Wicked Nights With a Proper Lady (31 page)

Charlotte clasped her hands behind her back and continued down the lawn ahead of her. “I know you think me young and naïve.”

“I think you are a very intelligent young woman.” She followed her cousin, catching up to her at the edge of the stream. She rubbed her hand soothingly over her cousin’s arm when they stopped again under the shade of a tall elm. “I really didn’t mean what I said.”

“You needn’t take your words back.”

Genny sat down on the grass, uncaring if it soiled her white walking dress. “You guessed right earlier.”

“Are we referring to Lord Barrington?”

Her cousin sat next to her and leaned back on her elbows. Genny lay back with a sigh, stared up at the green canopy shading them from the sun, and folded her hands over her midsection.

If Genny explained how she and Lord Barrington could never marry, even if they wanted to, would Charlotte welcome her impending marriage?

“Lord Barrington and I had a disagreement.”

“On?”

“His reputation.”

“Why would you even discuss his reputation?”

“Because he thought to court me.” Genny rolled over onto her side, her head resting on her open palm as she assessed her cousin’s expression. “I already know your father won’t allow it.”

Charlotte gave her a questioning look. “You don’t know that.”

“Your father and Lord Barrington have very opposing views in political matters.”

“Why should that matter? The earl will make an excellent husband with his title and his wealth.”

“It matters to your father.” Genny plucked at the grass between them. She shouldn’t tell her cousin this, but really, what good would it do to hide the full truth from her when Charlotte would find out eventually anyway. “Your father told me to avoid Lord Barrington completely. He specifically said I could never be caught in the earl’s company again.”

Charlotte sat up, a scowl on her face. She was obviously displeased on Genny’s behalf. “Then why did he let us come to the Carleton house party? Surely he knows Lord Barrington is in attendance.”

“Because of the exclusivity of this party. To ignore or refuse the invitation would have been a slight toward the Carletons.”

“We were only invited because you know Lady Carleton.” Charlotte folded her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her shins. She pressed the side of her face against her raised knees.

“I think she’s taken a great liking to you and Ariel.” Genny sat up and toed her slippers off. “Let us cool off before anyone can catch us being indiscreet.”

“An excellent idea.” Charlotte removed her shoes and rolled her stockings down. “Why would Papa refuse a courtship between Lord Barrington and you?”

“Quite frankly, they despise each other.”

“I don’t think Papa likes anyone. He’s getting grumpier as he ages. He’ll be an old curmudgeon soon and liable to beat anyone with his cane if they get too close.”

They both laughed at the image of Charlotte’s father doing just that.

“I don’t think anyone would believe Lord Barrington’s intentions were pure if he were to court me. So I kindly refused him.”

They waded into the cool water, holding their skirts above the stream. There was a cluster of large boulders three feet out from the shore that they could perch themselves against, so they headed toward them.

“He’s liable to settle down with a wife soon, considering his age,” Charlotte said.

“He’s not yet thirty. And unlike us mere women, men can sire children at any age.”

“True. But I still think you should ask Papa. Or maybe Lord Barrington can present his case? That would be utterly romantic.”

“Who would look after you if I am focused on a courtship?”

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. “If I’m to wed as soon as the fall, Grandmamma can attend events with me.”

“I’m not sure your father would agree with this plan of yours.” Genny rested her head back on the rocks and let the sun heat her face.

“You will never know unless you ask.”

But she’d never ask. Barrington had proven no better than his reputation. Not that she would reveal that to her cousin. That was her secret to bear alone.

“Maybe I will ask your father after you are wed,” she said, lying easily. That should pacify her cousin and put off the conversation until a much later date. “Come on, we have to head back; we’ve been cooling in the water a good half hour.”

They gathered up their stockings, stuffing them in their pockets, and slipped back into their shoes.

“Don’t mention this conversation again. I don’t want anyone to know that Barrington and I might have been more than friends.”

“That you have so little faith in me goes to show you don’t know me well.” Charlotte looped her arm through Genny’s on the long walk back to the house. “Your secret is safe with me.”

She knew her secrets would be safe with her cousin, but she could never reveal the ugly truth about Barrington and Castleigh. Why should she crush her cousin’s heart? Charlotte would eventually figure out that both men were no longer interested in being a part of their lives.

When they reached the back entrance, Lady Hargrove informed them that Lord Barrington had urgent business to attend to in London and had left while they’d been on their walk.

Though she’d expected him to leave, the news still made her heart splinter right down the center. It was better this way, she argued to herself. It would be easier to forget him if he wasn’t constantly in her presence.

When they went to their own rooms to freshen up after their walk, Genny tossed her hat on her bed and slumped down on the chaise longue near the fireplace and stared at nothing. She wished she could take one day for herself before having to play the perfect chaperone in two hours’ time for luncheon. She’d have to settle for a short nap and hope that her emotions didn’t bombard her at an inconvenient time.

When she focused on the mantel clock, she saw a small blue box that hadn’t been there when she’d left. Genny tilted her head to the side, spying a folded piece of paper next to the box, which looked vaguely familiar.

She stood and grabbed both items from the mantel and sat back down on the chaise. She held the box in her hand, turning it over, recalling the first time she’d seen it back at her uncle’s house.

She set it next to her, not sure she should even open it, and peeled through the wax that sealed the letter.

Princess,

Before you toss away this letter or the present that I bought you all those weeks ago from the jeweler’s, please hear me out. I cannot walk away from us with my heart intact. I cannot leave you to a life of uncertainty even if it seems better to find your own way than to ever trust me again.

Everything between us these last two weeks has meant more to me than you can ever know. I love you. I have always loved you and I know that we can start over even if I’ve been the biggest ass there ever was.

