by Rose Haven
“Thank you Brandon for waiting upon me at this unearthly hour. You may retire for the day now,” Thomas said to the butler.
The butler gave a curt nod in response and Thomas proceeded towards his study. At last he was on his way of realizing his father’s dream. The deal was almost sealed and soon Devonshire would have a hydroelectric power plant of its own. Although Thomas had inherited a sizeable fortune, still he needed a partner for this project as the costs involved were monstrous.
So he had entered into a deal with Lord Peter Stanton, the Duke of the neighboring county of Rotherville, wherein the Duke would also invest in the project and people from both sides would benefit from the plant. Lord Stanton, apart from being the investor in this project, was also soon to be his father-in-law. Thomas was engaged to his daughter, Lady Shirley Stanton and they were to get married in a matter of few months. Though Thomas was quite fond of Shirley as they had known each other since childhood, he was not actually in love with her.
But then, love was an overrated emotion, wasn’t it? He was sure that once they got married, love would follow. Thomas poured himself a drink. He thought of his father and Mr. Nesbitt. They both would have been immensely proud of him today. In fact, it was Mr. Nesbitt who had suggested Lord Stanton’s name when he had been looking for investors. If only he was here with him to share this victory!
Thomas finished his drink and decided to retire for the day. As he was moving up the stairs, he heard a muffled sound from somewhere near the kitchen. Probably, it was one of the servants looking for something to eat. But who could it be at this hour? Thomas decided to see for himself.
As he entered the kitchen, he saw somebody curled up behind a chair. The person was shaking badly and all of a sudden, Thomas’ defenses went up. It was most definitely some intruder. Thomas moved as quietly as he could and took out his pistol which he usually carried with him while travelling.
Once he was behind the person, he pointed the pistol at the shaking bundle and was about to shout when he realized that the person was sobbing. And it was the sound of a woman. He quietly retreated and decided to light up a candle first.
As the kitchen illuminated with the candle’s light, the woman looked up. She was none other than Charlotte, Mr. Nesbitt’s daughter. There was a mixture of deep sorrow and fear in her eyes.
“Oh! So it is you. I thought some intruder was hiding in the kitchen,” said Thomas softly.
“Who…who are you?” she asked between hiccups, still looking a little dazed.
“I am Thomas, Thomas Cornwall.”
“Oh, I am so sorry, my lord!” she began to get up in a hurry. Apparently, the effort was too much for her. Barely had she stood up, than she started swooning.
Thomas immediately rushed to her side and gathered her in his arms as she was about to fall. She lay there in his arms, unconscious. Thomas looked at her pale, tear streaked face. She looked hauntingly beautiful in the dim candle light. She was still wearing that oversized black gown and as her body was crushed to his, Thomas could make out that she was no child.
Thomas gently settled her in a chair and then went to fetch some water. He didn’t understand the strong urge in his heart to protect her from all harm. He sprinkled some water on her heart shaped face and she slowly regained consciousness.
“Oh! Did I just pass out?” she asked looking around her.
“Yes. And now please keep sitting while I talk to you.”
Charlotte nodded.
“I know that you’ve been through a lot. I fully understand the pain of losing a loved one. You must be knowing that I lost my father last year and Mr. Nesbitt himself was like a father figure to me.”
She looked up at him with tears brimming in her eyes again. She looked so helpless and distraught that Thomas felt a sudden urge to hold her close. But thankfully, his brain knew better.
“Please don’t cry, Charlotte. I am sure Mr. Nesbitt, wherever he is, would not be happy to see you in such a state.”
“Then why did he leave me alone?” she wailed.
“Certain things are beyond our control, Charlotte. Please accept God’s will and cherish the beautiful memories that you both created together,” he consoled her.
Once again, she nodded and wiped her tears. But she could not hide the pain in her eyes as she looked up at him—eyes that were as blue as the ocean.
“Did you have your dinner?” he inquired.
“Yes, my lord. In fact, Mrs. Ridgeley and Her Grace made sure that I finished each and every morsel.”
