Midnight Temptations With a Forbidden Lord (26 page)

“I’m sure you don’t want someone usurping your position in this household. And more than anything I wish I could forget the last two days of my life and go back to a time before I met your brother.”

The rustle of material sounded behind Charlotte, but she did not turn to face the woman who would be her sister-in-law. Charlotte had come to realize that there was no escaping marriage, but that didn’t mean she had to like the idea of it.

“Why aren’t you married instead of taking care of your brother’s children?”

“There is no other life available to me, Lady Charlotte. Unlike you, I was never given a choice about what would become of me after I trusted the wrong man and was shunned by society.”

“With your brother’s fortune, surely you could have done anything you pleased.”

Charlotte turned to face the other woman. She looked close in age to Tristan, somewhere just shy of thirty years of age. She was pretty and looked much like her brother. Her hair was dark, her eyes the same light shade of blue that was eerily beautiful. She was about the same height as Charlotte but her form was more curvaceous.

“Tristan does not make important decisions lightly,” she said.

“Ah, so you don’t like this arrangement any more than I do.”

“I don’t. But I don’t see how you have much choice.”

“I can go back to my father, ask his forgiveness.”

“And tell him what you’ve done? Tell him that you spent the night in the arms of a man he despises? That man you are so anxious to turn your back on is my brother, and he’s willing to marry you because of the stupidity you both displayed in your hasty actions.”

“Why does everyone assume my father will turn me out? I’m his only child.”

“And what a disappointment you will be. Your Mr. Warren loathes scandal. He will not have you now.”

“I dislike him so I could care less if our arrangement is dissolved. Assuming my actions are found out.” Charlotte stepped away from the window and walked over to the bed, fingering the fine lace on the wedding dress.

“I was once as foolish as you,” Bea said. “Your father will have already made up his mind where you’re concerned. I have heard of your chaperone, Miss Camden. Do you know that she’s been forced into hiding? Who knows if she’ll survive the scandal long enough to carve a new path in life.”

“And what about you?” Charlotte asked.

Bea turned to her suddenly. “I was never offered marriage, Lady Charlotte. You should keep that in mind. I am nobody to those who used to be my friends. Forever forgotten in their eyes because I fell in love with the wrong man.”

“Who was he?”

“You mean you don’t know?”

She shook her head, curious to find out the answer, but not sure this woman would reveal her secrets to a complete stranger.

“I do hope you have a strong constitution, because my brother can be difficult. You should also know that he will never allow his children to be banished from this household.”

“I would never…”

She knew without a doubt that Tristan loved his children. It had always been evident in his letters. His children were innocent of any wrongdoing; she would not punish them because she was forced into marriage by her own stupidity.

“I suppose I won’t find an ally in you.”

“You haven’t earned my trust, so I’m afraid not. If I don’t have you dressed, my brother will think I’m aiding in your escape. Turn around so we can get this dress on you. We need to be at the church in two hours’ time.”

“So he truly intends to marry me. And so soon?”

“Before your father can find you, yes.”

“I’m not of age to marry whomever I please. My father can object to the marriage regardless of us speaking our vows.”

“You will see that he won’t. Your father cannot save you from what you’ve done.”

Charlotte wanted to argue with her, but the more she thought about it the more she realized she had ruined any opportunity she had to have her freedom. She’d brought this on herself in a thoughtless, selfish moment. There was no going back, only forward, and in a direction she had not planned.

She could do this, she told herself. This was a better alternative than marrying Mr. Warren. It was an opportunity to put her life on a path of her own making. Tristan had become a friend since they had met; surely he wouldn’t cloister her and hide her away from society.

“I don’t know what I’ve done to make an enemy of you, but I do not wish to start off on the wrong foot if I’m to marry your brother and to share a house with you.”

Bea looked at her long and hard as she released the ties at the back of the bodice so they could start dressing Charlotte for her wedding day. That thought left her a little dizzy and she had to sit on the bench in front of the bed.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t meet under different circumstances,” Bea said.

“So am I.” Charlotte looked over her shoulder at the other woman. “But this is the hand we’ve been dealt, and we should make good use of it, don’t you think?”

“I couldn’t agree more. And I’m not angry with you, only disappointed by my brother’s actions.”

“He was not alone in this decision.”

“But he knew better.” She sighed heavily. “Stand up so I can tie the petticoats in place.”

She did as she was told, threading her fingers together and holding them out of the way. She was slightly unsteady, and her legs wobbled. She’d never been the nervous sort, but this was an unusual circumstance. She stood there listening to Bea’s instructions every now and again and tried not to focus on the consequences that were sure to come with their wedding today.

“What will happen after the wedding?” she asked, hoping Bea at least had some idea about what was to come.

“I suppose we’ll come back here for brunch. I haven’t really discussed the plans with my brother. But I assume he’ll want to contact your father to inform him of the nuptials.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one to see my father?”

“It’s probably best you don’t see him straightaway. I can’t imagine he’ll be very forgiving about what’s happened, at least not for a while.”

“So Tristan will visit my father?”

“That’s assuming gossip hasn’t made its way to your father by the time we are back here. The moment you step out our front door and into a carriage with my brother, me, and the children—as he insists they witness the ceremony—tongues will be wagging. It’s really only a matter of time before your father learns what has happened.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. This was proving to be too much for her. She needed a little more time.

“I see you are already having second thoughts.”

“It’s not that.”

