catholic Churches and beliefs were quickly discarded under the new queen's reign, and Sophie began feeling even more disconnected to herself, and where she resided. During her teenage years, she came to the startling realisation that it wasn't particularly Humphrey she didn't love; she would never love any man. Through shared letters with one of her handmaidens back home, seeded feelings were released, about who she loved, and she came to resent the path her life had taken even more.Sophie, through her confessions at church, (confessions about the fact that she'd never betray her Catholic faith) was recruited to join a plot against the current queen, in order to put Mary Queen of Scots on the English throne. She worked for over ten years with a wide variety of accomplices in order to fulfil said plot, and the day arrived in 1575. But her death followed shortly after, where she then becomes a ghost.
Unlike the other ghosts in the series, who are all bound to a property line (unable to move past the barrier of the lands which they died on), Sophie is bound to an item. In this instance, a necklace given to her from her older brother, which once belonged to their mother. She's linked to it, and if she moves too far away, she'll be drawn back, almost like banging into an invisible wall, unable to move any further. This necklace is passed on amongst the centuries, and with it, Sophie is forced to follow. Like in life, she has no true stability, and is not able to grow comfortable in any location, as it's likely she'll be uprooted without any warning.Sophie is a strong, enigmatic and independent woman, crackling with deep intensity, but a kind of charisma that almost makes her un-ignorable. She stands by her beliefs and does not seek the approval of others. Her sense of independence came about due to her lack of reliability, never truly having anyone in her life who she could properly depend on. And those she could, were ripped away as she moved to England for her marriage. She is outwardly shrewd and stoic, and purposely presents herself this way, unwilling to let anyone see the true emotions which lie beneath. (Again, the few people who did see the real Sophie, she had to part from them.) In life, she does not find it easy to trust, and in her thirty years of marriage, makes no effort to gain new connections, or friendships. But it's also worth noting, that during the time Sophie and Humphrey were alive, there were only about 10 years where England and France were not at war, which would have alienated Sophie even further from the people around her. So if she wanted to make new connections, there would have been every chance nothing would have worked out.This can all be verse / thread dependant, though! Sophie's emotions and actions rely heavily on the people she is in contact with. It can be difficult to gain her trust, but once she has opened up, it's unyielding. She has the capability to be very soft and kind, but simply chooses not to be. Sophie is very sure in who she is, and what she wants. Even after her brutal death, she does not allow her new state to take power over her, or consume her.Due to the head injury contributing to her death, Sophie finds that pieces of her afterlife are missing, chunks here and there quite literally fallen from her memory. By the time she gets to Button House, there's at least twenty years worth of memories gone, which won't ever return.Sophie has a keenness for the arts, particularly through her oil paints and playing the transverse flute. Alongside her weekly confessions, she finds these two outlets a way to calm her frustrated mindset, keeping her occupied in her lonesome days inside Bone Hall. She is also an avid reader, tending to bring a book with her outside to the gardens (both in France and England) as the sun sets above her.
...
..HHhhhHHHHHH.PERSONALITY TYPE: ARCHITECT.
Architects are imaginative and strategic thinkers, with a plan for everything.
28% EXTRAVERTED / 72% INTROVERTED: Introverted individuals tend to prefer fewer, yet deep and meaningful social interactions, and often feel drawn to calmer environments.
61% INTUITIVE / 39% OBSERVANT: Intuitive individuals are very imaginative, open-minded, and curious. They value originality and focus on hidden meanings and distant possibilities.
78% THINKING / 22% FEELING: Thinking individuals focus on objectivity and rationality, often dismissing emotions in favour of logic. They tend to see effectiveness as more important than social harmony.
81% JUDGING / 19% PROSPECTING: Judging individuals are decisive, thorough, and highly organised. They value clarity, predictability, and closure, preferring structure and planning to spontaneity.
49% ASSERTIVE / 51% TURBULENT: Turbulent individuals are self-conscious and sensitive to stress. They feel a sense of urgency in their emotions and tend to be success-driven, perfectionist, and eager to improve.
...
...
LIFE.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: ...please note before reading that sophie is murdered by strangulation by a corrupt, obsessed catholic priest. there are religious themes present as sophie is a faithful woman. none of this is written in graphic or extreme detail. ...this timeline is the bare bones of her backstory, and more will be updated as i see fit!
November 2nd 1533....Sophie L’Congié is born six weeks early to an aristocratic French family. Unfortunately, her mother Eléa died in the process. Leaving the fragile, ill little Sophie to be surrounded by men; her father Raoul, and her five year older brother, François.
November 5th 1533.... Sophie is put under the primary care of her mother’s nursemaid, Margaret. François tries his best to see his little sister, wanting nothing more than to hold her and introduce himself, but Margaret is insistent that the babe be left alone for the time being.
November 11th 1533.... Sophie finally gets some colour in her cheeks, and begins feeding well, becoming healthier each and every day. François is finally allowed to hold her without risk of worsening her condition. She wraps her full hand around his thumb, bright eyes peering directly into him.
