by Ella Quinn
It was truly amazing what a kiss could do.
* * *
Charlotte woke early the next morning. She had dreamed about more of Constantine’s kisses, even the ones she had not experienced yet.
Her door flew open, and Mary landed on the bed followed by Theo, who’d had the good sense to close the door behind her. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” the girls chorused, scrambling up and hugging Charlotte.
She put her arms around both children. “To what do I owe this visit?”
Mary snuggled tighter. “We hardly see you anymore.”
It was true that Charlotte had been spending much more time away from home.
Theo wrapped her fingers around one of the ribbons on Charlotte’s nightgown. “Matt said that if you were awake and wanted to, we could go to the square and play.”
“Well, I’m awake, so ring the bell pull and as soon as I have washed, dressed, and broken my fast, we will be off to the square.”
“We love you,” the girls cried, smacking kisses on each of her cheeks before jumping off the bed and running out of the room.
“I love you too,” she whispered. When she finally did marry, leaving her brothers and sisters would be the hardest part of her new life.
She was glad that she had not fixed her attentions on Harrington. Being in another part of England would be bad enough. She could never have lived overseas for years.
By the time she arrived in the breakfast room, the children were tucking into their meal.
“Good morning.” The low, now familiar voice took her by surprise. Constantine sat next to Charlotte’s regular place at the table.
“Good morning.” She smiled at him before going to the sideboard. When she brought her plate back, he held out her chair. “I did not expect to see you so early.”
Still, she was happy he was here. All the gentlemen who had recently joined her family had taken breakfast with them.
“Your brother suggested I join you.” After piling his own plate full of food, Constantine returned to the seat next to hers.
The twins and Madeline glanced up, exchanged looks, and giggled.
“At least they are not asking embarrassing questions,” Constantine remarked in a whisper.
“That makes me wonder what they’re planning,” Charlotte shot back.
“Char, did you see the prime goers he has?” Walter asked.
“I did. They have very sweet mouths as well.” She glanced at Constantine. “If you are extremely good, he might show them to you.”
Walter’s and Phillip’s faces lit up. “Oh, would you, sir?”
“Yes, of course. They will be brought around when I leave. You may assess their points then.” Constantine turned his attention back to Charlotte. “I understand there is an outing planned in the square before lessons begin this morning.”
“There is.” She slid him a look. He seemed almost nervous. “Would you like to join us?”
“I’d love to.” He grinned at her before digging into his food.
She began to eat her breakfast also. This morning was going exceedingly well so far. She’d have to thank Matt for inviting Constantine. “Where are Matt and Grace?”
“Inspecting the renovations,” Augusta replied. “I’m not sure they will ever be done.”
“That is what Grace thought about changes she made to this house.” Charlotte glanced at the younger children. “When you’ve finished eating, go get ready for the Park.”
The sounds of chairs being pushed back and children rushing from the room filled the air.
“I hope I’m not being rude when I say that they sound like elephants going up the stairs.”
She placed an elbow on the table and rested her cheek against the palm of her hand. “Have you actually heard elephants?”
“Yes. I was not allowed a Grand Tour, but I was allowed to travel to India for a short time. Although, I spent more time on the passages than in the country.”
“You must tell me about all of it.” She let out a sigh. “I would love to travel.”
“Once Wellington has dealt with the Corsican, Europe will be safe again.”
“So everyone says. My sister Louisa believes Napoleon will give him more trouble than many think he will.”
“I tend to agree.” Constantine blotted his lips with the napkin, reminding Charlotte how his lips felt on hers. “How long do we have before the children arrive?”
“A few minutes. I must fetch my bonnet.”
He walked with her into the corridor. “Before you do.”
Cupping her cheek in his hand, he kissed her. It was every bit as sweet as his kisses had been the night before. She sighed softly. Perhaps soon there would be more.
“I shall be back in a few minutes.” She reached up, drawing her thumb along his bottom lip. He sucked in a breath.
Smiling to herself, she made her way to her bedchamber. Her life finally seemed right. As if everything she wanted—love, a home, and children—might be within reach.
Chapter Twenty-One
Con wanted to catch Charlotte’s thumb between his teeth, and pull her to him. Instead, he let her go and enjoyed the view of her lush bottom swaying as she climbed the stairs. He was delighted she had accepted his kiss and returned it so easily today. Each day, his future with her was looking more and more certain.
Worthington was right. If Con wanted her, he must become part of the family. Today was the second time he’d be able to show her he had the makings of a good husband and father.
The Great Danes arrived first with their footmen. The children could be heard again coming down the stairs, and once they were assembled, more footmen appeared.
Finally, Charlotte walked down the stairs, stopping on the last tread to survey the hall. She smiled at him, and he held out his arm. Together they strolled through the front door and across the street to Berkeley Square.
They were not the only ones taking their leisure in the Park. Mary and Theo joined another girl who looked to be about the same age. The child was accompanied by a woman he supposed to be about Charlotte’s age, and an older woman who had charge of a baby in an elaborately painted and gilded baby carriage.
