Where Love Takes You by Rosemary Smith Page B

danced with you, that I have fallen in love with you.” His declaration was indeed a shock, for I had certainly not anticipated it. Two weeks ago I would have been elated by it and fallen into his arms, but now I did not know what I felt for this handsome man and realised that for a while now, he had not pervaded my dreams.
    “Please speak to me, Charlotte,” he implored.
    “I thank you, Mr Roseby, but at this moment in time, I really have no notion as to what to say,” I said honestly and then unexpectedly, Richard was on one knee before me.
    “I ask you, Charlotte Trent, to do me the very great honour of becoming my wife,” he said earnestly as he took hold of my hand and looked into my eyes, eyes which must have mirrored the confusion I felt, but an answer was necessary to alleviate its obviously strong emotion.
    “I thank you for your proposal sir, which, to say the least, is unexpected and I ask that I may be given some time to think about it,” I said quietly. At my words, Richard rose to his feet once more and leant his hands on the mantelshelf. He looked for some time at the flames leaping up the chimney, the only sound being the crackle of the logs and my beating heart and then he turned to me.
    “I understand that you will need time, Charlotte, but I beg of you that you will give me your answer tomorrow and I pray the answer you give will be, yes,” he told me quite calmly.
    “Thank you, sir, I shall go away and consider your proposal and declaration of love,” I said with far more composure than I felt. I rose from the settle and picked up the precious bundle of letters.
    “Before I leave, sir, I would like to give you these,” I began, handing them to him along with the miniature. As he looked down at them, Richard’s face drained of colour.
    “Where did you find these, Miss Trent?” he said looking at me. His eyes were cold and I had noted his formal use of addressing me.
    “I found them under the floorboards in my room, sir,” I told him honestly.
    “And how did you come to be looking under the floorboards?” he asked angrily.
    “Half a crown rolled under my bed and got lodged between the floorboards in the corner of my room,” I explained, “and when I dislodged it, the floorboard came with it.”
    “Did it indeed? That will be all, Miss Trent, thank you.” I realised that I was dismissed. As I stepped back into the hallway, I had reached one conclusion: that Richard Roseby was a man of changing moods and I certainly had no intention of marrying him.
    I made my way to the kitchen in search of Ruby who may know where Lina had gone. I had never entered this domain before and was surprised to find how small the kitchen was, but even so, it boasted a large black cooking range where Ruby sat on a rocking chair, warming her hands by the fire.
    “Miss!” Ruby exclaimed, jumping up, causing the chair to rock to and fro on its own.
    “I have come to ask if you know where Lina has gone, please Ruby,” I said, half smiling to myself, for Ruby acted like a burglar caught in the act with a silver teapot.
    “I think she went out for some fresh air with Miss Verity,” Ruby told me.
    “Thank you, Ruby and I am sorry I startled you,” I told her gently.
    On my way back across the hall, I decided to go back to the drawing room to speak to Richard of his proposal, for I had made my mind up and I felt it unfair to keep him waiting for an answer. As I reached the door of the drawing room, I could see that it was ajar and I could hear voices, one was certainly Verity, so I eavesdropped.
    “So what was her answer?” she said.
    “She said she needed time to think about it, but I can wait no longer.”
    So, I thought, as I moved away from the door and made my way up the stairs, he cannot wait, well I will keep him dangling a bit longer, I decided, if only to repay him for his bad behaviour at the dining table, which I had not forgotten.
    Lina was in her room when I looked in, propped up by a pillow