Chapter One
Clouds drifted lazily overhead, intermittently blocking
the sun and making shadows dance across the green meadow
below. With her straw hat beside her on the grass, the
cool breeze gently lifted Charlotte's long auburn locks
and caressed her neck. She stifled a sigh. Coming to
Southbridge had been a mistake. Charlotte resolved to
weather this house party and keep a low profile, if that
was possible with the matchmaking Balstrams. Still, it was
lovely to be in the country again.
Having escaped the festivities, she sat atop a low-lying
hill overlooking a small meadow and its surrounding
clusters of trees. Charlotte felt as if she could be a
million miles from London instead of a mere day's carriage
ride. She drew idly in her notebook, lamenting Henrietta's
influence in bringing her to this house party in the first
instance.
"You must come to our gathering, Charlotte," her friend
had avowed. "It will be the event -- outside London, of
course. Mama says there'll be many eligible bachelors at
the house party and you must make haste, or Mr. Blanton
will begin pressing his suit again. I would hate to see
you married to a man you cannot tolerate."
"Do not pretend you're so concerned for my unmarried
state, Henrietta," Charlotte chided playfully. "You just
want the pretense of my attendance to mask your trysts
with your darling Mr. Frickerby."
"What utter nonsense, Charlotte. I'm too polite by far to
point out that you are nearly two years my senior and not
getting any younger."
Charlotte crossed her arms and raised a dubious brow.
"And what if I do want to be with my beloved?" Henrietta
answered candidly. "Would it hurt for you to be a little
helpful while getting yourself out? It will be a whole
week and Stuart and I can have many, ah, moments,
together."
Charlotte suppressed a smile. "I'm quite sure your parents
wouldn't appreciate your finer moments with Mr. Frickerby.
Perhaps there is something to their dissatisfaction with
his suit?"
"I know that with you there to ease Mama's and Papa's
concerns, they'll learn to accept our union. You know how
Mama and Papa adore you. They are forever going on about
how 'Charlotte would never do this,' or 'Charlotte is such
a proper young lady.'"
"I wish your parents would talk to my Aunt Sylvie about
all my sterling attributes." She sighed. "Just this week
she was telling me how improper it is for me to volunteer
at the veterans' hospital."
"You know she's not opposed to your charitable work; she
just prefers you do it less personally. I cannot argue
with her there, Charlotte." Henrietta shuddered
dramatically. "The one time you took me to that dreadful
place nearly had me in the vapors. What a fright that
horrible man gave me."
"That 'horrible man' was trying to direct you to the
general's office. You were lost, if I recall."
"But he spoke to me!"
"How else did you expect him to tell you the way? Draw you
a picture?" Charlotte shook her head, exasperated. "These
men are facing terrible difficulties. Yet many do it with
humor and great fortitude. I gain much from my friendships
there."
"What could you possibly have in common with those men?
What could you talk about?"
"You'd be surprised. I've learned some of the most
fascinating things." She smiled mischievously.
"Such as?"
"Such as what happens between a husband and a wife."
Henrietta's eyes widened in shock. "They actually talk to
you about such matters? Scandalous!"
"Oh, no. But if you spend enough time around the fellows,
it is amazing what one picks up. These men have
experienced much more than you or I."
"Of course they have, Charlotte. They are men." Henrietta
said. "That's exactly why their experiences are not
necessarily useful to us."
"I disagree. Why, just the other day, Lieutenant Freeman
was teaching me how to defend myself."
Henrietta huffed, "Defend yourself? That's what gentlemen
are for, Charlotte.
"You never know when you might need to fend off the
overenthusiastic suitor, Henrietta. It's remarkable what
one can accomplish with one's elbows and knees."
"I do not need to fend off anyone. I have my Stuart, and
despite the unsavory habits you're developing, my parents
are still under the impression that you are perfect. So
will you help me or not?"
Charlotte hesitated; a week away with a house full of
eligible bachelors and matchmaking mamas did not fit
within her plans for remaining unnoticed. But Henrietta
had whined, "Please, Charlotte? I am so much in love. Are
you going to deny me true happiness?" Charlotte somehow
doubted that what Henrietta felt for Stuart Frickerby was
more than a passing infatuation; she could barely stay
attached to anything from sunrise to sunset. Still, who
was she to stand in the way of her friend's great wish?
Finally she relented, not only because of Henrietta's
begging, but because she wanted to avoid her Aunt Sylvie's
displeasure.
As soon as Charlotte had completed six months of mourning
for her father, Aunt Sylvie had campaigned for her to find
a suitable husband. "Charlotte, you must become more
social, and this party is exactly the kind of engagement
in which to do so. I understand that the Duke of Girard
himself will be attending. He is the best ton. It is high
time you took the matter of securing a husband seriously.
I will not have you settling for one of your broken
soldiers. You are a beautiful young lady, and you'd do so
well if you'd only apply yourself."
Charlotte's attempts at deflecting Aunt Sylvie did little
good. Even reminding her aunt of the difficulties of the
last few years, when her father lay ill and dying, did not
help. During that time, no one had questioned her lack of
interest in marriage ...