Leaning her head against Perry’s shoulder, she released a breath, then closed her eyes as the warm sunshine heated her face. It brought her some comfort. They would be bruised and in pain for a few days, but their injuries were minor. Charlotte was grateful as she passed a hand over Aurelia’s hair and kissed the top of her head.
Upon arriving at the scene on horseback, Beau fretted over them after seeing the state of the carriage.
“You are well, sister?” he asked, watching her carefully as she spoke, as though assessing for signs of distress.
All she could manage was a weak nod.
Beau shouted at the servants to help the countess with her injury and released a few expletives as he examined the vehicle.
She was touched by how the duke took control over the scene and saw to their comfort.
“We are well, Beau. The countess will be well cared for once we arrive at the inn for the night. I will make sure my wife is keptcomfortable,” Perry reassured, wrapping an arm around Charlotte. “These things happen.”
Beau shook his head. “I am horrified at how my best carriage could fail so terribly. It is a disgrace.” His eyes roamed the accident scene, as though looking for clues.
With a promise to examine the scene further before returning to Bodmin, Beau helped them climb into the safety of the newly-arrived carriage.
They squeezed into the vehicle along with their two servants, which made the ride to the inn decidedly more snug. Charlotte was grateful to be back on the road and deliriously happy to enjoy a comfortable bed at the inn for the night. She shared her room with Aurelia and their servants, while Perry lay next door.
Closing her eyes proved difficult, as the feel of Aurelia moving in her sleep and the raucous sound of the servants snoring kept her from drifting away. Every time she moved, her side and shoulder ached, with fresh bruises beginning to form as she prepared for sleep. She looked forward to the time when she could rest at Wildwood—to recuperate and forget all these horrible things had occurred.
They had barely any time to prepare for the move, and now they were recovering from yet another event that had put them all at risk. As her eyes fluttered closed at last, her last thoughts were that she hoped for peace and safety in the city.
They seemed to be elusive, since Perry had returned to her life.
It was time for a fresh start for their family.
She prayed their bad luck wouldn’t follow them into their new life.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Wildwood was a much grander estate than Fermoy, and Charlotte spent her first days there recuperating and getting to know her new home. The smooth white stucco house with sash windows had many rooms for them to explore. Though she admired the luxurious interior spaces in their dark, muted colors, they were not to her taste. Perry gave her leave to make any changes she wished, and she planned to add more touches of bright, cheerful color as soon as she was well enough to undertake such a project. It warmed her heart to think of making a home with Perry that was all their own.
After several days of rest, Charlotte’s health was mostly restored. Her mother sent multiple requests for a visit. Once enough time had passed, Charlotte relented, feeling strong enough to hear her mother’s reaction to the fast nuptials and rapid changes her life had undergone. Esme Townsend was strong-willed and sure to voice an opinion on the matter. Charlotte knew her mother would be pleased with the arrangement. Anything that would bring her daughter and granddaughter back to the family. Though sometimes difficult and highly influenced by the whims of theton, the baroness cared for her children and wanted them to be happy.
A marriage that raised Charlotte’s status and brought her great fortune was the culmination of all her mother’s greatest dreams.
They sat in comfortable chairs before a table overflowing with tea and desserts between them. Had it been a strategy to disarm the baroness with treats? Absolutely.
Esme eyed the sumptuous sweets, then shook her head, refusing to be distracted from the topic of conversation. She dressed in a shimmering bronze gown that sparkled with inlaid flowers sprinkled throughout. Her golden-brown hair, similar to Charlotte’s, was piled atop her head in curls, with only a few gray hairs revealing her age. Her mother was stunning.
Though Charlotte shared some of her features, her looks were not as captivating. She was but a shadow in comparison. Well, that was how she was described by her mother’s friends when they thought she couldn’t overhear them. Charlotte assumed this was the reason why offers of marriage never abounded, as did the rest of theton.
“I wish you had been able to marry him all those years ago. It was such a difficult time for you, and the family,” her mother said as she worried her bottom lip. “You were so sick. We had no idea if you would survive, let alone that you were carrying a child.”
Charlotte nodded. It was an impossibly difficult time. “And I was meant for Viscount Dewberry. There was no need to deviate from the plan.”
Her mother scoffed. “Well, until the scoundrel left you for that light skirt. I was truly afraid for you.” Esme stroked her hand on Charlotte’s shoulder.
“Perry was married off to his first wife by the time my good health returned. It would have been impossible for him to aid me without causing a great scandal. Viscount Dewberry’s quick marriage made it unlikely for me to come back to the city without an extraordinary amount of scrutiny. My pregnancy would have been difficult to hide. We made the best decisionat the time.” She took a small plate and selected a few tarts from the dessert tray. “Surely you understand that.”
Esme stilled her daughter with a gloved hand on her arm. “The earl approached your father, you know. He insisted on knowing where you were, but with your intended marriage and your illness, our hands were tied. The earl’s father, the old duke, was a very powerful man. He warned your father not to interfere and later offered to give you an income to keep us all silent about your condition. We were afraid to disobey his orders. In our minds, it was a fleeting affection that had developed between you two. We did not have the tools to deal with the unfortunate consequences.” Esme inhaled sharply at the revelation. “Now we know the earl’s feelings were sincere.”
Tearing her gaze away from the treats, she gazed sharply at her mother. “Did he admit to having strong feelings for me?”
“We guessed, after he came to us. It was an impossible situation. Your father didn’t have the social standing to stand against someone with the wealth and connections the old duke had. Though we live in comfort, we were not prepared to risk having our loans called in or our family reputation completely destroyed by a few harsh words. The man was relentless and willing to punish us for not complying with his wishes. Bad enough we had to hear the whispers when you vanished from society. When the viscount broke your engagement, I couldn’t imagine the secret of your condition being made public. Rather than punish you by forcing you to face society after Dewberry’s rejection, your father wanted you to have some happiness. And that was before we knew of the child. Even if it meant losing you to the country forever, it was best for you to stay at Fermoy.”
Fingers rubbing her temples, Charlotte attempted to ease the tension growing there. She didn’t need a reminder that her departure had extinguished the hope of having all his daughters successfully married, thus increasing the family’s standing in society. Hiding in the country had allowed her to avoid some of theconsequences of her actions. She never had to see the judgment or hear the gossips speaking in hushed tones with assessing looks and fake smiles. Her sisters and her parents had taken the brunt of the damage her disappearance had caused. Thankfully, the tale they had woven of her poor health and need to recover in the country seemed to please those who would mean them harm.