Thomas chuckled. He could actually imagine the scene-Mrs. Ridgeley and his mother fawning over the poor little thing.
“I cannot bring back what you have lost, but Charlotte, I promise to be there whenever you need me. Your father stood by me like a rock in my difficult times and this is the least I can do for him,” Thomas said solemnly.
“Papa spoke highly of you my lord. And today, I can see why. But I don’t want to be a burden on anyone. I know that Her Grace wants me to stay in this castle but I want to earn my living.”
Thomas was highly impressed by her sense of self-respect.
“In that case, you can assist Mrs. Ridgeley in managing the household. This is one huge castle and the task of managing everything is proving too much for her of late, given her age. Are you up for the challenge?” he asked playfully.
“Yes, my lord.” There was a hint of a smile on her face. “I assure you you’ll not be disappointed.”
“Great! Now can you find the way back to your room?”
“Yes, my lord.”
She slowly got up and took his leave.
“Good night, Charlotte,” he murmured. But she was already halfway through the hallway.
Chapter Three
Charlotte was devastated by her father’s sudden death. One moment, he was sitting in front of her, laughing at one of her stupid jokes and the other, he lay on the floor breathing hard, clutching his chest tightly. He had had a heart failure, that’s what the doctor had said.
Charlotte’s entire world had come crashing down. Her mother had died while giving birth to her and her father was all she had. Why had God been so cruel to her? What had she done to deserve such fate? She didn’t have answers to any of these questions.
She was eternally grateful to Her Grace and Lord Thomas Cornwall for taking her under their care. She knew she couldn’t have survived alone. She had always led a very protected life and was completely naïve to the ways of this world.
And then there was Mrs. Ridgeley. She absolutely loved her! She had taken her under her wings since day one and Charlotte could see her mother’s reflection in her. She still missed her father terribly, but assisting Mrs. Ridgeley took up most of her time. The old lady made sure that she always had company and could sense whenever she was feeling low. She would then cheer her up by narrating all sorts of hilarious stories that usually had her in splits.
Lord Cornwall had also been extremely kind to her. Since that encounter in the kitchen when she had passed out, he had made sure that Charlotte was properly fed and taken care of. He had assigned this duty to Greta, one of the kitchen maids.
On the few occasions when they came face-to-face, Lord Cornwall usually inquired after her health and if she was comfortable with her job. She could not help but notice how handsome he was. Sometimes, she would steal glances at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. She knew that he was completely out of her league and ‘engaged’ on top of that, but still somewhere deep inside, she had started caring for him. Probably because he had been so kind to her when she was at her lowest.
Lord Thomas Cornwall was in deep trouble. Every time he was around Charlotte, it seemed like he was walking on eggshells. He couldn’t even have a decent conversation with her. All he ever asked her was how she was doing and if she liked her job! He was a 25 year old man, for God’s sake! But he didn’t know why he felt tongue tied in her presence.
Charlotte was doing extremely well in her job of assisting
Mrs. Ridgeley. She was ever so full of praises for her. Apparently, Charlotte was quite adept at handling the books and she singlehandedly managed the household accounts. Just like her father, he thought.
Mrs. Ridgeley had somehow convinced her to stop wearing that ugly black gown. Thomas heard that she accompanied Charlotte to the village from where she bought a few new clothes and other necessities. Although quite plain and modest, Charlotte looked absolutely lovely in her new dresses, particularly in one light pink dress. It enhanced her creamy complexion and made her blue eyes look even more intoxicating.
Thomas now understood why her father was so protective of her. Her beauty was ethereal. But apart from that, she had a loving and kind heart. Thomas had twice seen her teaching the children of one of the chamber maids in her free time.
One evening, Thomas was sitting in his study when he heard a light knock on the door.
"May I come in, my lord?" It was Charlotte.
"Yes, of course. How are you doing Charlotte?" There he went again! Asking the same old question again and again! What was wrong with him?
