A Valentine For Christmas - A Regency Novella (13 page)

He was a coward and most definitely not the man for her. She resolved to forget what it had felt like to be kissed by him, to be touched by him…

Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. He had kissed her so very well, after all.

Charlie sighed and prepared to return to the throng. Lord Vickers appeared particularly smitten with her and Aunt Sophia said that he was a most desirable suitor; he had an income of five thousand a year and a very nice estate in York. He was not unpleasant, he was only eight and twenty (unlike Viscount Birchwood who must be nearly fifty and plump into the bargain!) and he appeared very agreeable.

‘A good match will be expected of you, my dear,’ Aunt Sophia had said kindly when Charlie had arrived from the wilds of Cambridgeshire, ‘so you can forget whatever nonsense your parents have told you.’

As both her mother and her father had taken her aside to earnestly assure her that they wanted only her happiness, Charlie assumed that this was what her aunt was speaking of. But she hoped she knew her duty to her family. If a good marriage would relieve the financial pressure, then she was prepared to smile until her face ached to achieve it. She could only hope for kindness and a good sense of humor from whatever man became her husband. The last, in particular, was essential.

Smile in place, Charlie made her way back to her aunt who was sitting with her particular set to one side, watching the room with avid attention, the better to talk of it later. Aunt Sophia arched an eyebrow when her niece appeared before her.

‘Well now, where have you been, my dear? I have had a wealth of inquiries as to your whereabouts. You haven’t been off
flirting
somewhere, I trust?’

There was a hopeful note in her voice. Aunt Sophia did not believe that her niece was truly committed to the quest for a husband or the complexities of the Season itself. ‘I went to the retiring room. I am sorry if it took a little while. So crowded.’

‘My dear, everything is crowded tonight. I swear, I am fagged to death by it all.’ She bent her head sideways, eyes widening a little at whatever she saw beyond Charlie. ‘Now then my lamb, pin that sweet smile into place and keep it there. I do believe we have a
very
likely gentleman approaching.’

Charlie did not turn around. She was becoming used to her aunts running discourses on possible prospects. She wondered who on earth it could be, for surely she had met every likely male who was on the marriage mart in the past fortnight.

‘I hope I don’t intrude,’ a deep voice spoke from the region of her right shoulder.

Charlie stiffened and looked directly ahead of her, not quite believing her ears.

‘My dear Lord Valentine!’ Aunt Sophia trilled. ‘It’s not often we see you at this sort of thing. Why, I cannot recall a time when you have graced Almacks in the past.’

‘I was eager to renew my acquaintance with Miss Weathering.’

‘Your… my dear sir, are you saying that you know my niece?’ Aunt Sophia was looking at Charlie as if she had left an extremely important piece of information out of previous conversations. This was Lord Valentine, the man that was still in need of a wife, even if he elected not to find one. The very rich Lord Valentine who was considered a monstrous fine Catch.

‘The Weatherings were good enough to give me succor some weeks ago, when I suffered an accident near their home.’ He was standing at her shoulder. She could feel the heat of him. Paradoxically, it made her shiver. ‘I was overcome by their kindness.’

‘Were you indeed,’ Aunt Sophia was looking from Charlie to his lordship, expression thoughtful. ‘My sister and brother-in-law are a delightful couple, I would be the first to admit.’

Charlie smelt the scent of him. She had not even realized that he
had
a scent until that moment, but there it was, as familiar as her own, tickling at her senses.

‘I hope you do not think me forward, Lady Gawley, but I was hoping for a dance with Miss Weathering.’

She still had not turned her head to look at him. Instead, her other senses had gone into overdrive, reminding her of every single thing about the man, in case she had forgotten.

She looked at him then, turning her head to stare into those fathomless dark eyes. ‘Lord Valentine.’ It was extraordinary that her voice sounded so normal. Her heart was racing, bouncing, pounding. Not behaving very well at all.

‘Will you dance with me?’

How fine he looked, dark hair falling forward, as it was inclined to do, dark eyes intent and intense. Without a word she held out her hand and he took it. Turning, they headed onto the dance floor.

