Page 24 of One Scandal Too Many
“I never said . . .”
“You didn’t have to,” Georgina told her. “It’s obvious if you look close enough. All the other girls at this school are ecstatic at the chance to attend the party. You’re the only one taking your time.” She shrugged. “They’re waiting for you right now, excited to walk over to that soiree. But you’re here, and you still haven’t put your boots on.” Georgina smiled. “So I am asking, again, why do you want to stay here instead of attending what should be a grand time?”
How to answer that question? Charlotte could not tell her the truth. At least not in its entirety. She couldn’t admit that Declan had kissed her and the open invitation he’d thrown at her. If she wanted to be in his bed, he would welcome her. The real question wasn’t the one that Georgina had asked. What she needed to answer was what she would do once she gave in and joined him in that bed. When she allowed him to ruin her and break her heart. After all, he hadn’t offered her anything except pleasure. There was no future with the marquess. He wouldnever be truly hers, but she feared if she gave him her heart, he would always have it.
Instead of telling her all of that, she smiled at Georgina. She didn’t feel that smile, but she made sure it did not appear as false as the lie about to slip off of her tongue. “I’m scared if I go, I’ll do something foolish.” Well, that wasn’t a complete lie at least. Just not the entire truth. “The marquess and I do not always get along.” That was also true. They could argue like two feral cats, but then give in to this desire that haunted them both. What did that say about them?
“Well, then,” Georgina said encouragingly. “There is only one solution to that dilemma.”
She took a deep breath and asked, “And what would that be?”
Charlotte was willing to consider just about anything, as long as it helped her through the next sennight. She would have to attend so many of the events planned, and Declan was too much of a temptation for her. At the first opportunity, she might very well succumb to her need of him.
“One of us will have to stay with you,” Georgina said. “To help you from doing something you will regret.” She glanced past her at the door. “Isn’t that correct, Jaclyn?”
“It is,” her friend said. “I’ve been sent to hurry you two along.” She narrowed her gaze at Charlotte. “I suppose you’re to blame for this delay. Considering your lack of foot attire.”
“My apologies,” she grumbled. “I’ll rectify my lack of boots immediately.” Charlotte slid them on, and once they were securely on her feet she stood. “There. Now I’m ready to depart. Shall we?” She gestured toward the door.
“We shall,” Georgina said and flashed her the brightest smile. “This will be a great day. I can almost feel it.”
Charlotte was glad that one of them could. A sense of foreboding filled her. Something was about to change for her. Itmight not be that day, but soon. She only hoped she survived whatever fate had in store for her.
They strolled into the foyer. The other three girls still at the school waited for them with two of their instructors, Miss Spencer and Miss Abernathy, and the headmistress. One chaperone for two girls, apparently. They were not taking any chances with their reputations. Charlotte supposed she should be glad for their attentiveness. Between Georgina, Jaclyn, and their chaperones, Charlotte might manage to keep her reputation sterling. Maybe... she had her doubts. After all, none of them were with her the previous night when she sneaked into his garden and allowed him to kiss her senseless.
Mrs. Havenwood smiled at them. “I’m glad you all could join us.” She glanced at everyone. “Now that we’re all here, we can depart.”
She gestured for them all to follow her out the door. They walked in pairs toward the Easton estate. Jaclyn was beside her and Georgina in front of her with one of the other girls. Charlotte didn’t know her well. She thought perhaps her name was Melisande, but she couldn’t be certain. They would be there in a little over a quarter hour if they kept their pace consistent. Her heart raced inside of her chest.
They would be there soon. Then she would see him. She could keep her distance. Shecould. And if she kept reminding herself of that, she might just believe it too. Charlotte reminded herself to breathe and keep moving forward. She would put Declan out of her mind for as long as possible. That was all she could do.
“What is bothering you?” Jaclyn asked in a hushed tone. “You were telling Georgina something. I want to know what it is.”
Charlotte fought a smile. “It isn’t that important.” At least, what she told Georgina wasn’t. “I just told her I was afraid of making a fool of myself.
They reached the pond, and it wasn’t much farther to the Easton estate. The soiree was being held near the garden. Charlotte was all too familiar with the garden. Perhaps she would wander over to her favorite spot and smell the primroses.
“That cannot be what is truly bothering you,” Jaclyn said. “That would never prevent you from attending the soiree.” She narrowed her gaze. “It’s the marquess, isn’t it?”
Of course, Jaclyn would see straight through her and understand immediately what the true dilemma was. And why not? No one else knew her as well as Jaclyn. But two could play this game. She did not want to talk about Declan and how truly delectably he kissed. If she had any hopes of distracting Jaclyn from this line of questioning, she would have to distract her with questions she didn’t want to answer. “I could say the same about you,” Charlotte said.
Jaclyn scoffed. “I do not have designs on the Marquess of Easton. Try again and tell me the truth.”
“I don’t have anything to tell. But you do. You’ve been keeping secrets from me.” She dodged her inference that Charlotte wanted Declan. She did, but she wouldn’t admit that. At least not now. “Tell me the truth, Jaclyn dear. That walk you wanted us to take all those weeks ago toward this very spot was because you wanted to spy on the Duke of Amberwood. What is going on between the two of you?”
Jaclyn clamped her mouth shut and turned her gaze toward the gardens. She didn’t ask another question, and she didn’t answer the ones Charlotte had thrown at her. Well, that was telling, wasn’t it? There was something that Jaclyn didn’t wish to speak about. They both got to keep their secrets a little while longer, didn’t they?
Charlotte turned her attention to the garden too. It was time to pretend she didn’t desire the master of this estate and that she didn’t desperately want him to kiss her again. She feared that would be an impossible feat. The guests might not be able to discern the truth, but she would wager Declan would glance at her and see it. Then she would truly be doomed because he wouldn’t let her ignore him. She took a fortifying breath and continued on toward the soiree. She’d come this far, and she wouldn’t turn back now.
*
There were overa dozen guests staying at Easton Manor for the house party his mother had planned. That did not include the Duke of Amberwood and the Earl of Foxmoore. Those two would remain long after the other guests departed. They had a long-standing invitation to stay at his home, as he did theirs. They had the closest of friendships, and he trusted no one more than those two.
As for the rest of the guests? Declan would rather they were not there, and the sooner they left, the better. There was only one guest he had an interest in, and she wasn’t staying in his home. If he thought she would reside there along with the other guests, he would have issued an invitation; however, he knew better. He still wasn’t certain if she would attend the day activities. Declan may have pushed her too far when she paid a visit the previous night.
But somehow, he didn’t believe she would balk at attending. She was far too curious for her own good. That was one of the reasons she had come to see him again. His Charlotte couldn’t stay away from him. They were drawn to each other. He could not keep his distance from her, either.
Speaking of which... where the hell was she? The soiree had begun a while ago, and still the students from Havenwood had not arrived. He’d been watching, and waiting, and each minute that ticked by made him even more anxious to lay his gaze upon her. He would not be able to calm down until she was there.
