“I said nothing about love!”
“I am famished and fancy a drink. A few of us are heading to the gentleman’s club; do you want to join us?”
“That sounds an excellent idea,” Dominic said enthusiastically.
Perhaps a drink will cure me of whatever nonsense is in my head.He glanced over his shoulder at the castle once more, wondering if Charlotte would still be resting. He caught Frederick looking at him.
“You really are in trouble, Dorson.” Frederick gave him a sympathetic look.
“I think you are right,” he agreed.
Chapter Twenty-Two
PUPPY LOVE
“Do you hear that?” Charlotte paused in her walk and strained her ears.
It had been three days since she had had her accident, and though she was a little embarrassed, there was no other lasting injury from it. She was walking with Cecily in one of the fields near the estate. Dominic had been conspicuously absent all of that morning, making Charlotte uneasy.
It did not help that he had seemed distracted every time he saw her and that he had spent the last few days leaving early and returning late. Charlotte felt her insecurity rise, wondering what was going on.
In the end, she had proposed that she and Cecily go for a walk and a short picnic, and they had set off with a small basket of food and a sense of adventure.
“Hear what?” Cecily stopped and looked at her.
“That. It is… I think I can hear a voice. And an odd… high pitched sound?” Charlotte frowned, unable to work out what it was that she was hearing.
“Perhaps it is the wind?” Cecily looked around uneasily.
“I do not think so.” Charlotte listened intently. “There! Do you hear it? I think it is coming from that direction.”
She gestured towards a curved section of hedge, obstructing their view of what was around the corner.
“I am not sure. Maybe we should just keep walking.” Cecily glanced around.
“Someone could be in trouble.” Charlotte took a step towards the sound.
“And what help would we be if they were?” Cecily hissed, her eyes full of fear.
“We would at least be able to fetch help.” Charlotte sighed. “Look, if you are worried, we can try and hide our approach.”
“You are going to look whether I come with you or not, aren’t you?” Cecily shook her head.
“Probably,” Charlotte admitted.
“I wish Dominic was here,” Cecily murmured as she followed Charlotte towards the source of the noise.
Privately, Charlotte agreed, but she did not say it to Cecily. Instead, they made their careful way forwards as Charlotte listened for the sounds she had heard earlier. They seemed to be coming from a nearby hedge, and as they drew closer, Charlotte recognised the voice.
“Well, you are a pretty thing, aren’t you?” Dominic’s voice floated across to her. “What are you doing out here?”
There was no reply, just a soft keening noise. Charlotte’s heart sped up.What the hell was going on?
“Shhhh. Do not be scared. I will not hurt you.” Dominic’s voice was soft, gentle, as though he were trying to lure someone to him. “You can trust me.”
Anger flared in Charlotte’s chest.I almost trusted him. That rake, that —!.She began to make her way towards the sound of Dominic’s voice, not bothering to hide the sound of her footsteps.I am sure he will be too distracted to notice.
“There, gently now. Why not come to me? Come on,” Dominic crooned.
