Page 98 of Every Rake Has A Silver Lining

“Oh, Mr. Beckham, how you do go on!”

Charlotte refrained from rolling her eyes. She truly did want to make a good impression on these people. Instead, she forced a smile, one she hoped appeared more genuine than what she felt at that moment, and held her tongue.

Miss Throckmorton donned the bonnet and preened before Simon. “What do you think, Mr. Beckham?”

Simon leaned back and tilted his head, a finger pressed to his lips. Lips she had recently kissed. “Hmm. I’m not sure if that color does justice to your engaging blue eyes, Miss Throckmorton.”

Charlotte forced back the gag and gave Simon’s ribs a subtle jab with her elbow.

“Ough. Forgive my manners, ladies. Charlotte, allow me to introduce Mrs. Westley, the owner of this fine establishment, and Miss Throckmorton. Ladies, Lady Charlotte Beckham, my wife.”

Miss Throckmorton’s sunny, bright smile devolved into a stormy frown, her former dismissive glance growing devious and predatory.

“LadyCharlotte?” Mrs. Westley’s brows lifted so briefly Charlotte might have imagined it. “Well, Simon, you have done well, it seems. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Charlotte.”

Miss Throckmorton didn’t seem to agree as she continued toshoot icy daggers in Charlotte’s direction. She pulled the bonnet off her head and pushed it toward Mrs. Westley.

“You have a lovely shop, Mrs. Westley. The way myhusbanddrives”—Charlotte darted a glance to the pouting girl—“I shall be a frequent customer.”

Simon chuckled, then pointed toward the discarded bonnet. “May I?” After taking it from Mrs. Westley’s outstretched hands, he held it in front of Charlotte. “But I think this cream color goes perfectly with your eyes, my dear.” He placed the bonnet on Charlotte’s head, then criss-crossed the ribbons under her chin.

Charlotte wondered if he planned to choke her with them.

He leaned back to assess the effect. “What do you think, Mrs. Westley? Miss Throckmorton? Doesn’t my wife look lovely in this?”

What game was Simon playing at? Mischief danced in his blue eyes. He had something up his sleeve, for certain.

Although Mrs. Westley gave a resoundingyes, Miss Throckmorton only grunted.

When all was said and done, Simon balanced three stacked hat boxes in his arms—including one containing the bonnet Miss Throckmorton cast aside—as they bade farewell to Mrs. Westley and Miss Throckmorton. He placed them on the floorboard of the curricle, then paid a young boy a half-penny to keep watch while they continued to shop.

“Does everyone fawn over you or just the women?” Charlotte grumbled as they strolled past the other shops, exchanging greetings and introductions with people passing by.

Truly, the face of everyone they met lit up when they caught sight of her husband, but especially the women. Young or old, it didn’t matter.

“Can I help it if I’m an overall likable person? You act as if it’s a crime to have people like me.”

Not a crime. Just something Charlotte was not familiar within the least. “And must you flirt so openly? It’s a wonder a jealous husband hasn’t shot you dead.”

He barked a laugh. “Perhaps husbands aren’t the only ones jealous. