Excerpt from His Matchmaking Wallflower #2
“Miranda’s right,” Felicity said firmly, reminding Charlotte that for all her friend’s shyness, she could be remarkably forthright when the occasion called for it.
“Perhaps if the duke had a little indication that you see him as more than your brother’s best friend, he would be more inclined to look at you as a marriage prospect.
Your families are close, after all. It would be a suitable match. ”
“You sound like your aunt Emma,” Charlotte said. “God rest her soul.”
Miranda was about to speak when they heard footsteps approaching.
Miranda lifted her eyebrows, and Felicity widened her eyes.
A fluttering began in Charlotte’s stomach as she guessed who was behind her.
She turned, wearing what she hoped was an alluring half smile, and came face-to-face with the Duke of Arundel’s buttons.
“Oh, excuse me,” she stepped back in horror and bumped into the lemonade table with her hip. “I’m so sorry.”
She winced, then heat flooded her as he reached out to steady her with a hand on her forearm.
“I do beg your pardon, Lady Charlotte,” he said in that low, rich voice she knew so well. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Miss Doherty, Miss Sutton.” He gave them each a quick bow in turn, which thankfully allowed Charlotte a few seconds to compose herself.
“Not at all, Lord Arundel. I’m a little dizzy; it’s been so warm today,” she gabbled.
Why must she always be such a silly goose around him?
Of course he would never see her as anything but a little sister when she reduced herself to such foolishness. It hadn’t even been particularly hot that day; certainly not for the middle of June.
She saw Miranda briefly close her eyes and Felicity almost imperceptibly bite her lip and knew that her friends were embarrassed for her.
The duke, however, looked almost disappointed. “I hope you’re not unwell? That does rather ruin my plans because I was hoping you would give me the first dance. I do believe the band is about to strike up a waltz.”
“Oh! But of course, yes, I should like that very much, thank you.” Aware that she was rambling, Charlotte pressed her lips together and took his outstretched hand as the music started up.
Dancing she could manage. That was certainly easier than talking to Henry, who had at some point in the past few years transformed from being William’s gangly friend to the only object of her romantic affections.
They bowed to each other and began their dance. The duke’s gloved hand rested lightly on her waist, but she was so aware of it that his touch seemed to burn right through the light silk of her dress, her shift, and petticoats to her very skin.
Charlotte swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry as she concentrated on keeping up with the steps. The duke was an accomplished dancer, and Charlotte was all too aware of his lean hips and long, muscled thighs in his tight breeches.
“Thank you for asking me to dance,” she murmured, finding herself unable to meet his eyes. “I’m sure I would have been left in the corner otherwise.”
“That’s only because you and your friends insist on hiding there all night at every ball.” He chuckled. “Anyone would think you were avoiding someone.”
Charlotte wasn’t sure what to say. She turned with the movements of the dance, glad to have a minute to gather her thoughts. The fact that he had noticed her and her habits…. It made her pulse quicken in her throat.
“Of course, that’s a godsend for me,” the duke went on in his easy tone. “There are far too many pushy mothers waiting for me to dance with their daughters.”
Charlotte felt a crushing disappointment in her stomach. She had expected as much, but even so…. Was he always going to see her as no more than a friend? Not even that, but a friend’s little sister?
“So, I’m rescuing you from their machinations?” She tried to smile, but her face felt tight.
Henry didn’t seem to notice. “I’d like to think we’re rescuing each other. I saw the Earl of Banbury looking at you rather intently over his glass earlier. Apparently, he was asking William how your betrothal prospects were going.”
“Really?” Charlotte gaped at him, nearly losing her steps in the dance. The earl was old and a notorious fortune hunter, having gambled away most of his inheritance. Charlotte’s dowry wasn’t particularly impressive, but it would certainly be welcome to a man like the earl.
The dance ended too soon, and Henry bowed and held his arm out to her. “I’ll escort you back to your friends.”
Charlotte knew he was simply avoiding being expected to ask another young lady for the next dance, but a blush heated her cheeks as she nodded.
Unfortunately, before she could take his arm, another man stepped in front of her, bowing deeply and spilling a drop of champagne on her slippers as he did so.
The Earl of Banbury.
“May I have the pleasure of this dance, Lady Charlotte?” His jowls wobbled as he smiled at her, showing his bad teeth.
Charlotte shot a horrified look at the duke, who merely shrugged as though to say, “I told you so.”
The earl saw her look and frowned at the duke. “You can’t be expecting to have the next dance with this fair lady as well, Your Grace? Give the rest of us a chance, won’t you?” He brayed a laugh that reminded Charlotte of a donkey.
Henry inclined his head. “You’re correct, of course.”
He shot Charlotte a look of sympathy but then walked away, leaving her there.
Charlotte looked around desperately for William but couldn’t see him through the crowd.
Knowing that she couldn’t refuse the earl without seeming dreadfully rude and sparking gossip, she politely offered him her hand and was pleased they were both wearing gloves or else she was certain his palm would be clammy.
The music started again, a cotillion that required, to Charlotte’s relief, less contact between partners than the previous waltz. Glancing down the line, she saw Felicity dancing with a young man who had a huge mustache. Miranda was nowhere to be seen.
“You dance very well,” the earl told her, although he seemed to be paying rather more attention to her décolletage than her feet.
“Thank you,” she said stiffly. She saw William just up ahead, dancing with the golden-haired young woman she had noticed earlier. Spotting Charlotte, he smiled with approval to see her dancing with the earl. There was to be no help from that quarter, then.
She let out a sigh of relief as the music ended, ready to escape back to her corner, but then the earl laid his gloved hand on her arm. “I would be honored to dance with you again later,” he said with an air of expectation that she would, of course, be grateful to accept.
“Oh… I… that wouldn’t be fair,” she stammered, trying to echo his own words to the duke back at him.
He gave a surprised snort, and Charlotte hurried away before he could respond, praying he wouldn’t complain about her rudeness to William—or, worse, her mother when he next saw her.
Reconvening with Felicity and Miranda back at the lemonade table, she found that Felicity looked just as uncomfortable with her own dancing experience as Charlotte had been. Miranda seemed agitated, pulling Charlotte toward them so that they created a tight ring of three.
“Have you heard about Victoria Talbot?” Miranda hissed. “I was just speaking to her sister.”
Charlotte shook her head, wondering what on earth could have happened to rile Miranda so much.
“She’s just gotten betrothed to the Duke of Wight!”
Felicity gasped. “That notorious old lecher! Why, he’s old enough to be her grandfather.”
“She could have done so much better,” Charlotte protested. “Of course, the duke is rich, but….”
“He’s a beast,” Miranda said frankly, not mincing her words. “And his first two wives died in childbirth. She’ll be the third Duchess of Wight. It doesn’t bode well for her, the poor girl.”
Charlotte shuddered at the thought of Victoria, a sweet girl, being married off to that terrible old man. It was awful; although, she wasn’t sure why Miranda herself seemed so upset about it. Miranda was always very implacable, and Victoria had been an acquaintance rather than a friend.
Then Miranda voiced her concerns, whispering urgently to them both, and Charlotte found that she understood her friend perfectly.
“Girls, we need to start taking matters into our own hands as regards this marriage business. Because if we leave it to our families, or to chance, then poor Victoria’s fate is going to be our own.”
Charlotte wholeheartedly agreed.