by Wendy Gill
Lord Singleton made no comment but looked at Charlotte with an amused eye and gentle smile on his lips.
When Charlotte dared to glance up at him his expression turned to passion and Charlotte was unable to glance away. She was held captive, and with the sound of her own heart pounding in her chest, her passion rose to match his.
“You are taking advantage of my vulnerability now, Isaac.”
“No Charlotte, I am just letting you know how I feel. No need for words between us. That is the best excuse you could possibly have given me for not being invited to the ball. Because you love me, I could ask for no more. If you have had sufficient to eat let us go into the morning room where we can continue this conversation without the servants interrupting us every two minutes. You can tell me more about those walls that have tumbled down.”
“We have more important things to deal with. I am very pushed for time and I should not have stayed for lunch.”
“There is nothing more important than us, we have wasted enough time. Marcy shall have her ball and if not, I will pay the mortgage off for them.”
“You would do that?”
“Well yes, that is unless it is a small fortune, it depends how much it is.”
“She would not accept it you know, she is very independent.”
“Let us go into the morning room and let me just hold you in my arms for a while, then we will carry on discussing Marcy.”
Charlotte looked across the table at him, the thought of being held in his arms again was her down fall, she nodded and replied, “I would like that.”
Isaac stood up and went and pulled her chair out for her and she stood up, but things did not go exactly to plan. On exiting the dining room, the front door opened and in walked three gentlemen. One Charlotte recognised, the other two, she did not.
“Hello Freddie, how nice to see you,” Charlotte held out her hands and the tallest of the three gentlemen came forward and took her hands in his.
“Charlotte, well you can knock me down with a feather,” he stood looking down at her with much affection.
“Now I know why Isaac did not appear for our luncheon engagement. I cannot say I blame him; you are much prettier than I am. I don’t think you have met Cedric and Stanley, have you? I found them on your doorstep Isaac, something to do with a boxing match tonight,” Freddie looked across at Isaac.
“No, we have not met,” Charlotte held out her hand to the two gentlemen and said, “Charlotte Palmer.”
Turning back to Freddie she said, “We were just about to go into the morning room. Will you join us? I have a favour to ask of you.”
“This sounds intriguing,” Freddie said and they all trooped into the morning room.
“Freddie, will you come to a charity ball tonight?” asked Charlotte. “Isaac is going.”
“You will not get, Lord Singleton, to go to any old ball tonight. We are going to a pugilist bout,” either Cedric or Stanley told her.
“I am sorry. Which one are you?”
“Cedric Tranplan, at your service.” He made a slight bow in Charlotte’s direction.
“Right Cedric, I challenge you to a wager. Five pounds says Lord Singleton will be going to my ball tonight and not to your boxing match.” Charlotte threw out the challenge.
“Five pounds you say, I accept the bet.”
“Can I have a wager too?” Stanley wanted to know.
“If you would like to take up the wager, I am not averse to taking your money off you. But I must tell you both, I would not place a wager unless I know it is a dead cert and this, is a dead cert. Lord Singleton, will be attending a ball tonight so if either of you want to back down, please feel free to do so before we shake hands on it,” Charlotte warned.
Both Cedric and Stanley held out their hand to her and Charlotte shook both their hands.
Turning to Lord Singleton, she asked, “I do not have any money on me Isaac, would you be kind enough to lend me some?”
Lord Singleton went over to his desk, opened a drawer and taking out a wad of notes he threw it to Charlotte.
She caught the roll of money deftly and pulled off the paper ring holding the money together and peeled off a five-pound note. Then exaggerating the opening of her receptacle so both Cedric and Stanley could see what she was doing, she slipped the rest of the wad of notes into her receptacle and snapped it shut.
Charlotte did not miss the glance that passed between Cedric and Stanley, but neither gentleman made comment.
After taking the two five-pound notes off the two young men, Charlotte went over to Freddie and asked, “Will you hold the stakes Freddie?” and she handed the money over to him.
“You will have lost your wager this time Miss Palmer, Lord Singleton does not attend balls, he has not done so for years,” Stanley told her.
“That was before I came on the scene young man. I have invited Lord Singleton to a ball tonight and he has accepted the invitation,” Charlotte told them with confidence.
Cedric looked over at Lord Singleton and asked, “Well Isaac, you seem to have doubled up on your engagements for tonight, which one will you be attending, the ball or the boxing?”
“The ball,” Lord Singleton told them.
“But you never go to balls,” objected Stanley.
“I did not have the incentive to attend any balls that I have now,” replied Isaac.
“Give Isaac his five pounds back, would you Freddie. Bring the money with you when you come to the ball tonight. Marcy will be thrilled to bits. Ten pounds, before the ball has even started. I hope this is a good sign for this evening’s entertainment. I must go now, for I have a lot to do before this evening.” She turned her back on Cedric and Stanley.
Whilst her back was turned to them, she opened her receptacle and took out the wad of notes as she walked across the carpet to where Isaac was perched on the edge of his desk.
Charlotte leaned in towards him and rising on her tiptoes she kissed him full on the lips. Isaac returned the kiss, but he kept his arms crossed and Charlotte slipped the wad of notes into his hand.
