Chapter Seven #2
“Sore, but I’ll make it. We should almost be there.”
“You’ve ridden here before?”
“No, but I did get up and walked the course this morning.”
“Really? That was quite smart of you.”
“Thank you. Knowing approximately how many people would be coming today, I felt I needed to know the best route.”
“Do your sisters disapprove?
“Neither of them wanted me to ride today. Said hunts are a dangerous sport.”
He readjusted his seat and tried to imagine she wasn’t there. Her nearness hadn’t waned his body’s reaction. “So you mentioned.”
“Look,” she said suddenly, “we’re at the finish. Everyone is here.”
True, and they were the last ones, which everyone seemed to know because both her sisters came rushing over to them. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Graham and Arthur on their way as well.
“Where have you been?” her sister Agnes inquired, eyeing Charles up and down. “And what are you doing riding astride?”
“I always ride astride,” she replied. “Lord Charles came to my rescue after he realized my horse had thrown me.”
A stable boy had come and taken the horse while another held the bay’s reins. Charles swung himself off the back of the saddle and on to the ground. Carefully he assisted her down. Her sister grabbed her by the arm as her feet hit the soft grass.
“Thank you for your assistance, Lord Charles, but I’ve got her,” her sister Agnes said. She had a look on her face Charles was familiar with. In her eyes, he was a madman, someone who shouldn’t be out of an institution.
“Thank you again, Lord Charles,” Lady Cathryn said softly.
Instead of saying another word, he turned and walked away. He noticed Daphne with a brandy in one hand standing off to one side.
“It’s a good thing you happened upon Lady Cathryn.”
“I’m not so sure of that,” he replied. “Her sister thinks I’m some sort of monster.”
Daphne laid her hand on his forearm for a moment. “You are overreacting. I’m sure Lady Agnes is just concerned for her sister.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” he replied. Glancing back over to where Lady Cathryn and her sisters were, he noted Arthur and Graham talking with the trio and the two sisters being quite adamant and vocal with displeasure.
People who were nearby were starting to glance over at him. He knew when that happened it was time to leave. If he didn’t, he’d be the gossip for the day. He knew how this all worked; he’d been through it before.
Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Charles spoke to his sister-in-law. “If you’ll excuse me. I need to walk. I’ll see you back home.”
“Don’t you dare. Don’t let those two win.”
“I have no intention of that. I simply don’t wish to cause a problem for Roxanne and Graham.”
“You aren’t.”
“It’s best for me to go.” He turned and began walking a path away from the crowd.
He passed almost no one as he stopped in front of the house. He knew Graham’s estate backed up to his family’s so he began to walk to a path that would lead him in the general direction. He’d then pick up the pace and would soon be somewhere near the house.
A few light-gray clouds dotted the afternoon sky but he was undeterred by the sight of them.
He instead continued his walk. Keeping up a swift pace, he finally reached a large meadow.
Before he could cross it, he had to get over an old rock fence.
Charles glanced about the fence, looking for any break in it.
Not finding any opening, he walked the fence line for a moment or two when he found a gate.
It opened easily and Charles walked through it before finding his way back to the path.
It was about at that time that Frazier found him. From the look on his face, something was seriously not good. His face was like the gray clouds above them.
“His Grace sent me to find you. He wants you to go to the house and wait for him in your rooms.”
“What have I supposedly done?”
“Lady Agnes is accusing you of making inappropriate advances to Lady Cathryn. She is demanding satisfaction.”
“I never did any such thing! What does she want?”
“I don’t know. His Grace finally got Lady Agnes to agree to speak about it privately rather than airing things in public.”
Charles kicked his boot along the ground. “I can’t bring shame to my family.”
“Let His Grace handle the situation.”
Charles nodded. “That’s all I can do for the moment.”
“That’s right.”
“Very well. Tell him I’ll be waiting on him.”
“I’m coming with you,” Frazier replied.
Charles began walking. “Come on. We need to hurry. Those clouds look as though they’re going to part at any time.”
The valet peered up at the darkening sky. “We do indeed.”
Without further word, the pair walked as fast as they could. By the time they made it to the house, a rumble of thunder sounded followed by a flash of lightning. The rain came down hard.
He followed Frazier into the kitchen and requested a pot of tea.
It always brought a smile to his face to see the look on the kitchen staff’s faces when he came into the busy room.
Charles saw no reason not to. After all, he had very little memory of living here and had always had access to anywhere he wanted to explore.
Once in his sitting room, he sat close to the hearth to warm the chill as he waited for tea. Finally, he walked over to the windows where the wind was blowing the rain sideways and the lightning frequently lit up the sky.
Frazier walked in with a footman carrying a tray filled with not only a pot of tea but sweets and sandwiches to hold him over until dinner.
He followed them to a large table and waited.
Pouring a cup of tea, he took a plate of egg sandwiches and a slice of cake covered with cream and strawberries.
He found a comfortable chair and set everything on a table in front of him. The cake was rich and the tea strong.
“I’ll leave you, milord.”
“Very good. Tell me something, Frazier. How does Lady Agnes think she can accuse me of anything, or demanding right be made? She’s not a man and women have no authority in matters like this, do they?”
“She is the oldest and perhaps her father left her in charge of her two sisters. There may not be a male relative. Or at least one close by. I’m sure His Grace will know the answer.”
“I’m sure he will. It just struck me as odd that Lady Anges would be so bold. But you’re right, there may not be a male relative.”