1533 - 1538.... Sophie is raised solely by Margaret, and develops a close bond with François. She has little to no relationship with her father, but even from her very young age, does not specifically care. He has an heir in his son, and finds Sophie’s presence unimportant in the grand scheme of things. They’ve shared no more than six conversations amongst her five years. She does not strive for his affection, nor does she feel like she’s missing out on something by not obtaining it. She prefers to keep to herself, friendly to the servants, and often dining with them in the kitchen at supper times. The few times she eats with her brother and father in the banqueting hall is when they have guests, and appearances need to be upkept. François often tries to sneak away to dine with her, but is always hauled back by their father. There have been many occasions where François has carried her back to her room after finding her sleeping in the gardens, with a book in hand.
February 17th 1539.... A grand ball is held in the L’Cognié estate, with noble families from England and Ireland attending. Sophie attends, much to her displeasure, as Margaret gets her dressed in the appropriate garments. She swoons over how beautiful she looks, a spitting image of her mother; where Sophie in turn frets and complains over how uncomfortable her new headpiece is. While she’s always presented well, this is the first time she’s forced into such extreme attire. She never wore jewellery to this extent, and always tended to be rid of her corset before midday. At the ball, she is approached by a handful of boys her age, (all who were forced to learn some French before arrival) requesting her company in either a dance, or a walk about the grounds– she declines every one of them. She eventually sneaks off to find Margaret, who tries directing her back towards the ballroom, but there is no changing Sophie’s mind when it’s set on something. She helps Margaret, and the other servants prepare the quarters for the guests and only returns to the festivities in time for dinner. A young boy from England sits beside her, trying to engage in conversation with a few silly jokes, but she flat out ignores him. His French is by far the worst of all the boys. (Hint. It’s Humphrey. My boy. Best boy that ever did live. I wanna kiss him on the cheek. <3)
February 18th 1539.... For the first time, Raoul properly acknowledges Sophie’s existence. It’s only to berate her for her behaviour at last night’s ball, her refusal to acknowledge any of the boys. He tells her they were all possible suitors, and she laughs out loud, a cackle of a sound, at the mere idea of “marrying any of those silly little boys.” The first ounce of physical contact is finally shared between father and daughter, but it’s delivered in a swift slap to her cheek, sending her tumbling to the floor. Despite the pain blaring in her face, she continues arguing with him, spitting vile words, as Raoul towers over her. She’s defiant as ever, chin jutted out, but before anything else can transpire, François rushes in after hearing the commotion. He picks his sister up off the ground, and demands his father leave. He does, and François quickly checks over the girl, fingers lightly brushing against her already bruising cheek. She’s insistent that she’s fine, not even tempted to cry, or be upset. For the following week, François sleeps with her– he would do so for longer, but Sophie tells him to go back to his own room, that she doesn’t need protection.
April 1st 1539.... Sophie asks François what their mother was like, only ever seeing portraits and hearing kind words about her from the staff. They always seemed so sad about it, though, which prevented Sophie from asking more questions, not wishing to upset them. François begins telling her stories and confirms that Sophie really was very like her, in looks and attitude.
May 10th 1539.... François teaches Sophie how to ride a horse.
November 3rd 1539.... The day after Sophie’s sixth birthday, Raoul brings in three handmaidens for her, claiming she is becoming a woman, and it’s about time she started acting like one. Three sisters: seventeen year old twins, Amélie and Béatrice, and their seven year old sister, Cosette. They’re set up in the servants quarters. The eldest daughters teach Sophie the proper etiquette of her status and expectations. Cosette is left to the more mundane tasks, like changing Sophie’s chamber pot, and bedsheets.
December 19th 1539.... Under the tutelage of the eldest daughters, Sophie is forced to begin dining with her father and brother, and dressing in the same fashion she did at their held ball.
December 20th 1539.... Sophie is taught to properly dance. She finds it extremely unnecessary and boring, until François steps in and takes over teaching. Her attitude changes completely.
April 11th 1540.... Sophie retires to her chambers early one night after feeling sick all day. When she gets there, Cosette is still cleaning out her room, and immediately prepares to leave, apologising for having not yet finished. Sophie is kind and asks if she will stay and help her get ready for bed, not yet able to take off corsets on her own. Cosette offers to brush her hair, too, which Sophie would normally do herself, but because she doesn’t feel the best, agrees to it. She and Cosette talk for a few hours which seems to rush by in only a few minutes; her hair is silky smooth by the time François comes in, expecting to find his sister in bed. She’s embarrassed, appalled that she had Cosette combing through her hair for nearly two hours, and apologises. Cosette leaves per Sophie’s request, and François tucks her into bed. Sophie doesn’t feel quite so ill anymore, though.
