Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Afew hours after the baroness had departed, the complexion cream was delivered from her mother’s house.
Charlotte raced to her room to apply it.
With regular application, she hoped it would help her freckles fade away, making her skin clearer and more attractive in the eyes of the ton, as her mother had promised.
There was no better time to begin the treatment than the present, since they would be making their first public appearance soon.
Charlotte wanted nothing more than to make Perry proud and be an exemplary wife and mother within the realm of society.
The paste was thick, and Charlotte despaired not being able to use much during the day, as it would be unsightly.
She rubbed it into her skin as best she could, bringing her face close to the looking glass to examine her work.
A soft knock sounded at the door, startling Charlotte, and she brought her hand down, pausing the application, a thick blob of cream remaining on the tips of her fingers.
“Come in,” she said to the mystery visitor. Perhaps Aurelia was coming to speak with her, as she often did. Her daughter loved to escape her nurse whenever the opportunity arose.
Perry cleared his throat. “Pardon the interruption, but I have news,” he said, his eyes focused on a piece of paper as he spoke.
He glanced up at her in the mirror with alarm.
Perry’s gaze connected with hers as she resumed smoothing the cream on her skin.
“What on earth are you doing to your face?”
“Oh, Mother recommended this treatment for removing all my sunspots. I thought it might please her since I let my skin be exposed to the sun enough to create these dratted spots. What is your news?”
Peregrine stood, a frown marring his features. He disappeared into the dressing room only to emerge with a wet cloth and hand it to her wordlessly.
“Peregrine, what is this for?”
“Remove that terrible concoction. I will not have you lose any of your freckles. Not a single one.” He gave her a stern look as he eyed the wet cloth in his hand.
Charlotte laughed at his displeasure and stood, waving him away. When she would not take the cloth, Peregrine brought his fingers gently under her chin and wiped the cream in slow, careful strokes.
“Are you certain? These spots are not favored among polite society,” Charlotte asked, mimicking her mother’s haughty tone. Her cheeks heated at his proximity, warmth flooding her body.
“I would not have you change a single thing about your face. I have grown quite attached to each of your delicate features, including the way your beautiful eyes shine when you smile, and the way your cheeks flush when I…” Perry cleared his throat. “Pardon me, I got carried away. You’re all done.”
Charlotte pulled away abruptly, her heart thrumming beneath her breast. He wasn’t the only one who got swept away, lost in those endless depths of blue. Standing this close, his warm breath on her skin sent shivers skating up her spine.
“What shall I tell my mother when my freckles do not fade?” she asked with a small smile.
“Tell her your husband forbade you to remove them.”
Covering her mouth with her hand, Charlotte giggled, watching as Perry went to dispose of the cream and the washcloth.
Upon his return, she eyed a small box he held in his hand that must have been hidden earlier.
“I have brought you back a gift. Consider it the first among many I hope to bestow on my wife.” The small box popped open, revealing a gold ring carved with forget-me-nots.
Pleasure washed over her as she twirled the band and read the words engraved on the inside of the ring. The words spoke of an emotion she had thought impossible. A declaration that meant more to her than any words that had ever been spoken.
Tu es mon bonheur.
You are my happiness. A tear trickled down her cheek. She could not take her eyes off the delicate band. At his words, her chest flooded with warmth, her heart racing as her eyes traced a slow path up his chest to connect with his.
His brows drew together with worry as he swiped the tear away, his hand lingering on her cheek. “Is it to your liking? I can find you something more ornate if you prefer. There were so many rings to choose from.”
“It is perfect. I love it,” she said as she smiled up at him. Her husband was the only one who had ever made her feel so cared for, so precious.
Perry took the ring and spread out her hand. Tugging off the signet ring she had been wearing, he slid the new one on her finger. Her eyes rested upon her trembling hand, disbelieving. The sight of the posy ring was breathtaking.
“There. This is the only thing about you that needed improving.” His brows drew together in a stern warning, though she knew he was only being playful. “Now, you’re perfect. My perfect countess.”
Unable to resist, she raised up on her toes to press a kiss on his lips.
She noticed a soft dusting of pink on his cheeks as she pulled away, matching the heat in her own, she imagined.
“I will treasure it always,” she said, a vague curiosity lingering in her mind. “Now what is your news?”
“Ah, yes,” he began, “my brother has informed me that after a close inspection of the carriage, it may have been tampered with. Cedric, our driver, is quite adamant that he checked the vehicle before we departed. After the accident, it was observed that a linchpin was loosened, and as we progressed on our journey, it came out.”
Charlotte took a step back and inhaled sharply. “If we had been going faster, we could have been killed. Who would do this?”
With a frown, Perry’s shoulders drooped as he handed her the paper to examine.
“Whoever did this might have been trying to hurt me, endangering you and Aurelia as well. We suspect the man who shot me, the missing Mr. Jeffries, may have had something to do with it. The man has not been apprehended yet,” he explained.
Reading over the letter quickly, Charlotte brought a hand to her mouth, shocked that someone would even conceive an attack so cruel upon her family.
“You must not blame yourself. This is the work of someone truly evil. We are simply lucky our injuries were limited, and Winston was able to get his arm set. It is a relief to know he will make a full recovery.”
“What if Mr. Jeffries tries to come after me again? I worry that you and Aurelia will no longer be safe with me,” Perry said, his words laced with emotion. “I will have more men hired to protect you and our daughter. There is nothing to be done for it until this man is caught.”
Folding the letter, Charlotte sat in her chair, pressing a hand to her chest. “I will alert Ann to be more aware of her surroundings. We’ll ensure a footman is always with them if they are outside.”
Perry gave a silent nod and strode from the room, seeming reassured.
She hoped it would be enough. It would be a tragedy if anything happened to her husband, for they had only just found each other again.
Turning to face the mirror, Charlotte searched her eyes for signs of her former confidence and saw none. She was afraid.
With their rapid courtship, many things between them had been left unsaid, and unresolved. Charlotte regretted their wedding night the more she thought about it.
If something happened to Perry, would she feel like she had been honest about everything? Charlotte huffed, pressing her palms to her cheeks, still damp from Perry’s careful washing, knowing the answer to her own question.
There were more secrets to reveal to her husband.
Hopefully, she could find the courage to divulge them before it was too late.