Where Love Takes You by Rosemary Smith Page A

We were both weary, but when we reached her room, Lina fell on to her bed laughing.
    “What a wonderful evening,” she said, jumping up once more and taking my hand. “Please do the honour of dancing with me, Miss Trent.” She whirled me around her bedroom until I felt dizzy and I felt it was time to calm her down. I stopped her with some resistance, for the young woman was over-tired and enraptured by the evening.
    “Come now, Lina, we must get you to bed, for sleep is what we both need,” I told her. “Now be sensible. We have had a wonderful time and can re-live it later in the day when we have rested. Now let us get you ready for bed.” The long gloves were the biggest problem of all, but eventually, both Lina’s and mine were strewn across the bed.
    “Before I forget,” I asked Lina, “please undo the buttons on my gown.” She did, far more slowly than they were done up, and when the task was done, she went across and looked at herself in the mirror.
    “I don’t ever want to take this beautiful gown off,” she said petulantly.
    “Well you must, young lady,” I told her firmly and eventually, the gown stood hanging on the wardrobe. Once her hair was brushed and Lina was in her nightgown, I drew back the covers of her bed and she climbed in, exhausted. I made sure the heavy curtains were pulled to properly so the daylight didn’t filter in. Giving Lina a kiss on the cheek, I made to leave when she suddenly said, sleepily, “I saw you dancing with my Father. How I wish that you would marry him.” Then she was asleep and I was left feeling quite confused. For now I really didn’t know if I would wish to marry him, when in the beginning, it was all I dreamt of. As I undressed, reluctantly stepping out of my gown, I reached the conclusion that I was a daydreamer no longer and, as I slipped between the crisp white sheets, promptly fell asleep.
    I knew no more until two o’clock that afternoon when I awoke and drew back the curtains to see the afternoon sun shining through my window, casting a strip of light across the carpet. After I was dressed, I remembered that I had vowed to pass Madeline’s letters over to my employer.
    First, I went to see if Lina was awake and was surprised to see her bed already empty and no sign of her. I set to thinking that I had failed in my duties and should not have slept so long. Swiftly, I returned to my room when I bumped into Ruby, who carried a large tray laden with tea, toast and a boiled egg.
    “Master thought you may be in need of refreshment, Miss,” Ruby told me, “and when you be ready, he’d like to see you in the drawing room about three o’clock, but no rush, Miss.” While drinking the well needed cup of tea, I tried to ascertain what my employer wished to see me about and wondered also where Lina was. After the well needed refreshment, I smoothed the skirt of my dove grey dress, checked my hair and retrieved Madeline’s letters from my drawer. I looked down at them and the miniature for what would probably be the last time. I felt a pang of sadness, but knew it was the right thing to do.
    With m y hand on the porcelain handle of the drawing room, I hesitated, for I was nervous about handing over the letters, but common sense told me, if I had not chanced upon them, they would still be tucked away beneath the floorboards in my room and would probably never been found. This thought in mind, I stood up straight, held my head high and entered the room. Richard Roseby was standing with his back to the fireplace, in which a cheery fire burned brightly, taking the chill off the room.
    “Charlotte!” he exclaimed, using my Christian name once more, “thank you for joining me. Please be seated.” He indicated the settle to one side of the fire. I placed the letters and miniature beside me but Richard seemed not to notice; he was intent on looking at my face.
    “You looked enchanting at the ball, Charlotte,” he began, “and I realised as I held you and