“It is for Lord Wharton’s son and heir.” Her breath caressed his ear and he wanted to be able to slip his arms around her.
“How did you know what I was looking at?” he teased.
“How could you not notice it?” She looked as if she was about to go into whoops. “Grace said we had plain wicker baskets set on a frame with wheels.”
“I have no idea what I had. I’ll have to ask my mother.” He glanced at it again. “I am quite sure it was not that elaborate.”
Charlotte tucked her hand in his arm, and they strolled a little away from the others, albeit still keeping an eye on the children and dogs. Daisy lay on the grass and Duke stood next to her, nosing her every once in a while. “They paint a domestic scene.”
“Only because she is enceinte. Otherwise she would be romping all over the Park.”
“Maybe she will calm down after the puppies are born.” That had occurred to several of his hunters after they gave birth.
“One can only hope. Grace and I came to Town ahead of the children. On their way here Daisy tried to make friends with a pair of horses.” Charlotte grimaced. “Suffice it to say it did not turn out the way she wished.”
He could imagine what his horses would do, but he asked anyway. “What happened?”
“They bolted. The gentleman who owned the carriage and the pair started to yell. Fortunately, the team for our coach had been changed, so Mr. Winter, the children’s tutor, got them all back in the coach and didn’t stop until he arrived here.”
Con couldn’t help but to bark a laugh. “I may have to reconsider a puppy.”
“Oh, no.” Charlotte leaned more heavily against him. “They are the sweetest beasts in nature. She is much better since Matt has been training her.”
Con enjoyed the early morning
as he rarely had before he’d met Charlotte. Not that he’d seen much of it. The air seemed fresher. The grass was still slightly damp. Other nurses and their charges began to enter the square.
“Lady Charlotte, good morning.” Harrington bowed to her, once again ignoring Con.
“My lord.” She curtseyed. “I am surprised to see you here at this hour.”
“I thought I would see if you were in.” The puppy’s head seemed to twitch even further away from Con.
“I have been extremely busy of late.”
Going for rides and walks with me. Con almost smirked.
Suddenly a scream rent the peace of the Park, followed by male voices shouting and dogs growling and barking. Con pushed Charlotte behind him, but the commotion was taking place near the old lady with the baby carriage. Mary and Theo—safe, thank God—were trying to calm the other girl, and the young woman who had accompanied the older woman was gone. Three footmen surrounded Duke, who was snarling at something on the ground.
Charlotte grabbed Con’s hand. “Come. We must find out what has happened.”
A moment later, he slid in between two of the footmen to find the Dane had caught and was standing on a man.
“Get him off me,” the man cried. “I didn’t do nothin’.”
“Don’t lie to his lordship,” one of the footmen ordered. “You helped grab that woman.”
Next to Con, Charlotte stared at the villain on the ground. “You!”
Con looked at the miscreant again. It was the blackguard he’d got drunk the night he’d rescued Charlotte. “Remove the dog. I’ll take care of him.”
The moment Duke stepped off, the scoundrel tried to bolt. Con caught him by the scruff of his neck, swung him around, and punched him in the stomach. The scoundrel dropped to his knees, heaving as if he’d throw up. “Now, unless you want a little more home brew, you’d better tell me where your accomplice took that young woman.”
“I ain’t telling you nothin’.” The scoundrel spat, the glob just missing Con’s boots.
“You think not? Well, you’ve got a choice: You can hang or you can be transported. If anything happens to that female, you’ll hang, and I’ll make sure the rope is nice and new.”
“Takes a long time to die with a new rope,” one of the footmen commented.
“He’s takin’ her to the Dove, on the other side of Richmond.”
“One of you,” Con ordered, “call the watch.”
The rest of Charlotte’s brothers and sisters had gathered next to her.
“What happened?” Walter asked.
“Hal, take Ben and lock this rascal in the cellar at Worthington House,” Charlotte said. “The rest of you take the children back to the house.”
Con looked around to see a large traveling coach stop in front of Stanwood House. The Mertons hurried over.
“What is going on?” Merton held his wife close to him.
“Miss Betsy kidnapped one of Lord Wharton’s servants.” Con looked down to see Theo tugging on his jacket. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“She isn’t a servant. She’s the housekeeper’s niece, and she’s getting married soon.”
“Was she visiting her aunt?” Charlotte asked.
Theo nodded as Mary said, “Her name is Miss Cloverly.”
Con thought of what the whore had in store for the young woman and his blood turned to ice. He glanced at Charlotte. “I’ll go and get her back.”
“I’m coming with you. She won’t trust a man by himself.”
“Charlotte, you cannot.” Merton glanced from her to Con and shrugged. “Worthington will not allow it.”
“I completely agree,” Harrington said. What the devil was he still doing here? And who the devil cared for his opinion? “Lady Charlotte, you may not accompany Lord Kenilworth. I forbid it.”
“You.” Her voice shook with growing anger. “You have no business telling me what to do. Nothing will keep me from going. If need be—”
“Go where?” Worthington asked, striding up, his wife next to him, almost running to keep up.
