A Gentleman's Promise (10 page)

Lights blazed behind his eyelids
as he came.
His balls ached and never had an orgasm flowed throughout his body sending shivers
of
pleasure that consumed him. Charlotte
moaned and kissed his member, making sure to lick the last drops of his essence before she sat back. “Did I please, my lord?”

Mason
pulled her up on his lap and took her lips in a searing kiss. He let her know through his embrace, what she made him feel.
What he would continue to feel
for
her if only she would let him. “Just knowing you’re in this world pleases me, Charlotte. Everything else is a boon.”

She laughed, the sound more carefree than he’d ever heard before and his heart thumped loud in his chest. “I meant what I said the other nigh
t
, Charlotte.”

She met his gaze, her own visage becoming serious at his tone. “
W
hat was that?”

Mason
pushed a lock of hair from her brow. “That I love you.”

Charlotte nodded, her eyes overly bright. “I know.”

Chapter
Twelve

T
wo days later,
Charlotte sat in the library of her London home and waited for James to wake up. He lay, sprawled on the settee before the unlit hearth, his clothing askew and an empty flask of liquor lying uncorked on the floor.

She thought about throwing a vase of water on his head, before common sense
halted her actions. The conversation she was about to have with her husband would be bad enough. She didn’t have to make it any worse.

When the lunch gong sounded, James stirred. She absently watched him wake up, his shaking hands and sickly
demeanor
no way resembling the man she
had
married. “When you’re able I wish to speak to you, my lord.”

He started at her voice and looked over the settee’s back. “What do you want?” James rubbed his jaw and yawned. “Your love
r
owes me five
-
hundred pounds. Make sure he pays up.”

Charlot
te stemmed her urge to throw the
blotter
on James’ desk
at his head. Instead she
remained calm, and
wait
ed for him to join her. He heaved himself up from the lounge only to sprawl into his desk chair a moment later. Nerves churned in her stomach over the coming conversation.

“I want you to leave,” she s
aid, her voice stronger than she
felt. “I have informed my father of your treatment of me and my desire to separate from you. You will leave this house today, or I will.”

James threw his head back and laughed. Charlotte glared. “I mean what I say James. I’ll no longer allow myself to be treated with unkindness and violence.”

“You stupid whore. I’m not going anywhere and neither are you.” He stood and Charlotte lifted her chin, refusing to give way to her fear of him. James came around the desk and lean
ed
casually against its side, watching her silently.

“But then, I suppose I could divorce you and have you publicly shunned and termed a adulterer. It would certainly make our acquaintances happy knowing I’d be rid of the common trash I so wrongly married.”

“Common or
not I saved your estate with my money. You’re a liar and a fraud. You give off this persona as someone loving, kind and charismatic
when it pleases you
and yet you’re capable of the
cruelest
touch and
words that
I’ve ever known.”

James shrugged, seeming not to care of his downfalls. “
A
divorce would ruin your sister’
s chances of a good marriage.”

“
Louise
is
old enough to look after herself
. And over the last few months I’ve
come to realize that if the gentleman who wishes to marry her
would cry off because of my indiscre
tions as you call them, then he is not for her. I want my sister
to marry for love and nothing less.”
Charlotte sat back and felt, deep inside her soul,
that
what she stated was true.
Louise
would never wish for her to continue living this type of life.
A life that was no life at all.

For all her father’s wish for his children to marry high in
to
the peerage,
his children
themselves
were
never inclined to a
spire
to those great heights. And Louise
w
ould probably marry a local boy
from the sphere in which they circulate
d
in
Somerset and be happier with her choice than any town dandy
with status and great connections.

“So honorable,” he scoffed. “And when we’re divorced will you run
off
to
your
lover, Lord Helsing
?
Beg his lordship to marry you and try and redeem some
sliver
of your reputation.”

“I have no immediate plans oth
er than to move on with my life,” she said without censure. “Now I asked you before and I’ll ask you again. W
h
ich one of us
i
s leaving? You or me?”

“Neither. Now get out. The sound of your voice droning on makes my head hurt.”

Charlotte stood. “
Good bye, James.”

He clasped her arm, his grip painful
, biting into her skin like tiny daggers
. “Do not attempt anything foolish, Charlotte or you’ll pay dearly for it.”

“I’ve already paid dearly for my fo
olish action by
marry
ing
you. I’ve paid for it ev
ery, single
day for the last two years.” Charlotte wrenched her arm free and
walked out the room. She chastised herself for the fear she felt whenever she was around him. It was like walking
on cracked ice.

She heard James bellow for the carriage as she headed to
ward
her bedroom.
Charlotte rang for her maid and started to place
the
items she wished to take with her on her bed. Having received word from her father
that
he’d support her
whatever
decision she made, she began to prepa
re her departure to Grillon’s Hotel
.

