The Inventor's Secret (17 page)

Charlotte peeked out the carriage window when the
mechanical horse began to slow. They’d joined a line of
similar coaches, though the creature drawing their carriage was the most ordinary of the animals beings operated by drivers. Charlotte spotted a mechanized ostrich,
several lions, and even an elephant at the head of a grand
coach out of which four couples emerged.

riage. When Coe joined her, she took his arm. Where they
walked, heads turned and whispers followed. Charlotte
tensed, but Coe whispered to her, “Remember, you belong
here.”

Forcing her gaze ahead and her back straight, Charlotte
tried to fight off an imminent sense of doom. What could
Ash have been thinking? She glanced at Coe, tall and trim,
with dark hair, a decorated uniform, and a dangerous
smile. It dawned on Charlotte that she would be the envy
of many a debutante—any girl who claimed Air Commodore Winter as an escort would garner jealousy  .  .  . and
gossip.

Charlotte was still mulling over her presence at the ball
when they entered the palace. Coe and Charlotte were escorted to a landing at the top of a broad marble staircase.

Coe withdrew a tiny scroll tied with gold ribbon from
inside his coat and handed it to a man who awaited them
at the edge of the landing. The staircase led to a grand
ballroom filled with men and women dressed in their finest. Many of the men wore officer’s uniforms while others
sported finely tailored jackets and waistcoats.

The man who’d taken the scroll cleared his throat. His
voice rang out, sailing down the staircase and through the
ballroom.

