Charlotte nodded. “I will tell Father to send for you as soon as possible once we know what is going on.” She drew herself up straight, smoothed down her dress and checked her hair for the last time, then left the room, striding determinedly down the corridor to the drawing room with Sally in her wake. There, she would meet her fate, one way or another.
CHAPTERTWELVE
“So, what do you say, Charlotte?”
Charlotte blushed under her father’s gaze, then looked across the room at the Duke, who was watching her with a rather penetrating stare. In fact, she had sensed a trace of humor in his eyes as the scene had unfolded before him.
She had listened in silence as her father had explained the Duke’s proposal, trying her best to look surprised. And now it occurred to her that surprise was probably not a sufficient response; delight would also be expected, along with some flutter of girlish modesty. And truth be told, she found that she was rather looking forward to spending more time with the Duke, not just because she keenly anticipated the outcome of their scheme but also because she enjoyed his company, in and of itself.
She realized now that there had been an awkwardly long silence, and she needed to say something.
She turned to her father with what she hoped was a demure smile. “I should be delighted, Father, to spend more time with the Duke if you consider it to be a good idea.”
The viscount laughed. “Of course it’s a good idea! I cannot think of a better one, to be sure!”
The Duke turned to her now. “But it is in accordance with your own wishes too, Miss Hervey?” he asked, that penetrating gaze fixed upon her once more.
She felt her cheeks growing warm. “Indeed, Your Grace. Please do not doubt it.”
The Duke smiled. “I am delighted to hear it,” he replied, then turned to the viscount. “Will you permit it, my lord, for Miss Hervey to escort me on a turn about the grounds? I am ashamed that I have never visited your fine estate before, and I should very much like to see more of it.”
Lord Haddington nodded. “I see no harm in that, provided you keep to the paths and do not stray into the woodland.”
“Of course, my lord,” the Duke replied. “Miss Hervey, do you acquiesce to my plan?”
She smiled at the formality of his tone, so different from the playful banter they had exchanged in the ballroom just a few days ago. “Indeed, Your Grace, it would be my very great pleasure to show you our beautiful gardens.”
The viscount glanced at the door with a slight frown. “I am not entirely sure where the viscountess has disappeared off to,” he said. “Perhaps there is some problem with the dinner. I shall go and see if I can find her. In the meantime, you two young things enjoy yourselves, and we shall see you at dinner.” He bowed and left the room, leaving Charlotte and Luke alone.
“Well, Miss Hervey, we have pulled it off. How do you feel?”
She stared at him. “Your Grace, we should not discuss it indoors in case someone hears us,” she replied.
He nodded. “You are quite right, and I am indeed very naughty. Shall we go outside, and then we can talk about what we like, hidden amongst the shrubbery?” There was a glint in his eye as he spoke, and it made Charlotte feel rather strange as she looked at him.
“Yes, Your Grace, let us take some fresh air,” she replied. “I think that we will both feel the benefit of it.”
* * *
The air outside was crisp, and Luke was glad of it as they strode down a gravel path that cut through the ornamental lawns. They kept close to the house - Luke understood the importance of staying in view – but the estate was large enough that even with that restriction in place, they were able to embark on a reasonable ramble together and be far enough away from other people as to ensure privacy for their conversation.
He let out a sigh of satisfaction. Things were going perfectly to plan. He had finally admitted to himself, in the moments when he was left alone in the drawing room, waiting for the viscount to return and for Miss Hervey to join them, that this escapade was becoming more than a game to him. And now, he glanced across at Miss Hervey – perhaps he could think of her as Charlotte, now? She really was far more beautiful than she seemed to know. Her face was pink now, with the chill of the autumn air, and her hair was pleasantly disheveled by the breeze. He much preferred her unstudied beauty to Miss Jarvis's pristine and somewhat false appearance, for example.
Should he tell Charlotte what had occurred before he made his intentions clear to her father and stepmother? He thought it might amuse her, although he was not certain, but he thought he may as well take a chance.
“Shall I tell you what happened when I first arrived, Miss Hervey?” he asked.
She turned to him with a bold curiosity in her eyes. “Indeed, if it is amusing and you wish to tell me, then pray, proceed!”
He smiled. “It was most amusing,” he replied. “Your father, or at least your stepmother, thought I had come to pay court to your stepsister instead of you! Can you imagine? The very idea of it!”
Charlotte frowned. “My stepmother must have been very shocked indeed.”
“You cannot feel sorry for her, though, after the way she has treated you and your sister?”
“No, I do not feel sorry for her so much as worried about what schemes and plots she will dream up to try and thwart our plan," Charlotte replied shrewdly. “She is not a woman to be trifled with, you must see that. And she will be furious with me for stealing Alison’s thunder, and during her first season too!”
“But Miss Jarvis is exactly the sort of young lady I am trying to avoid enmeshing myself with through our little arrangement,” Luke said. “Now that you and I are considered a courting couple, I shall not have to dance with or attempt to converse with any of those insipid young ladies. Instead, I will have the pleasure of your company, and yours alone.”
