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“Come. You are cold,” Sir John said, aware of her recent illness. He tucked her arm on his and they turned back towards the house. “Let us tell your family the happy news.”
She smiled up at him. “Yes,” she said, and just that was enough to ease John’s heart.
* * *
23
The morning of the ball, where Charlotte and John’s engagement would be announced, seemed to arrive on fleet feet. There was much to do to prepare the Keegain home for the formal statement to theTon.Charlottes’ mother was beside herself. Her hands actually shook while pouring tea at the breakfast table.
“The second of my babies to marry,” she said. “You all grow up so fast.” The dowager smiled.
Keegain laughed. “Charlotte is your third Mother or have you forgotten?”
The dowager huffed and waved away her son’s teasing. “Not that you were not my child,” she said belatedly to Randolph. “But you were the earl, and it is different for a mother and her daughters.”
“I understand, Mother,” the earl said with a nod to his mother and much to Charlotte’s surprise, his gaze went to Jane. A gentle smile came on his face, a smile that Charlotte had often seen. It was a smile of love.
“Will you even miss me, Ruddy?” Charlotte asked thinking of how her sister Sophia was so often absent from the family’s festivities.
“Of course, I will,” her brother answered, “But I think your husband may visit more often than you expect.”
Lady Charlotte’s eyes shined brighter than before as she pushed back from the table. “Come Jane,” she requested. “There is so much to do and I want your opinion on some accessories for my gown. Tonight, must be perfect.”
“Of course.” Jane replied.
“Oh Charlotte, you shouldn’t fuss. I am sure you will be the talk of the Town,” Alice said.
“So long as it is for all the right reasons,” Helen put in, and Charlotte frowned at her.
“Do not put a cloud over my happiness,” she admonished Helen.
“Of course not. I wish you well,” Helen said.
“And I look forward to hearing of your success,” Ruddy added, smoothing her curls, and Charlotte caught her friend and now sister’s hand. She pulled Jane from the room and they were soon lost in a conversation of dresses and other fine attire.
“Did you hear?” Charlotte asked as they climbed the stairs to her rooms. “The Duke of Ely is in Town with Lady Amelia. Mother invited them to the ball, and of course, Lady Patience promised that she would come too. Mother received the correspondence yesterday. “All of the best people will be there!”
“The best person,” Jane asserted, “Is you, Charlotte.”
Charlotte smiled and hugged her friend as Jacqueline bustled in to help them dress their hair.
“You shall bemagnifique, mademoiselle,” she professed.
Throughout the evening, Charlotte felt as if she danced upon air. She wanted another moment alone with Sir John, but her chaperones, Jane as well as her mother, kept her well in hand. Charlotte felt they both knew what she wanted from such a moment and although they had tolerated John’s kisses within the privacy of their own garden, they could not be so indulgent in public. Charlotte was no fool. As much as she wanted John’s kisses, she knew what it would mean to be found in such an embrace. Still, the close watch was beginning to become tedious. She and John had danced two dances, but it was the waltz Charlotte wanted. Mother said the dance was entirely too suggestive for a young lady to dance especially now that all eyes would be upon her. Charlotte didn’t care what her mother said. She determined that when she heard the music of the dance that preceded the waltz, she would go and find Sir John herself.
That moment had arrived. Her stomach turning with nervous anticipation, she covertly detached herself from her friends and slipped off towards the furthest end of the ball room where she had previously seen John disappear with his friends. He had promised that he would only dance with her this evening. He had no desire for any other, and if she could not waltz with him, he would not waltz at all, so she knew he would not be on the dance floor.
How surprised he would be when she showed up at his side, she thought. Charlotte knew her mother would be annoyed by her willfulness, but hardly incensed. And Ruddy would just smile and shake his head. It was not improper. She and John were engaged, after all. Charlotte was not really expecting any censure for her disobedience, but still she hesitated as she saw John and his friends standing in a small group in an alcove near the library.
Should she ask him for the dance? She giggled. How terribly forward that would be! No. She only had to make her wishes known. John would ask her. She set forward determinedly, pausing only when she heard her own name spoken. It was terribly unladylike to eavesdrop, but the temptation to hear what the gentlemen were saying was far too great.
* * *
John feltas if his feet had not touched the ground all evening. When Charlotte was in his arms he felt as if the world melted away and they were the only two people in existence. Despite his desire to never release her, he was secretly pleased when her mother had refused him the waltz. If he were to dance with her again he felt as if he would ravish her upon the dancefloor within full view of theTonor burst from resisting the desire to do so.
There was only one concern that could dampen his mood tonight. It came with the arrival of his four friends. John was dropped abruptly back to earth and reminded of their wager. His guilt hung heavily upon him and he intended to remedy it forthwith.
He excused himself from Charlotte and herded his friends toward the corner of the ballroom, drawing them back toward the library. John would have preferred to speak to them at the club or some quiet cafe, but he had determined that it would be best to have this conversation over and done with as soon as possible.
