“That’s it, we’ve done it,” she cried. “Now to get back to the starting point.”
“But that’s only—”
He tried to stop her, but she was gone so fast that his words fell on deaf ears. All he could do was follow. She flew from the room, brushing past him as she went, then ran across the entrance hall, garnering a fair few astonished looks from the butler and the passing maids. She dashed down the steps and through the open door, then skidded to a halt on the gravel driveway.
Stewart was there, waiting for the teams to return, and Lady Chelsea and her father were on their way into the house to find the remaining items.
“We’ve got them all,” Miss Charlotte cried.
“My lady,” Alexander called from behind her. “Charlotte, wait! There’s—”
Miss Charlotte began to unpack all their finds on the wall next to Stewart, while he ticked them off his list.
“Snapdragon, lilac, speedwell, dandelion.” She reached up and pulled the flower from her hair, handing it over proudly. “Sunflower.”
“Very good,” Stewart said, clearly impressed. “And the items.”
“Miss Charlotte, please,” Alexander tried, but she was so excited that she would not listen.
“Snuff box,” she said, pulling it from deep within her reticule. “Playing card.” She reached out to Alexander without properly looking at him. If she had, she would see his pleading expression. “The onion and the pocket watch, if you please,” she demanded.
He handed them over. “But my lady—”
“There.” She placed them in front of Stewart with a grin.
“And… the fifth item?” Stewart asked warily.
“Fifth item?”
Miss Charlotte’s shoulders dropped visibly, and Alexander felt a surge of protectiveness. “I tried to tell you there is another item, but you were too excited to—”
“We have the items,” Lady Chelsea called from behind them. “Wait just one moment, and Father and I will have won!”
Miss Charlotte turned to him with such pleading, such desperation, that his heart went out to her.
“What’s the fifth item?” she asked. “What have I missed?”
“It’s a lady’s stocking,” he said quietly, knowing there was no way they could win now. There was simply not enough time for her to run into the house and find a stocking, no matter how much energy she possessed.
Except, rather than slope her shoulders in defeat, she threw her head back and laughed.
“Miss Charlotte?” Stewart asked, his eyebrows high.
“Are you quite all right?” Alexander asked.
“Perfectly so,” she said.
Then she kicked off her shoe and rugged at her toe, pulling her stocking off right there on the driveway and thrusting it into the air.
“The fifth item!” she cried. “A lady’s stocking!”
Chapter 13
Once they’d been announced the winners, Charlotte hobbled quickly into the house, one bare foot on the gravel, a shoe and a stocking dangling from her hand. She didn’t wait for the duke, nor did she celebrate with him. The thrill of the win vanished quickly, replace by embarrassment and worry and wonder—all because of that kiss.
“What’s wrong?” Chelsea asked in a whisper, hurrying behind her.
Charlotte feigned a snort of amusement, hoping Chelsea wouldn’t notice. “I have one bare leg in a garden full of people. I want to make myself presentable again. I should have thought that obvious.” She huddled in the alcove in the entrance hall. “Stand guard.”