“The Lady Charlotte Marshall of Bermuda. Escorted
by Air Commodore Coe Winter.”
The moment their names were announced, the din that
filled the ballroom quieted as curious gazes traveled up the
stairs. Charlotte hoped she didn’t look as stricken as she
felt. Gripping Coe’s arm tightly, she tried to keep a placid
smile on her lips as they descended toward the ballroom.
She could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes boring into her.
Charlotte’s heart was racing, and she felt faint in a way
she never had before. At that moment, she would gladly
have taken the smelling salts she’d been offered on the
Hector.
But then her feet were on the glossy ballroom floor and
the next couple was being announced. Though Charlotte
still drew some curious looks, it appeared that the wave of
focused attention had passed.
A servant bearing a tray of champagne flutes passed
close to them, and Coe lifted two of the slender glasses,
handing one to Charlotte.
“This should help,” Coe said, taking a swallow. Though
he’d been calm enough upon their arrival, now that they’d
reached the ballroom floor, he seemed as nervous as Charlotte.
Charlotte sipped champagne, though she was tempted
to gulp it down.
“My heavens!” a woman’s voice trumpeted at Charlotte. She whirled to find Lady Ott bearing down on her.
“What a delightful surprise this is.” Lady Ott beamed
at Charlotte. “And that dress!
And
with Commodore Winter! You have been a busy little bee. Good for you.” Lady
Ott turned her smile on Coe. “Commodore, it’s lovely to
see you out in the city for a change. Does this mean the
Empire has conquered all her foes?”
“Alas,” Coe answered drily, “as long as there is an Empire, she’ll have enemies.”
“Too true, too true.” Lady Ott bobbed her head as she
agreed. “But at least you found the time to offer this beautiful girl your attentions. What a fine pair you make—my
husband will be
so surprised
when he sees you. Ah, there
he is now. Darling! Come see who I’ve found.”
Charlotte didn’t know if it was the way Lady Ott said
“so surprised” or that Coe flinched when Lord Ott’s girth
pressed through the crowd, but she instantly knew something was off.
“Miss Marshall.” Lord Ott swept his hat off as he
bowed. “How lovely to see you again so soon.”
“But of course she’d be here, my dearest,” Lady Ott
said to her husband. “It is her first season, remember?”
“So it is.” Lord Ott rounded on Coe. “And though it’s
her first hunt, she’s snared the most elusive prey. I can’t
remember the last time I saw you at the Governor’s Palace,
Commodore.”
“My command keeps me away,” Coe said quickly. “But
since Miss Marshall has been sponsored by the House of
Winter, I thought it only proper to—”
“Spare me your thoughts, boy.” Lord Ott cut him off.
Leaning close, Ott growled in a low voice, “What in Hephaestus’s name are you doing here? More to the point,
what is she doing here?” Ott jerked his chin at Charlotte.
Charlotte’s eyes widened, and she glanced in alarm at
Lady Ott, but the plump woman continued to smile beatifically.
“Don’t fret, Miss Marshall.” Lady Ott didn’t drop her
smile. “Let the men take care of their business. Oh, careful
now—you’ll spill your champagne.”
Behind Lady Ott’s buoyant expression, Charlotte saw
an unmistakable sharpness in the woman’s gaze.
Lady Ott
knew.
She wasn’t an ignorant wife—she was a partner to
Lord Ott in every way.
Forcing a giggle to continue their act, Charlotte sipped
her champagne while watching Coe and Lord Ott out of
the corner of her eye.
“The best thing you can do is leave,” Lord Ott was saying, though like his wife, he wore an expression of benign
amusement. “Leave now.”
“We can’t,” Coe argued. “Not yet.”
“Why not?”
Charlotte was about to interrupt and demand to know
exactly what the new plan was and how it could be so new
that Lord Ott had been excluded from it, but her question
was drowned out by the announcement of another couple’s
arrival.
“The Lady Eleanor Stuart. Escorted by her fiancé,
Flight Lieutenant Jack Winter.”
Charlotte went as rigid as if she’d stared into the face of
Medusa. It was impossible. She could not have just heard
what she somehow thought she’d heard.
Coe’s voice reached her, as if from a great distance.
“I’m sorry, Charlotte.”
His hand touched her shoulder, and Charlotte could
move again. Without hesitating, she gulped down the rest
of her champagne.
“Oh, dear.” Lady Ott gave her husband a knowing
glance. She snatched the empty champagne glass from
Charlotte’s hand.
Lord Ott looked up the stairs, then at Charlotte, and
then at Coe. “That’s what this is all about. Bugger it all,
Coe. There are better ways to handle this matter.”