November 3rd 1540.... For Sophie’s seventh birthday, François gifts her a necklace which once belonged to their mother. He tells her that after Eléa’s death, their father sold a lot of her finer jewellery, having no need for it anymore. But François stashed away as much as he could when he was a boy, keeping it hidden in his room for the last seven years. She asks if she can wear it, whether she needs to hide it too, but François doesn’t think Raoul would even recognise it. She invites Cosette to the large dinner in honour of her birthday (most of which François organised), but she declines, saying it wasn’t proper for her to eat in their banqueting hall. Sophie dines with her father and brother, but later that night takes some left overs from the kitchen, and brings them into Cosette’s room to share.
April 22nd 1541.... Sophie asks François to teach her how to sword fight. They begin small, with wooden swords, and over the following weeks slowly make their way to the actual weapons. She becomes skilled in the art, even though she never needs to use it in her lifetime.
1541 - 1546.... TBA. / Just getting closer with François and Cosette. A few more run-ins with her father, which in one case, leaves her with a bloody nose that Cosette tenderly cleans up. She does start becoming more regal in these years, after trying to avoid it, she eventually gives in to her handmaiden's instructions. Begins accepting dances from young boys at balls and events, even though their hands always feel strange. Rough and too big. She wishes they felt like Cosette’s. Sophie begins learning the transverse flute, touching into an artistic side she didn't know she had.
January 3rd 1546.... At twelve years old, Sophie is engaged, against her will, to Humphrey Ignatius Bone, the only heir of a noble family in England. She fights against it, as does her brother.
January 5th 1546.... François wakes up in the middle of the night after hearing Sophie’s lithe footsteps creeping into his room, setting a letter at his nightstand. Before she leaves, he gets out of bed, drawing her back, sitting her down beside him. He reads the letter in front of her: a farewell. She tells him she won’t marry someone she doesn’t love, and will run away before that happens. She begins to panic, and he calms her down, promising he’ll speak to their father about the engagement. He holds her close and they fall asleep together.
January 9th 1546.... François threatens to renounce his claim to the family, his father’s only heir, if Sophie is forced into the marriage. Raoul in turn threatens to send Sophie away if he does, somewhere far less kind than a wealthy family in England.
January 15th 1546.... François and Sophie, after careful planning and help from Margaret, arrange to sneak out in the middle of the night, and go off together. They’re stopped by Raoul, after getting word from his most loyal servant (a woman, doing anything she could to climb up the ladder, with delusions of grandeur to one day wed Raoul and inherit his riches). Sophie is locked in her room, with plans to ship her to England the following day. She hears the screaming between her father and brother, but is powerless to stop it.
January 16th 1546.... Alongside Margaret, she is forced onto the boat to her new life, not able to say goodbye to François or Cosette.
January 22nd 1546.... Sophie and Humphrey are married, at ages twelve and fourteen, and immediately he is kind and gentle to her, but she wants none of it. She remembers him from the ball all those years ago.
November 13th 1546.... Sophie at last receives her first letter from François, having written to him countless times already. He apologises for the delay, but does not explain why it took him so long to write, despite future letters requesting this information. She worries of what her behaviour may have resulted in for her brothers wellbeing. They frequently write, François constantly trying to arrange plans to come to England and visit. Something always seems to get in the way, though.
August 2nd 1548.... Sophie wakes up in a mad panic, finding blood in her bedsheets, and immediately rushes to Margaret to help her get rid of them, to do something. Margaret is quick and attentive, telling Sophie to calm herself, that no one will know her body is changing, maturing. Bone Hall would already be busy as it was the early morning, so Margaret took her own sheets and covered Sophie’s bed with them, promising to dispose of the stained ones at a later, quieter hour. Sophie frets the entire day, more closed off than usual.
August 3rd 1548.... A little past 1am the following morning, Margaret plans to burn the evidence in the kitchen's large fireplace. Although, Humphrey had followed her out, initially planning to speak to her in regards to Sophie, if there was anything he could do to make her happier. When he sees what Margaret is doing, he freezes on the spot, uncertain to what his own reaction should be, well aware of what she’s concealing. Of what could now be forced between himself and his wife. He steps in, tells Margaret to leave and make sure Sophie is alright. He can get rid of the sheets. Margaret follows his orders, and immediately tells Sophie what has happened. During the following week, Sophie remains on edge, not believing the boy wouldn’t immediately tell his father.
August 11th 1548.... Per Humphrey’s request, a fireplace is built into Sophie’s room. Telling his father it gets drafty in her end of the house; he just wants to be kind to her. A cover, in case Sophie has another accident and there’s no time to clean away any evidence. She wouldn’t even need to leave her room to dispose of the showing of maturity. Humphrey does his best to learn about a woman’s ‘courses’, hoping to be prepared in case Sophie ever came to him for help.
August 12th 1548.... He realises how unlikely this is, so instead asks Margaret to come to him if Sophie needs help; he’ll make sure his father doesn’t find out. Margaret replays this information for Sophie, but she doesn’t believe it, expecting any day for Lord Bone to start speaking with her about bloodlines and continuing with the Bone name. This never happens.
