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Louisa grumbled inwardly. Again, the music swelled, and partners paired. Charlotte pointed towards a red-headed, yet quite handsome man out towards the sidelines, with his hands stabbed in his pockets.
“He looks just as nervous as you do!” she said.
Louisa rolled her eyes. “I don’t want someone just as nervous as me. I want someone to take control. I want him to approach me and …”
At that moment, perhaps because of the fate the mystic had referred to, the man turned towards them and cut through the crowd. His eyes were electric green, stunning, filled with what seemed like thousands of secrets. When he appeared before them, he bowed slightly, then delivered an alluring and mischievous smile.
“Good evening. My name is Zachary Taylor,” he said.
It was a marvellous name. Charlotte watched as Louisa’s face brightened, just at the sound of it. Beyond that, his voice was thick and masculine, the sort of voice that offered strength and vitality to any given conversation.
“Good evening, Zachary,” Charlotte was forced to say, as it seemed that Louisa had lost all power over her tongue.
“I was curious if you’d like to dance with me,” Zachary asked, his eyes directed towards Louisa.
Louisa turned towards Charlotte. Charlotte wanted to scream,Isn’t this precisely the way you wanted it to be? You wanted some man to swing down from the bannisters and demand your hand in marriage, rather than heading out into the world to find him?
Still, this sort of hard-edged sentiment would do neither of them any good. Charlotte just bowed her head once and said, “Go. Now. Before it’s too late.”
“I’d love to,” Louisa finally recited. She flashed one of her sterling smiles and swept her hand across Zachary’s.
In just a moment, he’d wrapped his hand across the arch of her lower back. He gazed into her beautiful eyes. Louisa looked on the verge of swooning. Charlotte’s heart lifted with happiness. She hadn’t known how much she’d wanted Louisa to find love, as well.
Amid Louisa’s dance, Charlotte’s eyes once more found Jeffrey. He looked as though he was getting ready to go. He wore his hat, and he adjusted his suit. He stretched a finger towards the far door and bowed his head. He needed a final chat.
Charlotte swept back through the crowd and met him at the entrance. The crowd filtered around them, drunken and guffawing. Charlotte yearned once more to fall into Jeffrey’s arms, to press her head against his chest and listen to his heartbeat.
“I think we should meet rather soon to speak more,” Jeffrey said. “Although I’ve found it difficult to imagine a world in which your parents or chaperones allow such a thing.”
Charlotte grimaced. “This is certainly a problem.”
“I’ve spoken with Peter about the potential of another dinner party,” Jeffrey said.
“Oh?”
“He wants me to be paired with someone in the county, to settle the way he has,” Jeffrey said with an ironic laugh. “I can’t imagine it, personally, but he seems bent on crafting this reality. In any case, I think we can utilize his certainty for our benefit.”
“Sounds marvellous,” Charlotte affirmed. “Send an invitation when you know.”
Again, Jeffrey reached out and gripped Charlotte’s hand. “It’s been an illuminating evening. I look forward to working together. And I thank you for your secrecy. It’s a rare thing to meet a woman like you who isn’t so smitten with gossip.”
“This is the sort of gossip that could kill us both,” Charlotte said. “There’s a murderer out there. And we’re hunting him.”
The finality of her words forced Jeffrey’s hand away. He cleared his throat and said, “Very well. I will see you soon. Keep on guard.”
Charlotte watched as he disappeared into the darkness. In the wake of his abandonment, her heart felt hollow. How she ached for his hand over hers once more. How she ached to hear his voice in her ear.
