“I know I have to, but I have been so stupid that I’m ashamed to say the words out loud,” Charlotte said with genuine remorse.
“We have all done things that are stupid,” Stephen said with a wry smile.
“Oh, I would love to hear your stories one day, I’m sure you have had real fun along the way!” Charlotte said, surprising Stephen at her genuine tone of interest in him. She groaned and carried on speaking. “As I’ve said, the only family I have is an uncle in Lincolnshire. I don’t remember my parents, they died when I was very young, from some outbreak of fever in the village. My uncle took me in, even though he was not married.”
“That was kind of him,” Stephen said with a shudder.
Charlotte smiled at his reaction. “It was. He couldn’t really cope with a young child though, it was not his fault, even though he did his best. I had to grow up quickly; he could only cope with me if he treated me like an adult. We both decided it was best if I went to boarding school.”
“You both decided? How old were you?” Stephen asked in disbelief. If she had been treated like an adult from a young age, it explained why she appeared older, with her words at least. He tried to ignore the memories of her tentative response to his kisses.
“About the age of ten,” Charlotte said simply. “I wanted friends my own age, I wasn’t stupid. I knew uncle was struggling with me.”
Stephen raised an eyebrow, “Too clever for your own good if you ask me.”
Charlotte ignored the remark and carried on. “I enjoyed school. The girls who were there had similar standard of living to my own, not rich, but not poor, so it was happy overall.”
“Sounds delightful,” Stephen said unconvincingly.
“If you constantly interrupt me with your unproductive remarks I will never tell you my story. I thought you wanted to hear it? I’m more than happy to stop now!” Charlotte responded tartly.
“Sorry,” Stephen muttered. She certainly did not seem to suffer fools he thought to himself as he watched her huff at his response.
“I was due to leave next month, but a few months ago, we got a new member of staff.” Stephen raised his eyebrow, but refrained from saying anything. “Yes, you’ve guessed it,” Charlotte said disparagingly. “I was the one that fell for the new footman, or I stupidly thought I had.”
Stephen had felt a slight tightening in his chest at her words and had to move in his seat to try and shake off the feeling. “What happened?” he asked.
“Oh, he filled my head with all sorts of nonsense. I’ve read lots of Romance novels so I should have guessed that his words were shallow. What can I say? I was stupid and fell for every one of his silly words, all of his flattery. Oh, how I could kick myself now! Anyway, I didn’t have a huge fortune, so knew I wasn’t going to attract a rich husband. I didn’t want riches, I just wanted to be happy and I stupidly thought that Christopher was the person to make me happy.”
“Go on,” Stephen said with gritted teeth.
“He convinced me to run away with him, saying that my uncle would never understand why we wanted to be together. So, we arranged to meet and elope. I wrote a letter to my uncle, apologising for letting him down, but telling him what I was doing. The carriage came as planned and I jumped in without a thought. Only it wasn’t Christopher inside waiting to whisk me off to Gretna Green, it was Baron Kersal and one of his trusted girls.
“Did he hurt you?” Stephen asked, vowing silently to kill Kersal if he had.
“No,” Charlotte said truthfully. “He’d brought Laura to restrain me, said he didn’t want me damaged. I was never to see Christopher again. He is going to stay at the school, to wait until the ruckus dies down about me and then start on some other unsuspecting fool,” Charlotte said bitterly.
“And what was going to happen to you? Kersal doesn’t usually force his women to work for him,” Stephen was genuinely confused. It did not sound right. Kersal’s entertainments consisted of lots of wine, card games and women, but not kidnapping.
“I was going to be married to one of his so-called friends. Apparently some men like young girls; the more innocent the better and I would bring Baron Kersal a large sum. From what his working girls told me it’s a new line of business for the Baron, but it brings in quite a lot of money. Men will pay to have a reluctant virgin.” She had blushed deeply at the words, but tilted her chin defiantly.