Charlotte didn’t want to look at the staircase, but her
eyes didn’t listen to her heart’s shrieks of warning. Part
of her still couldn’t believe this was anything more than a
mistake.
But there he was. Jack. Her Jack. He came down the
steps with a willowy girl in sky blue silk on his arm. Jack
Winter, her fiancé. Spots began to float in Charlotte’s vision. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe. When she
opened them again, the spots were gone, but she felt sick.
Lord Ott said to Coe, “Get Charlotte out of here before
you make things worse.”
“No.” Coe folded his arms across his chest. “Jack needs
to learn a lesson.”
“Forget your brother.” Lord Ott shook a finger in Coe’s
face. “Think of the girl.”
Lady Ott cleared her throat. “Girls,” she corrected him.
“I am thinking of Charlotte,” Coe shot back. “Do you
think I’d have brought her here, made her see this travesty,
if I didn’t give a damn about her?”
“And what of Eleanor?” Lady Ott asked. It was amazing to see how the woman could keep a bright smile on her
face while throwing daggers with her eyes.
Coe didn’t answer her.
“Athene have mercy.” Lord Ott pulled a kerchief from
his pocket and dabbed at his face.
Somehow, Charlotte found her voice, small and strained
though it was, “Please, Coe. I want to leave.”
Her words brought doubt into Coe’s angry gaze.
“Charlotte, I didn’t do this to hurt you. I couldn’t let Jack
shame you with his lies. He would ruin you in ways you
can’t imagine.”
“I want to leave now,” Charlotte said again.
Jack and the girl had reached the ballroom floor.
“Take her home, Coe,” Lady Ott urged.
Charlotte whispered, “It’s too late.”
Jack had seen Coe first and frowned, obviously not expecting to find his brother in attendance. When Jack saw
Lord Ott, his face grew worried, but then his gaze fell on
Charlotte. Jack blanched and took a step backward.
Lady Ott moved to Charlotte’s side. “Courage,
sweetling,” she murmured.
There was nothing to do but wait for Jack and his fiancée to join them. Lord Ott moved to greet the couple first.
“Lieutenant Winter.” Ott smiled at Jack. “A pleasure.”
“Lord Ott.” Jack inclined his head. “I don’t believe
you’ve met Lady Eleanor Stuart.”
“The pleasure is mine.” Lord Ott bowed. “And this is
my wife, Lady Margery Ott.”
Lady Eleanor’s curtsey was the essence of grace. She
looked at Coe and smiled.
“Jack didn’t say you’d be here, Commodore. What a
delight. I’ve missed you terribly.”
“You honor me with kindness, Lady Stuart.” Coe gave a
quick bow. “I like to keep my brother guessing. Of course,
it’s lovely to see you again. Good evening, Jack.”
Given the fury in Jack’s eyes, Charlotte felt certain that
if Jack had been holding a knife, he would have stabbed
Coe without hesitation.
But what right did Jack have to be angry?
He was the one who had told Charlotte he wanted her.
He was the one who had kissed her and made promises to
speak to Ash . . . about what? It couldn’t have been marriage. Jack was already pledged to someone else. Someone
Charlotte had never dreamed could exist.
Not once had he mentioned this Eleanor, his betrothed.
But his mother had.
Have you brought Eleanor to see me?
Waves of anger and disbelief washed over Charlotte.
She forced herself to be very still. She couldn’t look at Jack
for fear that her poison tongue would prove stronger than
her will, so she turned her eyes upon Eleanor. Charlotte
searched for anything about the girl she could fault, wanting nothing more than to despise her.
Eleanor had skin like fresh cream. Her honey-gold hair
spilled like spun silk over her slender, bare shoulders. Her
eyes were the liquid brown of a wide-eyed fawn. And when
Eleanor turned her face to smile up at Jack, she glowed
with affection.
Charlotte rocked back on her heels, again feeling faint.
She dared to glance at Jack. He didn’t look happy with
Eleanor on his arm, but no doubt his sour face was on account of Coe catching him unawares.
Eleanor looked from Coe to Charlotte. “Will you introduce me to your lovely companion?”
Jack grimaced, but Coe replied, “Forgive me. Lady
Eleanor, may I present Lady Charlotte Marshall of Bermuda.”
“Bermuda?” Eleanor clapped her hands in delight. “I’ve
never met someone from the islands. How exciting it must
be to live there! No wonder you’ve caught the eye of our
dear commodore. Did you meet on one of his missions?
How romantic! I often daydream of joining my Jack on his
military expeditions, but only nurses are allowed near the
front lines.”
With every word Eleanor spoke, Jack’s expression
darkened. “Charlotte’s father is a friend of the admiral,
so our house has acted as her sponsor for her debut into
