“Understood.”
Charles departed from his room and headed towards the breakfast parlor. He had just stepped into the room when his brother turned his attention towards him.
“Is there anything that you would like to tell me?” Roswell asked.
Charles walked over to the buffet table and reached for a plate. “Not that I can think of.”
“Are you sure about that?” Roswell questioned.
After he piled his plate high with food, Charles came and sat down to the right of him. “Why are you interrogating me so early in the morning?”
Roswell picked up the newssheets from the table. “I am referring to your outing with Miss Henrietta yesterday.”
“Is that what this is about?”
“It is.”
“Why didn’t you just say so?” Charles asked, placing a white linen napkin in his lap. “Yes, I went on a carriage ride through Hyde Park with Miss Henrietta yesterday.”
“What are your intentions towards her?”
“I have none,” Charles replied honestly.
Roswell gave him a baffled look. “Then why would you take her to Hyde Park during the fashionable hour?”
Charles glanced over at the door and lowered his voice. “I sympathized with Miss Henrietta’s plight and decided I wanted to help her.”
“By tying yourself to her?” Roswell asked in disbelief.
“We are pretending to form an attachment, in hopes that thetonwill have a more favorable view of Miss Henrietta.”
“That is risky, brother.”
“I do not see how,” Charles responded. “I enjoy spending time with Miss Henrietta.”
Roswell frowned. “Does Mother know?”
“She does not.”
“Do you intend to tell her?”
Charles reached for his fork. “I suppose I must, but I shall wait for an appropriate time.”
Laying the newspaper down on the table, Roswell asked, “What if your plan goes awry?”
“In what way?” Charles questioned before taking a bite of food. “After all, Miss Henrietta is in agreement with the ruse.”
“This is a dangerous game you are playing.”
Charles put his fork down and reached for the newssheets. “This is precisely the outcome I was hoping for,” he said after perusing the Society page.
“Which is?”
“The article states that we were spotted in Hyde Park together, but there was no mention of Miss Henrietta falling off her horse. With any luck, it will soon be a distant memory to the members of Society.”
“I daresay that they do not forget so easily.”
“Perhaps, but we have only just begun to spend time together.”
