A Gentleman's Promise (2 page)

Mason
stood still in shock before anger thrummed hot in his veins along with helplessness. Charlotte’s marriage to that fiend was not what she deserved. He shook his head. Her father ought to be horsewhipped.

He
can
tered down the
graveled
, maple-
lined drive and i
mages of
Charlotte
, the sweet, young woman, as pure as a breath of spring air
beneath th
e
filthy, diseased rogue haunted him.
He pushed his horse into a gallop. He should have courted her himself. At least then she would have
the
life she deserved. He chastised himself that he hadn’t
sought
her out in London. But never had it occurred to him that she would accept the first marriage proposal she received. It was not uncommon for women to have two seasons before they made their choice.
Mason
sighed
,
knowing why she had done so. Charlotte had always been impatient, ready to do and experience everything she could. It would seem she included marriag
e on her
list of
many things to achieve early.

He could always bribe Lord
Remmick
to walk away. Maybe even talk Charlotte into breaking the contract. He was nearing thirty and it was time he thought of marrying. And he knew Charlotte better than
any other woman. T
hey would get along well enough.

But
Remmick
w
as selfish. It would
only be a matter of time
before he
was back and demanding
more funds, until nothing was left of
his or
Charlotte’s
fortune.
Helsing
swore and spurred his horse on.

He would have to let her go and hope for the best
. To
avoid any uncomfortable meetings
,
he would close up Dellage and leave for London
.
Travel in the cool of the evening to limit the strain on his horse.
He would not return to Somerset until after Miss King was married and settled.

Happily so
,
with any luck.

Chapter Three

“
Was that Lord Helsing
I
just
saw
,
leaving in a cloud of dust
?
”
Charlotte placed her gloves on her father's desk and poured herself a cup of lemonade. The cool, sour drink went some
way
towards
bringing her body temperature down. Not wholly due to the extreme heat
which
s
ummer was bestowing on them, but
from the view of Mason’s
departing back
side
as he galloped down the drive
on his horse
.

“
Yes, it was,
”
her father replied.
“
I've just had the oddest conversation with the man. It seems he
has concerns with whom you’ve agreed to marry.”

“
That is exactly what
I wished to speak to you about.
”
Charlotte
came to stand before him.
“
I do not think
Lord
Remmick
and myself are well suited.
I received a letter today from
Amelia, Lady Furrow
and not to be impolite papa,
she mentioned
some terrible
rumors
going around
London in relation to my betrothed. I don’t wish to make a mistake.”

Her father laughed. “You’re just confused, my dear. Should I break the contract and grant you your wish, will you come to me in three months and say the same thing about
some other
gentleman
who asks for your hand?
The contracts are signed and to break a contract
would be scandalous, not to mention,
too expensive, even for me.”

Charlotte started at her father’s insight
. Was she just experiencing wedding jitters, as some women had mentioned to her
?
Perhaps, yet
s
ometimes
, deep in Lord
Remmick
’s
eyes
she noted an emotion
that left her fearful and uneasy.
Not to mention
her friend
’
s letter and the
rumors
, some of which made her blush.

Her father sighed.
“
You’ll see,
my dear
”
he said standing. “
Lord
Remmick
is a vibrant, kind
,
sort of gentleman. He’ll treat you well and keep you amused. Trust me,” he
r father
said, kissing her cheek just as the library door opened.

“Ah, Lord
Remmick
, so glad you could join us today.”

Charlotte whirled aroun
d having
been unaware that
his lordship
was
to join them. He wasn’t a man usually swayed to venture out of the city. And yet here he was. He strolled toward them like a man without a care. And Charlotte supposed
that
now her dowry was only a wedding ceremony away, he didn’t
have any
.

Today he was d
ressed in
a
bottle green double-breasted coat and nankeen
breeches
,
with
shining black top-boots. Lord
Remmick
looked
like a dandy who should be strolling the lawns of Hyde Park instead of her father’s library. And a
lthough not
an
overly tall
man
, his roguish charm often turned heads at balls and parties. Even Charlotte had to admit
that
when she’d first met him
,
his quick wit
,
carefree laugh and perfect attire had bedazzled her
. Perhaps she’d imagined th
at
look in his eye that threw shivers
of dread
down her spine. For the gentleman before he
r
was
all
charm
and
finesse.

“
My lord
Remmick
. Welcome to
our
home.” Charlotte curtsied. “
I’m so glad you decided to join us.”

His lordship
flopped himself down on
to
a chair and started to pull off his gloves. “Well, how could I refuse an invitation to dine with my future
family?
London is not so very far away. I’ll be back in the capital by tomorrow night as it is.”

“So soon?
” she
asked
. “Perhaps you could extend your stay
with us for a day or two
?
” Which would enable her to study him more closely
,
away from the ton and all its diversions. His look of horror at her suggestion put paid to her idea.

“Alas, I cannot. Apologies, Mr. King, Charlotte. But I really must be in London by tomorrow.”

“W
ell, that is a shame, my lord
.
”
Her father beckoned toward the door. “The lunch gong has sounded. Shall we?”

Lunch was uneventful. Lord
Remmick
spoke endlessly of London life and the balls Charlotte would soon be attending with him. Night after
night
stretched
before her
,
an endless parade
,
it seemed
,
of entertainments that he expected her to enjoy
along with him
.

Nervousness caused b
utterflies
to flutter
in her stomach. Although not unaccustomed to the ton and their ways, Charlotte couldn’t help feeling a little like a trophy
, a
n ornament that had filled his pockets with coin. After a lengthy discussion on the
improvements
he would do to their London townhouse and his
Surrey estate, Charlott
e had heard enough for one day
.

