Page 9 of Charmless
“Oh, yes. The siren’s kiss can be quite enervating when done properly.”
Now I was the one who was shocked. “But surely my father never…”
“Of course not, my dear. Your papa always treated me with great propriety,” Em said ruefully. “My first husband was not all that ardent either. But when I was a girl, I did have this one beau. We used to steal away together and well!” A secretive smile played about the corners of Em’s mouth. “Charles Redmond certainly knew a thing or two about siren kissing,” she murmured.
“Lord Redmond! You mean Chuffy? That gallant elderly gentleman you introduced me to at the ball?”
“I would hardly call him elderly. Chuffy is only a few years older than me. Believe it or not, my dear, we were young once and oh, those blissful moments we spent in my Papa’s summerhouse.”
The memory sent a rush of heat into Em’s cheeks, and she fanned herself with one hand. When she realized I was gawking at her, she lowered her hand and said primly, “However, this is not a proper conversation to be having with my daughter.”
It certainly wasn’t. It threatened to fill my head with the kind of images one does not care to entertain about a stepmother or any parent for that matter. But I could not help asking her, “Ifyou and Lord Redmond were so enamored of each other, why did you never marry?”
“There is more to a good marriage than thrilling kisses or so my Papa told me. Chuffy had a reputation for being a bit of a rake and my father did not approve of him. Papa convinced me that Albert Wendover would make me a far better husband, such a sensible, practical man. But we know how that all ended.” Em gave a sad sigh.
My stepmother seldom mentioned her first husband, the Honorable Albert Wendover who had turned out not to be so honorable after all. Caught out in a scheme to defraud the king, Wendover had been arrested and sentenced to be executed at the hands of the Royal Garrotter. Strangulation was the preferred method of execution in Arcady, our king having an aversion to bloodshed.
Em brightened as she went on, “After that I was fortunate enough to meet your father, the true love of my life.”
I winced when my stepmother made remarks like that. Em tended to romanticize everything. She regarded my father as a knight in shining armor who had rescued her and her two young daughters from poverty and disgrace. To hear her tell it, my father had swept her up in his arms and carried her off to live happily ever after.
Nothing could be further from the truth. My father had never loved any woman except for Cecily, my mother. When Mama had died, I had lost my father as well. Overwhelmed by his grief, he had become something of a recluse, even though I was only six years old at the time and desperately needed him. I believe he had only married my stepmother to provide someone to look after me so he could remain shut away in his library with his books. Em tended to gloss over how unhappy my father’s indifference and neglect had made her.
Before she could indulge in any further reminiscences about the love between her and my father that had never existed, I changed the subject back to Lord Redmond.
“What about Chuffy? Did he ever marry?”
“No, he did not.” Em smiled. “Last night, he whispered in my ear that he was never able to love anyone else but me. All nonsense, of course, but I must admit that seeing him made me feel as joyously giddy as a young girl again. Which I am not.”
My stepmother sobered. “I am a widow with three grown daughters to look after, but now one of you could have the most dazzlingly brilliant marriage if you do not foolishly throw away such an opportunity. I am sorry that you did not find the prince’s kiss satisfactory. Perhaps Florian could be persuaded to return to Lothmara for a few more lessons.”
“That man is so arrogant and thick I doubt that he could ever learn anything.” I was interrupted by a knock at the door.
I had hoped when I flounced back into the house and slammed the door it would have been enough to discourage the neighbors from rushing to congratulate me. Apparently not.
“Don’t answer that,” I said. “In fact, I do not think we should ever answer our front door again.”
“Don’t be silly, dear. We mustn’t be rude. Run along up to your room and at least brush your hair. We can finish our discussion about the prince later.”
As far as I was concerned, it was finished. As Em moved toward the door, I beat a swift retreat. By the time I reached the upper landing, I could hear the front hall echoing with a hubbub of excited voices. As I headed for the security of my room, I was not unaware of the irony of my actions.
How often I had criticized my father for doing just this thing, barricading himself away to avoid dealing with any unpleasant situation. If I had any gumption at all, I would go back downstairs and put an end to this nonsense. Just announce ina very loud and determined voice that I had no intention of marrying their idiot prince.
But I held back for two reasons. First, it would have completely humiliated my stepmother.
Secondly, there was only one person whose opinion I cared about and that was Horatio. I was hurt that he could think that I was the kind of woman to callously spurn his love the moment a prince beckoned. I thought Horatio knew me better than that by now, that I had assured him…
Of what exactly?
When Horatio had asked me if there was a chance that I could learn to return his regard, I had answered,yes, I believe that I could.And I kissed him very enthusiastically. Why had I not told him what he obviously wanted to hear?Yes, Horatio, I love you, too.
Because after the heartbreak I had suffered in my youth, those words no longer tripped lightly off my tongue. I had learned to play it safe and not be so impulsive about revealing my emotions. And to be completely fair to my forthright commander, Florian had put on a very convincing display. Horatio was a modest man, self-conscious about his own humble origins as a foundling.
There is no greater stigma in our kingdom than being born not knowing who your parents were. It was a commonly held belief that only monsters would abandon their babe and therefore that child must carry the taint of its parents’ evil blood. I never credited such nonsense, but most people in Arcady did. Foundlings were raised in an asylum deep in the northern mountains far away from all civilized society. Most of them ended up working in the silver mines or laboring in the fields.
Horatio had been one of the rare fortunate ones, adopted by a young lieutenant and his wife who had lost their ownson. When Horatio confessed the truth to me about his birth, I thought I had convinced him that it didn’t matter to me.
When I recalled his devastated expression as he had ridden away, all I wanted to do was take him in my arms and reassure him again and clear up this foolish misunderstanding about the prince.
