“William!”
“Really, Mistress?” He frowned but kept his voice to a whisper to avoid anyone overhearing. Knowing his Mistress was sensitive to public opinion made him regret not finding the time, but reporting on his private life to his mother stank of childhood and he’d put it off. Being chastised for it also smarted. “I am one-and-twenty, and I’m handling more of the estate than she or my father at this point. I don’t feel the need to report to my mama.”
She frowned back, then smoothed her face as Ruth reached them.
“Lady Harrington, ’tis lovely to see you again.” Charlotte’s smile was lopsided.
William bit his lip. She was really worried. He put his free hand over hers to squeeze it before releasing her to his mother.
“I seem to recall that we were Charlotte and Ruth to each other.” The countess clasped Charlotte’s fingers and leaned in to buss her check.
“I beg your pardon, Ruth.”
“William.” She kissed his cheek in turn. “How do you come to be here? And with Lady Peterborough?”
“Well, Mama, you see I took the curricle, and drove to her house, and brought her here,” he teased her in an attempt to diffuse the tension.
His mother arched a brow, and stared him down.
Damnation. He tried another tack. “Mama, I did not realize you were interested in the rubber industry.”
The brow and stare remained fixed.
He sighed and glanced at Charlotte. She pressed her lips together in a message of,I told you that you should have said something.
Squaring his shoulders, he got it over with. “Mama, I have been courting Charlotte. We get along famously, and she knows more about half these subjects than I do.” He gestured toward the seating area set up for the presentation.
His mother’s brows rose at his first statement, and remained there.
Charlotte’s hand clenched and unclenched along his leg, her knuckles grazing him each time. He wanted to squeeze it and soothe her, but his mother’s stare stopped him.
“I see.” Ruth turned to Charlotte. “My dear Charlotte, would you be so kind as to give me a moment alone with my son, please?”
“Certainly. I shall find us seats.” Charlotte’s voice remained calm, but she continued to fist her hands. “Ruth, will you be joining us?”
The countess shook her head. “No, thank you.”
Charlotte nodded and lowered her head, moving away.
When he paused to watch her progress, his mother grabbed his sleeve and tugged him around to face her. “William, what are you doing?”
He was not having this conversation with his mother in public. She had no say in who he spent time with, but he recognized her concern came from love. While he would not be able to avoid discussing Charlotte at home, he refused to be scolded at a salon with the woman he loved barely out of hearing.
Raising a brow, he answered in a mild voice, “I believe we already covered that, Mama.”
“What on earth would make you think the Dowager Countess of Peterborough is an acceptable match?”
“Because she is a stunning, single, available lady with whom I have much in common.” When his mother opened her mouth to retort, William held up a hand. “This is neither the time nor the place, Mama.”
“William—”
“No.” His voice was hard. “I would argue that there is no time or place for you to question me on this, given my age and our circumstances. However, I respect and admire your leadership of our family to date, and understand it may be difficult to relinquish. Therefore, I shall revisit this with you tomorrow. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“William—”
He bowed and pivoted on his heel to find his Mistress. Fighting anger, he took a moment to catch his breath and unfurl his hands. Charlotte needed his support and he needed to appear mature and in control to both of the women he loved.
Charlotte sat in a back row off to the side, with all the seats around her vacant. Her head was bent over her lap, and she picked at beading on her reticule. Her breathing had a catch to it, as though she was fighting tears.
