“No, he definitely was,” Charlotte said. “But I assumed it was just something I couldn’t understand. He mentioned that his financial affairs were a bit out of order.”
“His financial affairs,” Valeria said quietly. “That’s true. He did say that, didn’t he?”
“He did—but surely that isn’t so unusual for a gentleman?” Charlotte asked. “I may not know very much about these matters, but I have to assume that someone of his rank—a Baron—is more likely to face financial struggle than someone a bit more wealthy.”
“It isn’t just his rank,” Valeria said. She was beginning to piece things together now, things that she hadn’t connected at first. “He has debt. He told me so himself. He inherited debt from his father. If he’s dealing with financial difficulty, I would be willing to bet that that’s what it’s about.”
“Well, that must be very difficult for him,” Charlotte said reasonably. “Of course he found it a distraction while he was visiting with you. It’s unfortunate that such a thing interfered in your time together, but it does make sense.”
But Valeria was shaking her head.
“Richard had a lot of debt,” she told Charlotte. “That was what led to his criminal activity. Remember?”
“Oh, I’m sure this isn’t the same scenario,” Charlotte said. “Richard’s personality never changed. He was always the kind of man he was at the end of his time as a free gentleman, even before he had accrued his debt. Even when we were children, he was the same way. Richard neverchanged. He simply allowed his need for money to drive him to do things he might not otherwise have done.”
“That seems like a fairly large change to me,” Valeria said. “The need for money can drive a gentleman to all kinds of depths.”
“But what are you suggesting?” Charlotte asked, her voice hushed. “Are you saying that you think Lord Woodsford could be… involved in something criminal?”
“Oh, no, I know I shouldn’t even be thinking it.” Valeria covered her face with her hands. “Believe me, Charlotte, I’m ashamed of the way my mind is working right now. I’m an embarrassment to myself. The truth is that the poor man probably just lost interest in me.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” Charlotte said. “If he had lost interest, he wouldn’t have come over at all, would he?”
“This is something you may not be able to understand,” Valeria said. “But yes, he would have. He wouldn’t have wanted to disgrace himself in front of Aunt Alberta, especially after fighting as hard as he did to win permission for our courtship to take place. If he’s changed his mind, he’ll need to figure out a way to exit the situation with grace. He won’t want to look bad.”
“How could he have changed his mind so quickly?” Charlotte asked. “He was all but obsessed with you! When I think of the story you told me about the way he threw that awful Lord Milton from Lord Harlston’s home—”
“Maybe that was never about me,” Valeria said. “Maybe he was just… I don’t know. Maybe he was angry that Lord Milton was being disrespectful in general, and it wasn’t anything to do with me specifically.”
“But he stood up for you at the dinner party here at Earlington Manor as well,” Charlotte protested.
“That was also against Lord Milton,” Valeria said. “Maybe it’s just that he doesn’t like Lord Milton. Maybe he’s always quarreled with him, and I only thought it was anything to do with me out of—I don’t know—pride, maybe, or vanity—”
“You’re not proud or vain,” Charlotte said. “You never have been, Valeria. You’re a young lady who befriended the daughter of a maid, and who has never wavered from that friendship.”
“I wanted to believe that Lord Woodsford admired me,” Valeria said miserably.
“We don’t know that he doesn’t have feelings for you,” Charlotte said. “I don’t think you should allow one day to alter your perception of how things are progressing between the two of you. Wait until you have seen each other again. Give things a chance to change, to develop. After all, you said yourself that everything was wonderful between you at the ball, didn’t you?”
“Well, yes,” Valeria said. “That’s what makes it so hard to understand how everything could have changed.”
“I think it more likely that everythinghasn’tchanged,” Charlotte said. “I think you ought to consider the possibility that he was simply preoccupied, and that he didn’t show himself to his best advantage. Surely there have been times when you’ve acted against your own better nature because you were upset or distracted? It happens to us all.”
Valeria bit her lip.
The truth was that Charlotte was quite right. Therehadbeen plenty of times she had acted unfavorably because of problems and distractions in her own mind. She had even done it to Lord Woodsford, hadn’t she? When they had first met, she had been distant with him, doing her best to keep him away, because she had been so scarred by her experiences with her brother. She knew that she had treated him rather badly, and that it hadn’t had anything to do with her real feelings toward him at all.
Maybe this was a similar situation.
“Perhaps you’re right, Charlotte,” she admitted. “Perhaps I shouldn’t jump to any conclusions.”
Charlotte nodded. “I see no harm in waiting to see what happens the next time you and Lord Woodsford see one another,” she said. “Maybe everything will be back to normal.”
“Well, perhaps it will,” Valeria agreed. “I certainly hope you’re right.”
Feeling considerably better all of a sudden, she went to her bed to examine the dinner tray that Charlotte had brought to her. There was hot stew and bread with butter and even a glass of wine, and Valeria sank down happily to eat.
Charlotte took a seat opposite her on the bed.
