A Lesson in Pride (21 page)

Heaving a martyred sigh, Ginny asked through clenched teeth, “Then what is the problem?”

Something had finally snapped in Charlotte, because she jumped up from her seat and glared at Ginny. “What is the problem? He is most unsuitable. I know I should not spend any more time with him, but he has only to ask and I say yes. I can never marry him, so I feel guilty spending time with him. It will all come to nothing.”

After her speech, Charlotte made her way to the door. She never made it, as Ginny stood and blocked her path. Placing both her hands on Charlotte's shoulders, she asked in a quiet voice, “How is he unsuitable?”

Charlotte dropped her gaze to the floor and shook her head. When no answer was provided, Ginny shook her stepdaughter and asked her again.

“He is not wealthy enough to care for me and my sisters should they not marry.”

Removing her hands, Ginny took a step back. Of all the things Charlotte could say, Ginny hadn't even considered that one. Grabbing her arm, Ginny walked Charlotte from the breakfast room and made her way to the small parlor. When safely inside, with the doors closed, the ladies sat opposite one another.

“You are not responsible for your sisters, Charlotte.”

When Charlotte looked up, Ginny saw the tears in her eyes. Years of taking on a responsibility that never should have been given to her had taken its toll. The poor girl looked tired.

“I am, Ally. If not me, then who? Vivianne? Felicity? They have their own lives. I have been there for my sisters for so long now. I cannot ask you to take this burden. It would not be fair.”

Ginny considered her options. Having known Charlotte for so long now, she knew how she had to handle this situation. “Maybe I shouldn't take this burden from you, Charlotte, but I can share it. Hope can share it. There is nothing that says you have to carry it alone.”

Ginny could see her stepdaughter considering her words. As if she'd opened a window in a stuffy room, Charlotte breathed in deeply. Maybe she didn't have to carry the stone around her neck by herself. Hope was less than two years younger. Ally wasn't likely to disappear from their lives. But...

“He is not what I thought I wanted,” she stated as if she had to find an excuse not to like him.

“In what way?”

Charlotte's mouth opened and closed just as quickly. What could she say? He wasn't blond? He didn't fit her ideal? She was hardly a shallow person, but for some reason she still didn't think it would work.

“When I was a little girl,” she began, not sure where the words were coming from, “I always pictured my knight in shining armor. He would save me from my life. Sometimes, in my dream, he arrived in time to save my mother. He would slay the evil man posing as my father and whisk me away to some fairytale kingdom.”

A blush rose to her cheeks to remind her how silly she'd once been, but if there was one person she could reveal her secrets to, she knew it was Ally. “He always looked the same. Blond hair, blue eyes. He was tall and muscular and willing to fight on my behalf.”

When Charlotte fell into silence, as if she could picture the man standing in the room, Ginny said, “He sounds like a wonderful fantasy.”

“He was,” she answered vehemently. “He was everything I needed to survive.”

“But,” Ginny started tentatively, “he was only a fantasy. Mr. Pierce is real. I'm not saying he's your knight, Charlotte, but just because he doesn't fit some mold, doesn't mean you should discount him.”

“He is a professor, Ally. He may make extra money working for estates, but he could hardly have enough to support my sisters and I.”

“Fine, let's say that's true. There is a real possibility that he won't have to. Hope will find a husband, eventually. As against the idea of matrimony as she is, Hope would never be happy living her life alone. As for Lizzie, Heather, and Nellie, well, who's to say. I'm sure they have just as many fantasies about their own knights.”

“Perhaps. I have always been there for them. I would not want to put myself in a position where I could not be.”

“What of me? I'm not going anywhere. The one man I thought I'd marry is marrying someone else. I met a very nice gentleman last night, but who's to say if that goes anywhere. But no matter what happens, I have no plans leave you girls alone. My twelve-hour marriage to your father makes me the perfect chaperon, for some reason. You guys need me.”

