Page 37 of Her Scottish Duke
“Your Grace. I have to thank –”
“Shh,” Lady Susan urged.
Charlotte buttoned her lip and looked at the stage. All sign of emotion on her face vanishing away.
Gerard felt a sizzling resentment toward Lady Susan for the words. He had been so certain she was about to mention his gift, now the moment had disappeared like sand between his fingers.
He turned to watch the stage as Shakespeare’sComedy of Errorsbegan. The more he lost himself in the farcical and ridiculous humor, the more he enjoyed himself. He was surprised to find by the interval that he had relaxed back in the theatre seat, completely comfortable, with the side of Charlotte’s bare arm brushing against the sleeve of his tailcoat.
People stood to their feet for the interval, hurrying off to collect drinks from the bar as some ladies stood and fluttered fans in front of their faces. More candles were lit to brighten the area, and Gerard looked toward Charlotte to see she was smiling.
“I would say you are enjoying yourself, Your Grace,” she observed.
“Well, I always enjoy a good farce,” he agreed with a low laugh. “I have never seen Shakespeare before. Are they all like this?”
“Not all.” She giggled and shook her head. “But the comedies are. You might like to come again, then?”
“Perhaps.” He was non-committal in the answer. He had a feeling that if someone else was sitting beside him, someone besides Charlotte, he might not have felt so much at ease when watching the performance.
“Charlotte, Charlotte,” Lady Susan called her attention away and Gerard’s stomach knotted. “May I borrow you for a minute? There is a gentleman I would like to introduce you to.”
Charlotte offered an apologetic look and stood to walk away with Lady Susan. As they walked away, Gerard watched her, scarcely ready for the moment that Lord Winchester took Charlotte’s seat beside him. He was suddenly aware that Lady Winchester was hurrying after her sister.
“Are you enjoying the show, Your Grace?” Lord Winchester asked. “One of my favorites,The Comedy of Errors.”
“Aye, it is quite brilliant.” Gerard nodded in agreement. “I must thank ye for the invitation.” Yet he was distracted in his thanks, noting the way that Lady Susan introduced Charlotte to a young man who bowed deeply to her, as Lady Winchester tried to pull on her sister’s arm, as if attempting to stop the moment. “Is yer wife all right, me lord?”
“Ah, well enough.” Lord Winchester laughed. “I shall share a secret with you, Your Grace.”
He leaned toward Gerard. “My wife sometimes fears that the influence of her sister has meant Charlotte puts more focus on propriety when she meets a gentleman, rather than the matter of a gentleman’s character. This last week, Margaret has insisted on joining events of thetonagain. I think she intends to curb how many gentlemen Susan introduces her to.”
“Aye, it is a good lesson to teach.” Gerard agreed slowly with a nod. When Charlotte smiled at the gentleman before her, Gerard’s stomach curdled. He suddenly couldn’t stand the sight of the two of them together, and scratched the stubble on his chin, quite aggressively. “Who is that man?”
“Baron Winslow, I believe,” Lord Winchester said with a sigh. “As formal and as poised as porcelain.” He hardly sounded pleased by the meeting either.
“As warm as porcelain too, aye?” Gerard guessed, prompting Lord Winchester to laugh.
“You have it in one, Your Grace.”
Lady Susan and Lady Winchester were talking together, so intent on their own discussion that neither of them seemed to notice that the smile had slipped from Charlotte’s face. Baron Winslow tried to take her hand, but she retreated a step. He followed her, though she was blocked in by the tiered seating.
“If ye would excuse me, me lord.” Gerard stood hurriedly.
“Of course.” Lord Winchester allowed him past.
Gerard walked purposefully across the aisles of tiered seating, hurrying as quickly as he could to Charlotte’s side.
“If you would excuse me, my lord—” Charlotte was trying to step past Baron Winslow, but once more, he moved in her way, blocking her path.
“Do not go yet,” Baron Winslow pleaded. “Come, come, the fine and proper Lady Charlotte would surely not run from a gentleman in such a way.”
“She might, if she wished to,” Gerard said darkly, stopping behind Baron Winslow.
The man turned with a smile.
“I think I know what the lady wants…” he trailed off, that smile vanishing as he looked up at Gerard’s superior height.
Gerard was used to that look. A man quelled at his height and the breadth of his shoulders whenever he adopted such a glare as this.
