by Ella Quinn
“Sir Reginald Stanley.” The girl practically breathed his name. “Do you know him, my lady?”
“Sir Reginald.” She tapped her cheek and after a few moments smiled. “Why, yes. I was introduced to him. After I married, of course, and very much by accident. He is not received in Polite Society, you know.”
Susan’s face fell, and Charlotte could see all the girl’s dreams of moving in the ton start to wobble. “N-not received?”
“He has a reputation of being a rake and an inveterate gambler. That is not the type of gentleman ladies want around their daughters.”
“But rakes can reform.” The girl rallied. “Once they are wed, of course.”
“Yes, indeed they can. In fact, some claim that reformed rakes make the best husbands, but first he must marry.” Dotty’s brows drew together. “My dear, how thoughtless of me. You are planning to marry him?”
The girl’s countenance brightened again. “Yes, my lady. We are to travel to Scotland.”
“Well, naturally, if you are to wed, that would change everything.” She glanced at Susan again. “How old did you say you are, my dear?”
“Fifteen,” Susan pronounced as if it was a great age.
“Fifteen?” Dotty asked, her voice full of doubt. The girl nodded. “No. That will not do at all. One must be sixteen to marry in Scotland. Unless you have your parents’ permission, that is.” She let the silence stretch for a few moments. “But you do not.”
Susan clasped her hands together in her lap and stared at them. “N-no, my lady.”
“Lady Merton,” Charlotte said, “are you quite sure it is sixteen?”
“Indeed I am. Do you not remember the couple who eloped earlier this Season?” She did, but she was equally sure that was not to whom her friend was referring, but she nodded anyway. “She was not even out. They reached the border two months before her sixteenth birthday and were turned away. Naturally, she will never be allowed a Season, and she is ruined forever.”
Charlotte covered her mouth and gasped. “Oh, yes. I remember now. How horrible it was!” She slid a look at Susan, whose eyes were wide with horror. “My dear Susan, how fortunate you did not go to Scotland.”
The girl promptly burst into tears. Charlotte wrapped her arms around the child and took out her handkerchief, pressing it into the girl’s hands. “There, there. We are here to help you.”
“I doubt Sir Reginald could afford the journey to Scotland,” Dotty mused. “He does not have a feather to fly with.”
Well, that ought to clinch the matter.
Susan began to sob even harder. “W-what will become of m-m-me?”
Charlotte and Dotty shared a glance. Whatever the answer to the girl’s question, the result was likely to be much better than what Miss Betsy and Sir Reginald had planned for poor Susan. Thank God they had been able to rescue her. The question was how to find the man and see him punished before he could harm another girl.
* * *
Con rode next to Merton, discussing what they were going to do with the young lady. Neither of them were experts on the subject, but agreed that she could not be out yet.
“I’ll be interested to hear what Charlotte and Dotty say,” Con said.
“Augusta seems older, or at least more mature,” Merton replied, referring to Charlotte’s fifteen-year-old sister.
“And more sensible.” They fell silent for several minutes, before Con said, “I had wanted to remain at the Star and Garter tonight, but I am of the opinion that we should return to Town.”
“You’re probably correct. The question is what to do with the girl.”
“I have every confidence our ladies will have an address for her parents by the time we sit down to luncheon. I overheard some of the conversation Charlotte was having with her, and apparently, she has decided to play the compassionate lady. I was told specifically not to speak badly of Sir Reggie.”
“That won’t be hard for me,” Merton said. “I’d never heard of the man before you told me about him.”
“No, you wouldn’t have. He’s run with a fast crowd for years,” Con said. “Miss Susan must be an heiress.”
“Do you know her surname?”
“Merryville.” He had never heard of the family and hoped Merton had.
“There is a Merryville in the City who is involved in trade and shipping. I recently invested in a project where his name was mentioned.”
“If they are Cits, they wouldn’t have heard about Sir Reggie. That would be the reason her parents didn’t have her under lock and key. I wonder if extortion and not marriage is his game.”
“We may never discover what it is if the man can’t show his face in Town.”
Con thought that might be the best resolution to the problem. “With Miss Betsy gone, he won’t know where the girl is. He might even think that she was not abducted.”
“And she will believe he never came for her,” Merton mused.
“She will be heartbroken, but only for a short while, not for a lifetime.” Marriage to a bounder like Sir Reggie would be hell, if that was all he had planned for her.
Merton urged his horse faster. “The sooner we return her to her family, the better.”
Con agreed wholeheartedly.
When they arrived at the Star and Garter, Charlotte whispered to him that luncheon must be ordered without Miss Susan’s knowing it had not already been done. “It is the excuse Dotty used for our leaving as soon as we did. She had started having doubts about going with us. We have won the girl’s confidence, but if she catches us in the least little lie, we run the risk of losing it.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Con said as the Mertons led Miss Susan into the inn. “We have decided to return to Town today.”
“That is for the best. We will not have more time alone together, but we must get her home. I imagine her parents are beside themselves.”
“How old is she?”
“Fifteen. That cur told her they would marry in Scotland, but does she not have to be sixteen?”
Con nodded. “For a runaway marriage, yes.”