Bea came around to face her and gave her a questioning look. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“I suppose I am. It’s just that I have never planned anything so poorly.”

“Rational thought tends to be absent when intimacies are involved. If there is one thing I can promise you, it’s that my brother has a kind heart. While the gossip columns have been cruel to him, and although he seems not to mind the negative attention, he really does want nothing more than happiness for those in this house.”

“I don’t for a second doubt you. But I’m sure he wishes me to the devil right about now.” She meant it jokingly, but the truth hurt.

She was now the woman he was forced to marry.

Bea tugged on the front of the bodice and fanned out the train so it lay evenly around her. Charlotte felt silly to be dressed for her wedding with no guests but the woman before her. Why would Tristan go to the trouble of having her wear such a beautiful gown? She looked down at herself, and ran her hand over the front where cording shaped the bodice into a deep vee.

“It was our mother’s.”

Shocked, Charlotte’s head shot up and she searched the other woman’s eyes. “Why—”

“I told you, my brother has a kind heart. He has already accepted you into this family. Had he not, he wouldn’t have woken me before dawn to obtain the license you require to marry this afternoon.” She smiled at Charlotte, suddenly a different woman from the angry one who had stormed through Tristan’s bedchamber door not twenty minutes ago. “I must go ready the children. They’ll need to be in their Sunday best since their great-uncle is going to be marrying you and Tristan.”

She really didn’t know what to say other than, “Thank you for helping me.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you in an hour. My brother will probably be up shortly to ready himself.”

Charlotte nodded. Wasn’t there some superstition about the groom not seeing the bride before she walked down the aisle? She wouldn’t be walking down the aisle on her father’s arm, though. Too afraid to wrinkle the dress, knowing that it was Tristan’s mother’s, she stood in the middle of the room and counted the minutes that passed.

So many thoughts flitted across her mind that her nerves were on edge as she stood there and waited. She could not leave the room to go and look for Tristan; this was not her house, though it would be in a few short hours.

What would his children think of her? Or his servants who hadn’t had the opportunity to prepare for the change today was about to bring? What a muddle she’d put herself in. What a muddle she’d put Tristan in, for surely this was not the outcome he’d planned, either.

She walked over to the tray of food that had been brought up for breakfast. She hadn’t touched it since eating those berries this morning, and though everything looked delicious, her stomach protested the idea of eating anything. She hated waiting.

If Tristan didn’t come to see her, would he send Bea in to bring her down to the carriage? Would she have to go outside alone? She was breathing heavily, as though she’d just run for a sustained period of time. She didn’t like uncertainty, or this inability to predict what would happen next. She turned away from the food tray since it didn’t tempt her and instead focused on the closed bedchamber door.

She needed to make the next move. It would give her a modicum of control.

She stepped forward and tried to regulate her breathing. She was feeling a bit light-headed and that simply wouldn’t do. She lifted the handle on the door and paused when it clicked open. She closed her eyes and steeled herself for whatever was to come next. She could do this. She would do this. She pulled the door open slowly, waiting for the sounds of the house to fill her ears. Servants were rushing to and fro, a maid ran past her with an armful of linens.

When Charlotte stepped out into the corridor, a footman was giving instructions to another maid. He looked at her after a short while, finished his instructions to the maid, then came toward her and bowed. “My lady. I’m Clarkson. How can I assist you?”

“Where is your master?”

“He’s with his valet.”

“And where would I find him?”

“He does not like to be disturbed while at his toilette.”

His reluctance to answer her had her sticking out her chin. “Show me to him immediately.”

He ducked his head. “Yes, my lady.” His arm pointed to the right. Charlotte preceded him in the direction he indicated. There were a number of doors at the top of the stairs, all facing the upper landing that looked down into the foyer. The floor was carpeted in a deep maroon, the walls papered with a heavy floral pattern. She counted six doors, including the one she’d come out of. That meant he’d taken a guest room while she’d been waiting for him.

She turned to face the footman, who led her to the door closest to the landing.

“In there?” she asked, feeling her resolve waver.

He nodded and bowed again, taking a few steps back. She knocked and didn’t wait for an answer within before barging through the door. Tristan was in the middle of the room, shaving cream coating his face and neck with his valet standing behind him.

“So eager to see me, my bride-to-be?”

“No, but you left me alone and I don’t like to be kept waiting.”

He motioned to a chair. “Take a seat and wait out the hour with me while I get ready.”

He looked her up and down before tilting his head back for his valet to rub the blade along his neck and jaw. “The dress fits you well,” he said when the valet wiped the blade on a towel folded neatly over his arm.

She placed her hands over her midsection and sat on the edge of the chair. “We need to set some parameters for this marriage.”

The scrape of the blade was the only sound in the room for a few more moments. When Tristan sat up, the valet passed him a damp towel that he used to wipe his face. “I don’t see why there have to be boundaries. You seem to forget that you came to me for help. And that is exactly what I’m doing.”

“I realize that. But marriage wasn’t something either of us wanted.”

“Yet I’ve gone to the trouble of getting a special license for the day.”

“Tristan…” She needed to turn the topic to her father. “What will you say to my father?”

“I will tell him it was necessary for us to marry. He’ll probably have already heard the news by the time we arrive back here.”

“So quickly?”

“How little you know of the seedier side of society. I guarantee you that the betting books will be filled with Ponsley residence gossip the moment we leave this house. First your cousin, and now you traveling with a man who is deemed untouchable for marriage.”