“You’ve spent too long with his other girls, you’ve already adopted the language of the gutter!” Stephen said with a slight smile. His mind was racing; this was on a different level to having a house full of women who were willing participants for the right amount of money, of course. This was kidnap, ruination and forced marriage. His blood ran cold, what kind of men had he been associating with? He may have some ways that would have decent Mamas ushering their innocent offspring away from him, but he had never done anything illegal. All his partners had been consenting adults. “How do they pick the girls?” he asked.
“They select the ones who don’t have a strong family network to protect them,” Charlotte responded.
“But you have an uncle,” Stephen queried.
“Yes, but many miles away. He never visited and I didn’t go home for the holidays. I was perfect apparently, ripe for the plucking, as Baron Kersal so delicately put it,” Charlotte said with disgust. She had been terrified, but somehow the more miles they covered and the more time she spent in Stephen’s company, the more she relaxed. She felt completely safe and at ease with him now.
“I will kill him!” Stephen said. Preying on vulnerable girls was not acceptable in any respectable man’s book.
“No don’t!” Charlotte said, all ease gone. “He will know I am connected to you and come and find me. Please before you do anything against Baron Kersal, help me get as far away from him as I can.”
Stephen paused, she was in danger. In London she was at risk of seeing someone connected to Kersal. Stephen had no idea how many people were involved, obviously more than a few to carry out such a scheme. The reality of her situation struck him, and then with annoyance he realised that he could not just deliver her to some safe place and carry on with his life. What the hell was he going to do with her?
Chapter 4
Stephen was prevented from thinking further by their arrival at his house. He looked at Charlotte and almost groaned aloud, he had not thought this through. He was a single man living alone. The moment she walked into his house she was ruined anyway. He paused before lifting the curtain.
“Raise your cloak hood and don’t let anyone see your face until we are inside,” he said firmly.
Charlotte nodded, fear again rising to the front of her mind. She knew deep down that they had not been followed, but that did not ease the fear, rational or not. She pulled her hood over her head and held it close over her face. She was helped down the carriage steps and her hand was placed in the crook of Stephen’s arm as he walked her inside. The door was opened by Stephen’s long serving butler, who made no indication that it was a surprise to find a lady arriving home with his master. Charlotte noticed this and for some reason it annoyed her.
Stephen released her arm when the door was closed. “You may take your hood down now,” he said to Charlotte before turning to the butler. “Walter, I need you to get the most trustworthy maid from the staff and get her to sleep in the bedchamber with Miss Webster. Please take her to a guest room and once she has had refreshments, make sure she has everything she will need for the night.”
Walter, to his credit, resisted the overwhelming urge to faint at his employer’s feet. Never in the whole of his service had he seen a lady brought home that did not spend the night in the master’s bed chamber. He had noticed the young age of the girl and for a moment had been disappointed with his employer, but there was obviously something strange going on. He responded as every good butler would, without showing any emotion, then turning to the lady in question, he bowed slightly.
“If you would like to follow me, Miss?” H
e said in his usual calm way.
“But....?” Charlotte stammered, turning to Stephen.
“You need food and rest tonight; it has been a trying day for you. Get some sleep and we shall talk in the morning. Nothing will happen here that will disturb you, I assure you.”
For the second time in as many minutes, Walter had to suppress a range of emotions. His employer showing kindness, protectiveness even? No, things were definitely amiss. He ushered Charlotte off, and Stephen retired to his study to pour himself a large brandy.
A short time later, Walter found his master rubbing his temples, the brandy glass more than half empty. “Miss Webster is settled my Lord. Maggie will be attending her.”
“Who’s Maggie?” Stephen asked.
“One of your staff my Lord. She’s been in your employ these last five years,” came the droll response.
“The day I start noticing the female staff is the day you will resign Walter, so don’t start giving me that holier than thou, ‘you should know the names of your staff my Lord’ rubbish,” Stephen said roughly.