“And why meet her east of London and not somewhere on the Great North Road?”
“That may have been Miss Betsy’s doing. Unless she has a house north of Town as well.”
“I do not believe he intended to wed her at all.” Concern echoed in Charlotte’s voice. “I think they had something much more nefarious planned. I wish I knew what it was. Selling the girl into prostitution would not provide him the money he needs.”
No, but an auction would, and that was not something he was going to mention to her. “I do not think we need to worry about that now.”
“You are probably right. Although, I wish we could find that blackguard and punish him. There is also Burt. The miscreant that got away.” She rubbed her forehead. “We still have a great deal of work to do rescuing the other victims.”
“I agree, but we do not have to do it all ourselves.” Con was relieved she had changed the subject. “I have not yet introduced you to my excellent secretary. He will be happy to have a project that will challenge him.”
She tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. “I’m feeling peckish.”
“We can’t have that,” he said in a dramatic tone.
“You think you are funny.” She scowled. “I assure you that I am not at all nice to be around when I’m hungry.”
“If that’s all I have to do to keep you happy, my life will be pure bliss.”
Charlotte lowered her lids. “Well, there might be one or two other things.”
May had taken charge of Susan Merryville, and when she joined them in the parlor her good humor had been restored. She talked the whole way through luncheon. By the time they had finished eating, and were getting ready to depart, Con knew everything he had wanted to know and much more. The chit had no discretion at all. No wonder she had been such an easy target for Sir Reggie.
Jemmy had joined them, and more than once, Con had found himself in co
mplete sympathy with the boy, but obliged to chastise him for criticizing the girl. Not only that, but he had a feeling the lad was just a little jealous of Miss Susan spending time with his heroine.
When they rose from the table, he pulled Charlotte aside. “Sweetheart, will you ride back to Town with me? It will be our last chance to be alone for several days.”
She glanced at Miss Susan, who was playing with Cyrille, Collette having had the good sense to hide in her basket. “I’d love to. Even if Dotty tires of the girl, Cyrille will keep her occupied.” Charlotte gazed up at him, a line marring her lovely brow. “I detest lying to her, yet I do think the story Dotty came up with did the trick. She is much too trusting. I only hope her parents will try to understand how she could have fallen under the cur’s spell.”
“I knew you wouldn’t like this pretense. Still, telling her a faradiddle was the best thing you could have done. If it makes you feel any better, Merton has heard of her father and sent a note to your brother to find the Merryvilles.”
“Thank you for telling me.” The news made Charlotte feel much better. “She is very young. In many ways, much younger than Augusta.”
Even the twins and Madeline had more sense than their charge. “I cannot see any of your sisters doing anything as ill-advised as this.”
“I agree, but we should not discuss it here.” Charlotte already had the feeling that Susan knew the gentlemen were not as much in sympathy with her as Charlotte and Dotty were. “I’ll get my bonnet.”
They were halfway to Mayfair when Constantine suggested there must be something wrong with his phaeton, necessitating an overnight stop at an inn he knew was just up the road.
Charlotte was trying not to laugh, when Jemmy piped up, “I don’t see anything.”
After that she went into whoops. “He has you there. Sweetheart, we will be married soon.”
“But how soon? When my sisters wed, it seemed as if the poor chaps had to wait for an age.”
She almost told him that in four days they would be saying their vows, but, wanting it to be a surprise, she held her tongue. “At least gentlemen do not have to buy new clothing.”
“No.” He slid a look at her before returning his attention to the horses. “Tell me why young ladies have to dress in pastels? Wouldn’t it be easier to allow them to wear what they want?”
“You mean the colors that suit them best. It would. It would also be considered fast, and the ladies who rule Almack’s would refuse to give them vouchers, and other ladies would refuse to invite them to entertainments. All in all, it is less expensive to play by the rules.”
“You always look lovely.”
“I am fortunate that I can wear some pastels well. However, many ladies cannot.”
“Once we have wed, you may shop for whatever you like.” He sounded so magnanimous. She wanted to go into whoops again.
“Thank you, I shall.” This was another secret she was keeping from him. Encouraged by Grace and Lady Kenilworth, Charlotte had already ordered a new wardrobe. Her conscience gave her a twinge about her mendacity. All she could do was pray it would all turn out well in the end.
Chapter Thirty-Three
It was late afternoon by the time Constantine’s carriage rolled into Berkeley Square. Merton’s coach would not be far behind. No sooner had Constantine lifted her down from the phaeton, than small arms grabbed onto her legs.
“We missed you,” Mary said.
Surprisingly, Theo merely nodded.
“Please, my lady, come into the house.” Royston held the door open, and a footman held Daisy.
“Yes, of course.” Charlotte stepped across the threshold, Constantine and Jemmy close behind her, and the butler shut the door. “Good afternoon, Daisy. I missed you as well.”
The Dane wrapped herself around Charlotte. A chirp sounded from the basket, and Collette jumped out, rubbing herself around Daisy’s legs.
“I am not sure we are going to actually get all the way into the house,” Constantine commented.
“It just takes a bit sometimes,” Jemmy said.
