A Gentleman's Promise (4 page)

Charlotte shuddered and looked about to ensure no one was within hearing range. “What you do in your spare time is no concern of mine, but you must
,
when appearing a
t
social events
,
at least look like the Viscount you were born to be.”

“She was a ripe beauty as well. New to London from up north somewhere. With just one touch I was able to make her as wet as the Thames between her legs.
The sweetest woman I’ve tasted in an age.
Would you like to kiss me and find out, my
dear?
”

“You’re a vile, piece of human flesh and I’m ashamed to call you my husband.”

James clasped her jaw and Charlotte stilled before he gathered his wits and sat back laughing. “You’ll pay for that later.”

Tears
threatened
and Charlotte bit the inside of her lip. Hard.
Why wouldn’t he just leave? Go back to the cesspit he was so f
ond of in the East end of town
and let her be
?

Chapter
Six

Mason
watched Charlotte and Lord
Remmick
argue from across the room and the blood in his veins ran cold
when he saw his lordship clasp
Charlotte’s
delicate jaw as if
to
hurt her in some way.

He nodded but did not comment
on
the conversation
going on
around him
,
while he waited to see what Lord
Remmick
would do next. So the rumors were true
.
Charlotte was in a marriage of the worst kind. If Lord
Remmick
was willing to grab
his wife
in
public,
one
shuddered to think of what
the man
could do
behind closed doors.

A
simmering anger boiled in his blood at the thought of his childhood friend
Charlotte,
th
is
beautiful woman she had grown into
,
being
a punching bag for h
er husband’s woes
and disappointments.

It was not to be borne.

Mason
downed
the last of his brandy
and strolled toward Charlotte
and her husband
. He couldn’t help but smile when she stood, her large eyes full of welcome and also, he noted, apprehension.

He
bowed. “Good evening, Lord and Lady
Remmick
. It has been a long time.”

Charlotte curts
ied
. “Good evening,
Lord
Helsing. Indeed it has
been a long time
. Too long in fact.”

Mason
looked at Lord
Remmick
and waited for him to stand and acknowledge him. With a sigh of
annoyance,
he did
so,
sway
ing
before
Charlotte clasped his arm
to keep him from falling over
.

“Lord
Helsing. We are honored by your presence. Why
,
I do believe the last time I saw you, you were quite put out.” Lord
Remmick
laughed and splashed some of his
water
over his shirt. Not that it made any
difference,
as his lordship’s shirt was already marred with stains of
suspicious origins.

Mason
cast
Lord
Remmick
a dismiss
ive
glance and
turned his attention back to C
harlotte. She was as beautiful as he remembered her
and yet something about her had changed. No longer did she see
m
as carefre
e and at ease as she once had. The spark
that
had
glowed in her eyes
was no longer there.
No doubt
,
due to the fiend she’d married.

“Would you care to dance, my lady
? There is to be a cotillion
next.”

Charlotte smiled. “I would love to, my lord.”

“You would love to, my dear
?
”
Remmick
said, glaring at her. “What else would you love to do
,
I wonder
?
Were you not friends many years ago? And did I not steal her
away from under your nose, Lord
Helsing? You know my offer still stands.”

Mason
ground his teeth. Nothing would please him more than to punch the obnoxious bastard on his
no
se.
Another
time, he promised himself. “On the
contrary
, my lord. But you are right with one point
.
Lady
Remmick
and myself have known each other
all
our lives.”

“What was the offer, James?” Charlotte asked, frowning.

Mason
glared at his lordship, letting him know without words he should keep his mouth shut.

Remmick
laughed. “I merely offered to share you, my dear. Of
course,
Lord
Helsing would have to pay for your services. Not,” he added, flicking a piece of invisible lint from his coat, “that you are worth very much. Your...abilities shall we say behind closed doors
are
somewhat...lacking.”

Charlotte gasped and turned to walk away.
Mason
clasped her hand and pulled her onto the floor
to dance with him
instead
. He looked down at her and anger churned
in
his stomach at her unshed tears.

“How are you, really, Charlotte
?
” he asked.

“Mortified. I cannot believe James
could speak of me, or to you, in that unseemly manner.
I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said, stepping away from her for a moment before the music brought them back together. “It is not your fault Lord
Remmick
is a cad. I apologize as he’s your husband, but some things are better left unsaid.”

Charlotte nodded and a pang of regret pierced
Mason’s
soul. He
regretted that he
hadn’t
fought harder for her.
Regretted that he hadn’t insisted that
her father break the contracts and damn the scandal. How could such a beautiful woman, inside and out, be married to the worst debauche
r
and rake in London.

“I
have been
watching you
for a while
and to me you do n
ot have the appearance
of
a happy woman. Tell me everything is well at home
?
”

Charlotte paled and missed a step
.
Mason
clasped her about her waist and a longing to hold her assailed him. “Please
,
”
he added.

She s
ighed. “
We are perfectly well, thank you.
There is nothing
for you
to worry about.”

Mason
’s
gut
clenched at
the lie.
He watched her dance, and although she knew the song well, there was no joy in her eyes. No life.

