certain?”
Annie nodded slowly. “Entirely. I was just in the study with them. Charlie’s actually quite unhappy with the prospect that you believe he is.”
“Truly?” Frances couldn’t help her smile.
“Yes.” Annie nodded. “And if it wasn’t indecent, I think he’d be up here tonight himself to tell you.”
“Truly?” Frances’s smile grew even wider.
“Oh, Frances. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I ever said it. I was only trying to make you feel better, really, but it did stand to reason that he might be … if he had no interest in you and … I’m sorry but it seems he’s not. Not at all. Can you ever forgive me?”
Frances nodded. “I understand, Annie. You were just being a loyal friend.”
“So you’re not angry with me?”
“How could I be? It’s not your fault your brother-in-law does indeed fancy women.”
They both laughed.
Annie sighed. “I do feel as if I’ve made a mess of this entire thing. I just wanted so much for the two of you to make a match. I pushed you into that auction and then I made mad assumptions, and now I’m, well, I’m just sorry, Frances. That’s all. And you’ve been so lovely what with staying with me and helping me with the wedding preparations.”
Frances leaned over and hugged her friend. “Oh, Annie. You wouldn’t be you if you weren’t like this. You’re always up to something. And I love you for all the things you’ve done to try and help me.”
Annie gave her a brilliant smile. “I’m so relieved you’re not angry with me. Don’t worry, we’ll find someone wonderful for you to marry. If not Sir Stuart, then—”
Frances wagged her finger. “Oh, no, you mistake me, Miss Andrews.”
Annie cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“I haven’t quite given up on Charlie yet.”
Annie eyed her carefully. “Frances, what are you thinking?”
“What I haven’t told you yet is that Charlie asked to kiss me tonight.” She gave her friend a sly smile.
“He did not!” Annie’s mouth dropped open.
“Yes, he did. And honestly, I was quite confused by it before, but now, now that I know…” Frances’s voice trailed off and she pressed her fingers against her lips, a hundred ideas swirling through her mind. Oh, the possibilities.
“What are you thinking?” Annie repeated.
Frances grinned at her. “Hmm. Let’s put it this way. Charlie is currently under the impression that I am under the impression that he is—ahem—light in the instep, is he not?”
Annie nodded. “Yes, he is, but surely he’ll tell you the truth as soon as he sees you next.”
“Oh, I’ve little doubt.” Frances nudged her friend with her elbow. “But not before I have a bit of fun with him.”
CHAPTER 23
Charlie spent the entire next day attempting to get Frances alone to explain the truth to her. He had no real idea how he’d broach the topic once he got the chance, but he intended to be blunt and quick about it. The sooner she discovered he did indeed prefer women—her, actually—the better. It was suddenly of utmost importance for her to know.
But every time he so much as broached the topic of speaking with her, she made an excuse about helping Annie and Lily with the wedding preparations and nearly ran from him. He couldn’t blame her. She was obviously still uncomfortable after his deplorable behavior last night. And she was here, staying with Annie, to help her friend. It was exceedingly rude of him to try to take any more of her time. But try he did, in between bouts of drinking to his brother’s impending nuptials in the study. The wedding was in a matter of days, and Charlie intended to stay by his brother’s side through it. As a result, by the end of the evening, Charlie had had a bit too much too drink.
The ladies retired soon after dinner, and it was that bit too much that convinced Charlie it was a good idea to sneak up to Frances’s room and tell her the truth. The ladies would be leaving the day after
Annie nodded slowly. “Entirely. I was just in the study with them. Charlie’s actually quite unhappy with the prospect that you believe he is.”
“Truly?” Frances couldn’t help her smile.
“Yes.” Annie nodded. “And if it wasn’t indecent, I think he’d be up here tonight himself to tell you.”
“Truly?” Frances’s smile grew even wider.
“Oh, Frances. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I ever said it. I was only trying to make you feel better, really, but it did stand to reason that he might be … if he had no interest in you and … I’m sorry but it seems he’s not. Not at all. Can you ever forgive me?”
Frances nodded. “I understand, Annie. You were just being a loyal friend.”
“So you’re not angry with me?”
“How could I be? It’s not your fault your brother-in-law does indeed fancy women.”
They both laughed.
Annie sighed. “I do feel as if I’ve made a mess of this entire thing. I just wanted so much for the two of you to make a match. I pushed you into that auction and then I made mad assumptions, and now I’m, well, I’m just sorry, Frances. That’s all. And you’ve been so lovely what with staying with me and helping me with the wedding preparations.”
Frances leaned over and hugged her friend. “Oh, Annie. You wouldn’t be you if you weren’t like this. You’re always up to something. And I love you for all the things you’ve done to try and help me.”
Annie gave her a brilliant smile. “I’m so relieved you’re not angry with me. Don’t worry, we’ll find someone wonderful for you to marry. If not Sir Stuart, then—”
Frances wagged her finger. “Oh, no, you mistake me, Miss Andrews.”
Annie cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“I haven’t quite given up on Charlie yet.”
Annie eyed her carefully. “Frances, what are you thinking?”
“What I haven’t told you yet is that Charlie asked to kiss me tonight.” She gave her friend a sly smile.
“He did not!” Annie’s mouth dropped open.
“Yes, he did. And honestly, I was quite confused by it before, but now, now that I know…” Frances’s voice trailed off and she pressed her fingers against her lips, a hundred ideas swirling through her mind. Oh, the possibilities.
“What are you thinking?” Annie repeated.
Frances grinned at her. “Hmm. Let’s put it this way. Charlie is currently under the impression that I am under the impression that he is—ahem—light in the instep, is he not?”
Annie nodded. “Yes, he is, but surely he’ll tell you the truth as soon as he sees you next.”
“Oh, I’ve little doubt.” Frances nudged her friend with her elbow. “But not before I have a bit of fun with him.”
CHAPTER 23
Charlie spent the entire next day attempting to get Frances alone to explain the truth to her. He had no real idea how he’d broach the topic once he got the chance, but he intended to be blunt and quick about it. The sooner she discovered he did indeed prefer women—her, actually—the better. It was suddenly of utmost importance for her to know.
But every time he so much as broached the topic of speaking with her, she made an excuse about helping Annie and Lily with the wedding preparations and nearly ran from him. He couldn’t blame her. She was obviously still uncomfortable after his deplorable behavior last night. And she was here, staying with Annie, to help her friend. It was exceedingly rude of him to try to take any more of her time. But try he did, in between bouts of drinking to his brother’s impending nuptials in the study. The wedding was in a matter of days, and Charlie intended to stay by his brother’s side through it. As a result, by the end of the evening, Charlie had had a bit too much too drink.
The ladies retired soon after dinner, and it was that bit too much that convinced Charlie it was a good idea to sneak up to Frances’s room and tell her the truth. The ladies would be leaving the day after
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