Gradually, Charlotte pushed her way farther into the hall. “Dotty and Merton will be here soon. Let’s go to the morning room. Have you had tea yet?”
“Hours ago,” Theo said. “Dinner will be soon.”
“Goodness, is it that late already?”
Mary nodded. “You have enough time to wash up and change. That’s what Matt and Grace are doing. We saw you come down the street.”
That answered that question, Charlotte thought. She had wondered where everyone else was.
“If his lordship is joining us, I shall escort him to a chamber,” Royston volunteered.
“Thank you.” Constantine grinned at her. “I’ll meet you in the drawing room.”
She shook dog hair from her skirt. “Until then.”
As soon as she got to her room, May began unlacing her gown. “The house was at sixes and sevens when I got here.”
“How so?” Charlotte stepped into the warm bath water May had waiting for her. “This feels good.”
“Lady Worthington got your letter and sent a message to the modiste. Lord Worthington dashed off to the church and had just got back when I arrived.” Charlotte washed quickly and stood for May to rinse her. “He had the special license and you are to wed at nine in the morning. But he said the day you wanted was full, so you’re getting married in three days instead of four.” That was even better than Charlotte had hoped. “They told me in her ladyship’s study so the children wouldn’t hear.”
“That was clever.” If any of the younger children knew about Charlotte’s wedding, they would be bound to let it slip and Constantine would know.
“Lord Worthington said he never knew you were as managing as Lady Louisa, I mean her grace, and Lady Worthington just laughed and told him he hadn’t been paying attention.”
“I think it is just that Louisa has a different way.” Charlotte grinned. “Has he never noticed how my sister manages everything?”
“That’s men for you, my lady. My mother says they can’t see what’s in front of their faces unless you hit them in the nose.”
She laughed at that. “I have a feeling my mother might have said the same thing at times.” She thought about how quiet Theo had been earlier. “Can you talk to one of the nursery maids and find out how Lady Theo has been doing? I am a bit concerned. She was very subdued when I arrived home.”
“I’ll do it after the little ones go to bed, my lady.”
“Thank you.” Charlotte recalled how Louisa’s maid was concerned about being a duchess’s dresser. “How are you doing? Are you looking forward to the changes that are about to happen?”
“Couldn’t be happier, my lady.” May’s grin was as broad as Charlotte had ever seen it. “I had a good talk with Polly, I should say Miss Franks, and she told me when she went to Merton House, she made her place right away, and I should do the same. So I did. His lordship’s valet calls me Miss Walker, as will the other servants. Truth to tell, when we got here Bolton took me in hand. That was a great help.”
By this time Charlotte was dressed and her maid was closing the clasp on a strand of pearls around Charlotte’s neck. She would have to refer to her maid as Walker, as well. It would not do for Charlotte to show a lack of respect for her personal servant.
“I’m glad you had someone to show you the way.”
“Yes, my lady.” Walker stood back. “I’ll try to have something about Lady Theo when you return.”
“Thank you, again.” Charlotte stood as her maid placed her silk shawl around her shoulders. “I am lucky to have you, Walker.”
May glowed with pride. “I’m lucky to have a mistress as fine as you, my lady.”
A knock came on the door and Charlotte answered, “Come.”
Grace floated into the bedchamber. Someday, Charlotte vowed, she would learn to do that. Her sister hugged her tightly. “You must realize you are driving Matt absolutely mad.”
; “Actually, I didn’t consider him at all.” She gazed into her sister’s eyes. “I suppose I should have. I just want to be married.”
“I know.” Grace chuckled lightly. “I have to tell you that I let Lady Kenilworth in on the secret. It would not have been fair not to.”
Charlotte could understand that. “I suppose I am having a wedding breakfast.”
“Naturally. However, none of the invitations will state that it is a wedding breakfast.” Her sister chuckled. “We are calling it an End-of-Season breakfast.”
“What a brilliant idea.” She had not expected a wedding breakfast at all.
“Lady Kenilworth thought of it.” Grace grinned like she had when she had planned surprises for their parents.
“So Kenilworth will not know what is going on until Matt takes him to the church?” The more Charlotte thought of surprising him, the more excited she became.
“We shall keep our fingers crossed.” Grace hugged Charlotte again. “I am so glad you found your love.”
She blinked as tears of joy threatened to fill her eyes. “As am I.”
When Charlotte entered the drawing room that evening, Constantine was waiting for her. He handed her a glass of sherry. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”
“I had no idea I would be the first, but I’m very glad I am.” She pressed her lips against his. “I have a surprise for you, but I cannot tell you yet.”
His arms went around her, tugging her to him. “That, my lady, is not fair.”
“Oh, I believe you will enjoy it a great deal when you find out what it is.”
“Minx.” His mouth came down on hers, and she opened to him, tangling her tongue with his.
Charlotte drew back. The children she would hear come down the stairs, but Matt could move quietly when he wanted to. Despite knowing she and Constantine would be married in three days, she did not want to risk her brother being upset with them, especially after all he was doing. “I shall miss sleeping with you, and spending my days with you.”
Con’s fingers tightened. “I am meeting with your brother tomorrow about the settlement agreements. I shall press for an early marriage.”