“If you’ll forgive me
,
father. But I seem to
have
a headache. I think I’ll
lie
down for a little while.”

Her mother looked up from her syllabub dessert. “Are you alright,
my dear
? Would you like me to order a tisane for
you?
”

“That would be lovely. Thank you, mama.” Charlotte stood and curtsied. “I will see you
all a little later.”

“I look forward to it.”

Charlotte
started at Lord Remmick’s
lowered tone and piercing gaze that seemed more like a wish to devour her
later
than
to
just see her.

She walked slowly upstairs and
on reaching
her room
,
receiv
ed
her tisane
.
W
hile her maid helped her u
ndress, her mind turned to Lord
Helsing only a few short miles away. Was he right at this moment undressing that fine, masculine body and crawling into his silk sheets
to sleep away the hot afternoon
?
Not that she
knew what type of linen he had, but
one could dream.

Charlotte d
ismissed her maid and locked the
door, not trusting
Lord
Remmick
to adhere to the rules of no touching befor
e marriage. And marry his lordship
she would. Brought up
to
believ
e
and trust
in
her father,
she felt
he would not lie to her when stating
that
his lordship was worthy of her hand. That he would be a kind and loving husband.

And it was a little late to worry over her choice now. She’d always been prone to acting hastily. A terrible fault
which
her mother
had
forever
been
trying to banish from her eldest daughter
, since she w
as a child.

What a shame Lord Helsing
hadn’t
approach
ed
her
the previous
season. To come
up to h
er
and ask h
er to dance.
To talk
to her
as
they
’
d
talked together
as
children
.
Her future
could
have
be
en
very
different
indeed
,
had he courted her instead. But he hadn’t and
now
she was promised to another.
It would be wrong of her to break
the understanding
.
She would marry Lord
Remmick
at the beginning of the next season
and
she would wish
Lord Helsing happ
iness
with whom
so
ever he chose.

Chapter Four

Two Years Later –
Bath

Mason screwed up the letter from his cousin Amelia, Lady Furrow
,
and
swore
. He threw the missive into the fire and sat at his desk to hasten a reply. Anger thrummed through his veins that he’d been correct
two years
before
and
that
his fears
had been
reali
z
ed.

Poor, Charlotte
!

“Problem?” His friend
George, Lord Mountbatten
asked from the settee on which he lay, his cravat untied and his hair mussed from lack of sleep.

Mason sighed and blotted the missive closed. “Yes. I’ve had a letter from my cousin with some distressing news of an old neighbor of mine. I have to return to London.”

George
sat up. “When? You can’t miss Lady Lancer’s ball. Her ladyship will never forgive you.”

“It’s probably best I leave in any case. Her daughter has been making advances that I’m not reciprocating, if you get my meaning.”

His friend
laughed. “I understand perfectly well…unfortunately.”

Maso
n stood and rang for a servant. He looked down at his friend and wondered how he could get him to leave without being rude. For weeks
George
had used his library as a sleeping quarter. Having arrived in Bath
he had taken up residence with Mason for a short duration which
had turned into a month’s long stay. “Why don’t you go up to one of the guest rooms,” he said. “You’re more than welcome to stay and not use my settee as your bed.”

“I should return to my father
’
s townhouse. I apologize for being a hindrance. But whenever I’m
at
home, mama is
bothering
me with
the
names of ladies she wishes me to meet. My head spins with the amount she says are worthy of me.”

A footman entered and Mason gave him the missive and instructions on his departure early the following morning. He would be back in the capital in a day or so and w
ould
see for himself if what Amelia
had written
was true.

He smiled at the thought of Charlotte and wondered if she’d changed in the years since he’d seen her last. Having married Lord
Remmick
he hadn’t let his mind wonder as to how she was. But now…
Now he could not stay away.

Bath was beautiful, and although the society was limited, it afforded him time to make his choice. Unfortunately
,
he hadn’t found the woman he’d wanted to marry here, but the season was young and travelling back to London would widen the possibilities. First, though, he had to ensure Charlotte wasn’t as Amelia stated in her letters.

T
he thought she may be unhappy sent a chill down his spine. A woman of such beauty
,
inside and out
,
deserved only the best and he would ensure she was treated with such and nothing else.

“Who was it you said wrote to you from London?”

Pulled from his thoughts, Mason met the inquisitive gaze of his friend. “Lady Furrow, my cousin.”

“You’re up to something. I want to know what”

Mason sat on the settee across from
George
.
“I’m not up to anything. Not yet at least. Ask me again when I see you in town.”

“You have that look about you that I haven’t seen since you were plotting
the
comeuppance
of our old professor in Cambridge
. Tell me.”

“I will tell you nothing. Now go home before your mama comes looking for you. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

George
groaned. “I’m
leaving
” he said sitting up and tidying his hair. “I have to pack
my things.
”

“What for? Where are you off to now?”
Mason asked.

“London.
I can’t have you having all the fun in town while I’m up here without anyone to keep me amused. Where’s the fun in that
?
”

Mason laughed. “
For w
hat I have planned
,
‘fun’ isn’t a term I’d use.”

“Better and better.”

Mason watched as
his closest friend
waved and walked out the door. He sto
od and poured himself a brandy a
nd watched
as
the flames lick
ed
at the wood. He would miss Bath and its quieter society. This home and the staff who kept the townhouse ready for him all year round.
For the past two years the break from London and
the
ton was a welcome reprieve. But all good things must come to an end and unfortunately
,
his time here had as well.

London called as so too did his need to ensure
that
his
childhood
friend was safe, happy and being treated in the way all women should be
treated
. With respect.