Without you, my life is nothing. I need your smile, your laughter, your very presence. You alone make me a better man, and that is the only reason I confessed what needed to be said. I’m sorry I hurt you. That I broke your trust in me. But know that no matter how long it takes, I will win you back.

Always your
Leo

Genny had to wipe away more tears that spilled over her cheeks. She loved him, too, but that didn’t mean she could forgive him.

Lying back on the chaise, she fingered the chocolate-brown ribbon that sealed the box’s contents from sight. The brown matched Leo’s eyes exactly and the comparison had more tears gushing down her face. Handkerchief completely sodden, she gave up wiping the salty liquid and let them flow freely.

Accepting Leo’s gift meant accepting him back into her life. Should she send the box back to him by post? Or maybe it was better to open it and give the bauble to someone else? That would be a divine punishment, the only flaw being that he’d never know.

She slowly pulled the end of the satin ribbon, questioning her sanity until the whole thing unraveled at the center. It was too late to turn back now. She flipped the lid off, letting it tumble to the floor.

Her breath caught on seeing the beautiful piece inside. It wasn’t any of the hair combs she’d tried on for him. This one was far prettier than any of those.

White ivory, she guessed, as she lifted it from the box.

Little round carved balls lined the top. A flower bloomed below the top edge from the center and vines swirled in a delicate pattern through the rest of it. It was smaller than the palm of her hand and incredibly beautiful. Five tines about two and some inches long stretched out below. She ran her finger over the bottom edge then brought it close to inspect the detailed work of the decorative head.

She could never wear something so beautiful and obviously expensive without anyone asking her where she had obtained such a piece. She put it back in the box.

It seemed pointless to send it back to Leo. He had given it to her, knowing that she might refuse to ever see him again, so it was hers to do with as she pleased. Wrapping it back up, she pulled out her portmanteau from beneath the bed, and placed the box inside where no one would ever know about it.

Chapter 21

None other than the recently rusticating Lord B
^___
is back in Town. With him comes a wave of speculation about his current attraction to a young lady. A reliable source has heard that he escaped from his holiday the moment he was caught in a compromising position with his young lady friend. Of course she’s been ruined for any others now that Lord B
^___
has taken advantage of her. Everyone wants to know if this is a new entertainment he’s partaking in. In time we will know the answer to this, for the season has yet to end and there are so many more spinsters for one such as him to weed out.

The Mayfair Chronicles, August 6, 1846

The unthinkable had happened, and it had necessitated Genny’s quick removal from the house party.

It had been two days ago now that she and Barrington had fought and she’d said good-bye to him one final time. It had been forty hours since Barrington had left the Carleton Estate. It had been a mere eight hours since Lord Ponsley had arrived after receiving a note that his daughter’s chaperone was an unseemly character indulging in a very public affair.

A maid had been sent up to her room to tell her that her uncle wanted to speak with her.

She’d been dreading this moment since she knew her card had been played. This was the moment when everything in her life was about to slip through her fingers and rush downhill faster than she could recover.

With her hands folded neatly in her lap to stop her from fidgeting, her foot tapped restlessly against the carpeted floor.

She’d waited nearly an hour now.

Did her uncle intentionally make her wait, expecting her nerves to wear her down with every minute that passed? Did he want her to feel terrible about her actions and mull over everything that had gone wrong? Why couldn’t he just come into the parlor and get it over with?

She couldn’t abide the waiting. It was awful. She wanted to scream her frustration. Pound her fists into the cushions beside her. Anything to assuage her need to … run.

The absence of sleep did not help this situation. Goodness, she hadn’t even seen her cousin since yesterday afternoon.

Genny heaved a sigh and rubbed her forehead and temples. She felt a headache coming on; this was all too much stress. Too much to deal with. Though she’d known this was a possibility when she’d started her liaison with Leo, she’d never expected to actually be caught.

When the door opened, she got quickly to her feet, keeping her head downcast. There was a long pause of silence before the door clicked shut and heeled boots approached her.

She felt her lip quiver and had to bite it to still her outward emotions. Like a drop of water in the bucket of time, she slowly raised her eyes, knowing that this was the end of her comfortable life as a companion.

Lord Ponsley’s expression was dour. There was no pity present when he scowled at her as though she were the lowest of life forms. She almost expected a growl to pass his lips where it was kicked up on the left in a vicious sneer.

Even though she wanted nothing more than to be strong and brave and pull back her shoulders and face him head-on, she couldn’t. It would do her no good to defend such an indiscretion as the one she’d committed. She lowered her gaze like any good servant and slumped her shoulders forward as she waited for a thorough set down from her uncle.

“You have disgraced my family.” His voice reverberated around the room.

“I’m sorry, my lord.” What else was there to say? How else could she apologize and make up for her wrongs?

“Not to mention that you have shamed my daughter with this indiscretion.” Lord Ponsley leaned up against the mantel, a severe look of disdain settled into the wrinkles lining his face. “How did you ever think you could play the whore and not be found out?”

She gasped. “Whore” was such a vile, dirty word. And she’d done everything in her power to protect Charlotte. She’d even turned Leo away after his confession to her. Tears fell copiously from her eyes. She went to where he stood, fell to her knees, and pulled his hand toward her; intent on kissing the heavy gold signet ring he always wore. The tears wouldn’t let up.

“I cannot apologize enough for what I have done.” Her voice broke, and the tears didn’t let up. “Please take some mercy on me; I am of your blood.”

Because she held his hand, she was forced to wipe her running nose on the shoulder of her dress.

He pried his hand away from hers and rubbed it on his trousers as though she were a filthy street urchin covered in grime. “I begin to wonder if your mother was a whore, too. You are no blood of a vicar. You are nothing but a harlot. You are no blood of mine.”