It felt so good to be held by him again. Her body was humming a refrain, recognizing what it had missed. But he had rejected her. She had to remember that or her misery would continue on for a great deal longer than eight weeks. This was probably just a polite social
thing
, one of the many things that Charlie had yet to fathom about London life.

‘Charlie,’ he began again, ‘will you do something for me?’

She glanced up at him, just for a moment, then dropped her eyes again hastily. There was an expression on his face that was most disturbing. More than disturbing; considering their surroundings it was completely inappropriate!

‘What?’ Once again, she sounded breathless.

‘Will you tell me that I still stand a chance with you?’

Her footsteps actually faltered for a moment but he held her steady, arm a solid bar of warmth across her back. ‘I… what do you mean?’

What
did
he mean? He could not mean… no! Surely he could not mean
that
?

‘When I was staying with you I acted like a fool. There were reasons, I will admit. The season, the nature of your delightful family and the fact that I had my mistress with me -’

His mistress! ‘How is Miss du Pont?’ she said, before she could stop herself. It was amazing how the idea of him laying with the beautiful French girl had hurt. She had thought about it regularly over the intervening weeks. Ridiculous, but there it was.

‘Gone,’ he admitted. ‘When I left you all I returned her to London. We – ah – ended the arrangement.’

That brought her eyes up to his face again, a swift, surprised look. ‘You are no longer together?’

‘Do you know, I think she decided she did not care for country life? I hear that she will not leave the city any more, no matter how much she is enticed to do so.’

A gurgle of laughter escaped her. ‘I can imagine.’

‘I know you saw her coming out of my room, Charlie. I can assure you, we did not,’ he paused, searching for the least indelicate way of phrasing it. ‘We did not do anything. I could not, beneath your father’s roof.’

‘But you could all but seduce his daughter?’ she inquired sweetly. He had not
done
anything with Miss du Pont. The knowledge was absurdly cheering.

His lordship narrowed his eyes at her. ‘It seemed to me that the daughter of the house was quite happy to be seduced.’

Well, he had a hit there. She had not offered one protest at the time nor expressed a whisper of reluctance. ‘You are a very
good
kisser.’ It was the only excuse she could find.

He grinned, unrepentant. ‘There is not point in trying to put one over on you, my girl. I’ve had a hellish few weeks and I’m not inclined to pull my punches. After I had deposited the fair Madeleine back in London I decided to go down to Colchester and face my demons. Or, more to the point, to convince myself that I had done the right thing, leaving you behind. I wandered the place like a Shakespearian character for three days before it hit me that I had been shamming myself for years. Yes, the past was a hardship. But I had never tried to move beyond it. I found the thing that really stung the most was that I
missed
you. I’m not in the habit of missing people, you understand. Quite the contrary. I’ve made a habit of not doing so for sixteen years.’

She was smiling up at him now. This particular tale could only have a happy ending for he was here, holding her in his arms as they danced around the floor. ‘It’s been eight weeks,’ she reminded him softly.

‘I am a very stubborn man.’

‘And yet here you are.’

‘I am not
that
stubborn. I paid a call to Brindabella along the way. Your parents send their love, Anne wants to know if she can join you, Felix has suggested you visit Gunter’s before you return – he specifically mentioned peppermint cat’s eyes – and Bardwell is after some books on anatomy. I did not enquire why, but I fear the worst.’

Charlie gaped up at him. ‘You went to stay with my
family
?’

‘I wished to ask your father for your hand in marriage. Happily, he said yes. I cannot imagine why.’

Charlie’s feet did more than falter this time; they stopped all together. Around them dancers continued to whirl about but she was oblivious. She stared up at him, dark blue eyes wide. ‘You wish to marry me?’

‘If you will have me. Will you have me, Charlotte Weathering? I most humbly beg that you do, for I fear I will be lost without you.’

And in the middle of Almacks largest dance floor, Lord Valentine kissed Miss Charlotte Weathering full on the lips for a very long time.

Aunt Sophia, catching sight of this scandalous occurrence, sat back in her chair and fanned herself. ‘Well now,’ she murmured, well satisfied, ‘I doubt they will ever issue vouchers to us again after
that
little display.’