August 13th 1548.... Margaret thanks Humphrey for his behaviour, and tries to justify Sophie’s own. Telling him she would behave like this with any young man; it has nothing to do with Humphrey himself. She is home-sick, scared and alone, and doesn’t even understand what anyone is trying to tell her. He does his best to understand– this wasn’t the life he signed up for, either.
December 24th 1548.... Sophie receives a letter from Cosette, telling her François thankfully kept her and her sisters on the staff and she now works in the kitchens. She writes about how terribly she misses Sophie and wishes she never had to leave. Sophie writes back almost immediately, anxiously awaiting a response.
1550.... Sophie begins learning English by listening in on conversations, specifically from banquets and events held in Bone Hall. No one really tries speaking to her on these occasions; she is there simply to look pretty, and hang off Humphrey’s arm. Sophie never fails to see how uncomfortable these situations make Humphrey, also. Nor does she ever miss just how respectful he is towards her; the way he holds out his arm first for her to take, rather than taking hers. He never offers to walk her back to her quarters, knowing she prefers her privacy. She starts to blame him for her situation a little less, though her attitude does not waver on the surface.
1551.... She often hears, and sees Lord Bone speaking down to Humphrey, outright telling him what a disappointment he is; there are scattered occasions where some part of her wants to defend him. Or at the very least, find him later and make sure he’s alright. She never does.
1552.... Sophie and Cosette’s letters become increasingly frequent, to the extent that she receives just as many from her, as she does her own brother.
1553.... At nineteen, Sophie comes to the startling realisation that the way she feels about Cosette, is the way she should be feeling about Humphrey. Or any man.
1554.... Cosette and Sophie confess their secret feelings through letters, which leads Sophie growing somewhat frantic as there’s still no one she trusts within Bone Hall. Selfishly, she asks Margaret to give her recent letter (a letter full confessions which if found, could see her hanged) to Humphrey, for him to take securely outside the house. Humphrey jumps at the opportunity to do something for his wife, just as she knew he would. He is the only one she trusts with such information. To not read her letters.
1555.... Sophie begins taking confession once again at the Catholic Church close to the manor. Guilt about both her living situation and these strange, unlawful emotions towards another woman making her feel the need to beg forgiveness. She’d gone frequently in France, but had not done so since her marriage. She reaffirms her faith, finding it a source of comfort as England still does not feel like home. She begins returning to a weekly confessional, telling the priest everything she could never tell anyone else. She tells him how sometimes she wishes Humphrey was a horrible man, because that way she would have an excuse to hate him. That she is physically unable to love him, even if she wanted to. (This is the most she says about her true feelings regarding Cosette.)
1556.... Lord Bone demands that attempts are to be made to continue the bloodline, that Sophie is by far old enough now. She is forced to move into Humphrey's quarters, which aids even more tension and resentment than there already was. Humphrey assures her nothing will happen if she doesn't wish for it and he offers to sleep on the ground. She forces him up to the bed, but makes no attempt to speak with him. They go on like this for months, awkwardly falling asleep beside one another. One night, Sophie kisses him oh-so gently on his temple, just once, when she knows he's fast asleep, and thanks him in English.
March 21st 1557.... When Sophie is 23, Lord Bone begins falling ill. Which in her case, was something of a blessing, as it kept Humphrey occupied, away from her, trying to make some kind of union in their marriage. Trying to be kind. She moves back into her own room.
July 22nd 1557.... Lord Bone dies, and Sophie offers her condolences through Margaret, (who has often translated between the couple) despite the fact that she’s well versed in the English language by now. She sits with him for the night, patting his hand gently, before he decides to retire to his own room. It’s the most intimate they’ve ever been. She keeps up this behaviour for a week following the funeral proceedings, before going back to her old ways. She wasn’t putting it on, wasn’t faking being kind– it’s merely easier to keep Humphrey away from her.
1558. ...Queen Elizabeth I (aka Queen Bess) becomes Queen of England. Sophie reaches the end of her tether of her life in "this miserable country." She goes to confession almost immediately, claiming she will never betray her faith, no matter who sat on the throne.
1562.... Sophie goes to confession in the one Catholic Church left under Queen Elizabeth’s reign; a church which would very soon be converted. She speaks of her faith, that she will never betray her Catholic beliefs, and would never bow down to Queen Elizabeth I. "Death to Queen Bess" she would say, like a mantra. It is here that the priest at last introduces himself as Claude Moreau, and tells her of a secret plot stirring in order to put the true queen, Mary Queen of Scots on the throne. That she intrigued him from her very first confession, specifically the night Queen Bess was crowned. He trusts her enough to let her in on this plot, and takes her to one of the underground bases, where she meets a wide range of men who all believe in the same cause.
