Page 18 of The Truth about the Rogue
Charlotte hesitated.
“I–”
“Good afternoon, Miss Marshall, Miss Hawick! How delightful to see you in the park this fine afternoon.”
Dropping quickly into a curtsey, Charlotte smiled at Lord Glenfield, though she saw that Lord Kentmore was slowly approaching also, his hands clasped behind his back and a slight pull of his lips downwards informing her that all was not well. Perhaps he did not want to be in her company, but was still eager to speak with Lord Glenfield and thus felt himself pulled in two directions.
“Might I take a turn about the grounds with you, Miss Marshall?” Lord Glenfield asked, making his interest in the lady very obvious indeed. “Your chaperone is–”
“My mother is a short distance behind us,” Miss Marshall interrupted, her eagerness making itself very plain indeed. “Might you excuse me for a moment?”
“But of course!” Lord Glenfield beamed at the lady and then turned his attention to Charlotte. “I do hope that you will forgive me for desiring to steal Miss Marshall from your company for a time, Miss Hawick.”
Charlotte smiled back at him, finding him to be a very amiable sort, not at all surprised that Miss Marshall had taken to him so quickly.
“I quite understand. Miss Marshall is a very dear friend of mine, and I think very highly of her. I am sure that you will find the same.”
Lord Glenfield nodded, perhaps hearing the slight hint of warning in Charlotte’s voice.
“I am certain that I shall. I – oh, there you are, Lord Kentmore. I did not see you there.”
“I have come to talk with you, as you asked.” Lord Kentmore’s tone was a little sharp, his eyes darting towards Charlotte’s for a moment, though he inclined his head towards her just as he ought. “Good afternoon, Miss Hawick. Forgive me for interrupting your conversation. It is only that Lord Glenfield and I were to be talking about various things which is precisely why I came to the park in the first place.”
Charlotte, a little surprised by his rude manner, lifted her chin.
“I shall not delay your conversation any longer, Lord Kentmore. Do excuse me.”
“Please, there is no need,” Lord Glenfield exclaimed, quickly. “I am to walk with Miss Marshall, and I am sure that Lord Kentmore would be glad to take a turn with you also.”
With a shake of her head, Charlotte looked to Lord Kentmore who was slowly beginning to turn a strange shade of red.
“It is not necessary,” she said, though she forced a smile to her face so that Lord Glenfield would not think her rude. “I think I shall return to my mother for the time being, and permit Miss Marshall to walk with you without my company.” She inclined her head, then turned on her heel and walked back towards her mother, passing Miss Marshall as she went. The bright, beaming smile on Miss Marshall’s face and the light which shone in her eyes was quite at odds with what Charlotte herself felt and, recognizing that her irritation with Lord Kentmore grew all the more. Why did he have to be so unpleasant? Why were his words so harsh, his tone so disinterested? He was meant to be a rogue, a tease, a flirt – so why, then, did he appear to be so at odds with her?
Chapter Six
Andrew gave himself a slight shake as he stepped into the ballroom, determined to put all thought of Miss Hawick from his mind. He could not understand what it was about her that pressed her into his thoughts with such persistence but, try as he might, he could not forget about her entirely. It was as though she had some sort of hold on him, a hold he could not get her to remove. He had watched as Miss Marshall had come back to walk alongside Lord Glenfield, delight in her expression and, he had noted, a copy of The London Chronicle in her hand. How much he had wanted to ask her what she thought of the poem within it! And more than that, how much he had desired to find out what Miss Hawick had thought of it also!
“Which is foolishness,” he told himself, stoutly. “I have no reason to think about her, especially when I have a great many other ladies of thetoninterested in my company!”
With a nod to himself, he took a deep breath and then strode into the room, lifting his head and smiling as some of the ladies in the room glanced towards him. It had been some days since he had last made an alliance, had last caught a young lady about the waist and tugged her into his arms, and that was a littlefrustrating, given that the reason he was failing in that particular way was solely due to Miss Hawick.
“Good evening, Lord Kentmore. How very good to have you join us this evening. Are you to dance, I wonder?”
Andrew grinned, taking the hand of Lady Faustine and greeting not only her but the three other ladies in the group, all of whom he was already acquainted with.
“How wonderful to be in your company again, my Lady,” he said, for this was the first time he had been in the company of the lady since the previous Season. “I do think I shall dance this evening, yes. Why? Might you be willing to step out with me?”
The lady’s eyes glittered.
“I may have to rest,” she sighed, a little plaintively. “Much to my relief, however, Lady Southend has opened one of her private parlors for me so I can go there whenever I require.”
“I quite understand.” Andrew released her hand but kept his smile pinned, knowing full well what it was that she was suggesting to him. “You must rest whenever it is that you require it.”
The lady tilted her head gently.
“It may be that I will dance and, thereafter, be required to sit down and rest,” she suggested, as Andrew’s interest quickened, understanding precisely what it was that she required from him.
“Of course. And is there a desire to dance with me, Lady Faustine? I would be glad to take you to the parlor thereafter, if it was necessary.” Lady Faustine’s eyes flashed with warning and Andrew looked away, suddenly a little embarrassed by his own fervency. He had made himself much too obvious while in company. “Though, of course, if you wish only to dance one or two dances this evening, I shall not take offense.”
