Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

SURPRISES AND HOMECOMINGS

" I cannot believe you did it!" Evelyn cried as she flung herself onto the bed beside Charlotte. "I am so happy, I think I might burst."

It was the morning after Charlotte had returned home, and the first time she had seen either of her sisters since her arrival. Her stepmother had allowed Charlotte to go straight to bed and promised she would remain undisturbed until the morning.

"What time is it?" Charlotte tried to blink the sleep from her eyes as she shifted from under Evelyn's weight.

"It is half past ten, and mother has only just allowed me to come in and bother you." Evelyn had extracted herself from the bed and was now opening the curtains. "Apparently, you needed to rest. It has been absolute torture trying to contain my excitement for so long."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" Charlotte asked, blinking in the sunlight and sitting up in the bed. "What news? And what have I done?"

"The games, of course!" Evelyn laughed and flopped onto the bed beside Charlotte. "I cannot believe you won them."

"But I did not. I did not win the games." Charlotte felt an ache in her chest. How can I crush whatever happiness she is feeling by telling her that there is no way she and Lord Belton will be able to marry now?

"What?" Evelyn looked confused.

I might as well get this over with. Charlotte took a deep breath and repeated, "I did not win them."

"But you must have. Otherwise, none of this makes any sense." Evelyn gave her a look that clearly said she did not believe a word Charlotte was saying.

"None of what?" Charlotte canted her head at her sister. "Evelyn, tell me what is going on."

"Michael and I are engaged!" she exclaimed, twirling in a circle like a delighted child. "He found Philippa and me at the theatre, and he told me that his father gave his consent for us to be wed."

"That is wonderful news! But what makes you think that it is anything to do with me or the games?" Charlotte beamed at her sister. At least one of us can be happy — now to find someone for Philippa.

"You promise you are not pulling my leg? Truly, you did not win the competition." Evelyn gave her a sceptical look.

Charlotte sighed and put a hand on her heart. "I swear it."

"Well, that is very strange." Evelyn shook her head and said, "The whole reason his father gave his consent is because he and the Duke of Verimore have come to some kind of a business arrangement."

"What?" Charlotte was grateful she was still in bed, for she suspected that she would have stumbled had she been upright. She was certain she must have misheard her sister. "The Duke of Verimore? Are you sure it was the Duke of Verimore and not some other Duke?"

"It is not as though there is a vast population of Dukes, Charlotte! Much less ones who take an interest in my marriage prospects." Evelyn gave Charlotte a withering look that reminded her so much of her late mother, it almost took her breath away.

"What exactly did he do? Did he promise him money?" Charlotte's heart squeezed. Has he lied to Michael's father? Surely not.

"I think some stake in one or another of his ventures. I am not sure I just know that it will be rather lucrative for Michael's father, and the Duke's only stipulation was that Michael be allowed to marry whomever he wanted." Evelyn frowned at Charlotte. "I would have thought you would know about this."

"I had no idea; he did not speak to me about it." This makes no sense. Charlotte chewed on the bottom of her lip in thought, trying to work out what would prompt Dominic into such action. "It can only have just happened."

"Apparently a messenger from the Duke arrived, and the offer was so good that Michael's father accepted on the spot." Evelyn looked pensive, her brow furrowing as she continued, "I assumed that it meant you had won the games. That was the only thing that made sense."

"I can understand why you would think that, but we did not." Charlotte sat on the end of her bed, her mind still struggling to understand everything that was happening. "That is actually why I am here. Someone discovered our secret."

"Oh goodness! But your reputation!" Evelyn clasped a hand to her mouth in horror, her eyes wide with panic.

"She did not reveal it to anyone, but she made clear she would if we did not leave." Charlotte thought about Lady Andrea and the kindness she had shown them in not revealing their secret to everyone. At least she gave us that. "So, there will be no tarnishing of my reputation or your happiness with Michael, at least not an that account."

"But then, if you did not win, why has the Duke made such an agreement with Michael's father?" Evelyn asked.

Charlotte frowned. Why had Dominic made the agreement? It did not make any sense. Unless. A thought occurred to Charlotte, and it penetrated her heart like a shard of ice, spreading cold through her body.

"When we started this arrangement, I requested we remain engaged long enough to see you and Phillippa married. Perhaps this is a way of him simply speeding up the ending of our engagement." He really does not want me. I have served my use, and now, it is over. She felt hollow, her words sounding far away.

"But surely that is a good thing? Now you will be free of each other sooner." Evelyn gave her a quizzical look.

"Yes. Exactly. I will be able to put this entire thing behind me and forget about it." Charlotte tried to give her sister a reassuring smile, but it felt more like a grimace. "This is for the best."

"You sound disappointed? Or sad? Perhaps both." Evelyn surveyed Charlotte as though she were looking for some kind of sign.

"I am simply tired." Charlotte waved her away and renewed her efforts to look jovial. "Why don't you tell me about your engagement? I want to hear all about it."

Evelyn's face broke into a broad smile, and Charlotte could tell her sister was only too eager to tell her the story.

"Well, you see, this morning I was told I had a visitor, and imagine my surprise when I discovered Michael waiting for me in the drawing room with mother."

