Midnight Temptations With a Forbidden Lord (19 page)

“You mustn’t, Ariel. Promise me you’ll ask no questions about the marquess. I do not want anyone to suspect my plan.” She sat up and folded her arms around her bent knees. “Not that I’ve figured out what my plan is yet.”

“You really are acting strange. Before meeting him, you would have thought differently about this. I thought you wanted to be caught in such a compromising situation that you’d either be forced to marry him, or retire to the country indefinitely.”

“I seem to have developed a friendship with the marquess.”

“Friendship?”

“Well, not technically, but I haven’t anything better to call it.”

Ariel gave a wide grin as she sat and folded her legs under her on the bed. “He’s very much your secret admirer.”

“Somehow I don’t think he’d appreciate that description,” Charlotte said wryly. “He has a reputation for being a great seducer of women, and you call him a mere admirer.”

“Don’t tell him, then. Why do you suppose he was testing you?”

“You really won’t stop questioning me until you have all the information.”

“We planned this together, Charlotte. Why should you not include me now?”

It had been Ariel who’d suggested taking the names of every rogue from Charlotte’s collection of
Mayfair Chronicles,
which she kept stashed beneath her bed where no one aside from her maid knew she had them.

“I should mention that I wrote a letter to him without ever intending to deliver it. It was a way to sort out my thoughts after I first met him. I told you I saw him at Gunter’s when Mr. Warren took me for a carriage ride a few weeks back.”

Her friend nodded.

“I wrote out the details of our plan in that letter.”

Ariel’s mouth dropped open. “Why would you do such a thing? He must think you a childish ninny.”

“I can promise you that he doesn’t think that.” Charlotte shook her head. He wouldn’t have kissed her so thoroughly had he thought her childish. “I originally wrote to him because I was afraid the marquess was not interested enough in me to continue what I had started at the duchess’s ball. He said I was too young to understand what game I was playing. I never thought myself sophisticated enough or old enough to capture the attention of a man like him. But I have.”

Ariel tapped her finger against her chin. “We did notice that not a single debutante was tied to his name.”

“Exactly. So I thought he might side with me if I gave him reason to.” Charlotte paused and took a deep breath. It wouldn’t do to only offer half the story to her friend. “I might have told him that stopping my upcoming nuptials with Mr. Warren would damage his clout in Parliament when he came into his title and moved to the House of Lords.”

Ariel gasped. “You didn’t dare.”

“I did. I had no choice. It’s selfish, I know. My father wants nothing more than to make a political match with my marriage. I understand fathers do this all the time, and it would be perfectly acceptable if Mr. Warren were a decent man and I at least liked him. But that simply isn’t the case.”

“I’m in awe of your boldness. What did the marquess say when you appeared at his house?”

“I definitely surprised him. I think he thought I was there for an entirely different purpose.”

“You mean…” Ariel’s eyes widened.

“Yes. I think the kiss was to scare me off, but when I didn’t leave afterward … I might have returned his kiss with one of my own.” She looked away from her friend, embarrassed to admit that truth. Her skin didn’t blush from embarrassment, but from the thought of the marquess embracing her, and making her feel things she’d never felt in all her life.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me any of this.”

“I think when his sister walked in, and I didn’t run frightened at the idea of being caught, he realized I could handle the plan I had set in motion.”

“What did his sister say?”

“She apologized for interrupting.”

“What do you think the marquess would have done had she not come into the room?”

“I guess I’ll never know. When his sister left, he walked me home. We agreed to correspond while I was at the Carletons’.”

Her friend stared back at her quietly for a few moments. “This is very interesting.”

“It is, but I’ve been at a loss for what to say when I write to him. He’s teased me about how boring my letters are.”

“I think he likes you, Charlotte.”

“Don’t be a ninny. He appreciates my situation and has temporarily agreed to help me. He has everything to gain in my ruin—at least politically. Ruining Mr. Warren’s good name will lose voters for him and my father.”

“What would you do if your father forced the marquess to marry you?”

“He won’t. Papa despises him. I’ve heard him over cards talking about the marquess and Lord Barrington. Even the Carletons.”

“How can he hate the Carletons when he’s sent you to their annual summer party?” Ariel said, disbelieving.

Charlotte shrugged. “Maybe it has something to do with Lady Carleton’s position? An invitation from her is more highly coveted than anyone else’s.”

“You’re right, of course.”

“And to be in her disfavor means all doors close to you. Not even my father can risk that kind of censure.”

“I suppose that explains why your father let you attend the events in Town, but not why he let you come to
this
particular house party. The worst scandals are born here.”

“You know as well as I that my father could never refuse the invitation. I think he hoped I wouldn’t receive one, but that wasn’t the case, and I’m glad for it because it means I won’t have to keep company with Mr. Warren.”

Their conversation called to mind the words she’d had with her father shortly before leaving Town. He’d made it clear that he would be furious if he found out that she was corresponding with the marquess. That knowledge wouldn’t stop her from carrying on, though. She just needed to decide what exactly she planned to do with the marquess. Could she accept a
permanent
solution? Marriage? Why must she lose her freedom? Life was cruel to women; they never had a say in their own future.

Charlotte stood from the bed. “Come, we should write this letter and go back down to the rest of the company.”

She convinced Ariel to keep the beginning of the letter.

