Page 21 of Wager on Love

His aunt had not wanted to leave. Against all odds, she insisted her husband was still alive. He remembered his mother arguing with her sister. “You cannot go back,” his mother insisted, “If Louis still lives, he will find you.”

It made no difference what anyone said. His aunt had returned and hard feelings remained, even in death. He only understood later the true foolishness of love. In the end, it had cost his father his life. And most probably his aunt’s as well. Of one thing, he was certain. Love brought nothing but heartache and pain. There were no happy endings.

He looked away from the stage and sniffed with derision. He pulled his handkerchief from his sleeve and surreptitiously wiped at his face.Lud, he was melancholic over a silly opera!

Rather that watch the remainder, he spent the rest of the evening watching Lady Charlotte. Despite his misgivings, John found himself drawn toward the bright young lady. Lady Charlotte’s naïve optimism was impossible to resist and he found himself rapt. In the final act her beautiful face was streaked with tears at the lover’s plight. He found once again he wished to sooth her troubled features, but he had no words of comfort to share on the subject of love.

* * *

Charlotte feltSir John’s eyes on her during the opera’s final act. She could not help it. She was unnaturally aware of him sitting across the hushed theatre. It seemed as if they shared the plight of the lovers in the play in some way. The feelings that they wanted to be together, that they wanted to touch despite their separation, ignited something in her soul. She could feel how Sir John was affected by the story. He tried to be secretive, but she saw him pull a handkerchief from his sleeve and wipe tears. He was overcome by the emotion of the lovers. This was a man who could feel deeply and completely. She was sure of it.

Her brother noticed that her attention was on Sir John, rather than the play. He touched her arm. “Ultimately Charlotte, it is your decision,” he said. “I know there are parents and guardians who decide marriages for their charges, but seeing how that worked out for me, when father chose…” He shook his head. “It is your decision.”

“Hush Ruddy,” hissed Helen who was still watching the opera.

“I just want you to know,” Randolph whispered, and Charlotte nodded. She turned her attention from Sir John back to the play. She refused to look at him again. After all, it would not do to seem too forward.

The lovers sung of their undying devotion, promising faithfulness. A lonely flute foreshadowed the coming tragedy as the dance commenced. Although she knew the story, Charlotte watched with bated breath, hoping against the odds that they could avoid their tragic fate. But Eurydice, not knowing of the bargain Orfeo had made, blamed Orfeo for unfaithfulness. He let go of her hand, and bade her follow, but she did not trust him. When he, at last, turned to entreat her, the music reached a crescendo and she fell. Lost to Orfeo forever.

Charlotte watched the final dance through tear-filled eyes. It was all about trust, she thought. Without trust there could be no love.Orfeo and Eurydice could not trust one another, and they had lost their love. What of Sir John, Charlotte thought?Could she trust him?

* * *

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10

Sir John was not particularly surprised to note that his circle of friends appeared at Almack’s the following Wednesday, nor was he surprised that they took the very first opportunity to corner him.

“Well Ashbrooke, what is your progress?” demanded Lord Weston with mock sternness.

“My progress is most promising, but would proceed better without interruption,” Sir John replied pointedly. “My quarry, if you had not noticed, is present and requires my attention.”

“Oh, never mind your haste,” Lord Weston laughed. “It is ten to one that ignoring the Lady Charlotte will only serve to increase her desire.”

“Really?Thatis your suggestion? That I woo the lady by ignoring her? Now there is a theory I should like to see tested. I believe we have found the subject of our next wager, gentlemen. If Weston should like to take the task upon himself.”

Lord Weston waved away their laughter. “As you like, however thereissomething to be said for a little pretended disinterest going a long way to whet the appetite.”

“That is far from Ashbrooke’s tack,” Lord Edward put in. “He seems to believe that a young lady will respond best to her suitor lurking about her house in order to follow her and turn up wherever she may happen to be. Personally, I think such a pursuit would be rather nerve-wracking.”

“Is that why you wanted to use my opera box?” Lord Blakely asked in surprise.

“It certainly was, and it worked like a charm.” Sir John recounted the events of the evening for his friends. “Not only did Lord Keegain invite me to their box at intermission, I can assure you that it was an uplifting experience for Lady Charlotte, us chancing to run into one another again, not nerve-wracking at all.”

“And yet, you could easily have gotten them to extend your little visit to their box and stayed for the latter part of the performance, but you did not,” pointed out Lord Weston. “Surely you might have made even more progress, by your theory, if you had stayed and whispered smooth and romantic observations into the lady’s ear during the finale. You did not do so because you know she would be more interested if you did not stay. Isn’t that so?”

“Not exactly,” Sir John said, somewhat uncomfortable. “I do not doubt that my company would have pleased her, but my aim was to solidify my connection with her family. I was able to have a very effective conversation with Lady Charlotte as well as attain an open invitation from her mother to call.”

“And call he did,” added Henderson, with a chuckle. “Twice already this week.”

“Are you checking my appointments, now?” Sir John asked annoyed.

“We have money on this wager,” said Blakely. “It behooves us to check on our investment.

“In any case, it is clear that Ashbrooke is charming the lady into believing that he is in love, whether he is sincere or not.” Lord Weston said.

“I am not insincere,” Sir John argued. “Besides, Lady Charlotte does not want someone charming but disingenuous, nor does she want someone cold and disinterested. As a matter of fact, I should think less of her if she did.”

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