"I can imagine that would have been a rather interesting sight." Charlotte wondered if her stepmother would be angry later or if she would simply be relieved that Evelyn was engaged. That will be one less of us to worry about, and Lord Belton is from a respectable family, even if he is not quite as illustrious a peer as a duke.

"It was indeed. And I thought I would be in a world of trouble, yet instead, mother permitted us to be alone in the room. And that gave me the biggest clue as to what was about to happen." Evelyn shook her head as though she could still scarcely believe it. "He asked me to marry him.

"At first, I thought he was joking or perhaps asking me to run away with him to Gretna Green. And while I would not be opposed to such a situation, Philippa would never forgive me. And I knew it would disappoint you. Besides, you had already sacrificed so much so that we might marry legitimately." Evelyn gestured to Charlotte.

Her cheeks flushed, and she tried to wave away her sister's words. "I did not really sacrifice anything."

"Yes, you did! Or at least you were willing to," Evelyn insisted, gently squeezing Charlotte's hand. "But anyway, that was when Michael explained to me what the Duke had done. He is with Father just now, asking for his permission."

"I am surprised you are not listening at the door," Charlotte teased.

"Philippa is doing that for me. She owes me a favour, and I wanted to tell you the good news myself." A look of worry crossed Evelyn's face as she added, "Oh goodness, Father will give his consent will he not? I had not thought of that! Perhaps I should go and talk to him!"

"No, do not do that. I am sure Father will give his consent though he may ask to speak to you first and confirm that this is really what you want." Charlotte gave her sister's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Of course, it is what I want! I have loved Michael for far too long." Evelyn snuggled against Charlotte, sighing happily. "Honestly, I am not sure I will survive the reading of the banns. Three weeks seems like an eternity to wait for such happiness."

"Well, unless Lord Belton can afford a special license, you shall have to." Charlotte laughed, unable to help feeling a little buoyed by her sister's good fortune. "Besides, three weeks will go by so fast, you will hardly notice. And you have already waited so long, I would have thought you would be used to it."

Evelyn swatted at Charlotte good naturedly. "And to think I missed you."

"I missed you too." Charlotte sighed and leant her head against her sister. "I am glad to be home."

"I am glad you are home too," Evelyn agreed. "You will be my maid of honour, won't you?"

"Of course, I will!" Charlotte turned to look at her sister, surprise clear on her face. "Though I expect Philippa may be a little put out."

"Philippa will understand. Besides, she can be a bridesmaid." Evelyn waved a hand and gave Charlotte a mischievous look.

"Did I hear someone talking about me?" Philippa's head appeared around the door, grinning from ear to ear. "Hello Charlotte, I take it my twin has told you the good news."

"She has indeed. And why are you not at your post?" Charlotte patted an empty spot on the bed beside her.

Philippa beamed and walked in, carrying a small tray laden with breakfast things before scowling at her twin. "You told her where I was?"

"Well what else was I supposed to do?" Evelyn said defensively, helping herself to one of Charlotte's pieces of toast. "Did you hear what father said?"

Charlotte took her own piece and settled in to listen to her sisters. In some ways, the normality was comforting. It made it easier not to think of the day before.

"No. Mother discovered me right before Father gave his answer," Philippa explained.

Evelyn gasped, her eyes wide. "Are you all right? She did not hurt you, did she?"

Charlotte's mouth went suddenly dry, and she sat up a little straighter but relaxed again a moment later as Philippa said, "Yes. It was the oddest thing — I expected her to be furious, yet she simply shook her head and told me to make myself useful and bring Charlotte some breakfast."

"Really?" Evelyn sounded gobsmacked.

"Really," Philippa confirmed.

Perhaps she has truly turned over a new leaf. Charlotte swallowed her mouthful and said, "Mother and I came to an understanding while I was away. Apparently, it is not only us who have felt pressure from society."

Before either of her sisters could say anything further or ask any questions on the subject, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter," Charlotte called.

A moment later, Charlotte's stepmother appeared at the door. "Ah good, I see Philippa has brought you breakfast. Though I had hoped I would at least find you dressed."

"It is my fault; I distracted her from doing so," Evelyn said loyally, even though Charlotte had made no attempt to get ready since she had arrived.

"Well, regardless of the reason, Charlotte needs to get up," Lady Bellmore said flatly.

"Why?" Charlotte asked.

"Because you have a visitor," Lady Bellmore replied.

"A visitor?" Philippa looked between Charlotte and their stepmother.

"Yes. He is waiting for you in the drawing room. I shall give you fifteen minutes to get ready; that should be ample time. I suggest you make yourself presentable," Lady Bellmore said and then swept out of the room before Charlotte could ask who was waiting for her.

Philippa and Evelyn helped Charlotte get dressed and style her hair in under fifteen minutes. As Charlotte made her way to the drawing room, she tried to work out who was waiting for her. She had a suspicion, and when her stepmother ushered her into the drawing room, it was confirmed.

Even before his familiar pine and juniper smell washed over her, she would have recognised his back.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted, not caring how impolite it was.

"It is good to see you too, Charlotte," Dominic replied as he turned to face her.