Page 83 of Her Scottish Duke
“How did you know that?”
“I observed you together at the events.” Frederica cast her eyes to the ceiling, as if pleading to the heavens for patience. “There was something there. I know it. I saw that letter between you two as well. So, what is going on, Charlotte?”
“I…” Charlotte inhaled deeply. She had told her mother what she felt that day she had capitulated and shouted at her whole family, but saying the words now when Gerard was far away in Scotland somehow made it all the more difficult to speak of it. “I’m in love with him.”
“Goodness,” Frederica murmured, her voice so quiet it was barely audible. She dropped her cake fork and it clattered against her plate, nosily. “You are certain?”
“Oh, I’m convinced. It broke my heart when he said he was moving back to Scotland. I think he intends to visit London on occasion in the future, but he made it clear that is very much for business purposes, and… and he has no intention to ever marry.”
Frederica’s jaw had slackened. For someone who usually adopted such a proper and demure countenance, it was a strong change.
“Never?” she declared indignantly.
“Never, and no woman will change his mind.” Charlotte stabbed her fork into the cake a little violently and scraped the plate. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’ll buy my aunt new plates if I must.” Frederica waved her hand dismissively. “I am so sorry it has come to this.” She reached across the space between them. “You must stay here for a few days more. Stay a week.”
“A week?” Charlotte spluttered. “I could not impose on your aunt that long. What would she say?”
“Many things, I’m sure. She’ll make her displeasure known, but she’ll accept you here, nonetheless. Stay, Charlotte, and I shall endeavor to distract you from this heartbreak. I only wish I could take it away from you completely.”
“Thank you.”
“So, you’ll stay?” Frederica said with hope.
Charlotte stared at her friend, knowing she could not refuse her anything.
“Yes, if you wish it, I shall stay.”
Gerard was filing some papers away in his study when he heard the whinnies of horses beyond the window. He craned his neck, peering out of the glass at his visitor.
The carriage had stopped with a hurry, the horses struggling in the deep water that was now filling up the drive. They’d had days of rain and with the ground so saturated, all the water running off the hills was exacerbating the issue, making it worse every day. Gerard had even spoken to Jarvis and his steward about placing his sandbags by some of the doors of the house, worried that the water might start to seep into the building.
Two men jumped down from the carriage. One of them, Gerard could not see. He had turned the collar of his frock coat up against the rain and it hid the lower half of his face. He now jerked his top hat down further too, so recognizing any part of his face was impossible.
In sharp contrast, Jeffrey snatched off his top hat. He turned in a circle in the middle of the wet drive, splashing about in the puddles. He laughed when he saw the house.
“A little castle? What else would it be!” His voice was so loud that Gerard could hear it even from behind the glass.
A smile at once took over Gerard’s features. At last, here was someone who could break up the monotony and loneliness of this great house. He dropped the few papers that were left in his hand and left the room as hurriedly as he could.
When he passed Jarvis in the hallway, he found the man peering out of the window, frowning a little.
“We’ll have to have two rooms made up, Jarvis. It seems Jeffrey has brought a friend with him.”
“Aye, yer Grace. I’ll ask the maids to make the arrangements now.” As Jarvis hurried off to abide by his orders, Gerard looked around the hallway.
He found himself wondering what Jeffrey would make of it. Would he like the place? Would he find it too dark and wet?
Would Charlotte like it here?
Angered to find that she had wormed her way into his thoughts again when he had least been expecting it, he thrust the thought away and hastened to the front door, pulling it open wide.
The heavy rain coming down blurred the view of the carriage. Gerard had to squint against that rain to see the second man was now hastening to help the footmen as they unloaded the portmanteaus from the carriage.
Jeffrey was still turning in a circle in all the flooding, his eyes drinking up the sights before him.
“Ye plannin’ to come inside? Or are ye just wantin’ to dance in the rain?” Gerard called outside, raising his voice to be heard above the rain. Jeffrey turned to face him and bounded in his direction.