She slowly took her lips away from his and she was no longer on tiptoe, but she looked up at his down turned face and mouthed, “Thank you.”
Turning, she went over to Freddie and kissed him on his cheek. “I shall look forward to seeing you tonight Freddie and both of you are invited as well if you wish to attend.” Charlotte turned and addressed the two defeated young men.
“But I go too fast, I forget you do not know the whole story, so I shall cut it short and leave Isaac to fill in the details, for I must be on my way. I have dallied too long. Do you remember my friend Marcy, Freddie? Well she has rented a house on Dyson Street, number 141, and she is holding a ball tonight. I hope to see you all there this evening from 7 o’clock onwards.” Then without a backwards glance she headed for the door.
“You have forgotten something, surely?” Stanley commented.
“I don’t think so, my coat is hung in the hallway, and I will pick it up on my way out.”
“What about Isaac’s money?” Stanley asked.
“What about Isaac’s money?” Charlotte questioned.
“You put it in your purse,” she was told.
“I have given it back to him,” Charlotte replied.
“You have not,” he argued.
“Would you like another wager young man? Another five-pound note might get you your money back, but remember I never place a wager unless it is a dead certainty. I can prove that I did return the money to Isaac.”
“I will take that wager,” Stanley told her, and he took out his money again.
“And me,” Cedric said also taking out his money.
“Would you give it to Freddie? He will bring it to the ball tonight and give it to Marcy. Normally I would not have taken your wagers but as you were going to place your money on a boxing match tonight, I think the money will be put to better use for Marcy’s charity,” Charlotte said.
“What about your fi
ve-pound note wager?”
“As I have already told you, I have given Isaac his money back. It is pointless to get the money off him again just to give it back. Don’t you think?” Charlotte asked them.
“Open your receptacle and show us before you leave then and let us see for ourselves that the money is returned,” Cedric challenged.
Charlotte did as she was bid and opened her purse and showed them both the inside.
Stanley and Cedric, after looking in the receptacle and observing no money, looked up at Charlotte and she looked across at Lord Singleton. Both young men’s eyes followed her gaze. They were dumbfounded to see Lord Singleton open his hand and show them the wad of notes Charlotte had placed back in his hand.
“Let that be a lesson to you both, when someone tells you they do not place a wager unless it is a certainty, think twice before parting with your money or you will never be rich.” She turned and walked out of the room.
After donning her coat, Charlotte was pulling on her gloves as she proceeded across the road. Halfway across she changed her mind and turned, went back across the road and instead of re-entering Lord Singleton’s house, she ventured further up the road and rang the bell of the house six doors away and waited for the door to open.
On seeing Charlotte standing on the doorstep, the old retainer’s face broke into a wrinkled smile and he opened the door fully and stood aside for Charlotte to enter.
“Miss Charlotte, you are a sight these old eyes never thought they’d see again, it is a most welcome sight.”
“Thank you Conport, it is good to see you too. Is her ladyship in?”
“She is indeed, Miss Charlotte. Not in prime condition these days. She finds movement very taxing, and most days are spent up in her room.”
“In that case Conport, I shall run upstairs and see her. There is no need for you to trouble yourself. I know the way.”
“Very good Miss Charlotte, it will cheer her up no end seeing you.”
Charlotte tapped on the door and was told to “Come in” by a frail trembling voice she knew so well.
An aging lady was relaxing on a chaise longue and when she saw who her visitor was, she put her hands to her mouth and Charlotte saw tears appear in the old lady’s pale blue eyes.
“Hello, grandmamma.” Charlotte sat beside the old lady and hugged her.
“Charlotte,” was all the old lady could think of to say and she returned the embrace.
“I hope I have not shocked you too much, coming unannounced to see you?”
“You are welcome at my house anytime of the day or night without being asked and well you know it.”
“I do grandmamma. I am sorry to find you indisposed.”
“You do not find me indisposed my dear, just my old bones playing tricks on me, but I do not complain, they have served me well these past eighty years. Isaac?” grandmamma ventured to ask.
“Yes grandmamma, Isaac and I have patched things up.”
“Oh, my dear, you do not know how happy that makes me feel. He has been tormented you know, since your breakup.”
“Well that is all forgotten and forgiven but let me tell you why I went to see him and to ask for his help, and maybe you could help also. I have not much time, but I could not leave without seeing you.”
After her story was told, Charlotte was standing by the window pulling on her gloves when the door burst open and Isaac came striding into the room.
“Grandmamma, you will never guess who called to see me.”
“Charlotte.”
“Now how the devil did you know that? You are an old witch.”
Lady Singleton did not answer, she just nodded in the direction of the window and Isaac, seeing his beloved standing there, crossed the room in three long strides and Charlotte found herself in a crushing embrace and being passionately kissed.
Isaac lifted his head and still holding Charlotte crushed against his body he said, “Grandmamma, Charlotte and I are getting married, right now. I have a special licence in my pocket and we are going to see the vicar and get married. I am not letting her get away from me ever again.”