October 31st 1570.... Margaret passes away peacefully in her bed, with Sophie at her side. For the first time in her life, she cries.
March 5th 1571.... At this point, Humphrey is well aware Sophie is never going to come around to him, though does not like the idea of her being alone. He gifts her with a Great Pyrenees, only a small puppy at the time, but hoping he’ll give her some company. Sophie’s gratitude is genuine, thanking him, telling him he is a good man right to his face, only because she knows he will not understand her words. She does touch his hand gently, giving it a small squeeze, before closing the door. The puppy is named Hugo.
September 4th 1571.... Before returning to her room for the night, Sophie wanders throughout the house looking for Hugo. Usually he's waiting for her by the time she goes to bed, but she grew concerned after calling his name and he failed to answer. She eventually finds him curled up to Humphrey in the library, both asleep. She watches them a little longer than she'd like, a soft smile creeping onto her face, before heading to bed alone. She's happy the dog is fond of Humphrey at least, so he's not alone either.
July 14th 1575. ... Sophie devises her assassination plan against Queen Bess, and that night, gives it to Claude in confession in the form of a letter. This will then be passed on to Mary Queen of Scots.
September 25th 1575....Humphrey asks if there’s something Sophie would like to do, something to make her happy. They come to the decision of a reading group, which she’d host in "his end" of the house. Sophie immediately gets word out to some of her people that a meeting could be held in Bone Hall.
September 26th 1575. ... A reading group is arranged, which is a guise for the Catholic plotters to get together. Sophie and her co-conspirators finalise their plans to get Queen Bess off the throne; an assassination plan devised by Sophie herself, which Mary Queen of Scots agreed with. With everything in place, Sophie's men are carefully seen out, (as they know Queen Bess' spies lurk around every corner) but none have realised one lone book was left behind.
Humphrey finds this book, and intends to return it to Sophie's friends, but a letter slips out: from Mary Queen of Scots, confirming the assassination plans. He confronts Sophie, asking "what have you done?", when Queen Bess' guards are suddenly heard outside, arresting the men Sophie brought to the house.
Much to Humphrey's surprise, Sophie reveals that she can speak English, quickly telling him that they need to leave together, if he wants to live. Selflessly, Humphrey instead tells her to go, and barricades the door as long as he can, stopping the guards from coming in and finding her. He tells her "this isn't the life you signed up for! Go! Live another one." After a moments hesitation, she takes his offer. She kisses him gently on the cheek, before escaping Bone Hall, leaving Humphrey to be beheaded in her place, taking blame for her crimes. The plot is forever known in history as The Bone Plot and Humphrey is remembered as a traitor while Sophie is forgotten.[I have also linked two important scenes from this episode, the events which ultimately lead to Sophie's death here.]Sophie immediately goes to the church, where Claude hides her in the Priest Hole for the night. For the second time in her life, she cries. She holds her wedding ring close to her chest, thanking Humphrey, asking God to forgive her for the way she treated him. She vows to never remove the ring. In the Hole, she writes a letter to Cosette, where to meet her, as she was preparing to go home. She did not express the urgency of the situation, knowing her letters could be intercepted. She knew Cosette would not receive the letter for a while yet, but Sophie already arranged where to go once she reached France; she’d merely need to wait for Cosette.
September 27th 1575.... Word of Humphrey Bone’s betrayal is common news by the following morning, and Elizabeth I’s guards begin searching for Sophie. Claude safely gets her to one of the hold ups, where she is greeted by accomplices, some of which she has grown rather close with. She requests someone send her letter out, and readies herself to return home. Claude pledges to keep her safe until then.
September 29th 1575.... She prepares to go back home with Claude at her side, aiding her to the docks in case there was any trouble on the way. Two hours before they leave their secured hideout, he attempts to kiss her, and Sophie pulls away from him. He professes his love, going back to the very first time she came to his confessional. He hopes with Humphrey now gone, she can allow him into her life, that she will stay in England, or he can come to France with her.
She lets him down gently, saying she cannot be with another man after Humphrey’s sacrifice; she needs to honour their marriage. He grows angry, claiming he kept her safe like no one else ever had or could; he helped her, let her in on this grand secret— he’d never considered doing such a thing for a woman. It’s her fault for coming to confession and making him feel this way. That he’d never once broken his religious oaths. His behaviour is erratic, and she attempts to get away. He pulls her back by the hair; when she’s whipped around, she delivers a claw-like scratch to his cheek, which bleeds out immediately, rendering him momentarily defenceless. She reaches for the dagger that’s been kept beneath her dress in a thigh holster ever since she became part of the plot; he regains himself too quickly and overpowers her, throwing her to the ground, giving her a nasty bump to the back of her head. She loses consciousness only for a few seconds. When she wakes, his hands are already around her throat, pressing her further and further into the ground. She dies by the hand of his obsession....
...
...
DEATH.
