Page 15 of The Truth about the Rogue
Andrew shrugged, brushing aside that question though, much to his astonishment, the only face that came to his mind was that of Miss Hawick. Much to his relief, Lord Glenfield began to talk of something else entirely, though, try as he might, Andrew could not remove the image of the lady from his mind and that was very troubling indeed.
Chapter Five
Miss Marshall chuckled as they walked arm in arm through the park.
“I think you made your point very clear when you refused to offer him your dance card last evening.”
Charlotte laughed along with her friend, recalling how Lord Kentmore’s expression had melted into a thinly concealed anger, his coldness towards her evident.
“I do not care what a rogue thinks of me,” she declared. “I know that I am not to be in company with any rogue and–”
“Lord Kentmore is not a rogue!”
Glancing over her shoulder to where her sister walked alone – having refused to come into company with Charlotte and Miss Marshall – Charlotte resisted the desire to roll her eyes. “Yes, my dear sister, he is.”
“How can you say such a thing?”
“Oh, it is well known,” Miss Marshall put in, bringing a scowl to Lillian’s face. “He is not someone that I should be glad to associate with.”
Lillian sighed heavily and Charlotte shared a look with Miss Marshall, trying her best to hide her smile. Lillian had beensomewhat exuberant when being introduced to the gentleman and had clearly found him more than a little delightful. She had berated Charlotte for not dancing with the gentleman when she had the chance, and Charlotte had chosen to remain silent on the subject. Now, however, Miss Marshall was doing the answering for her.
“Lord Kentmore is a Marquess, and they have high standing in society.” Lillian sounded as though she was pouting. “I cannot imagine for a moment that a gentleman such as he would ever dream of behaving in an improper manner.”
“And yet, he does,” Miss Marshall said, firmly. “You may ask your friends, or mayhap even your Mama, for no doubt she has already heard his name spoken throughout London. Did you know that he was seen in the company of a very wealthy widow of late, pulling her into the shadows of the ballroom?”
Charlotte glanced at her friend, her eyebrows lifting.
“Indeed? During a ball?”
Miss Marshall shrugged lightly.
“He is a rogue, after all.”
“Mayhap he can be reformed.” Lillian’s voice was quieter now, sounding rather resigned and disappointed. “Mayhap it only needs one young lady for him to fall quite in love and then, never turn from her again.”
“My dear sister, you would be better finding a suitable gentleman who does notneedto be reformed,” Charlotte told her, glancing back over her shoulder. “The Marquess may be handsome and charming, but his character is not at all desirable. You would not be happy on the arm of a gentleman who looked at every other lady aside from you, would you?”
A long, heavy sigh came from her sister by way of an answer, and Charlotte nodded to herself, believing that Lillian now accepted what she had been telling her.
“It is a great pity that he is a rogue, given that he is so highly titled,” Miss Marshall said, a little more quietly so that Lillian could not overhear. “Though his friend, Lord Glenfield, was quite delightful, I must say. We lingered in conversation for some time, and I found him very amiable.”
“As did I,” Charlotte agreed, smiling. “We danced the country dance, and he was excellent both in conversation and in manner. I was surprised to find him so, I confess, given that he is good friends with Lord Kentmore. He informed me that they have been very closely acquainted for a long time.”
“Just because one is a rogue does not mean that the other will be also, I suppose,” Miss Marshall answered. “I do hope that he is a respectable sort. I did find myself a little intrigued by him, I confess.”
Charlotte looked back at her in surprise, though she said nothing. Miss Marshall had never once mentioned a single gentleman in such warm tones before now, but after only one dance and one conversation with Lord Glenfield, it appeared that she was a little taken by him.
“Goodness, whatever is the meaning of this?”
Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Charlotte came to a stop as she, Miss Marshall, and Lillian looked at the small, gathered groups of both ladies and gentlemen. There were some respectable fellows standing to one side of the paths, however, holding out copies of something, and for whatever reason, ladies were rushing up to them, taking a copy, and then returning to their group.
“I do not know,” Charlotte murmured, a light smile lifting the corners of her mouth. “Though it does seem to me that there is some great excitement.”
A loud gasp came from Lillian and, after a moment, her sister grasped her arm, hard.
“It must be the next poem!”
Charlotte made to reply only for Lillian to let out a quiet squeal and hurry across to the men selling whatever it was they held.
