She had wandered aimlessly after she had left Dominic, his words echoing in her head.I think it would be best if you returned to London.With those words he had made it clear that now the games were over, so was their arrangement.
“Charlotte, please, you are worrying me.” Lady Bellmore’s voice jerked Charlotte back to herself.
“It is over.” The words tumbled numbly from her lips.
“What is over?” Lady Bellmore’s brow furrowed in confusion and alarm.
Charlotte gestured vaguely around them, half-heartedly trying to remember where she had put her suitcases. “Everything. All of it.”
“What do you mean?” Lady Bellmore asked.
“Someone has discovered the truth about our arrangement, and so we must withdraw from the competition. Dom — The Duke, has instructed that I return to London so that he might talk to his grandmother.”I will not call him Dominic.She would harden her heart; she had been a fool to soften it.
“Just because the competition is over, does not mean —” Lady Bellmore began, but Charlotte cut her off.
Her anger and sadness coloured her voice. “Does not mean what? You know of our arrangement. There is nothing more between us.”
“But…” Lady Bellmore trailed off as Charlotte raised a hand, clearly indicating that she wished her to stop speaking.
Charlotte shook her head. “I do not wish to hear it. It is over; the Duke wants nothing to do with me now that the truth has been discovered.”
The look of panic when the valet had knocked at the door still lingered in her mind. Although they were engaged, being sequestered in his bed chambers…I do not want him to be forced to be with me. I refuse to want him at all.
“Is that what he said?” Lady Bellmore raised an eyebrow.
“Why else would he ask me to return to London? It is clear he means to break off our engagement.” Charlotte hugged her arms around herself.
Stupid. I have been utterly ridiculous. There was to be nothing between us and once more I have fallen for pretty words.She clenched her hands into fists and willed herself not to cry again.
“Perhaps he simply wishes to protect you,” Lady Bellmore said reasonably.
Charlotte began throwing dresses into her suitcases with rather more force than was necessary. “I was a fool to think there was anything more between us. This has always been a business arrangement and nothing more.”
“It did not look that way to me.” Lady Bellmore gently took one of the dresses from Charlotte and folded it carefully as she began to do the same with the others Charlotte had piled in without a care.
“Perhaps you have been blinded by hope and optimism. After all, I know how much of a feather in your cap our marriage would have been,” Charlotte snapped.
The gifts from Dominic seemed to stare at her from the cupboard, and she turned away from them, not wanting to be reminded of the kind gesture at that moment.
“That may be true, but I have seen the way you two behave with each other. And I have heard snippets of his letter. That does not sound like a man who does not care for you.” Lady Bellmore was now carefully packing the dresses Dominic — no, the Duke — had given Charlotte.
Charlotte’s hand went to the letter she had tucked away, but she shook her head. “Perhaps he is just a good actor. After all, rakes are rather good at telling you what you want to hear.”
“I can see your mind is made up, and I know by now that there is no use arguing with you.” Lady Bellmore sighed.
“Good — I have no wish to get into an argument,” Charlotte said.I just want to go home, to forget this silliness, and move on with my life.
“What do you wish to do?” Lady Bellmore asked.
Charlotte gestured towards the door. “I have already asked the stables to ready the carriage. Once I have spoken to the Dowager Duchess, we can depart.”
Her chest tightened as she thought of meeting with Dom— the Duke’s — grandmother. The woman was foreboding, and Charlotte had not spent any time alone with her.And this is hardly the best way to make a good impression, not that that matters now.
Lady Bellmore sat next to Charlotte and gently placed a hand on her arm. “Why not allow me to speak to her on your behalf?”
Charlotte looked at her stepmother, thinking that she had misheard. “Pardon?”
“I suggested you allow me to make your excuses to the Dowager Duchess. I am more than capable of doing so, and it might yet save you some pain,” Lady Bellmore repeated, her voice kinder and more gentle than Charlotte was used to.