Charlotte ignored her maid’s shocked
countenance
when she told her of her plans, and instead
thought over what she would do with her life away from James. Of course, if he chose to divorce her, she’d be ruined, but so would he be. She’d not allow him to come out of the trial in the House of Lords smelling of roses. No, Charlotte would ensure
all his
misdemeanors
behind closed doors were
aired along with
any he could name against her
.

When James sobered up and thought on his threat of
divorce,
he’d soon change his mind. No matter how much he hated her, or regret
ted
their marriage, he wouldn’t want anyone t
o know what type of man he was. I
t would seem
she would have a separation but no divorce
.
Which would suffice, she mused
, taking a wat
ercolor painting down from the
wall and placing it in a trunk. As long as she didn’t have to live under the same roo
f
as her abusive husband, her life would be much brighter. She was sure of it.

*

Later that day, Charlotte check
ed
in at
Grillon’s
and followed a footman to the
second
floor and her suite of rooms.
The hotel
in
Albemarle Street
had everything she
’d
hoped for, a
drawing room for guests
, a private bathing suite
and
a more than generous
bedroom. Her maid had a small r
oom adjoining the drawing room to enable her privacy.

Charlotte wrote a quick missive to Amelia, notifying her of her change of circumstances
and contemplated informing Lord Helsing
. She should probably let him know, and yet, somehow it seemed wrong to run to him as soon as she’d left her spouse. It was silly of her t
o think that way, but then, Mason
couldn’t marry her, so she
should hold true to her wish for
him marrying someone else. There were many women in London who’d suit him and could create a loving home he so deserved. And with her out of his life, he’d be free to pursue such a future.

Giving the missive to
her maid to take downstairs, Charlotte looked about her new home and for the first time in an age
,
felt
content
. A feeling she could get used to
,
she was sure.
Dinner arrived at seven and just as Cha
rlotte was about to sit down at
her small dining table,
a knock sounded on her door.

Moments later,
Amelia strolled in
to
her suite,
dressed in a high
wasted
green silk gow
n, her visage one of merriment. N
o doubt
, Charlotte mused due
,
to her change in circumstance.

“I came as soon as I heard your news.” Amelia joined her at table and nodded for some wine. “
Lord
Remmick
would not leave
,
I gather?”

“
He refused and threatened me not to do anything stupid.” Charlotte paused. “
It was time I stood up for myself
and so I left.
”

“Does he know?”

A shiver raced down Charlotte
’
s spine imagining how angry James would become when he found her gone. The poor staff would brunt most of his ire before he’d think to look for her. Not that she hoped he would. “Not yet,” she said.

Amelia frowned and played with a diamond necklace about her neck. “You think he’ll seek revenge in some way
or make you return to him?
”

Charlotte stood, no longer feeling hungry. “Of course he will. He’ll probably demand I return home. But I won’t, not under any circumstance. He can have my money and my reputation. I don’t car
e anymore. Since being with Lord Helsing
,
I’ve remembered what it
is
like to be alive
again.
How to love and be loved. I can never go back to James.”

“You’re in love with Lord
Helsing.”

It wasn’t a question and Charlotte started at her
friend’s
disclosure.
“I am.
” And she was, more than anything in the world. Just the thought of Mason made her smile, her body heat and her heart sing. He was her everything and because he was so, she had to let him go. “
But it doesn’t
matter
as James will never divorce me an
d therefore my feelings for Mason
are
of no consequence
. There is no future for us. He must marry and beget an heir. Something, that if you haven’t noticed I’ve been unable to do for my husband.

“When it comes to Lord
Remmick
I cannot find fault for your inability to b
ear
children, Charlotte.” Amelia paused. “It is possible that the problem to have children lies with Lord
Remmick
and not you at all, dearest.”

“Perhaps,” Charlotte said, yet her two miscarriages which she’d told no one about made the problem seem all the more hers than anyone else. She pushed the distressing memory aside and sat on
a chaise lounge.
“
I’ve told Lord Helsing
he has to leave me alone and marry someone else. Thankfully, Rose has moved her attentions elsewhere, which I
’m happy about
.
”

“Where is Rose?” Amelia said, looking about the room.

“Aunt May arrived yesterday and they’ve gone to stay with her sister in law on
Jermyn Street
. I thought it only right to let my family know of my change of circumstance and Aunt May thought it best if Rose was distanced from me.”

Amelia gasped and c
lasped her hand.
“I’m so sorry, Charlotte. They do not understand what it would be like
to live
in such
a distressing marital circumstance.
I’m proud of you
for
leaving Lord
Remmick
.
And
as
y
ou know
,
Lord Furrow and
I
will always be
ready to help you
should you need anything.”

Charlotte nodded
and pulled her best friend into a hug
. “
I know and I t
hank you.”

Amelia laughed. “You’re very welcome.”