I AM STILL WORKING THROUGH THIS TIMELINE, FIGURING OUT PLACES AND PEOPLE SHE MEETS IN THE FIVE HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE RETURNING TO BONE HALL, WHICH NOW GOES BY 'BUTTON HOUSE.' the column on the right is not necessary to read as it's more for my own ideas and hcs regarding sophie with the canon characters of ghosts.
September 29th 1575....It takes a half hour for Sophie to regain consciousness, and when she does, immediately gets up, rushing for an escape. She makes it as far as the streets, before she is hauled back to where she started. Confused, thinking perhaps the bang to her head made her black out, she tries again. At the very same spot outside, she’s once again hauled backwards to the underground hideout. Confused and scared, Sophie follows the only sound she can hear. She finds the source, and the sight is a macabre one. Claude, carrying her body through the tunnels and various passageways, knowing them all far better than anyone else involved in the plot. He dumps her as far as the tunnels can take him, knowing the rats will get to her before anyone else. He pockets her necklace as a souvenir.
September 30th 1575.... The first thing Sophie thinks in her new life as a ghost, is whether Humphrey may still be in Bone Hall. She hopes he is, so she might be able to speak to him. But she very quickly realises that whatever force is keeping her here, is connected to her mother’s necklace. In some places she can move a great deal away from it, but others she is confined to where she can see the item; there is no pattern, which frustrates her to no end.
She discovers there’s blood on her teeth and tongue, and a small dribble on her bottom lip. She’d bitten her tongue after the bang to her head, and in the following effort to get his hands off her throat, the filling blood spilled out. Her hair is now messy in the back, clotted, though the wound is primarily covered. Obvious bruising marks her throat, angry, vicious fingerprints, and blood resides in the nails on her left hand from where she’d scratched Claude. Her appearance will never change from this.
1575 - 1585. ...Sophie is stuck close to Claude for ten years, a miserable existence, forever forced to be near him. Sopie discovers that due to her head injury which contributed to her death, she tends to fade in and out, something akin to a ghostly sickness. Days where she’ll look transparent, and grow incredibly pale. Within a few days it always passes. It’s a never ending cycle, one that again she has no control over. At last, some mercy is granted, when her necklace is snatched out of Claude’s pocket by a young boy on the streets, and escapes with it before he can be caught....
1601-1753. ...Sophie's necklace is found washed up in a small riverbend in England, stuck in the sand and filthy beyond compare. A young girl, Luciana Evans, finds it and brings it to her family home, a large manor filled with six children and their two parents. It's the first time Sophie has felt comfortable, like this might actually be a home. It's a grand estate, filled with love and care, and even though Sophie haunts the premises, she's quite content. Soon, the mother and father die within the house, but rather than moving on, become ghosts. This goes on for over a century: Sophie's necklace is passed down between the generations, mother's to daughters, as the house never leaves the family. Sophie gains a family in the Evans Estate, even more connected due to her mothers necklace being such an important heirloom in their family. Until one fateful event in 1753, when her necklace is stolen in the dead of the night by thieves, and she’s taken away. She becomes more bitter, resentful, and vows to never let herself settle in one place too long.
June 9th 2005.... Sophie’s necklace is taken to something called an ‘Antiques Roadshow’ by the current owners, held in a grand manor called Button House. She does not recognise it as Bone Hall immediately, as it was nearly 480 years ago she was there last. She always enjoys these sorts of things, finding the history rather fascinating, despite the fact that she lived through a lot of the times. She prefers travelling, being passed around from one place to the next, as it gives no opportunity to grow comfortable somewhere. Especially when she knows it will never last. She’s watching one of the presenters speak when a loud, excitable voice calls out, “It’s the pretty girl from the painting!!” Sophie sees a young lady, in a grand burgundy dress running towards her, with a band of mismatched people behind her. She can only assume they’re ghosts based on their attire. The maiden introduces herself as Kitty, and a WWII soldier tells her to calm down, to not crowd Sophie. She’s told there’s an old oil painting of her on the wall, and it suddenly dawns on her where she is. If that hadn’t, the decapitated body of Sir Humphrey Bone suddenly walking through the room, certainly would have. Sophie doesn’t notice the strange look on the caveman's face, something like shock and happiness merged together.
She excuses herself in her newfound company, and begins screaming out for Humphrey, tone so shrill and harsh that none of the ghosts can quite tell if she’s excited or furious. She eventually finds him up on a high shelf, and now that she’s there, hardly knows how to react. Doesn’t know what to say. Instead, he looks at her wide-eyed, the markings on her neck being the first thing he notices, and he asks if she’s okay, asks who hurt her. His voice is so gentle and kind, that she finds herself nearly in tears, tenderly picking up his head, pressing a soft kiss to his temple, and going off to find his body before they can talk. She quickly finds him, reattaches him, and takes his hand, leading him to her old room, which is now the library. They speak all through the night, and Sophie doesn’t even realise she’s not been tugged away by the Roadshow packing up and leaving. She profoundly apologises for her behaviour when they were married, and tells him the nature of her death, a mere three days after his. He asks if he can hug her, in the same manner back in the day when he’d wait for her to initiate physical contact, rather than doing it himself. She allows it, and they sit like that for a good while.
