AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“But you don’t love her!”
He shrugged again. “I don’t love you, either. But if I cannot have what I want, then I shall have her as consolation.” His expression darkened. “And I will console myself with her every night for the rest of her unhappy life. And every time I use her body, every time I break her spirit to my will, know that I will be thinking of you. You will be to blame for all her woes. If you marry me, however, she can run back to Pelham, bear his brats, and live happily ever after.”
Shock and horror permeated her. “I will nev—”
“I shall write to Charlotte’s parents immediately,” he cut in. “Expect me to call within the week.” He paused, his strange, amber gaze resting on her. “Think on it. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” And with that, he strode past her and out the door.
Filled with worry, Mélisande immediately sought out Alessandro. “I cannot stop him from writing them,” she told him after filling him in on the details. “Even if I told them the truth of the matter, he would only deny it. If only Reggie had heard him!” she said, frustrated. “What am I to do? This is an unmitigated disaster!”
“Come, let us leave,” Alessandro said. “Once Charlotte has calmed herself, you can try to reason with her.”
It was an uncomfortable journey home. Refusing to speak, Charlotte stared out the window until the house and its lights passed beyond view. Then she kept her eyes trained on the floor while Reggie plied her with questions she did not answer. She did not react even when he raised his voice.
Mélisande tried her hand after Reggie and Alessandro left.
When the clock struck three in the morning, the girl finally spoke, her voice cracked with fatigue. “You’ve been right all along, Melly. David isn’t the right man for me. He will never love me. In his eyes, I’m nothing more than Reggie’s annoying baby sister, and that’s all I’ll ever be to him.”
“Oh, Charlotte, you couldn’t be more wrong,” Mélisande replied. “David does love you. He just refuses to admit it to himself. I know it for a certainty. And Herrington is nothing more than a vindictive, petty blackguard. He lied to you in order to get at me.” Anger swept through her, hot and fierce. That he should bring Charlotte into their private disagreement was unconscionable!
Charlotte said nothing, but gave her a long, penetrating look.
At last, Mélisande gave up and went to bed, exhausted. In light of events, she and Alessandro had agreed to cancel this evening’s rendezvous. She was too worried, in any case, to engage in pleasant diversion.
Reggie and David showed up the next morning to speak to Charlotte. Both looked absolutely haggard. Charlotte, however, would not come down as long as David was present, so Reggie went up to see her. Half an hour later, he came down, his face ashen.
“She’s been compromised. She told me herself. And she wants to marry him.”
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
DAVID SAT DOWN with a thump, his color fading to match Reggie’s.
“I don’t believe her,” Mélisande said. “Herrington told me himself that nothing happened. She has not been compromised, Reggie. And this has gone far enough.”
She started to rise, intending to drag Charlotte downstairs and pry the truth out of her by whatever means necessary, but Reggie reached out and took her arm, eyes desolate.
“Melly, she’s never lied to me before. She wouldn’t. Not to me.”
Her heart squeezed painfully. “There is a first time for everything, Reggie. Let me talk to her again.”
David stood. “Reggie, if you’ll allow it, I will go up and speak with her. I know why she’s doing this, and I can put a stop to it.”
Reggie eyed him. “What makes you think you’ll have any influence on her decision?”
“Am I the only one here who takes note of the obvious?” Mélisande broke in, exasperated. “Because she’s loved him since she was a child, Reggie. It is her love for him that has driven her to this folly. She will listen to him.”
“I doubt she’ll listen to him anymore,” Reggie countered. “She’s just now informed me that she’s in love with Herrington and that she wants to marry him as soon as possible to avoid the shame of bearing his child out of wedlock.”
Upon hearing these words, David rose and walked out. The front door slammed a moment later.
“Well, this is just a bloody catastrophe, isn’t it?” Mélisande exclaimed. “I don’t believe her—I don’t!” she insisted. “Reggie, you didn’t hear what Herrington said to me after you left. He’s up to something awful!” And it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been distracted by Alessandro, I would have been paying attention.
Reggie shook his head. “Unfortunately, if she is determined to marry him and he is willing, I’m afraid there isn’t much we can do to stop it. My parents will be delighted she has caught a duke and will do everything in their power to ensure the match’s success.”
Mélisande’s heart sank. When she went back upstairs, Charlotte’s door was again locked. She received no response after knocking, but heard furtive movement within. Unable to persuade her charge to open it, she decided to let the girl think things through for a while in peace. Perhaps reason would return of its own accord once she calmed herself.
“I have missed you,” Alessandro murmured as he held Mélisande. It had been nearly a week since the incident at Herrington’s ball. “I would have come sooner, but the fool Jacobites kept me at the king’s side night and day. He would not let me leave until he’d decided what to do.”
“What happened?”
