stay in London.”
“But—”
“You’re not going to get out of this Charles. Neither you nor Graham seem inclined to get married and produce an heir, therefore you both must be blamed for causing me to resort to adopting your wards. They’ll need a sponsor once they debut and I’m the best they can get. Lord knows I’ve earned the right to spoil three girls after putting up with you and Graham all these years. You honestly seek to deny me that?” She speared him with a daring gaze.
“No.” Because what else could he say?
“Delightful! I’ll make arrangements to leave for Bath in a week’s time.” She nodded and strode to the door.
“Of course,” Charles responded tightly as he bowed.
“And Charles?”
“Yes?”
“Please attend me in three day’s time at the Worthing ball. Lord Southridge is unable to attend and I need an escort.”
“A delight, my lady.” He responded with a clenched jaw, trying to be cordial when all he wanted was for the blasted woman to leave.
“Of course it is.” Her delicate eyebrow lifted in mirth as her green eyes danced.
She let herself out of the study, and Charles collapsed on a nearby chair, puffing out a great sigh. Lady Southridge was a force not to be reckoned with. Graham owed him. Owed him well.
But he couldn’t deny a swell of joy and anticipation in the prospect of seeing Carlotta in a week’s time. He tried to tell himself that he wouldn’t count the days… but he knew he would.
Now if he could only think of a way to get out of attending the Worthing ball.
****
Charles studied the whirling dancers in the middle of the ballroom at the Worthing ball three days later. He swirled the warm champagne in his glass and tried to not appear as bored as he was. He had already danced with Lady Worthing then retreated to one of the gaming rooms. That had proved tedious after a while, so he went to the edge of the ballroom and watched.
The debutantes were all in a pale green that seemed to be all the rage this season. He studiously avoided the corner where the dowagers and matchmaking mommas were in conspiracy against his fellow men. There was no way he’d walk into that dragon’s lair, but that didn’t stop them from sending him calculating glances or from sending their daughters from parading in front of him on the way to the refreshment table.
Never mind the refreshment table was on the other side of the ballroom.
“Your grace.” A velvety voice spoke just to his left. Without turning, he knew to whom the voice belonged. Lady Beckham was a merry widow who was known for her expensive taste and perusal of men.
“Lady Beckham. How are you this evening?” Charles spoke in his most seductive tone simply out of habit. He wasn’t looking for company that night, but that was a recent occurrence. His taste for the superficial had ended when he got a sampling of something much richer.
Of course, he had sent that temptation away to Bath… but that didn’t change the tone of his appetite.
“I’m doing marvelous. What a crush,” she said making light conversation.
“Indeed.” Charles acknowledged the truth. Indeed, it was a crush. People were lined up against every wall; the ballroom was filled as well as all the gaming rooms. Lord and Lady Worthing would be the source of all tomorrow’s gossip.
“You seemed so lonely over in this corner. I thought I’d cheer you up. Of course, I can do far more for you if you’d care to escort me somewhere more… private.” Her tone was laced with seduction and, a few weeks ago, Charles would have swept her off her feet and found the nearest balcony then taken his fill.
But that was before.
And right now, the last thing he wanted was a cheap imitation of what he knew to be real.
And completely unattainable.
“You do me a great compliment, Lady Beckham. But alas, I must stay close to Lady Southridge as I am her escort tonight.”
“Surely she won’t miss you for a moment or two,” she
“But—”
“You’re not going to get out of this Charles. Neither you nor Graham seem inclined to get married and produce an heir, therefore you both must be blamed for causing me to resort to adopting your wards. They’ll need a sponsor once they debut and I’m the best they can get. Lord knows I’ve earned the right to spoil three girls after putting up with you and Graham all these years. You honestly seek to deny me that?” She speared him with a daring gaze.
“No.” Because what else could he say?
“Delightful! I’ll make arrangements to leave for Bath in a week’s time.” She nodded and strode to the door.
“Of course,” Charles responded tightly as he bowed.
“And Charles?”
“Yes?”
“Please attend me in three day’s time at the Worthing ball. Lord Southridge is unable to attend and I need an escort.”
“A delight, my lady.” He responded with a clenched jaw, trying to be cordial when all he wanted was for the blasted woman to leave.
“Of course it is.” Her delicate eyebrow lifted in mirth as her green eyes danced.
She let herself out of the study, and Charles collapsed on a nearby chair, puffing out a great sigh. Lady Southridge was a force not to be reckoned with. Graham owed him. Owed him well.
But he couldn’t deny a swell of joy and anticipation in the prospect of seeing Carlotta in a week’s time. He tried to tell himself that he wouldn’t count the days… but he knew he would.
Now if he could only think of a way to get out of attending the Worthing ball.
****
Charles studied the whirling dancers in the middle of the ballroom at the Worthing ball three days later. He swirled the warm champagne in his glass and tried to not appear as bored as he was. He had already danced with Lady Worthing then retreated to one of the gaming rooms. That had proved tedious after a while, so he went to the edge of the ballroom and watched.
The debutantes were all in a pale green that seemed to be all the rage this season. He studiously avoided the corner where the dowagers and matchmaking mommas were in conspiracy against his fellow men. There was no way he’d walk into that dragon’s lair, but that didn’t stop them from sending him calculating glances or from sending their daughters from parading in front of him on the way to the refreshment table.
Never mind the refreshment table was on the other side of the ballroom.
“Your grace.” A velvety voice spoke just to his left. Without turning, he knew to whom the voice belonged. Lady Beckham was a merry widow who was known for her expensive taste and perusal of men.
“Lady Beckham. How are you this evening?” Charles spoke in his most seductive tone simply out of habit. He wasn’t looking for company that night, but that was a recent occurrence. His taste for the superficial had ended when he got a sampling of something much richer.
Of course, he had sent that temptation away to Bath… but that didn’t change the tone of his appetite.
“I’m doing marvelous. What a crush,” she said making light conversation.
“Indeed.” Charles acknowledged the truth. Indeed, it was a crush. People were lined up against every wall; the ballroom was filled as well as all the gaming rooms. Lord and Lady Worthing would be the source of all tomorrow’s gossip.
“You seemed so lonely over in this corner. I thought I’d cheer you up. Of course, I can do far more for you if you’d care to escort me somewhere more… private.” Her tone was laced with seduction and, a few weeks ago, Charles would have swept her off her feet and found the nearest balcony then taken his fill.
But that was before.
And right now, the last thing he wanted was a cheap imitation of what he knew to be real.
And completely unattainable.
“You do me a great compliment, Lady Beckham. But alas, I must stay close to Lady Southridge as I am her escort tonight.”
“Surely she won’t miss you for a moment or two,” she
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