Page 26 of A Perfect Engagement
“Oh, dear.” Charlotte moved to the door.Ridiculous men.There was no fighting at her party. More male voices joined in the yelling.
Daniel’s hand caught her arm. “You are absolutely not going out there. This is a matter for your father or brother to settle. It’s nothing for a lady to get into the middle of; you could get hurt.”
She bit her lower lip. He was right, of course. What would she do? Admonish a bunch of drunken men? She sighed. The voices were already moving away as if someone were ushering the men back into the drawing room. She glanced up at Daniel, his face tight with tension as he listened to the fracas. “Perhaps it’s time for bed.”
He let go of her arm as the hallway quieted. “I should escort you to your room. Just in case.”
She nodded. “Let me put the letters away.” She crossed back to the settee and gathered the three letters. Folding them carefully, she went over to the writing desk and slid the letters into a drawer before lifting the lid to close the top. “What about a book for you to read? You never did pick one out.”
“Hmmm, what do you recommend? This is your library.”
She tilted her head, assessing him. What indeed? She remembered their conversation the previous night and knew exactly which book he might enjoy. It only took her a minute to find the correct shelf. Returning to Daniel, she handed himFrankensteinwith a grin. “It’s delightfully scary.”
Chapter Twelve
So sorry but I will be delayed a couple more days. I will arrive most likely by Friday. Eternally thankful, H
“Damn it, Miles!”Daniel swore under his breath. He folded the note from his brother and shoved it into the pocket of his riding jacket. Correction, Miles’s riding jacket. Why did all the jackets from his brother’s wardrobe feel so blasted tight? They used to be the same size. One wrong move of his arm and he would bust the shoulder seams. How the hell was he going to shoot a gun in this thing? As he strode across the grass toward the stable yard, his foul mood grew. Ahead there were at least two dozen people, the same number of horses, and a pack of baying hounds, creating a cacophony of noise which already made his head throb.
Miles should be here to take his betrothed and her whole damn family hunting. He should be here making small talk with his pompous blowhard of a father-in-law. The man and his equally self-important oldest son, Edward, never stopped talking about their money. What ventures they are investing in, what newest object d’art they want to purchase next, the profit they brought in on the last shipment of spice from the Far East. Did he want to invest in their next venture? And on and on in truly tasteless displays of boasting.
Then there was Lady Markham and her shameless fawning. Last night, he strove to avoid her, but she popped up at his elbow all evening, inserting herself into perfectly pleasant conversations with her overly loud laugh and her inappropriate petting of his arm. Plus, he did not care for her continual pecking at Charlotte. She never minded who was within earshot when she scolded her daughter for this or that. He would have to speak to Miles about keeping his in-laws at arm’s length for the sake of his wife’s happiness.
The loud bray of a horse diverted his attention from his thoughts back to the circus of people and animals in the yard. Charlotte’s brothers were attempting to organize the group. Grooms were darting from horse to horse, assisting ladies with their mounts. Across the yard, the woman who had been so rude to him last night berated a young stable boy. Her crop sliced back and forth through the air as she yelled. Daniel shook his head. What a typical spoiled debutant.
Through the throng, he spotted Charlotte standing in the shade of an oak tree on the far side of the fence. She looked fresh and pretty in a navy-blue riding habit. Her hair was tucked neatly back into a smooth chignon. The men’s style hat she wore was softened by a cluster of pheasant feathers tucked into a dark brown ribbon that circled the crown. She observed the crowd with a look of trepidation, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.
He would have to tell her she was stuck with him for another couple of days, but Daniel hated to add to her worried expression. He’d never met a lady so anxious about everything. Did all women go about in such a state? Or perhaps Charlotte didn’t feel the need to hide her feelings from him? After all, there was no need to impress him; he was just her stand-in fiancé. He needed to remember this simple fact.
Last night he had come very close to kissing her as though he was her intended. As though he had a right to those lips. She had been so flushed and pretty speaking about those letters. Charlotte’s love of love was strangely endearing. How did such a practical girl end up with such a soft spot for romanticism? He glanced at her again, her expression still brooding. He sighed. Every time those little furrows developed on her brow, the overwhelming need to do something…anything to distract her from whatever she was fretting over pulsed through him.
He skirted along the fence line and approached Charlotte from behind. She didn’t notice him until he said her name. “Good morning, Miss Grisham.”
She spun around to face him, and he was gratified to see a smile take the place of her previously anxious expression.
“Good morning, Lord Hawksridge. Are you looking forward to hunting? I believe we will be chasing fox today.”
“Are you?” he asked.
“Yes, of course. What house party would be complete without a hunt.” She nodded decisively.
He’d bet a gold crown the sentiment came straight from her mother’s mouth. “Your body language tells me the opposite.” He reached for her gloved hands, gently prying apart the fingers she held clasped tightly together. Her bottom lip, bee-stung from her biting on it, begged to be soothed by a kiss. He raised her fingers to his lips instead. “Tell me what’s bothering you this morning.”
Charlotte sighed. “Truthfully? I hate the drama of the hunt. I feel terrible for the poor animal being chased. It’s not as though we need the meat for dinner. How is it sporting for ten dogs and a dozen riders to chase one poor fox?”
“When you put it like that, it does seem unfair. I guess men just enjoy the chase.” He gave her a wink. But instead of smiling, the furrow between her eyebrows reappeared. He changed his tack. “Why don’t you stay back? Many of the ladies choose not to participate.”
“No, I’m told I must go. I’m supposed to be showing off my superior skills as a horsewoman to my fiancé.”
“Do you always do as you’re told?” he teased.
Her eyes flew up to meet his. She paused as though debating her answer. Then she sighed again.
“Yes, I suppose I do.” Pulling her hands from his, she turned back to the paddock. Daniel observed her stiff shoulders and the rigid arc of her neck as it held her head high. Again his overwhelming urge was to soothe. He’d like to kiss every muscle from her delicate jaw to her creamy shoulder until all the tension she held there released, and she was warm and pliant in his arms. If she were his, he would whisk her away where she could relax.
Technically, she was his for another couple of days. He leaned in to speak low. “Let’s get away for the afternoon.” Charlotte didn’t turn her head, but he sensed he had her full attention. “We’ll ride out with the others but more slowly; then when they are far enough ahead, we can go anywhere you wish. Your choice.”
Her breath hitched. “You don’t think anyone will miss us?”
