Page 33 of The Virgin Duchess

The floorboards creaked under her feet as she took another turn across her room. Frederick was spreading the worst rumors imaginable about the Baron of Halfacre, and word had indeed spread through everyone at the party detailing the slights he’d gushed about.

Why would Frederick be spreading all these terrible things about the man? God, all I can see in my head is how he shoved the Baron against the wall. He’s not…like that with me, and I haven’t seen it with others, but…

“Ugh!”

Charlotte’s circular thoughts weren’t going anywhere. Still, it was impossible to stop the reeling of her mind from everythingshe was seeing at the balls. Frederick had spoken to nearly every single eligible woman in the city tonight, spewing his distressing words about Halfacre.

It was such a dichotomy that Charlotte’s stomach had thoroughly tied itself into knots. Frederick had been largely good to her. They had their spats, but he provided her with anything she might need, kept her secret about Cordelia, and had seemed…interestedin her—quite a lot.

And still, when she saw him in thought when the Baron was the subject of the conversation, all she could see on his face was the same enraged expression he’d worn when she stumbled upon him that night.

And where did Rose fit into all this? Clearly, it all had something to do with her, but they had both been obsessively tight-lipped. Frederick had told her nothing of the situation, not a single word. It infuriated Charlotte to no end, even if she managed to hold onto a semblance of reason, understanding that she didn’t truly have a call to demand all of Frederick’s secrets.

They were a marriage of convenience, after all, not one of love.

Perhaps that was what irked her so much. She wished for a union of love, had felt the inklings of connection with Frederick, and had then been terribly faced with reality. He did not see her that way, and Charlotte was a fool for ever allowing herself to believe that it might be different.

They hadn’t spoken a word in the carriage on the trip back to the estate, and Charlotte had gone straight up to her room. She’d been pacing there for the better part of ten minutes now, arguing with herself when she should really be getting her rest.

Knock, knock, knock.

There was no one else in the house that would be looking for her right now. It had to be Frederick. Why did he seek her out now? He could have said something in the carriage, but there had been nothing. If he were looking for some bit of sympathy or apology for snapping at him at the ball, Frederick was sorely out of luck.

Stepping up to her door, Charlotte flung it open briskly, her temper getting the best of her.

“What?”

Frederick looked momentarily shocked before he let out a tiny scoff and shook his head.

“I had thought this would be our fourth night together—an opportunity for us to…talk.”

Charlotte was already through with the conversation, and it hadn’t even begun. She walked away from the door, letting Frederick enter if he so chose. He was agreeable to it apparently because she could hear his footsteps behind her and then the sound of the door closing once more.

There was no sound of it locking, however.

“Charlotte,” his voice was pleading, but she didn’t turn around, “I needed to speak to the ton tonight about…the Baron. It was a necessary evil.”

She could hear the disdain in Frederick’s voice as his tongue fought to make the words. It was impossible to miss the disgust in Frederick’s tone, as it was impossible to miss the flat delivery he offered her.

Heat spread through Charlotte’s veins, and she spun around on her heel, glaring across the room at him.

“Why? Why was it a necessity? You had told me nothing that might explain your behavior. Behavior, I might add, that affects me now. You are married. Your actions do not solely affect yourself.”

He sighed, and Charlotte could see the exhaustion clinging to Frederick’s eyes. The man could never be anything but beautiful, but the shadows beneath his eyes spoke to the tiredness dogging his steps. He still had his walking stick with him, and Frederick set it next to her dresser before swiping a hand through his hair.

When he met her stare once more, all Charlotte could see was disappointment and pain. “I wish that I could explain further, but I…I cannot. I can only say that it is of the utmost importance that I find that man. He…there are debts to be settled.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes at Frederick, scoffing as she shook her head. It was instinct to fold her arms across herself when she was especially frustrated and now was no different.

“That is quite enough for a single evening, I should think. I will not entertain these excuses of yours a moment longer. If you truly wished to tell me, if you indeed hated being so secretive, you would do something to change it.”

Frederick stepped forward, his brows pinching together as he took a turn at shaking his head. “It’s not like that. This does not only concern me. I would be riskingothersshould I reveal too much. It could very well put you in danger of harm as well.”

Sighing, Charlotte didn’t back down. She was through putting up with this effort of Frederick’s to distance himself from her. It was maddening. At one moment, he was pulling her close, and then the next, he was shoving her away again. She wasn’t a pup to play fetch with.

“I am a grown woman, Frederick. I can choose what risks I’m willing to take myself. Ugh,” she turned away, starting up a miniature pace again, “you’re just like my brother. Neither of you believes that I’m capable of making my own decisions, and I’m sick of it.”

Frederick surged forward, his eyes blazing into Charlotte’s. “I have never said that, and I do not think it. I have seen what you’ve done with Cordelia, assisting her even though her discovery could threaten your standing. It’s incredibly selfless ofyou. That’s whatI’mtrying to do now. I’m trying to put someone else’s fate ahead of my own.”

---