Page 18 of Falling for a Footman

Charlotte wondered whether she might actually know about Edmund’s feelings and simply chose to ignore them. Hoping that they would somehow go away. At least Lucy never did anything to encourage them.

Crossing her arms, Charlotte leaned back against the headboard as she thought of Lucy’s words. This left her exactly where she had been before.

“I suppose it could not hurt if you learned more about his flaws, weaknesses, annoying habits. They might put you off. But if they don’t, well... you will just have to wait until it goes away. Or someone more interesting comes along.”

Lucy looked up at her and smiled slightly.

“It’s not that ghastly earl, is it?”

“What? Lord Alston? No. No, no, no, no, no,” Charlotte blurted before managing to stop herself. She did like the earl after all. There was nothing wrong with him, except there was no magnetism.

“Good,” Lucy murmured. “I think he is all wrong for you.” She was looking at the paper again.

“Why do you say that?” Charlotte had to ask, even though she did not want to encourage this line of the conversation.

“Because you don’t want to be a countess. Or the wife of any titled man for that matter. You would hate everything about it,” Lucy stated matter-of-factly as if this was a recognized truth.

“Well,” Charlotte began, but stopped herself. Lucy was right: Charlotte would not enjoy being mistress of a large estate. She had simply not been aware that those around her knew it as well. “Right,” Charlotte muttered as she got out of the bed. “I will try to look for his flaws then. When we are back in London,” she hurriedly added to throw Lucy off who it actually was.

Lucy smiled and bid her a goodnight. She had already turned her attention back to the drawing by the time Charlotte had reached the door.

Right, Charlotte repeated to herself when she was lying in bed. All she had to do was figure out what James’s flaws, weaknesses, and annoying habits were. That would be easy with a man that she hardly spoke to or spent time with. She even suspected him of being a thief and that had not stopped her feeling the magnetism yet. But perhaps that was where she should start: If she learned he stole from her family, surely, she would not be drawn to him anymore.