Another crack of thunder caused even Charles to jump, and when he turned in Frazier’s direction, the valet had disappeared into thin air. Just like he always did. He took a sip of tea. Deciding it was still too hot, he set it down on the table.
*
“Charles. Charles. Wake up.” A hand on his shoulder shook him lightly.
It was a familiar voice. Slowly he opened his eyes to find Arthur standing next to him. Charles sat up straighter and gazed at his brother.
“What is it?”
“We need to talk,” Arthur replied. He sat down in the chair next to his.
“We do? What about?” Charles picked up his tea, but it had cooled so he returned it to the table.
Arching a brow, Arthur sat back. “I’m sure your valet has informed you something of Lady Agnes’s accusation.”
“He shared what he knew at the time. I find it odd that she would go so far as to accuse me of something I didn’t do when earlier in the day she wanted nothing to do with me. I was a monster in her eyes.”
“I thought the same thing,” Arthur replied.
“Tell me exactly what I’m being accused of and what she wants.”
“She’s claiming you ruined Lady Cathryn.”
“Ruined her? All I did was help her mount my horse.”
Arthur tapped the arm of the chair with one hand. “I believe you, but Lady Agnes is making the accusations on behalf of her sister.”
“Is that so? I wonder.”
“Wonder what?”
“What does Lady Cathryn have to say about the matter?” Charles asked. He ran a hand through his hair and waited for the answer.
“She hasn’t said a word. She’s just let her sister speak for her.”
“I thought a male member of the family was in charge for such a claim. What does she want?”
“Her father, brother, and mother are on the Continent and there are no other male relatives nearby to take charge.”
Charles responded quickly. “Can that be done?”
“It’s rare, but in cases like this, yes, it can.”
“What does she want besides money?”
“Marriage to Lady Cathryn.”
Charles felt his heart skip a beat. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s simple. You took advantage of Lady Cathryn. You’ve ruined her. The best-case scenario is marriage.”
“No. I will not marry based on a lie.”
“Lady Agnes and Lady Cathryn will be here late tomorrow morning to go over the details. You will, of course, be present and can ask any questions.”
“No!” Charles shouted. “I will not. I did nothing wrong.”
Arthur slammed his hand down on the table in front of him. He understood and he would use Charles’s “ailments” as a way to put an end to this. “You are not going to ruin our family’s reputation and good name. If all else fails, you will marry the chit.”
“You know what I think? I think the entire incident has been planned.”
“What are you saying, Charles?”
“That Lady Agnes and her sisters planned this all out. Don’t you think it odd that Lady Cathryn’s incident happened when I was the only one around?”
“It’s a moot point.”
“No, it isn’t. I thought her parents had their sights set on someone else. A duke’s son or something.”
“You’re right. I remember that from the concert.”
“That must not have panned out the way her parents intended. But why choose me? I’m a second son and one some call mad.” He snorted at the description.
“Why don’t we do this. We’ll meet with them tomorrow.
In the meantime, I’ll see if I can find out anything about this gentleman Lady Cathryn’s parents wanted for her.
I’ll also send word to my solicitor in London and see if someone can find out about the family makeup.
See if there are or are not any male relatives who should be making these decisions. ”
“That sounds fair enough. Perhaps we’ll be able to put them off long enough for you to hear back from your people.”
“That’s what I’m counting on,” Arthur replied. “I suggest we go downstairs. Daphne was going to have something light for dinner.”
“She doesn’t have to take care of me.”
“What are you going to do? Hire your own staff?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“Well, don’t. I think you’d hurt her feelings if you did.”
“Very well,” he replied.
The two brothers made their way through the halls and stairs and found Daphne had dinner ready in the breakfast room. Fruit, cheeses, a roasted chicken, and bread made up the light meal.
Daphne had been sitting waiting on them.
She smiled when she saw the two brothers.
It would be easy for a stranger to mistake one brother for the other at first glance.
Charles, however, sported a beard and longer hair than Arthur.
If he was clean shaven like his brother, it would take a minute to try and determine who’s who.
“Are you nervous about the meeting?” Daphne asked.
“No, more curious than nervous,” Charles said.
“We’ll get through it tomorrow. Nothing will be resolved, and I’m sure that’s going to make Lady Agnes unhappy.”
“I have a wicked idea if everything goes their way. I will move to the cottage and Lady Cathryn will not get to live in the main house like I’m sure she wants to. Make her live humbly and maybe I’ll be able to get the truth out of her.”
Both Arthur and Daphne smiled at his words. “That’s mean, Charles, but I like it,” Daphne said.
“I’m surprised at you, Daphne. I would have thought you would want her living here,” Arthur said.
“Tricking a man into marriage. She deserves it. Perhaps a month or so in the cottage might humble her.”
Charles broke off a hunk of bread. “I was thinking more like a year, maybe two.”
“Charles!” Daphne exclaimed with a laugh.
“Hopefully it won’t come to that,” Arthur said.
“Maybe Lady Cathryn will have a change of heart and reject her sister’s idea,” Daphne said.
All he could do was hope something like that might happen.
The idea of being with a woman for the rest of his life that he was forced into marrying made his stomach churn.
It was trickery plain and simple. He even thought of finding somewhere to stay on the estate unseen from all.
Let them think he’d gone off on one of his days or weeks-long walks.
“That would be nice, but somehow I don’t see it happening,” Charles said.
“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow,” Arthur said. He cut a piece of cheddar and bit into it.
Everything was going to come down to tomorrow. Charles knew his life would come down to what this meeting brought.