“You’re lying.”

Charlotte met his gaze and
Mason
knew
instinctively
what type of life she lived. The bastard bashed her
. Probably took pleasure in her pain.
And she was
frighten
ed. This dance with him would probably make Lord
Remmick
think he had the right to hit her again.

“Truly, my lord
. I’m fine. Please
do not concern yourself.”
She cast a nervous glance to where her hu
sband sat and frowned a little.

Mason
looked over his shoulder and noted his lordship watching them intently. His visage one of fury.
Mason
ground his teeth.
“You cannot stay married to him,” he said. “He’ll end up killing you, Charlotte and you know it.
You must speak to your father at once.
”

“Shush,” she said, looking about. “I’ve already told you there is nothing wrong. Now please,
let
us
enjoy what’s left of our
dance
,
so we may
part as friends.”

“I can protect you.
”
Mason
gave her a pointed stare that dared her to refute him.

“You can protect me
?
How? By bringing shame a
nd scandal to both our families?
I’m married and there is nothing to be done.”

Mason
watched her storm from the dance floor just as the music ended.
He sighed and looked about for her friend Lady Furrow. Spying her
ladyship beside her husband
,
the
Earl,
Mason
went to join them and to see what exactly could
be
do
ne
to save
Charlotte
from Lord
Remmick
and his abusive clutches.

*

Later that night, Charlotte sat on her bed and nursed the stinging slap James had bestowed on her cheek. It was a relief that his
anger over her dancing with Lord Helsing
had ended there. On the carriage ride home
,
he had chastised her
endlessly
,
berated
and yelled at her
over her
‘
wantonness
’
and
‘
whoring
’
that
, according to him,
all
of
London knew and w
as
talking about.

Sometimes Charlotte actually thought
that
James was losing his mind. Since their
marriage,
she’d been nothing but the best wife
to him
. A wife who
tolerated
a lot. Not that she had a choice in the matter. There was little anyone could do to make her situation improve.

She heard the front door slam and knew James had left for the night and if anything like his other nights out on town, wouldn’t be home for s
everal
days. Charlotte rang for some heated water and waited. She sat before her dressing table and stared at her reflection. At twenty
years,
she
was still an attractive woman.

Anger thrummed through her over her husband’s
violent
behavior
. Who was he to hit
her?
And why should she put up with it
any longer
?
The next time he we
nt to strike her would be his last.

Mason’s
words whispered in her mind,
“
I can prot
ect you
”
. There was no doubt
that he could
if
she asked him. But other than divorcing Lord
Remmick
–
which she refused to do
–
there was little to be done. Although,
perhaps
Mason
could help her in another way.
In the ways of a
man and
woman and
in one
need
in particular
.

Charlotte pulled the pin
s from her hair and let her light
locks pool about her shoulders. Her dark
cobalt blue
eyes gave her an air of exoticness that she liked and from
the
glances
which some
gentleman had
bestowed
upon her
,
she knew that
they
appreciated her
too.

She started when her maid brought in the water and towels
.
Charlotte
dismis
sed her for the night. She
washed thoroughly
,
then went to her armoire and looked through her clothing. She pulled out a gown that buttoned up at the front and had a hood.
It was n
ot
something she would normally wear in public
,
but i
t was perfect for what she had planned in a certain gentleman’s bedroom.

Searching through her chest of drawers she found an almost transparent s
hift and pulled it over her head
. Then picking up the gown, she tied it up over the
shift
.

Nerves fluttered in her stomach over what she was about to do.
Charlotte took
a calming breath, pulled the hood over her hair and left her room. Walking down the stairs,
she saw
the night footman jump to attention
as he noticed her
and bowed.

“Can I help you, my lady?”

“Can you summon a hackney carriage
please?
I’m going out.”

The footman nodded
and ran outside. Charlotte pushed down the desire to run back to her room and forget the folly she’d
embarked upon.
Then
, the thought of her husband and his abusiveness toward her
strengthened her resolve.
James could very well kill her the next time he was inclined to strike her.
She’d b
e damned she
’d
die without living first.

The footman came in some minutes later and beckoned her
toward the door
. Charlotte followed him and took a calming breath of London’s
still
night air. She gave t
he driver the direction to Lord
Helsing’s residence and sat back. Excitement over the unknown made her restless and she fidgeted with her reticule.

Would Mason
admit
her?
By his hooded, appreciative gaze during their dance tonight and his reassuring words
she felt that
he would.
Still
, she was married and what she was
about to do was an unforgivable transgression.
Charlotte should she supposed feel guilty, but all she felt was expectation. Like her body was alive again.

The drive was short and before
Charlotte knew it, the cab pulled
up beside a Georgian townhouse
on Berkeley Square
. Lights blazed from a first floor window and two from the second. Until n
ow, she hadn’t thought that Mason
may
still
be out or
worse,
that he
may be
entertaining someone else...
She pushed the
dismal
thought aside and stepped out onto t
he pavement. Paying the driver
she walked up the short flight of steps and knocked.