society. Charlotte and Coe have only just met.”
“Ah,” Eleanor said. “But what a fine match they make.
Don’t you think?”
“I’d have to agree,” Coe murmured, resting his hand on
the small of Charlotte’s back. “I never dreamed of claiming a fortune as great as the favor of Lady Charlotte Marshall.”
Feeling like a wind-up doll, Charlotte stiffly turned her
face to look up at Coe with utter incredulity. By Athene,
why would he say such a thing?
“My dear, I must introduce you to some of my friends.”
Lady Ott snagged Eleanor’s arm and pulled her away.
“Don’t worry, Jack. I’ll return her shortly.
When Lady Ott and Eleanor were out of earshot, Jack
glared at Coe.
“What kind of monster are you?”
“I’m not the monster here,” Coe replied coolly. “I’d wager that Charlotte would agree with me.”
Charlotte didn’t know what she thought. She had the
strangest sensation of having left her body and watching
someone else’s disastrous life play out before her.
Jack took a menacing step forward, but Lord Ott placed
his massive frame between the brothers. “Now, now. Let’s
remember where we are and how vital it is that you not
cause a scene.”
Tearing his hateful gaze away from Coe, Jack looked at
Charlotte. He took a step toward her, hand outstretched.
His attention forced Charlotte back into the scene. And it
was the last place she wanted to be.
“Charlotte—”
“Don’t you dare try to touch me.” Charlotte drew back,
words full of venom.
Coe stepped forward, half shielding Charlotte from
Jack.
Jack went still. “You don’t understand.”
“No, Jack.” Charlotte’s eyes began to burn. “I don’t.”
Lord Ott cleared his throat. “I’m painfully aware that
I do not have all the facts of this matter, but Charlotte, my
dear, your tears will cause as much of a scene as any brawl
that should ensue between these gentlemen.”
Charlotte blinked rapidly, forcing back teardrops.
“Charlotte, please.” Jack’s voice was on the verge of
breaking. “Just let me talk to you.”
Lord Ott frowned at Jack. “Your talking isn’t helping.”
“Ah, here you are!”
Charlotte almost jumped out of her skin when someone
grasped her elbow.
“Startles easily, this one.” It took a moment for Charlotte to recognize Linnet. The girl had utterly transformed
herself.
Linnet’s hair was expertly arranged atop her head,
held in place by a fine net of freshwater pearls. Her gown
matched the bright blue of her eyes, and a choker of pearls
and sapphire embraced her throat.
“What are you doing here?” Lord Ott demanded. “And
how much did that getup cost me?”
“The dressmaker is sending you a bill. So is the jeweler,” Linnet answered. “I’m here to make my report. I
dropped the boy at Winter mansion. You told me to inform
you when I’d completed that task. So here I am.”
She pointed at Charlotte. “Oh, and that one’s brother
is worried sick that she’s gone missing, so I promised him
I’d find her. And now I have. My goodness, I have talent.”
“Ash doesn’t know I’m here?” Charlotte shot an accusing glare at Coe.
“No,” Coe answered. “But if he’d seen everything I
have, he would have assented to my plans this evening.”
“What did my brother tell you to get you here?” Jack
asked Charlotte.
Though she wasn’t keen to answer Jack directly, she
said, “Coe told me that the plans for this evening had
changed. I thought I had to attend the ball for sake of appearances.”
Lord Ott snorted. “Not a bad lie. Still a lie, though.”
“You did this just to spite me,” Jack snarled at Coe.
Coe shook his head. “I did it to remind you of who you
are. You’re not playing in the woods any more. This is your
life.”
Coe’s words were like a slap in the face to Charlotte.
Playing in the woods. Pretending. Jack’s dalliances
were all fiction. Part of his escape from a life he resented.
It was never real. How could it have been? Charlotte let her
gaze float away from the group to take in the splendor of
the ball. This was Jack’s world—full of vividly bright silks
and gleaming silver. A spectacle of wonders. Charlotte’s
world was dingy and chaotic, a place of dull brass and cold
iron.
Linnet slipped her arm around Charlotte’s waist.
“You’re unwell, Miss Marshall,” Lord Ott said gently.
“It’s best you get home.”
“I’ll take her,” Jack tried to push past Lord Ott.
“No you won’t.” Coe started toward Charlotte. “I’ll
take her home in my carriage.”
“If you so much as touch her—” Jack spat at his brother.
“Don’t be idiots,” Linnet interrupted, drawing Charlotte back. “I’ll see her home.”
“Yes,” Lord Ott growled. “If you boys would take a moment to remember that we still have
that
matter at hand.”
With Lord Ott’s words giving Jack and Coe pause,
Charlotte seized on the moment to whisper, “Linnet, get
me out of here.”