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Chapter Nineteen
It was quickly decided that bringing around a fresh set of horses would be best, and while Seth was seeing to that, Charlotte hurried upstairs to grab a light spencer jacket for herself and one for Emma. The nights, similar to the mornings, were no longer guaranteed to stay warm. The young woman was certainly thinner than Charlotte, not quite as womanly in her figure, but Charlotte found one she believed would fit well enough.
On her way down a flight of stairs, she came across her butler on his way up.
“Pardon me, my lady,” he said, backing up for her, “but Lord Linfield is here to see you.”
Charlotte nearly tripped on the last step. “He’s here? At this late hour?”
“Yes, my lady. I am sorry I didn’t get word to you before, but he came by this afternoon and insisted on waiting until you returned.”
“Then he’sstillhere.”
“Yes, did the housekeeper not tell you?”
“No, but then again, it has been rather an unusual evening.” What was Lord Linfield doing here? Why the sudden insistence on seeing her?
“He’s in the front parlor. Should I send him away?”
That would be easiest. She didn’t exactly have time for a visit. Then again, he’d apparently been waiting to see her for quite a number of hours. She couldn’t just send him off without hearing what he felt was so important to say.
“No,” Charlotte said, turning toward the front parlor. “I shall speak to him before leaving again.”
Without another word, she draped both spencer jackets over the banister and walked quickly to the front parlor, pushed open the door, and stepped inside.
Lord Linfield sat on the settee, a plate and cup on the low table before him. Cook had fed him, then, that was good of her. Charlotte would have to be sure to thank her later.
“Lord Linfield, I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Keep me waiting?” Lord Linfield said, his tone just shy of yelling. “Charlotte, that’s what you say when you’re a quarter of an hour late. I’ve been here for overthree hours.”
That was a very long time. But it wasn’t as though she’dknownhe was here waiting. He honestly couldn’t be blaming her for leaving him here for so long when he hadn’t written her to let her know he was coming ahead of time.
“Then I am most sorry,” she said, though she could hear the clipped tones of her own voice. “That being said, I’m afraid I am leaving again immediately, so whatever you felt was so necessary to say, please do so quickly.”
He stared at her, wide-eyed. After a long moment, he ran a hand down his face. “Then the rumors are right.”
Charlotte paused halfway into her seat in one of the wingbacks directly across from him. “Rumors?”
“That you and Sir Mulgrave have been running around London together—unchaperoned, I might add—looking for a seamstress position for that Emma girl.”
Was that all? Charlotte sat. “I’m not a debutante. I hardly need a chaperone.”
“That may be so, but with Sir Mulgrave? Even you must admit it’s hardly the respectable thing to do.”
Charlotte was getting so tired of this—all this worrying about what people were or were not saying about her.
“My lady,” Emma said, bursting into the room. “Sir Mulgrave has the horses and carriage ready...” She caught sight of Lord Linfield, and her voice trailed off.
“Thank you, Emma,” Charlotte said, standing.
Even as she did so, Lord Linfield stood as well. “Ready for what? Don’t tell me you’re going out with him again now. It’s dark already.”
Charlotte took Emma’s arm and started them toward the parlor door. “We have a most urgent matter to see to tonight, yes.” Though she was busy arguing with Lord Linfield, she still noticed that Emma was shaking. The fear of losing her sister for good seemed to be seeping ever deeper into her.
Lord Linfield trailed after them, his voice only rising. “You can’t be serious. This will ruin you, Charlotte.”
“I disagree. We will have a chaperone this time, after all.” Charlotte nodded toward Emma.