Charlotte chuckled. “I see your point. I wish I could see the future. I wish I could see if I was making the best decision.”

A sad smile crossed Ginny's lips. “Wouldn't we all?” Ginny thought of all the less than stellar decisions she'd made over her romance novel heroine lives. Were they the wrong decisions? Probably. Were they necessary to the story? Absolutely. It was time to put regret behind her and work toward the future. Wherever that future might take her.

“Mr. Pierce is to come by today and look at our garden. He made the offer during our drive yesterday.”

“So, can you look beyond your fantasy. Maybe consider the man for who he is. Believe me, Charlotte, the rest will work itself out if you really like this man.”

“I will try. He is still very handsome, is he not?”

Ginny beamed a smile and said, “Oh, yes, he is.”

Both ladies laughed. To hell with the unknown. Ginny excelled in dealing with the unknown!

********

The sunlight filtered through the parlor windows, making a pleasantly warm spot. Charlotte sat in the spot, working on her embroidery, as she watched Hope and Ally play cards across the room. It had been quiet, except for the occasional ribbing Hope gave Ally over a not-so-well-thought-out move. Strangely, Ally only smiled and continued to play without returning the comments.

In her warm, pleasant spot, Charlotte could see out the window to the street. She argued that she wasn't waiting impatiently for Mr. Pierce to arrive; she only enjoyed the warmth. If her head turned out the window at every sound of hooves, it was only because horses could be so distracting. At one point, the top of a man's hat distracted her so much, she made a mess of her stitches.

As she concentrated on fixing her mistake, a decisive knock sounded at the door causing Charlotte to jump out of her seat. Her embroidery, with needle and thread still attached, fell to the floor by her feet. Looking at Hope and Ally, Charlotte saw them gaze at her curiously.

“I...” she began, but had no idea how to explain her behavior. “I... was so...”

“Goodness, Lottie, you are jumpy. It was only the door.”

Leave it to Hope to be so concise. “Of course. I was concentrating so hard, the sudden knock startled me.” Her words had meant to be a statement, but came out sounding like a question.

Ally smiled. “I hate when I'm reading in bed and somebody knocks. Nearly sends me out of my skin every time.”

Charlotte reached down and picked up her needlework. In trying to explain herself, she'd forgotten that there was someone at the door. When the parlor door opened, she gasped loud enough for Mr. Frommer to notice.

Before he could announce their guest, he gave a curious look to Charlotte, who merely waved him away. Turning toward the window, Charlotte tried diligently to hide the blush that painted her cheeks a bright red.

Mr. Frommer turned to Lady Essex and announced, “A Mr. Braydon Pierce to see Miss Charlotte, my lady.”

Alysanne rose and walked toward the door just as Mr. Pierce entered the room. She held out her hand in greeting and said, “Mr. Pierce, it is so good to see you again.”

“Thank you, my lady. Miss Drake asked if I could help her with her roses.”

Charlotte heard Hope's snort and saw Ally's disapproving glance back at her sister. Instead of responding to Hope's behavior, Ally gave her attention back to Braydon. “That is very kind of you, Mr. Pierce. Charlotte, why don't you show him to the greenhouse.”

Charlotte rose unsteadily to her feet, mostly because she was trying to hide her blush. With her head down, she walked to the door where Ally and Mr. Pierce stood. After taking a deep breath, she looked up to see Mr. Pierce smiling at her.

“Should you join us, Ally?” she asked in a small voice caused by her sudden shyness.

Ally glanced out the window. The sun was still bright, but she stated, “It looks chilly outside. I will stay here, but expect you two back within twenty minutes.”

Charlotte couldn't believe her ears. The woman who was to be preserving her virtue was shucking her responsibility. A stranger might think Ally merely lazy, but Charlotte knew the real game. Ally was trying to get her alone with Mr. Pierce. After what Charlotte had admitted just that morning, there had to be some method to her stepmother's madness.