Within moments a footman opened the door. His widened eyes told of his shock at s
eeing a lady dressed in hooded, secretive apparel
and standing on the street in the middle of the night. Charlotte walked past him and into the foyer. The home was of similar layout to her
s
. With a tiled
mosaic
floor and winding staircase up to the second story, she could almost picture herself back there. Except this home, seemed much more comforting and welcoming than hers ever would.

“I’m here to see, Lord
Helsing.
Tell him
Charlotte King
is here.
He isn’t expecting me.”

“If you’
ll wait here,
Miss
King
.”

Charlotte watched as the footman walked toward what she assumed to be the library or front drawing room. She heard muffled voices before rapid footsteps sounded in the adjacent room.

“Charlotte, are you well
?
” Lord Helsing
clasped her hand and studied her for a moment. “What are you doing here?”

“May we speak in private, my lord?”

He frowned and Ch
arlotte could read the confusion
in his gaze. “Of course,” he said. “Please, follow me.”

The room was a library with floor to ceiling
paneling
and books. The smell of leather and cigars mixed with
an
old book scent Charlotte
had always
loved met her senses. She sat down on the settee before the unlit hearth and wondered for a moment if she’d done the right thing.

Pushing back her
hood, she watched Mason
shut and lock the door before joining her on the chair. Nerves skittered up her arm when he clasped her hand.

“He’s hit you hasn’t
he?
And don’t lie to me this time.
I can see
by
your
reddened
cheek
that he has.
”

Charlotte nodded. “He’s often violent and cruel. So cruel it
’
s beyond imagining.” Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks and she bit her lip. “I should never have married him. Had I known...”

“You weren’t to know. I knew he was fond of nightly pursuits in the bowels of London, but I did not k
now he would hit his wife.” He
rubbed a tear from her cheek and Charlotte leaned toward his touch.
It had been so long since she’d
had contact filled with reverence and care with another person
. “I should have
waited. M
arried
someone else. Anyone but James.” She met his gaze and for the life of her, couldn’t look away.

“I blame your father as much as I blame your husband. I have not told you this before but the day I came to visit your home, the day after we’d met at the lake I went there for a particular reason.”

“Which was?” Charlotte asked frowning. Lord Helsing stood and went to stand before the hearth, watching as the flames licked at the wood. “I lied when I said I hadn’t heard of your betrothal. I had. And having heard I set off for home to discuss the matter with your father. I knew of Lord
Remmick
’
s
…history and thought to warn your father
. Make him see the error in agreeing for you to marry such a cad and
therefore
brea
k the understanding
.” Mason paused and a pained expression crossed his visage. “He wouldn’t listen.” He turned and met her gaze. “I failed you that day. As a friend,
a
neighbor and
as a
gentleman.”

“You didn’t fail me, Mason,” she said, using his Christian name for the first time in an age. “I failed myself.” Tears pricked her eyes and she sniffed. “When father sa
i
d you’d come with reservations about Lord
Remmick
I should have listened. I’ve know you for so long. We’
d
played, laughed, fought
in the past but you’ve never placed me in harm’s way. I should’ve taken heed of your doubt and acted on it.”

“We all make mistakes, Charlotte. We wouldn’t be human if we did not.” He came and sat beside her and clasped her hand.
“Why are you
really here, Charlotte? It’s the middle of the night.”

A
myriad
of desires and needs thrummed through her veins
at his direct question
. Why was she here? Because she’d always loved him. From the moment
she’d met him as
a young girl,
she’d loved him.
Charlotte studied Mason’s
features, his straight nose and
aristocratic
jaw. His
untidy
hair
that looked
as if he’d run his fingers through it too many times.
How she loved him.

Charlotte
leaned forward and clasped
his jaw. He stilled for a moment
but didn’t pull back as she continued on her quest and kissed him.

When he didn’
t respond
,
she sat b
ack and
studied his reaction.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’m doing. I came here tonight to teach James a lesson and all I’ve ended up doing is making myself look like a fool.” She swallowed a sob and searched for a han
dkerchief
in her cloak pocket.
She was a ridiculous fool
,
about to make another mistake to add to her many. Mason was her friend, not a lover. Why she even thought he would look at her in that way was a
n
absurd notion.

“You need to go home, Charlotte and think about what you wish to do. You’re married and if we go down this road, they’ll be no turning back. For me at least,” Mason said
,
standing and pulling her up. Her cloak opened and she quickly tied it closed again, but not before Mason had seen what scandalous evening wear she had on.

“I understand and you’re right. Revenge is never the way to solve
a
problem
,
even my problems
,
as great as they are. I apologize for
intruding
up
on you.
”

He clasped her jaw and made her look
up
at him. “I’ve always cared for you, you know that. Yes, many years passed that we never saw one
another, but you were always thought of and wondered about. Do not
imagine
the reason I’m sending you home stems from m
y
not wanting you. Without a second thought
,
I would rip that cloak from your shoulders, untie your shift and take you here on this settee and
let
your husband
be damned
. But I will not. If you want to be with me it needs to be out of
your desire to be with me,
not your lust to hurt your husband in any
way you can.”