Dear T,
What happened to being discreet about our names? If you address me as Lotte, I’ll be forced to address you with an equally horrible rendition of your name. I have a strong aversion to Lotte. Lady H
^____
used to call me Little Lotte as a child. I felt like one of her corgis when she called to me in her shrill voice.
Because you are waiting so patiently for the latest on-dit, let me tell you that there is one scandal brewing. For the sake of the persons involved, I hope that they are vigilant and not caught out. They seem to have developed strong feelings for each other over the past week. I think I’ll keep you in suspense a while longer about who is involved. I would hate to be responsible for the leak that ruined their sojourn in the country.
Your friend
Char
Dearest C,
I will keep in mind that we must be ever vigilant. We don’t know who could be watching the post coming to and from the Carleton estate.
Town is equally hot, and the stench off the Thames grows unbearable, making me crave an escape of my own. Perhaps I should retreat to my estate up north if the weather doesn’t cooperate and turn into something more civilized soon. But first, I await your return. We’ve much to plan in person since we haven’t planned anything on paper.
I can think of a few people who might be engaged in a scandal as well. Perchance do you refer to mutual friends engaging in wickedness? My oldest friend was acting odd before he left for the country. “Smitten” and “distracted” are how I would describe him.
Your dearest friend
T
My dearest friend,
I’m not sure it is safe to discuss our plans in our letters. I fear that the only solution to my conundrum is what you’ve previously suggested—and neither of us wants that outcome. We are too free-spirited to be confined—especially by what you once mentioned.
Yes, a scandal is brewing between mutual friends. Though I must say my friend seems blind to the man seeking her favor, who has been sincere and kind beyond measure. I’ve only seen such behavior in a man desiring a permanent place in a lady’s heart.
I do hope the weather treats you more kindly in Town. I would hate for you to leave before I am home. I’ve news to share with you—about a mutual foe, the very one to precipitate our friendship.
Your
C
My darling,
You cannot end your letters as you did the last. I’m waiting for further explanation. Has our foe paid a visit to you? Have plans changed?
Your
T
My friend,
Everything has changed. I’m sorry I can’t provide you with more details just yet.
You should know that something has happened at the party. I’ve been confined to my room—all the young unmarried ladies have. I don’t know what is happening, but I fear this could be my last letter before I come home. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to get posts out safely. Please don’t write me any more notes. I can’t be caught out when there is scandal afoot.
Longing to return to London,
Char
 

Chapter 11

Someone was seen lurking about in the shadows of Lord R
^____
’s last night and every night before that for a week. Perhaps one of his many daughters has a secret to keep? This writer will certainly uncover all the answers in due course.
—The Mayfair Chronicles,
August 1846 Her father had arrived twenty minutes ago. He’d called for her to come to the small parlor. She was too nervous to remain idle and so paced the room, fingering the decorative ornaments on the mantel and on the side tables. There were only a few reasons her father might come to the Carleton estate—none of them good.

When the door opened, the sound of other guests could be heard from the corridor beyond. Charlotte turned to face her father, still surprised to see him here of all places.

Her father’s arms were outstretched so she could walk into them and hug him. “My dearest,” he said, patting her hair as he used to do when she was a child.

“What’s happened to have brought you here? Is Grandmamma well?” Her cousin had advised against leaving the old woman in Town during the hottest months. And her failing health was one of the three reasons her father might be here.

“Your grandmother fares very well. Her sister’s presence has lightened her spirits these past few weeks without you to brighten our home.”

“Has something terrible happened to bring you here?”

“I cannot lie to you, not about this, but you should hear the unpleasant details from me and not anyone else at this shameless house party.” Her father visibly took a reassuring breath—this was not like him at all. “Your chaperone is to be removed from the party for a transgression that cannot be ignored.”

“You can’t do that to Genny,” she argued.

Her father raised his hand to stop her protests. She snapped her mouth shut, knowing he was out of sorts, and she hugged him, hoping to lift his mood.

“I already have done exactly that. And I’ve done it to protect you, poppet.”

Tears prickled her eyes. She was angry and sad and felt so many conflicting emotions she couldn’t list them. How could her cousin not have been more careful? She was smitten with Lord Barrington and had been for the duration of their stay at the Carletons’, but the earl had left today …

She pulled away from her father’s comforting embrace and searched his eyes, hoping she could read the truth there. She didn’t need to hear it from him; she could guess that her cousin had been caught by another house guest. Who would dare call her father here?

“We will be leaving together tomorrow.”

“But the house party will have concluded by the weekend. Can we not stay as long as that?”

“Don’t argue with me. I’ve had to push up your engagement to cover the scandal that’s already stirring talk in London. It was too much to ask for Lady Hargrove to keep her mouth shut. She’s told anyone of worth what’s transpired.”

Her mouth dropped open with his cool announcement. With a ferocity quite unlike her, she suddenly despised the older woman who had taken her under her wing when she was only a child.

With her anger came a realization to what her father said. “What exactly does pushing up the engagement entail?”

Her father puffed out his chest, his pride so crystal clear she knew what he was going to say before the words passed his lips, and she silently screamed on the inside. “The banns will be read this coming Sunday. You’ll be married before summer ends.”

“Papa, it’s too soon. You promised me one season.” Tears threatened to fall, but she swallowed against them. Her father disliked tears more than anything, and crying would have him sending her back to her room without argument.

“I know, dear, but the circumstances surrounding our family … The scandal arising from this might blacken our name.”

He shook his head as though he were at a loss for words—well, that made two of them. How could she possibly find a way out of her current circumstance?