Mr. Pierce moved aside so he could follow Charlotte to the back garden. Once they reached the back terrace, he moved to stand next to her, but never offered his arm. At first it vexed Charlotte that he did not until she realized that her hands were clasped behind her back. Now she wondered if he wasn't put off by her.

They made their way to the side of the garden that housed a fairly large greenhouse. The air inside was humid and far warmer than the spring air outside. Walking to the back, Charlotte presented the roses for his perusal.

“As you can see, Mr. Pierce, they are simply hopeless.” Why did she sound so breathless? The walk from the house wasn't that taxing.

“Braydon,” he responded.

“I beg your pardon?” she asked, finally looking him in the eye.

“Please call me Braydon.”

“Oh.” Now she couldn't stop looking at his face. He wasn't the knight from her dreams, but he was very good looking.

A slow smile formed on his face. “May I call you Charlotte?”

Her eyes dipped to his smile. His teeth were so white and straight. She stood there mesmerized until she realized he'd asked her a question. Pulling back, her blush intensified as she responded, “Of course.”

When his hand materialized on her jaw, Charlotte would have sworn she was on fire. Parts of her body burned. Slowly, he was turning her to face him.

“Charlotte, I am going to kiss you now.”

The ability to speak left her in a swoosh of her lungs. She stared into his eyes and was only able to manage a small nod of her head. Her mind should have been a perfect blank, but it swirled with all sorts of questions. Should she allow this? Was anyone watching? What would it feel like? With each question that popped into her head, Braydon's head dipped lower and lower, until finally his lips settled on hers.

At first she dared not move. This might be her first kiss, but she never wanted him to know that by making some ridiculous mistake. Then it occurred to her that he would know if she did nothing. At that thought, her body stiffened in embarrassment and she started to pull away.

“Relax, Charlotte. You think too much,” he whispered, reaching his hand down to grab her waist and pull her closer. Her body was touching his, causing her burn to grow.

He pressed his lips against her and moved them slowly from the top to the bottom. Her mouth opened on its own, allowing her to release her breath. She hadn't expected him to move his tongue between her lips, but she felt it touch her teeth. Without any conscious thought, her hands reached up around his neck and pulled him closer.

Time stood still as Charlotte kissed Braydon. His hands moved slowly up her body. One hand caressed her back, while the other came up under her breast. His wicked thumb stroked over her nipple, making it pucker in reaction. The only sound was his soft murmurings between kisses.

“God, you are so beautiful.”

Beautiful? No, she wasn't that. Her mind swirled around the idea that this man thought her beautiful. Maybe he only said it because of the moment. Then why would he keep seeking her out? He never had to ask her to ride with him and he certainly didn't have to offer to look at her roses. There must be something he liked about her.

His mouth moved along her jaw and nestled on her neck. Having never experienced anything like this before, Charlotte was confused by wanting more. More of what? She could only assume it had something to do with the embarrassing conversation Ally had had with her and Hope about what goes on between a husband and wife. The area between her legs was definitely seeking something out, yearning for something more.

“You smell like jasmine,” he whispered to her neck, continuing his assault while his hand rubbed her nipple.

Even with all the thoughts that swirled around her head, the only sounds she made were soft sighs and occasional gasps. She should put a stop to his behavior, she knew. Every governess she'd ever had had warned her not to let a man take advantage. Ally, after her descriptive lecture, had cautioned the girls that most men might try to see how far they could take it without any thought to their reputation.

Somehow, Charlotte knew Braydon was different. His hard body against hers told her that he was just as caught up in the moment as she. There was no calculation on his part, only desire. A desire he had for her. Charlotte Drake, indistinguishable from any of her six sisters, was desired by a man. It was a heady experience.

The only thing that could break the spell happened a moment later. At first, Charlotte didn't understand why Braydon moved so quickly away from her, why he turned her toward the roses and away from the door. Then she heard Ally and Hope's voices outside the greenhouse. Had it been twenty minutes already?