Page 74 of In Need of a Duke
She glanced between Ian and Charlotte, trying to puzzle the two of them together. “So, you’ve returned?”
Then she turned to Charlotte who refused to answer.
Very well.
“If you will excuse me, ladies. I will show myself around if that is all right. I am sure you have much to discuss.”
“I can give you a tour,” offered Charlotte.
He winked, and she bit back a coy smile.
“Visit with Lily. I will keep myself busy.” He paused, his hand on the doorknob. “It’s a beautiful school. Very well done. The both of you.”
He didn’t miss the way her smile grew into a grin, or the way she held her hand over her heart as he slipped out of the room.
CHAPTER 20
As soon asthe door clicked shut behind Ian, Lily gestured wildly and stomped her feet. “You need to tell me everything.”
“I fear it’s far less exciting than you imagine.”
“Lottie, you would be surprised at how little it takes to entertain me these days. Between the renovations and the children and the school… My lovely brain might as well be a bowl of morning porridge.”
Charlotte pulled at the cuffs of her dress sleeves, before sighing and removing her kid gloves. “I see you will not move on until I confess.”
Lily winked at her, then walked over to the pair of chairs tucked into a library overflowing with books and maps. “You are my oldest and dearest friend, Lottie. There is nothing you can say that will shock me.”
But that wasn’t true.
Because Lily didn’t know that Charlotte had asked Ian for a divorce.
“I’m sorry to interrupt you earlier…”
Her friend blushed again, then grinned. “Between my schedule with the school and Rafe’s shipping company, we have barely seeneach other lately. Then to make matters worse, the boys usually will come with me for part of the day, but Adain caught Taran’s cold, so they are home with nanny…” Lily sat down in the chair, flopping back against the tall back, and buried her head in her hands. “And we are desperately wishing for a little girl.”
Two things proved to be true at that moment—Charlotte both melted at the admission and felt a pang of grief.
“I am happy that you are so happy, Lily. Who would have thought you running off to marry the wrong brother would have ended in such a happy romance?”
“Well,” Lily snickered, “we bicker constantly. I don’t want you to believe for a moment that everything is perfect.”
“No, not perfect. Just…complete.”
“He is certainly trying to uphold his end of the bargain at the moment. I’m not sure I can survive the chaos of three boys though.”
“You survive the chaos of a school full of girls.”
“They’re mostly angels, though I’m sure you wouldn’t believe it. There’s Dorothea, who still wishes to believe she is headmistress and not me.”
“Yes, Mrs. Pratt told me as much. I will speak with her.” The small talk died away, and Lily kicked the bottom of Charlotte’s boot. “Are you going to tell me about the duke?”
“I’m not sure where to begin.”
“At the beginning then.”
“Well, it was the Cranbourne ball, and I was doing my damnedest to hide away until Kate decided to add gin to the lemonade?—”
“No, no,” Lily laughed. “Ahh, the godmother of pandemonium. I know well what happened that night. I was there, remember?”