During this time, her necklace has been lost within the chaos and business of the house, before it could even be appraised. A desperate search begins, but none are able to secure it. It fell beneath a crack in the floorboards, and got caught behind the old boiler in the cellar.
June 10th 2005.... When Sophie discovers her necklace is missing, she begins to panic, but keeps it under wraps best she can. She explains to the other ghosts that unlike them, she is bound to an item, rather than a place. That knowing where it is upkeeps her sense of security. They all try to find it, but none are successful.
June 15th 2005.... Sophie falls back into old habits, growing distant from the residents of Button House, knowing that as nice as it seems here, it won’t last. Even if another hundred years pass like it did in her first proper home, she’d still be uprooted.
August 9th 2005.... Sophie properly meets Robin, who speaks to her only in French, which makes her feel safe, secure. He tells her how he liked Margaret a lot, and was very sad when she died.
September 21st 2005.... Humphrey finally plucks up the courage to respond to Sophie in French, which she deeply appreciates, but does not expect it anymore, not after all these years. He disagrees, telling her he should have learnt back when they were married. (Cutting out the French plotline in s5, so that Robin begins teaching Humphrey much sooner.)
2006 - 2009. ...Sophie keeps mainly to herself, somewhat resentful towards Humphrey due to the Bone Plot. Both in the sense that his name was credited for her work, but more so for the fact that his death was for nothing. He was too good, better than she deserved, and she ended up dying three days later, even with his wonderful intentions and sacrifice. Kitty and Pat try their best to keep her entertained, and happy, and invite her to What I Would Wear If I Could Today. She agrees, but does not participate, and doesn’t return for any other meetings.
December 25th 2009.... Kitty finds her out in the gardens and asks her to come inside, and participate in the Button House Christmas Quiz. She does, and actually finds it enjoyable. It gives her an insight into her fellow ghosts. She realises what a family they truly are.
2010. ... She begins sitting in on all their clubs, but never speaks out.
Julian, with much effort, begins pulling books down from the shelves in the library so she can read them, turning every page when she’s ready. (It’s the only time he doesn’t complain about finger cramps. Because she’s hot. Obvs.)
Thomas begins writing poems about her, and she finds some of them rather good. Some.
She and Fanny grow very close, having a lot in common regarding their past circumstances. Sophie reminds Fanny of herself when she was young, defiant and not allowing men to control her life. Even if it was a man who ultimately ended it.
Sophie first properly interacts with the Captain after he finds her walking around the house at 3am (as he does nightly checks on all the ghosts at every hour of the chime, just to make sure they don’t need anything), and they get into a rather personal conversation. She speaks of a lost love, and doesn’t miss the way his face flinches, the way his swagger stick is held a little tighter.
Sophie finds she has a very soft spot for Mary, always incredibly keen to listen to her in their clubs. She often requests her company when Sophie walks amongst the grounds.
Not much to say about Robin, other than best friends (‘boofs?’)!!! Her knowing someone was looking out for her, was there for her during her years in Bone Hall. That’s her emotional support dog right there!!! She plays with his hair and sometimes he sleeps on the end of her bed like a curled up little cat.
She begins to perceive Kitty as something like a little sister, and while her enthusiasm can often be overwhelming and annoying, it’s something Sophie admires. That even though snippets of Kitty’s past have been told and the awful things she went through, she remains optimistic throughout it all.
She goes out of her way to mend her relationship with Humphrey, going all the way back to when she was fourteen, and found the blood in her bedsheets. From that moment she knew what kind of boy he was, what kind of man he was going to be, but did not know how to treat him, or be kind. She confesses that a great part of her didn’t want to. That she blamed him, when logically she knew he had no choice in the matter.
January 1st 2011.... Sophie is very fond of Pat from the beginning, and soon shows this admiration the only way she knows how: participating in Food Club. His face lights up when she stands to speak in front of everyone. After the club is over, he pats her on the shoulder and thanks her for trusting them. She finds it a little silly, given she only spoke about her favourite foods. But she starts participating from there on.
April 10th 2011.... Sophie tells Humphrey she loves him, but could never love him in the way that might have been expected or assumed. She tells him about Cosette, about how it was never him, it would have been any man. He understands, as she knew he would. Explains that he didn’t love her either, but just wanted her to be happy. This wrecks her with even more guilt, and she kisses his cheek fondly, pulling him into a tight embrace.