Walter smiled broadly, definitely going against any butler rules that existed. “Quite so, my Lord. She’s a good girl, honest and very loyal to you, although I can’t imagine why.”
Stephen grinned at Walter’s comment. It was a genuine grin, not one of his usual smiles that were used to achieve an aim. “Neither can I Walter, but I think the girl probably needs a pay rise.” Walter had been in his service since they were both young men, rising to butler through hard work and a sudden illness of the previous butler. He was loyal to a fault to his employer, but at the same time realistic about the shortcomings that Stephen had. He was older than Stephen and wished that his master could settle down and be happy. He very often appeared jaded, which was difficult to observe for someone who actually cared for his employer, with something between sibling and fatherly affection.
Walter was an excellent member of staff and Stephen appreciated his support. This had encouraged Walter into giving more opinions than was usual for a butler, but Stephen seemed to enjoy it, and encouraged a sort of friendship between them. This was one of the reasons Stephen used the butler’s first name, rather than his surname when addressing him.
“May I ask how long will the young lady be staying, my Lord?” Walter asked, trying to be diplomatic.
“Do you know Walter, I haven’t a bloody clue as to what I am going to do with her!” Stephen said, returning to rubbing his temples. “What a damned mess!”
“Could I be of assistance?”
“I will need your help Walter, when I figure this mess out. No doubt I shall live to regret helping her tonight, when I should have walked away and forgot I ever saw her.”
“I doubt that very much, my Lord,” came the calm response, hiding the nugget of curiosity that had been sown by the thought of his master helping a damsel in distress. He would certainly look more closely at the young lady in the morning; she had achieved something no one else had ever done.
*
Charlotte had been helped by Maggie to undress. She had been supplied with a clean shift of the maid’s, for which she had been grateful.
“We can have your clothes cleaned and ready for the morning,” Maggie assured her. “Then you will feel more the thing. Now let me brush your hair.”
Charlotte watched the maid through the looking glass as she tended her. She had had a maid at home and then at school, but Maggie was slightly older than those, being around thirty. The way she fussed and gently dealt with her new charge, helped Charlotte to relax and feel taken care of for the second time that evening. She became more peaceful as her hair was brushed and tiredness washed over her. It had been a long day; in fact, it had been a long few days. She had not slept very well, being afraid of what might happen to her if she did.
Maggie helped her into bed and handed Charlotte a cup of warm milk. “This will help you sleep Miss, you look like you could sleep the clock round,” she said gently. “I will be staying in the dressing room; I’ll leave the door open. If you need me, just shout. I’m a light sleeper, so don’t worry, I will hear you.”
“Thank you Maggie, you have been very kind,” Charlotte replied sleepily. She was going to have someone nearby, ready to wake if she needed her, someone watching over her. Stephen was in the house and she knew he would protect her if she needed him. She snuggled down into the large four poster bed. The clean sheets, felt refreshingly cool on her skin and the pillows seemed to hug her head and shoulders. Within moments of handing the empty cup back to Maggie, she was fast asleep, dreaming about kisses from rosebud mouths.
She woke with a start at sunshine flooding into the room. Maggie was up and opening the curtains. She had been downstairs and collected Charlotte’s clean dress. “Morning, Miss,” the maid said cheerfully.
“Morning,” Charlotte replied with a smile. She stretched feeling refreshed, but the reality of her situation soon brought her down to earth. She hoped that Stephen would be agreeable to her plans.
She was directed to the dining room for breakfast. It was a large square room, all four sides covered in wood panelling. A large table stood proud in the centre, with a side table running along one wall. A small round side table had been set with two places. Stephen sat at one of the places and stood when she entered the room. “Good morning Charlotte, did you sleep well?”
“Yes thank you,” Charlotte replied, a little shyly. Last night had been mostly in the dark, but this morning, with the sun flooding into the room, she had nowhere to hide. Stephen was dressed in his shirt, waistcoat and banyan, which fell loosely around his body; no frock coat hid the broadness of his shoulders, or the slimness of his waist. Charlotte gulped as she sat; had she really been so forward with such a fine man?
