Page 45 of A Perfect Engagement
“No, she did not pay me enough attention to discover our rouse. You did make quite a splash when you carried your fiancée out of the lake and up to the house.” He grinned, thinking about what a lovely armful Charlotte made. “Also, I wanted to say, you should keep your future in-laws at arm’s length. They are truly awful, and they treat Charlotte badly. The only decent fellow is her brother Lucius. You and he get along famously.” Thinking about family, Daniel stood. “Listen, Miles. There is something I need to tell you when we have a moment alone.”
“What is it? Roberts, leave us.”
“No.” Daniel held up a hand to stop the valet from exiting. “Later, when we can have a glass of brandy and talk.”
“All right. Later then.” Miles handed off a pair of boots to Roberts, who placed them neatly at the bottom of the wardrobe next to a pair of polished shoes.
Daniel stared at the neatly organized clothing. Perhaps his brother and Charlotte would never fight in their married life. Everything would always be put back in its proper place. Everything would make sense. Nothing about Daniel’s life fit into a neat box. What would Charlotte’s reaction be when he explained about Phoebe and Josie? What would Miles’s reaction be? Daniel turned away from the wardrobe and reached for the doorknob.
“I’ll see you downstairs for dinner.”
*
Charlotte came downthe staircase in a grand fashion, flanked by Lady Susanna and Miss Spencer. Her gown of dusky rose fit her curves beautifully. Her long white gloves led his eyes directly north past the gauzy puff of her cap sleeves to her creamy bare shoulders. Her eyes met his, and Daniel wondered if she knew it was him. Her eyes narrowed, shooting angry sparks from their green depths.She knew it was him.He took a step forward instinctively, but Miles brushed past him to greet her.
Daniel frowned as she accepted Miles’s hand. The urge to push his brother aside burned in his gut, just like when they were kids, and he caught Miles playing with one of his toys. Charlotte was not a toy to fight over. She chose Miles to be her husband. Daniel forced himself to turn and greet Charlotte’s friends.
“Good evening, ladies. May I escort you to the dining room?” He gave his most winning smile.
“Thank you, Lord Weston.” Lady Susanna returned his smile.
Miss Spencer let out a small snort but placed her hand on his arm. “Lord Weston, you and your brother truly are very similar in appearance. Tell me, are you also similar in personality?” She stared up at him with curious eyes.
“Not really. My brother is far more serious. He enjoys politics and town, whereas I do not. He is organized, even meticulous. I have no doubt he will make the perfect husband.”
“Indeed. He sounds like the perfect match for our sensible Charlotte,” Miss Spencer said, but her frown deepened, making him wonder if she actually agreed.
At dinner, Daniel sat near the head of the table next to Lord and Lady Markham and across from his brother and Charlotte. As the wine was poured, Lady Markham kept looking from him to his brother and back again, quite comically.
“I dare say, Lord Hawksridge, you and your brother look so alike, it’s uncanny,” she finally said.
“My brother and I are identical twins, Lady Markham. Did you not know?” Daniel replied. He glanced at his brother. Miles took a sip of wine to hide his smile. He and Miles were ever amused at the looks they received when they were out together.
“Identical? I have never heard of such a thing. Have you, Markham?” The lady elbowed her husband to get his attention.
“Yes, dear, I have. It’s quite rare, but certainly possible. Ah, lamb! Excellent choice, Lady Markham.” Charlotte’s father leaned in to sniff the delicious aroma of the roasted meat on his plate. “Hawksridge, I specifically requested the mint jelly for tonight after you told me you share my affinity for it.” He signaled for the footman to serve the mint jelly to his guest.
This time, Daniel smiled into his glass of wine. His brother hated the flavor of mint in anything, but especially jelly. Miles despised the texture of jellied items. His brother schooled his features into a bland expression to hide his disgust.
“Thank you, sir,” Miles choked out. Then his brother shot him a glare across the table.
This did not go unnoticed by Charlotte. She glanced between him and Miles with curiosity. “I did not know about your affinity for mint jelly, Lord Hawksridge.” She looked up from her plate; her gaze collided with his, her eyes sad. “But there are so many things we don’t know about each other yet, I suppose.” She shrugged delicately and turned to give his brother a small smile.
Miles picked up Charlotte’s hand and placed a kiss on her fingers. “We shall remedy that with time.” He gave her a wink, which made Charlotte’s cheeks pinken.
Daniel took a gulp of his wine. Seeing Charlotte blush in response to Miles’s comment turned the edges of his vision green. Since when had his brother become so charming?
A footman offered him the jelly, and Daniel nodded. “I also love mint jelly with lamb.” He smirked at his brother. Then he dug into his plate with gusto.
Later, once the gentlemen rejoined the ladies in the drawing room, Daniel attempted to stay on the fringes. He needed to find an opportunity to pull Charlotte aside. At dinner, she studiously ignored him. Oh, no one but he would have noticed she refused to make eye contact with him, or that she didn’t ask “Hawksridge’s brother” a single question. Instead, she had quietly listened to the table conversation, replying appropriately every so often. She had also not eaten a thing, but simply pushed her food around the plate. Charlotte was upset; he could sense it, plain as the nose on his face.
Unfortunately, staying on the fringes proved impossible because as the newcomer to the party and the marquess’s brother, everyone wished to introduce themselves. Everyone who he had already met and made polite small talk with the whole damn week. Daniel accepted a glass of wine from the tray of a roaming footman as Lord and Lady Thornton and their vile daughter walked away to presumably bore some other group of guests. He took a large gulp.
Charlotte stood across the room with Miles at her side. They were talking with Aunt Diana and Lord and Lady Markham. Charlotte looked to be bored to tears with the conversation. She stifled a yawn with her fan. Lady Markham noticed this too, and she pinched the back of Charlotte’s arm, causing her to jump. Without breaking eye contact with Aunt Diana, Miles slid an arm around Charlotte’s waist and pulled her closer to him, positioning her out of reach of her mother.
Well done, brother.
Miles did not remove his hand but left it at the small of Charlotte’s back. Daniel stared at that hand. That hand should be his. He should be the one protecting Charlotte from her mother. Miles barely knew her, but yet he thought it was appropriate to have his hands on her?
