Page 22 of A Perfect Engagement
Mother softened somewhat at Daniel’s contrite expression. She certainly wasn’t going to argue with Lord Hawksridge’s account of what happened. Her mother grasped her hands tightly together in front of her heart. “Tomorrow is the hunt. Perhaps you will fare better on a horse, Lord Hawksridge. Come, Charlotte, let’s get you cleaned up. You look like a drowned rat.”
Charlotte’s shoulders sagged, and she started after her mother down the hallway. There surely would be a lecture to follow once they were out of earshot. But something urged her to turn and look over her shoulder at Daniel. Sure enough, his broad grin was back in place. He gave her a cheeky salute before turning to head for his own room.
Chapter Ten
Perhaps we should keep our observation of flora to the “Rosa Floribunda” from now on. I found algae in places I cannot mention to a lady. ~ H
Charlotte sniffed therose which accompanied the note. It smelled divine. Daniel must have pilfered it from the conservatory. She tucked the note into a little porcelain box on the side table next to her. Then she slid the flower into a vase that already held an arrangement of purple freesia. The contrast between the yellow of the rose and the purple freesia pleased her eye for color.
“I’m so sorry, Charlotte! I had no idea our plan would end in such a disaster,” Susanna said. She, Olivia, and Ellie had joined Charlotte in her sitting room for tea. Charlotte just couldn’t face the crowd downstairs at the lavish afternoon tea her mother had orchestrated. Her less than graceful dip into the lake was probably all anyone was talking about. After years of spending time on the edges of the ballroom and the fringes of conversation, she had secretly hoped this week she would be the center of attention for all the right reasons. But alas, here she was the butt of jokes, no doubt.
“Your plan? What plan?” Charlotte replied.
Susanna and Olivia exchanged a look before Susanna shrugged. “We just wanted to give you and Lord Hawksridge a chance to spend some time alone. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to switch boats.”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “Really! That was a truly horrible plan.”
Charlotte stared at her two meddling friends. They looked properly abashed, but she couldn’t believe they orchestrated the whole embarrassing incident. She had plenty to worry about with Daniel pretending to be his brother; she did not need any disastrous help from her friends, well-meaning or not.
Perhaps she should tell them what was going on. No, the fewer people who knew Daniel masqueraded as Miles this week, the better. It felt odd not to share such a big secret with her friends. “What’s done is done. It makes me cringe though to think of what was being said by the vile Miss Thornton at luncheon downstairs earlier.”
“Oh, nothing bad, I assure you,” Ellie said. “All anyone can talk about is Lord Hawkridge’s strength and chivalry as he pulled you from the water and carried you to the house. They were practically swooning over how good he looked in his wet trousers.” She grinned over the rim of her teacup.
The door burst open, and Charlotte’s brother Lucius swaggered into the room. “Who’s good-looking in wet trousers?”
“Charlotte’s fiancé, Lord Hawksridge.” Susanna gave Lucius a sunny smile.
“Ah yes, good chap, I met him downstairs just now when I arrived. He appeared quite dry and respectable to me.”
Lucius wore no coat or cravat. Thankfully, his white lawn shirt was buttoned to the top at least.
Charlotte shook her head. “Lucius, why are you walking around the house half-dressed?”
He held up two waistcoats, one green and one dark blue. Lucius glanced around the room. “Ladies, I appeal to your far superior fashion sense. Which one shall I wear with these pants?” He held up his two choices.
“Lucius, it is entirely improper for you to be half-dressed in front of my friends.”
“Lottie, you know I am hopeless with fashion. Mother has lent my valet to some very important guest.” He rolled his eyes, and his bottom lip jutted out. “Help me choose one, and I will finish getting dressed.”
“What color jacket will you be wearing?” Olivia asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t gotten that far.”
“Wear the green one with a black jacket,” Ellie advised. “You always look nice in green.”
“Yes, it matches your eyes.” Charlotte nodded. She and Lucius shared the same dark forest-green eye color. She couldn’t help but needle her brother a bit. Really, he arrived two days late! She sniffed dramatically. “I see you have finally shown up at my party.”
“Don’t pout, luv. I’m planning to stay on the rest of the week. You know Mother drives me crazy at these things. She is forever shoving insipid debutants in front of me.”
Lucius was thirteen months older than Charlotte. Hardly old enough at twenty-four to be considered a confirmed bachelor. But her mother did not like the crowd of rakehells he socialized with in London, so when she managed to get him to visit, she tried her best to steer him toward a quieter domestic existence.
Lucius came over and gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head.
“I would like you to look after Hawksridge for me, though.” Charlotte looked up at him. “Don’t let Father and Edward interrogate him, all right?”
“Hawksridge appeared to be doing just fine to me. Oh all right, I will keep an eye out and make sure he’s not lonely.” Lucius smirked.
“We were hoping to garner them a chance to spend some time alone this week. Our first plan turned into a disaster,” Susanna said.
