Page 44 of A Virgin to Tame the Duke
“You mean you felt incapable of keeping the secret from Marcella?”
He nodded. “Quite right. You know her, Charlotte—she is capable of both taking a horse to water and forcing it to drink.”
“But to have deceived us all in this way—you know Sebastian will not be happy at this turn of events.”
“Oh, we have talked it over with Aaron,” Constance said, waving an airy hand. “We have agreed that we shall claim a quiet wedding at the estate.”
Charlotte did not feel equal to accusing Constance of leaving her intended at the altar, and so she merely said, “I see.”
“So, you see, there is nothing to be afraid of. Aaron will make it right, and once thetonsees he has accepted Edward as part of the family, they will accept him, too.”
Edward took Constance’s hand. “Remember what we discussed, my love. We can’t expect to survive on your brother’s generosity alone.”
“And so, we shan’t,” Constance said with a bright smile, “but we will be expected to attend some events as a family. Such as the wedding.” Charlotte had known the subject of her forthcoming marriage with Aaron would be discussed, but she was just as unprepared to discuss it now as she would have been if it were a surprise.
“The wedding will likely be a small affair,” she said hastily. “Please don’t concern yourself over it.”
“As though I could do anything else when I hear my brother is to be married! And to think I accused him of not knowing what love is.” Constance looked at Charlotte critically. “Anyone may see that he is very much in love with you.” Not knowing where to look, Charlotte glanced at Edward, who nodded in that slightly supercilious way he had; Edward and Sebastian had grown from the same tree, even if their apples had landed in different places.
“I agree,” Edward said. “I know little of His Grace, but I fear little would convince him to marry but the greatest of inducements.”
“You must not read too much into the matter,” Charlotte said, deciding on a fragment of truth to dilute their excitement. “The fact of the matter is, His Grace and I agreed to continue an engagement that was announced in the papers by someone other than us.”
Constance frowned in perplexment. “But who would want to make such an announcement on your behalf?”
“I don’t know,” Charlotte said, feeling all the old confusion creep back in. “A prank, I presume, but by whom… I don’t know. We weren’t even well acquainted.”
“I did think it was a little abrupt,” Constance said, touching Edward’s arm as if for reassurance. “I had not been gone a few days, and an announcement was made.”
“It was a shock to us all,” Charlotte said. “Aaron notwithstanding.”
Constance giggled. “I suppose he was very angry.”
“He accusedmeof having orchestrated the whole thing though how I could have done when I knew nothing of the matter myself—” She broke off and shook her head. “It matters little. When he sawIwas as much in the dark as he, we agreed we should keep to the engagement. It was profitable to both parties.”
“And yet you came with him to help look for me,” Constance said with a knowing smile.
“It was a matter dear to his heart, and I was with him when he received your letter.”
Constance chewed her lip. “I thought that might reassure him I was well and happy.”
“It reassured him you were alive, but beyond that…” Charlotte leaned across and took Constance’s hand. “He can be stern and unforgiving at times, but you ought to have spoken to him.”
Constance’s brows drew together, and she glanced at Edward. Perhaps in time, he would be a steadying influence on her, and she wouldnotinfluence him with her impetuosity. Regardless, no one would ever be able to doubt the strength of their attachment.
Aaron would have been able to see it if they had shown him. He might not have liked it, might have requested they wait, but he would have come round, Charlotte was certain of it. If only they had given him a chance to.
“I know,” Constance said after a moment. “I accept we made a… an error of judgment. But since you know of his kindness and believe so utterly in his sense—in a way, I assure you, most do not—may I be frank and ask you a question?”
“You may ask me anything you like though I am not bound to answer,” Charlotte said.
“Do you truly care for my brother?” It was the question she had both expected and dreaded, and one she still did not know how to answer.
“I care for him,” she said cautiously. “Indeed, I feel it would be impossible for anyone to know him well and not care for him in some capacity.”
“You know it was not in just any capacity that I was asking.”
Charlotte toyed with a loose thread in her gloves and sent Edward a pleading glance. They had not spent time together in many years, but he understood the desperation behind that glance as though it had been fifteen years ago, and she was pleading with him to help her down from a tree she was stuck in.
