Page 23 of A Perfect Engagement
Lucius frowned. “I don’t think they need to be alone. Why do they need to be alone?”
“Because they barely know each other, Lucius. Anyway, since when do you care about the propriety of being alone with a woman?” Ellie goaded him.
“Since the woman is my sister!” he retorted.
Olivia interrupted their little debate. “We weren’t going to lock them in a bedroom together. We just wanted them to have a chance to have a few moments alone to get better acquainted.”
Lucius seemed placated by her logic. “I will leave you to your meddling then, ladies.” He gave a bow. “I am eternally grateful for your advice on the waistcoat choice. I have a very important dinner planned this evening with the lovely widow, Mrs. Tattinger.”
Ellie’s smile faded. Her friend harbored feelings for Lucius, but sadly, Lucius’s interest was always drawn to a flashier sort of woman.
“Go finish getting dressed already.” Charlotte dismissed him.
He gave a wave with his fabric-filled hands. “Good day, ladies.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes, then shifted her attention back to her friends. She shot them a frown. “Please no more help, I beg of you. Today was embarrassing enough.”
“We promise no more meddling.” Olivia reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. “But in exchange, you must tell us how it felt to be carried off in those great muscled arms.”
Susanna’s head bobbed up and down in agreement. Even Ellie put her teacup down and leaned forward. Charlotte couldn’t stop the blush from warming her cheeks as she remembered being cradled against his broad chest. With her arms around his neck, she could study his face up close. His skin had been smooth-shaven, and his eyelashes long and dusky brown. His hair had been plastered to his forehead, and she’d had to fight the urge to brush it back. In hindsight, she had been too worried about the scene they were making to properly enjoy the moment. She took a swallow of her lukewarm tea. Charlotte feared her attraction toward Daniel could be very dangerous indeed.
But she wasn’t able to tell her friends any of these thoughts, so instead, she tried diverting the conversation. “Olivia, you are a married woman. I’m shocked you would be thinking about the muscled arms of another man.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Don’t be silly. There is nothing wrong with living vicariously through a bit of description. So you admit they are well-muscled?”
“I will admit to that. And I must say it was a rather surreal experience to be whisked away in his arms. I mean, the man didn’t even break a sweat as he carried me all the way up to the house.”
Susanna sighed. Even Ellie appeared impressed. Charlotte smiled into her teacup, happy to be ensconced in her sunny sitting room with her closest friends. She could never confess these things to anyone else. The nagging sense of guilt returned. She wanted to confide in them that she was beginning to be infatuated with this man who was her fiancé’s brother, but how could she admit something like that out loud? She must get her feelings under control. Hawksridge would arrive by tomorrow most likely, and she could focus her attention where it should be, on her betrothed.
*
“Cheers.” Daniel clinkedhis glass against Lucius’s glass.
Lucius had taken up residence next to him by the fireplace about a half hour ago. The two of them stood companionably, sipping wine and watching the guests mingle about the drawing room from a happy distance. Daniel found Lucius to be funny and a wry observer of the machinations happening in the room. The man was a refreshing contrast to his older brother, Edward. Lucius pulled out his watch for the third time.
“You needn’t babysit me. Not that I haven’t appreciated your efforts to entertain me,” Daniel said.
One corner of Lucius’s mouth tilted up wryly. “I see I am more transparent than I thought. I have dinner plans elsewhere in about an hour. And I don’t want to keep the lady waiting.” He tucked the watch back into his vest. “I promised Charlotte I would keep my family away from you.”
“You spoke to Charlotte this afternoon? How is she faring?” Daniel asked.
“Ah, you mean after getting dunked into the lake? She seemed fine; she and her friends were having tea when I spoke with her.”
“I was concerned because your mother seemed fit to be tied when she saw us dripping wet.”
Lucius rolled his eyes. “Mother is always upset about something. You cannot sneeze in her presence without hearing about how you did it wrong. Charlotte seemed in good spirits. The ladies were discussing how good your arse looks in wet trousers.”
Daniel paused, his drink halfway to his mouth. “Pardon me?”
Lucius slapped him on the back and howled with laughter. Daniel’s wine sloshed over the edge of the glass, dotting his sleeve with alcohol. He pulled out his handkerchief to blot his jacket. When he looked back up, he found Lucius’s expression had turned serious.
“Charlotte needs someone to watch out for her and to be in her corner. As her future husband, you need to be that person.” Lucius put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t let my parents convince you they are getting the better deal in this marriage. You are the lucky one, Hawksridge. Charlotte is a capital girl.”
Daniel was about to agree wholeheartedly when the volume of twittering voices in the room increased dramatically. Charlotte stood, paused at the entrance to the room. She wore a gown of pale pink, a dark pink ribbon tied around her waist and trailed down to the embroidered hem of her skirt. Everything about her appearance spoke of poise and beauty, but her eyes were wide and scared.
“Excuse me.” Daniel shoved his glass into Lucius’s hand. He strode across the room to greet his betrothed…his brother’s betrothed. When he reached Charlotte, he took her hand, bending to brush his lips across the glove. When he straightened, he caught her eye.
“No worse for wear after this afternoon’s incident?”
