Page 98 of The Good Fortune of Miss Robbins

“Very good.” It would save us some time and effort if we could join with him. But I had a nagging feeling that kept me from expressing enthusiasm.

As I was leaving, Lord Brookhaven helped me with my jacket. Itwas a simple service, something a brother might do for his sister. But when I looked up to thank him, his face was so close I could see the flecks in his blue eyes.

He didn’t turn away, didn’t even blink, for a long moment. I wanted him to speak. I wanted it so badly my heart seemed to stop beating.

“I will see you tomorrow,” he said softly.

I took a step toward the door and looked away before hurrying out the door.

“William? The servant has just shown Mr. Johnson into the sitting room.”

“He’s early.” William straightened his coat and turned to follow Lady Derringer.

From down the hall, he could see Charlotte entering the sitting room. Lady Derringer was probably introducing them.

William came in just in time to see Mr. Johnson looking smitten as he stared at Charlotte with a slack jaw.

William cleared his throat. It obviously startled him.

His aunt introduced them, and they sat. He eyed Mr. Johnson, then realized he hadn’t smiled at Charlotte yet.

“Lord Brookhaven.” She gave him an intense look. Had she read his thoughts?

Mr. Johnson shared the history of his involvement in rescuing orphans from the streets of London. He sounded quite noble—too noble. Indeed, he was so proud of what he had accomplished, it bordered on arrogance. Surely Charlotte would see through his braggadocious speech.

And surely she wouldn’t think him handsome, though he did have the blond hair, small nose, and fair skin that women often liked.

Mr. Johnson looked almost exclusively at Charlotte as he talked. She was especially pretty today, wearing a pink and blue frock thatset off her blue eyes and the color of her skin, the pink of her cheeks. For her part, she seemed to hang on his every word.

William was sunk.

Would she break his heart just like Letitia did?

But Charlotte was nothing like Letitia. Charlotte was good and kind and compassionate, and she would never marry someone just for their name or title or fortune—which meant she might marry this Mr. Johnson. She was truly too good for William, for he had deceived her, given her a fortune under false pretenses, and then left her alone and refused to tell her he loved her, letting her be preyed upon by every fortune-seeking blackguard in London. He’d ruined everything with his hesitation and with thinking she needed a fortune for society to accept her.

Perhaps he did have a mother who had scarred his heart in ways that had shaped him into this morose, melancholy half-monster, half-man. Perhaps his first love had betrayed and rejected him. But that did not mean he needed to punish Charlotte—or himself, for that matter.

No, she deserved someone like this Johnson, if he was sincere in his sentiments and desire to help poor orphan children.

But what if she had loved him? She’d told him of her feelings in her letter, but she’d since been quite cold to him.

How could he blame her? He’d been too afraid to express his own feelings for her, to reciprocate her expressions of affection. And now ... he wasn’t sure he could bear it if she rejected him.

The pain of being rejected by Letitia was still so fresh. He could still feel the desire to erase his own existence, even though he realized he was better for having lost her. But Charlotte Robbins ... she was a true woman of virtue, and to lose her would hurt so much more than losing Letitia. Morose, melancholy creature that he was, he wasn’t sure he’d survive it.

“Lord Brookhaven?” Everyone was looking at him.

Lady Derringer spoke up. “Will you be able to accompany us toMr. Johnson’s Home for Orphan Boys in Cheapside tomorrow at two o’clock?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Good, it is all settled. We shall meet you there tomorrow, Mr. Johnson,” Lady Derringer said.

Mr. Johnson bowed to her and then he took Charlotte’s hand and bent over it, looking her in the eyes.

The blighter didn’t miss a trick.

As soon as he was gone, Charlotte said, “I must go as well. I promised to take the children to the park and teach them to play pall mall.” She turned and looked at William. “Would you like to accompany us?”