Stephen had watched all her emotions pass over her face. His amusement helped to focus his mind, when she had walked in it had been a miracle he had not knocked over his chair in surprise. He had thought her beautiful the night before, but this morning, she was stunning. Her hair had been dressed by Maggie with small fresh daisies, her blond curls left to naturally fall around her face, and cascading from her bun. Her dress was well made and since it had been cleaned and pressed, it seemed to emphasise her slim figure. Her slight blush only helped to make her look more appealing. He tried to mentally shake himself. When had he become attracted to innocents? If this continued, it was a sure route to the dark side.
“Here, let me get you something to eat,” he offered. Anything to keep him occupied and focus his mind.
“Thank you and thank you for everything,” Charlotte replied demurely.
Stephen looked at her, “Have you exchanged places with Miss Webster? Who are you?” He asked with a tilt of his chin.
Charlotte looked confused. “Whatever do you mean?” she asked, her blush deepening.
“Last night I was faced with a fiery tigress. This morning I am faced with a timid kitten. What has happened in the night, where is my Miss Webster?”
My Miss Webster, that was a thought she would dream about in the future, but in the meantime Stephen’s words had done the trick. She looked at him fully in the eyes. “I was hoping that you would be lulled into agreeing to my plan. I thought that if I was timid, you would agree to it without argument,” she said honestly.
Stephen smiled; glad to have the real Charlotte back, “Ah, so you have a plan, at least that makes one of us.”
“You hadn’t any suggestions to make?” Charlotte asked in surprise.
“I have thought of little else, but I’m afraid you will find me sadly lacking, I have no cunning plan up my sleeve,” Stephen said with a shrug. His careless words hid his frustration about what to do with Charlotte; the thought had kept him awake for half the night.
“Good, in that case I think you will find my proposal perfectly acceptable,” Charlotte replied, her confidence increasing and she began tucking into her breakfast. The long, deep sleep had given her a real appetite.
Stephen watch
ed with amusement as she ate. She really was full of life, a pity he was a hardened cynic. If he had only been five years younger he would have enjoyed courting her, but he was not, so there was no use thinking of what could have been. When Charlotte seemed to have had her fill, he indicated that she should follow him.
“We can discuss your acceptable proposal in the morning room.”
Charlotte had realised that Stephen had not wanted to discuss the situation in front of the servants. She was grateful for this. Maggie had been kind, but Charlotte had wondered what she and the other servants must think of the situation. Once again she had felt like a complete doxy, even though she had not spent the night with Stephen, they must think she was some sort of lightskirt.
Stephen led the way to the small room at the front of the house. It was bright and airy, the lemon colouring on the walls and upholstery bringing colour into a small space. Furniture was scattered around the room, the effect was that it looked as if it was done carelessly, but Charlotte could tell that every piece of furniture complemented the others in the room. He had obviously spoken the truth when he had said that he liked his comforts. Stephen sat on one of the seats, indicating that Charlotte should do the same.
“Come, do tell, I am all ears,” he said, stretching his legs out in front of him.
“My plan means that I need to ask you for further help, but I promise that this would be the last time and I promise to pay you back,” Charlotte said in a rush.
“Oh, so it involves my money,” Stephen said dryly. “May I ask how much, and what the money would be spent on?”
Charlotte had flushed with indignation at his words. “I can assure you that if there was any other way, I would take it. I need the money to get a great distance away from London.”
Stephen relented a little, “You wish to return to your uncle? That is the sensible thing to do.”
“No,” Charlotte said sadly. “I have managed to sever that tie. The letter I sent to my uncle will have arrived and he will think I am a fallen woman. He would never accept me in his house again.”
An Inconvenient Trilogy - Three Regency Romances: Inconvenient Ward, Wife, Companion - all published separately on Kindle and paperback Page 23