“In that case, go and sign the licence. Then get on with snatching back the entire guest list from Lady Mooreway. She is a nasty, vicious woman and she deserves all that is coming to her. Go on, get on with it man. What are you waiting for?” his grandmamma asked.
“Will you come with me Charlotte, to see the vicar and get married right now?” Isaac asked his armful.
“I have a better idea, why don’t you go and bring the vicar here, so we can be married with grandmamma in attendance.”
“I knew I loved you for something besides your perfect body my sweet. It must be your beautiful eyes.”
Charlotte smiled, and he fleetingly brushed her lips with his and then he shot out of the door.
"Quick Charlotte, go over to the wardrobe at the far end of the bedroom, in there you will see my wedding dress. It should fit you apart from the length which will be a shade too long but that will not signify, for you will not have to walk about in it. In my jewellery case on my dressing table you will find a diamond necklace which you can borrow and if you look in that bottom drawer over there, you will see some new handkerchiefs, take one of those.
“So that is something old, the wedding dress, something new, the handkerchief and something borrowed, the diamond necklace. We only want something blue now. I know, in the second drawer down you will find some ribbons, there is bound to be a blue one, bring it here.”
Charlotte found the blue ribbon and passed it to Lady Singleton.
“Hurry up girl, get the dress on before Isaac comes back, we want to have everything ready for his return. I want you to look beautiful on your wedding day, not that you aren’t beautiful Charlotte, because you are, but a girl’s wedding day is supposed to be special and I will not allow Isaac to bully you into a shabby wedding day.”
Charlotte looked at her reflection in the mirror and was more than satisfied with the young woman looking back at her.
“Thank you, grandmamma. It is a beautiful dress. Just look at me.”
“Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Here, this should do the trick take hold of this bible,” and grandmamma passed Charlotte a bible tied up with blue ribbon.
“Perfect, just perfect,” the old lady said.
Isaac marched back into the bedroom bringing with him a person whom Charlotte took to be the vicar, Conport the butler, and Miss Tubby, Lady Singleton’s companion.
On seeing his bride in all her glory, he went over to her, took her hand and raised it to his lips, his eyes telling her of his approval.
“You like what you see, my lord?” Charlotte asked.
“Yes, I like what I see,” he replied huskily.
The service was short and to the point. Conport poured everyone a glass of port.
On finishing her drink Charlotte said, "Thank you all of you for making this a special occasion at such short notice. Especially to grandmamma, for the loan of her beautiful wedding dress. When I set out this morning, I thought I was going to have a battle on my hands to try and persuade Isaac to help me get Marcy’s guests back, and look at me now, a married woman.
“I really must get changed and be on my way. Poor Marcy will be wondering what has happened to me. It is an open invitation for tonight so if any of you would like to attend you will be most welcome. The address is 141, Dyson Street. Marcy has rented it for three days, and she travels back to Scotland tomorrow morning.”
“In that case we will get back to work Miss Charlotte, and let you get changed.” Conport escorted the vicar out of the room and closed the door behind them.
Before he left the room, Isaac corrected Conport by saying, “It is Lady Singleton now Conport, not Miss Charlotte.”
Conport bowed in Charlotte’s direction, “My apologies, Lady Singleton.”
Charlotte laughed and replied, “No need to apologise Conport, it will take a lot of getting use
d to, for me as well as you.”
When Conport and the vicar had left, Charlotte was changing back into her day dress with the help of Miss Tubby and she was conscious of her new husband’s eyes on her but at last she was dressed and ready to make her exit.
Isaac told her, "You may go straight back to Dyson Street, Lady Singleton, and make ready for tonight. I was on my way to find you and ask you to marry me but decided to call in and see grandmamma first and tell her the good news. I am afraid I have taken it upon myself to send the servants out to spread the word that if anyone would like to call at Dyson Street tonight between 7 and 8 o’clock this evening, they will be able to meet the new, Lady Singleton.
“I also told the servants to tell everyone that there will be an entry charge of five shillings per person which will go to help the less fortunate. That should set things going. I think there will be more people wanting to see whom I have married than there will be attending Lady Mooreway’s ball. Don’t you?”
“I think the whole of Bossett will turn up. You want to thank your lucky stars that Charlotte agreed to this rush wedding or you would have looked very foolish if you had to tell everybody you had been turned down,” laughed the Dowager Lady Singleton.
“Are you coming back with me?” Charlotte asked Lord Singleton.
“No, I have a few things to sort out, I will come about 6 o’clock and it will give us a bit of time to come to terms with what we have just done today. I hope you won’t regret it Charlotte. I have had that special licence at the ready for the past two years, hoping I would get the chance to use it. I would have been an idiot not to take advantage of the situation.” Isaac told her.
"I will never regret it. I have tried and tried to get you out of my mind and I have failed miserably. When I decided to come and ask for your help, I was determined to set my cap at you once again. I did not expect it to be so easy. No Isaac, I will never regret getting married to you.
“You are mine now for better or, for worse and I know it is going to be for the better.” She walked over to him, kissed him on the lips, and then she bent down and gave grandmamma a hug before she left the room.