February 1st 2012.... Sophie, with great hesitation, asks Julian if he’ll use Heather’s old desktop to look up her name in the search engine. It takes some time to get the computer running, as the house has begun falling into disrepair, with the computer not having any use for a handful of years. There are many results under her name, conspiracies and theories but no cause of death confirmed. Her body was never found. Or if it was, it wasn't identified. The information makes her strangely emotional, and Julian asks if he can do anything for her. She half expects some crude joke or comment, but he remains constant in her presence, and she appreciates it. She allows herself to cry softly, and tells him about where her body was dumped, which he listens to attentively. Humphrey was the only one she’d told thus far.
September 3rd 2012.... Sophie grows ill for the first time in front of the ghosts, which has them all freaking out, Kitty especially. She immediately tells them all to calm down, that sometimes it happens. Explains that it passes, and is comfortable enough to part back her hair and show her friends the matted wound at the back of her skull. Humphrey and Robin help her up to her room, where she rests for nearly two straight days.
TEN QUESTIONS WITH SOPHIE.
THESE QUESTIONS ARE TAKEN FROM 'THE BUTTON HOUSE ARCHIVES' COMPANION BOOK, TO THE SERIES BBC'S GHOSTS. ALISON, THE WOMAN WHO INHERITS THE HOUSE AND CAN SEE THE GHOSTS, COLLECTS AS MUCH INFORMATION FROM THEIR LIVES (PHYSICAL ARTEFACTS AND STORIES) AND CREATES THE BOOK TO STORE THEM SOMEWHERE SAFE. SHE INTERVIEWS ALL THE GHOSTS WITH THESE SAME TEN QUESTIONS!
WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
A small countryside by the name of Gordes; a grand little place, I swear sometimes I can picture it within my head. I was born there, oui, as it is where my mother was from. She returned home for my birth, as she was dreadfully ill, and fathers nursemaids weren’t equipped to cope with her needs. I would never return there, despite how much I craved it. Perhaps we could take a look on that internet of yours, Alison, see if we can find the keep which belonged to my mother? I would quite like to see if it still stands, today.HOW DID YOU DIE?
La avidité de hommes. [That translates to ‘the greed of men’. Thanks Robin. Always something a little poetic from Sophie. Note that she looked into the distance for a few minutes before continuing, just like Humphrey did. Like husband like wife, I suppose.] To put it plainly, I was placed into a terrible situation and was unable to defend myself. I suffered a rather severe head injury, you see. Ultimately it was strangulation which lead to my demise, but to this day, I know that if I had not hit my head so drastically, I would have survived the ordeal.FAVOURITE FOOD?
François used to make the most delicious gooseberry tarts. It began when I was bedridden one day as a child, and he carried in these grand, albeit somewhat undercooked, treats into my chambers in hopes to aid my feverish state. He was but a child, also, and thought something sweet would act as my cure. It didn’t. Although his skills in the kitchen only prevailed as he grew, and he’d make me those tarts near every week. I would so love to know his recipe, that perhaps you and Mike could try them for yourselves.FAVOURITE DRINK?
Red wine. I started on the drink when I was a child, but I do not think I am one who can… as the modern ladies say, ‘hold their liquor.’ Sometimes the numbness is all you need to get through the day, wouldn’t you agree? [Err. Yeah. Right. I wouldn’t know much about that, sorry Sophie.]FAVOURITE SONG?
Oh I simply cannot narrow it down to just one! My mind has wandered to ‘Angel of Music’ from The Phantom of the Opera. But I do enjoy hearing anything from that pretty new artist… what is her name… [Kitty poked her head through the wall to confirm ‘Olivia Rodrigo’. I’ve told Kitty to stop listening in now, as this is meant to be private. Sophie didn’t seem too bothered, though.]
FAVOURITE SPORT?
I was always partial to a good jousting match.BIGGEST REGRET?
[Sophie laughed a little nervously, and began playing with the matted ends of her hair. I told her we didn’t have to continue right now, but she said something in French and shook her head. I’ll get Robin to translate for me later.] I am sure everyone in Button House is well aware of my regrets, the largest and smallest. I… not forcing Humphrey to aid me in my escape from Bone Hall. I shouldn’t have taken his sacrifice as a valid answer, I should have forced him to stay at my side. His heroism was all in vain of course… at least now, I can continue making up for lost time. Repair the damage that my stubbornness caused. There is always time to fix mistakes, when you’ve got forever.FONDEST MEMORY?
Coming here. I have many happy memories scattered throughout my life, like François teaching me to swordplay; my letters between Cosette. But the day I heard Kitty’s voice calling out to me from across the gardens, although I did not know it yet, was indeed the best day of my life. It took me a great deal of time to realise it, but finding a second family, after all this time, has been… wonderful.WORST TRAIT?
I do not think before I speak. I am so accustomed to voicing whatever is on my mind, which I may have once believed was a sign of an independent woman. Now I know it is mere thoughtlessness. And speaking in French, I know majority of those who live in this house fail to understand me, so it’s like I can speak my truths without dealing with any fallouts. A bit of empathy and understanding goes a long way— I truly am working on it.ANY WORDS OF WISDOM?
Don’t take anything for granted. Ever.