"Very well, thank you my lord," she replied with a smile. That smile had the power to light up an entire room. If only there were more women like her in Devonshire, there wouldn't be any need for that damned hydroelectric power plant!
Thomas laughed at that ridiculous thought. When Charlotte looked at him strangely, he realized that he had laughed out loud.
"I am sorry! I was thinking about something else," he said hastily.
"Ummm... I needed your permission for something. Actually its Mrs. Ridgeley's birthday in a few days and the staff wants to give her a surprise birthday party," she looked at him skeptically. "It would be at midnight so the daily chores would not be affected, my lord."
"That's great! In fact, if you all don't mind, I'd like to attend the party too!" Thomas would do anything for Mrs. Ridgeley.
"Oh! That's wonderful!" She clapped her hands in joy. She looked as happy as a girl who had just been gifted her favorite doll. Thomas loved her simplicity. She was like an open book, so easy to read.
"When exactly is this party?"
"Its two days from today, at midnight." she replied enthusiastically.
"Oh! I have to attend a ball that night. And I have promised Lady Shirley to escort her to the ball. I am sorry, Charlotte. I'll try to get back as soon as possible but you mustn't wait for me."
"Alright, my lord. Thank you for the permission," she replied a little stiffly. Thomas wondered what had made her upset- his not being able to attend the celebration or his escorting Shirley to the ball. Could it be that she was jealous? Of course, not! He was reading too much into her response.
Charlotte was upset. She had hoped that Lord Thomas would attend the party. But he chose to escort Lady Shirley to a ball rather than attend some lame birthday party. Why was SHE angry? It wasn't as if the nobility attended their staff's birthday parties elsewhere. But she had thought Lord Thomas Cornwall was different from the rest. At least, he gave her the permission to host the party. That should be enough for her, she reminded herself.
Chapter Four
The party took place exactly as Charlotte had planned. Mrs. Ridgeley got so overwhelmed by all the love she received that she started crying with joy. Everyone had so much fun. The food was perfect, the cake was perfect, the timing was perfect. Even Brandon agreed that he had never had so much fun in his entire life. He actually laughed at one of Mrs. Ridgeley's ridiculous stories!
If only Lord Cornwall had attended the party too, Charlotte thought ruefully. He was looking so handsome in that black coat that fit him like a glove. He had left for the ball early in the evening and had informed Brandon that he would be late. Charlotte imagined him dancing with a pretty young woman. She was surprised at the stab of jealousy she felt. Something was grossly wrong with her. She shouldn't be feeling this way at all!
Charlotte had sent everyone back to their rooms for the night. She had insisted that she'd manage the little cleaning up that was required on her own. A little tired herself, she took the last plates to the sink to rinse. Suddenly, she felt that someone was standing behind her. She slowly turned around to see Lord Cornwall looking at her. Jesus! How handsome he looked!
Thomas tried to excuse himself from the insufferable party a number of times but to no avail. To make matters worse, Shirley was constantly accusing him of not paying attention to her. He desperately wanted to get back for Mrs. Ridgeley's birthday celebrations but Shirley was deliberately extending their stay for some reason or the other. At last, when he threatened to leave her at the party, she reluctantly agreed to accompany him back. He had escorted her back to the Rotherville Castle and then rode at top speed to reach home in time for the party.
But apparently, he'd missed all the fun. A sleepy eyed Brandon greeted him upon arrival as usual and Thomas told him to retire for the day. He wanted to ask him about the party, but seeing how sleepy the poor fellow looked, decided against it. While going upstairs to his chamber, he noticed the kitchen lights were still on. He decided to see who was up this late and saw Charlotte, dressed in that pink gown, rinsing something at the sink.
He moved closer and noticed she had tied her hair in a lose bun. The skin at the back of her neck was exposed to him and he fought the urge to bend down and kiss her there. As if sensing his presence, she turned around.
They both just stared at each other for several seconds, unable to move. Then Thomas moved forward, closing the already limited distance between them.
