Chapter 27

27

C hastity struggled to pull her zipper the remaining distance to the top of her dress. At the same time, she was reliving her difficult conversation with Marc last week when she broke it to him that their relationship would be nothing more than friendship. She knew she had to. Between her growing feelings for Charles—her heart pounded when she thought about seeing him—and the fact that Thomas had said point-blank he didn’t want to spend time with him, (she still needed to ferret out what that was about)—she knew this was not a relationship that could continue. Marc had not taken her refusal to let him be part of Thomas’s life well and had stormed off. There had been no word from him since.

When she finally got her dress properly secured, she forced her mind back to the present. She was ready. Her hair was pulled completely off her neck, with little rhinestone bursts clipped into the auburn curls, and she had spritzed perfume delicately behind her ears. Her eyes were more heavily made-up than usual, but in the soft lighting, it made them stand out. Now she had her rented designer black dress on with discreet slits up the sides, and spaghetti straps holding the bodice. She would take no chances with matching tableware this time.

She completed her toilette by clasping a thin, almost invisible gold necklace to the back of her neck, which held a garnet heart. Smaller matching hearts swung from her ears as she bent close to the mirror to examine her appearance.

“You look nice, Mom.” Thomas was sitting in his usual spot on the sofa when she walked into the living room.

“You do,” confirmed Elizabeth. “Charles will be proud to have such an elegant date.” As if on cue, the door buzzed.

“I can’t thank you enough, Elizabeth.” Chastity walked over to the buzzer. “You should be going to this thing. I should never have taken you up on your offer.” She spoke without conviction.

Elizabeth smiled and stood to put her arm around Chastity’s shoulder. “I’ve attended plenty of events like this. I’m glad to hang out with Thomas. He’s promised to show me the rock collection he’s building.”

“Oh, yes, he just got another shipment in the mail.” Chastity was distracted and breathless, waiting the interminable time for the elevator to arrive and the door to ring. She didn’t open the door until the bell chimed.

Charles was already smiling when she opened the door, but he sucked in his breath at the sight of her. He leaned in to kiss her on both cheeks and murmured, “You are beautiful.” She hoped her face was not as hot and red as it felt.

“Elizabeth.” Charles greeted her as he walked in the room. “Thank you. This is really kind of you to stay with Thomas.” He kissed her in greeting, a departure from their usual handshake.

“My pleasure. Besides I’ve been wanting to spend time with Thomas ever since he left the hospital.”

The young subject in question turned his eyes upwards and was regarding the viscount fixedly. “Docteur?” Charles came and sat down next to Thomas. “What is it?”

“Can I come visit your stables?”

Charles raised an eyebrow. “So you like horses, do you? Then, of course. Any time you want. I’ll tell the stable manager to expect you.” He glanced at Chastity then back at the boy. “You don’t mind that I’m taking your mother to the ball tonight?”

Thomas shook his head and slid off the couch to get something in his room. “Tommy, we have to go, darling,” his mom called after him. “Come back and give me a kiss, and then you can show your collection to Elizabeth.”

She hugged him and grabbed her black sequined clutch as she shrugged into the short coat that matched her dress. “Thank you,” she whispered again to her friend on their way out.

The afternoon was warm enough that her blazer would suffice. Charles pressed his key chain, and the BMW beeped on the street in front of them. “It’s not far,” he said, “but I didn’t want you to have to walk in dress shoes.” He opened the door for her, and they drove the short distance to the chateau—she, almost seized with nerves, and he, relaxed as they finally turned onto the pebble stone driveway.

“Stay here,” he commanded when she reached for the door handle. He got out of the car and walked around to the other side, opening her door and extending his hand. She tried to keep her composure and not tremble from nervousness as he pulled her to her feet.

There were a few other couples arriving at the same time. “There are eighty people invited to the dinner,” he told her. “The rest of the guests will arrive for the dancing afterwards.” He leaned towards her. “May I take your arm?”

Grateful for his steady presence, particularly when walking over the pebbles in high-heeled shoes, she attempted to find her voice. “You’ve even decorated the windows with lights. It’s beautiful.”

He opened the heavy door for her. “I’ve seated us with your friend Maude and her husband because I may have to leave you from time to time to take care of details. Now I understand why my parents were so exhausted after these things. Ah—I’ll have to introduce you to my mother too, I suppose. Don’t let her scare you.”

Chastity giggled and followed him into the downstairs apartment that was set with ten round tables, half of which were filled with guests, and more streaming in all the time. She spotted Maude and Michel with relief and gave them a small wave. Charles held her chair for her, said hello to her friends, then left to greet the mayor and some of the other people coming in.

“I didn’t know he knew who you were,” she whispered to Maude.

“I would say the same thing to you,” her friend retorted with a smile, “but I’ve been long convinced otherwise.” She added in an undertone, “We were only invited for the dinner part because of you, my dear.”

Charles had not been wrong when he said he would not be able to stay seated. In fact, he excused himself more often than she had expected, always with an apology and a warm smile that made Chastity’s heart skip a beat. She found she couldn’t relax.

When the dinner was over, he helped her to her feet. “I’m sorry, but my mother wants to meet you and I don’t think we can avoid it.” Charles pulled her hand through his arm, and the warmth of his proximity helped her stop trembling. “I promise not to leave you,” he said with a wink.

Chastity was suddenly facing a stately, dignified woman, to whom she addressed a “Bonsoir, Madame.”

“Bonsoir.” His mother looked her over critically. Her face was reserved, but not unkind. “You’re American, then. You seem to speak French well enough.”

“I went to the Lycée Fran?ais in Manhattan.”

“Ah. I have friends whose children went there. Do your parents work with the French consulate?”

Adelaide’s voice came from behind. “Maman, the mayor has been dying to say hello. May I bring you to him?” The dowager acquiesced with a regal, “Bonne soirée, mademoiselle.”

Chastity glanced at Charles, her eyes full of mirth. “Does she know my parents run a dry cleaning business?”

“I don’t believe she does.” Charles grinned and he caught her gaze. He made no move to go upstairs. The noise around them—the buzz of people talking, dishes clattering, scraping chairs—seemed to cease. He stood, immobile, his expression serious as his gaze went from her eyes to her lips. Her heart thudded. He’s going to kiss me. Then he blinked and the spell was over. He cleared his throat and gave an attempt at a smile. “The dancing will start soon. Let’s go up.”

Nobody was on the floor yet, but Chastity observed everyone and noticed Louis talking to Eloise Prynne. That was Pierce Burns to the right, who did not look happy. Dr. Okonkwo was there standing next to a French girl, and she couldn’t decide if they were together. Was that the viscount’s niece? The intern gave a small wave, and Chastity returned it.

Soon, the musicians had drawn some of the more intrepid couples in, and there were pairs swirling to the music. Chastity noted with private amusement that her students would only join in when it would be more conspicuous to stay on the sidelines than to be on the dance floor. Charles was talking to a gentleman on his left whom she recognized from the museum. While they talked, his arm stole around Chastity’s waist, and he pulled her into the conversation. “Jef, I don’t believe you’ve met Chastity.”

Eyes twinkling, his friend kissed her on both cheeks. “My pleasure.”

“ Enchantée ,” she returned, unable to resist a grin. She could see the long-standing camaraderie between the two men, and sensed his friend approved of her.

“I’ve known Jef since we were kids,” Charles explained. The two gentlemen resumed their conversation, but he did not remove his arm from her waist.