“And what would it matter why I felt the way I do? How would knowing this change anything?” Charlotte hugged her arms around herself, and in that moment, Dominic felt an oddly protective urge within him.
“If I could understand it, then perhaps I could allay your fears,” Dominic answered.
“I… A rake cannot be trusted,” Charlotte replied.
“But how do you know this? Just because he is a rake does not mean that all that he does is untruthful,” he pointed out.There is an irony here that your own reputation is based mainly on lies, and you are insisting that rakes are not all liars.
“They lie. They love nothing more than to fill your head with sweet words and promises that mean nothing to them, and when you discover their treachery, they will make it seem like it was your fault. Like you are somehow to blame for their behaviour.” Charlotte had a faraway look in her eyes, as though she were remembering something.
Realisation hit Dominic.A rake broke her heart or at the very least hurt her deeply.“You have known other rakes.”
For a moment, he thought she would deny it, but then she nodded. “Nothing scandalous happened between us. I was young, naïve. I was not even really in love.”
“But his betrayal still hurt.” Dominic’s voice was soft.
“It did,” Charlotte said, her pale green eyes finding his.
A part of Dominic wanted to know exactly what the man had done to hurt her so, but he did not want to push her.Besides, what is done is done, and knowing will not undo his actions.
Eventually, Charlotte murmured, “I hate being made a fool of. I hate dishonesty. And well, when I confronted him, not only did he deny it at first, but then he tried to convince me I should be thanking him for it.”
“Really?” Dominic shook his head.
He had met his share of men who had boasted of convincing wives and fiancés that they were being hysterical or paranoid. He clenched a hand into a fist.Why make her doubt herself when you are already caught?
“Yes, when I did not buy that they were just friends, he told me that it was all my fault. That he was doing me a great kindness by getting his needs met elsewhere. He even had the audacity to come to my estate and demand that I reinstate the engagement.” Charlotte’s fingers curled into fists. “In the end, I told him never to contact me again, or I would set the dogs on him.”
Dominic laughed. “And did he try and contact you again?”
“No, he did not.” She looked smug as she said it.
“Thank you,” Dominic said after a while.
“For what?” Charlotte canted her head towards him, looking confused.
“For telling me your story,” Dominic replied. “It is not easy to revisit painful memories.”
“I think of them less as painful and more as a reminder that one must not trust too easily. Wearing a heart on your sleeve is good in fairy tales but less so in real life.” Charlotte gestured vaguely. “Now has that helped you come up with inspiration for your letter?”
“Yes. At least I think so.” Dominic glanced down at the paper and scribbled a few lines, and then cleared his throat. “’My dear Lady Charlotte… Words are cheap, and it is with actions that I will win your heart. And so I give you these gifts which cannot be bought. In your next letter you might ask me questions, and I will answer you truly.’”
“And how am I supposed to know that whatever you write is true?” Charlotte seemed skeptical.
“Well, you have not heard my next gift.” Dominic gave her a wicked grin. “‘And my next gift is a secret. A secret so embarrassing that I trust you with it as a deep sign of my affection and loyalty.’”
He paused and looked at Charlotte, who was leaning towards him with keen interest. He continued, “‘I am deathly afraid of sewing needles.’”
Charlotte laughed. “Sewing needles?”
“Yes. Blood, wounds, that is fine. But a sewing needle accidentally pricking the skin.” Dominic shuddered. “I would rather be stabbed with a dagger.”
“Well then, it is probably deeply fortunate that men rarely are asked to sew.” Charlotte smiled at him.
“Do you think that little secret would have earned me a bit of trust?” Dominic asked.
“If not trust, something close to it. After all, it is a wickedly fun thing to blackmail you with.” Charlotte gave him a wolfish grin, but a moment later looked concerned. “Are you sure you wish your grandmother to have such knowledge?”
“I am touched you care so much,” Dominic teased.