"How was the party, Charlotte?" he asked softly.
Their faces were so close that Charlotte could feel his breath on her face. Oh God! Was this some kind of a dream?
Charlotte's mouth went dry and she was unable to respond. She looked up at him and saw him staring at her with hunger in his eyes.
Thomas raised his hand and touched her cheek. Her skin was as soft as he had imagined. When she looked up at him with those big blue eyes, he couldn't resist himself. He lowered his face and gently kissed her on the lips.
That simple kiss filled his heart with an emotion that he couldn't name. He wanted her. Badly. She had been haunting him in his dreams and even today while dancing with Shirley, he kept on envisioning HER face.
He put his hand on the small of her back and pushed her closer. She laid her hands on his chest and sighed. Thomas deepened the kiss and crushed her body to his. He could feel her softness of her lush breasts against his chest.
Charlotte felt so light headed. She wanted this kiss to go on forever. She'd never been kissed before! Her whole body felt alive under Thomas's touch. Somewhere inside her head, a voice told her to stop, that this was totally improper. But she couldn’t stop herself, she didn’t want to stop!
Both of them were experiencing emotions they had never felt before. Though Thomas had been with women before, he had never been subjected to such unrestrained passion. As for Charlotte, she was an innocent, totally unaware of the level of intimacy that a man and a woman share.
Thomas moved his hand up and freed her hair from the few pins that held them in a loose bun. Her hair fell to her waist in waves. He ran his fingers through them and could feel their silky softness. He then started kissing her neck softly and her body involuntarily arched to give him better access.
“Jesus, Charlotte! You are so soft,” he murmured between kisses.
As his lips moved towards the swell of her breasts, Charlotte stiffened. She had never allowed anyone to touch her so intimately. It was like her mind snapped out of a trance and realized the enormity of the blunder they’d just committed.
Chapter Five
When Thomas felt her stiffen, he too came back to his senses. What had he done? Worse, what was he about to do had Charlotte not reacted the way she did! He had almost robbed her of her innocence!
Thomas immediately stepped back as if he had just touched a live wire.
“I….I am extremely sorry, Charlotte. This should not have happened.”
>
Charlotte felt sudden tears well up in her eyes. So, he was sorry for what happened!
“Please don’t cry, my dear. I mean…Charlotte. I….I don’t know what came over me. Please, believe me. I didn’t mean to take advantage of you. It’s just that…..”
“I understand, my lord,” Charlotte wiped her tears.
There was an eerie silence in the kitchen.
“You can call me Thomas,” he said quietly.
“No, my lord. That would be highly improper. And I’ve already had my share of improper for one night!”
Thomas flinched at her words.
“Please don’t think that I blame you for what happened. I was an equal participant. For a while, I forgot that you are an Earl and I, a mere assistant housekeeper. I promise you this will never happen again,” she added and hastily left the kitchen.
Thomas felt as if he’d just been slapped. He almost forced himself on her and she was taking the entire blame on herself! He had never felt so lowly in his entire life. He was ashamed of himself. This was how he was repaying Mr. Nesbitt for his loyalty and honesty- by compromising his daughter!
Charlotte could not sleep the whole night. Why, oh why had she let her emotions override her better sense! She could not forget the regret that she saw in Thomas’s eyes. He regretted having kissed her, he even apologized for it! What else had she expected? Why would he want anything to do with an accountant’s daughter?
She cried a little more. She dreaded facing him again, that would just be too humiliating for her! Living under the same roof, it was impossible to avoid him altogether. But she could make sure that their paths never crossed, at least for some days.
Thomas didn’t see Charlotte the next few days. He understood that she was deliberately avoiding him, and rightly so. After all, the girl had loads of self-respect and Thomas admired her immensely for that. But he could not understand why HE was feeling so rattled by her absence. He missed seeing her move around the castle, giving instructions, or occasionally helping Mrs. Ridgeley with the books. He missed seeing her smile, hell, he missed all of her!