“Miss Betsy abducted another young woman.” Charlotte turned her slender back on Harrington. Her chin had firmed and her normally soft blue eyes flashed with anger. “Kenilworth is going to the inn they are taking her to. I am going with him.”
“Kenilworth?” her brother asked.
This was his chance to prove to her he could be trusted. That he would not expect her to be less than she was.
“I’ll keep her safe,” he promised. Truth be told, he would give his life for her.
The smile she gave him was so brilliant it made him blink. “I’ll be right back.”
“I object.” Harrington started after Charlotte.
Con grabbed his shoulder. “You have no business disagreeing. It is her guardian’s decision to make and he has done so.”
The man jerked out of Con’s grasp. “I see what’s going on,” he said to Worthington. “You are encouraging Kenilworth’s suit over mine.”
Her brother turned and stared at Harrington. “This man”—he pointed at Con—“has actually asked to marry my sister, which is more than I can say for you. I suggest you leave, before you are forced to do so.”
Con struggled not to laugh or grin. “I’ll need to get a message to my mother and my valet.”
“I’ll see to it after you’ve gone,” Worthington assured him. “Send word if you do not think you’ll be able to arrive back this evening. I’ll think of something.”
Lady Merton pulled her husband away and after a hushed discussion said, “We’ll follow them. Merton suggests we stay at the Star and Garter.”
She crossed the street into the house, and Merton started issuing orders to his coachman.
“My lord.” The footman named Hal cringed. “Jemmy jumped on the back of the coach.”
“This is getting to be a habit of his,” Con mumbled. And not a good one for a lad who was only six.
Less than five minutes later, he and Charlotte were on their way toward the Richmond Road.
Charlotte held on to the side as Constantine threaded the phaeton through the morning traffic. The moment he had recognized the villain, his expression had hardened into stone.
“Thank you for agreeing I could come.”
“If anyone has a right to be there, you do.” He glanced at her for a brief moment. “This time we’ll catch her and turn her over to the magistrate.”
“I hope we get there in time.” She could imagine how frightened the young woman was. “Why would she pick a female who was just visiting? How would she even have found out about her?”
Con was quiet for a few minutes as he negotiated the carriage between a milk wagon and a large coach. “It’s possible that she is procuring for individuals. She doesn’t seem to have a brothel to take them to. Otherwise she’d use that instead of country inns.”
She took a large breath. Surely, he could not mean what she thought. “You mean she supplies . . .”
“In a word, yes. Someone has a desire, and she finds the person to fulfill it. In this case, that customer may have wanted Miss Cloverly.” He dodged a vegetable cart. “The question I have now is why did she abduct you?”
Charlotte shook her head. “We always thought it was for revenge.”
He looked at her again. “Then why not Lady Merton? Her husband was involved. Or your sister Louisa, or Lady Worthington?”
That was a good question. Grace and Dotty had been there when Matt and Merton had ruined the woman’s brothel. Why her indeed? “I wish I knew.”
“Well, when we find her, we’ll ask.” The traffic was finally thinning. “Did you bring your basket?”
“Yes, your groom put it under the seat.”
“Does it include the kitten this time?”
She could not tell from his tone if he would be upset about her cat coming or not. She pulled a face and nodded. Collette had refused to be left behind. Even Dotty was unable to detach her from Charlotte’s pelisse without rui
ning the fabric. “I’m afraid so. She was adamant that she stay with me. She must have sensed my-my . . . that I was upset.”
“It’s not a problem. I shall simply have to remember not to stick my hand in the basket without giving her warning first.” Constantine’s tone was dry, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
She bit back a smile as they turned onto the Richmond Road. The tension in the air was palpable, but it was around them, not between them. She supposed it was because they were a team, acting in concert with each other. And he had trusted her enough to bring her with him. She had been prepared to argue with him and anyone else who tried to stop her from going, but he had made it easy for her brother to agree.
“Look, straight ahead of us past the landau.” She pointed, although there was really no need. “That’s Jemmy on the back of the coach.”
“So it is.” A slow smile formed on his lips. The ones that felt so good when they were kissing her. “We’ll just stay back here.”
Jemmy waved, letting them know he saw them too. “I’m really going to have to have a discussion with him about jumping on carriages,” she said more to herself than Constantine. “At least he should have some money with him this time.”
“Why do you say that?” Constantine glanced at her again.
“You gave him largess. The amount was significantly more than what he had to pay for the stage coach and hackney.”
“He is an enterprising young lad.” His tone was thoughtful and she wished she knew what he was thinking.
“Yes, he is. He was going to offer you the amount left over, but I told him you would want him to keep it.”
“That turned out to be a good decision.” Constantine took the ribbons in one hand and briefly covered her fingers with his. “We’ll make sure both he and Miss Cloverly are safe.”
The more Charlotte considered it, the more she wanted Jemmy to come with her when she married, if it wouldn’t harm his chances for finding his family, that is. Still, now was not the time for that discussion. First they must rescue poor Miss Cloverly.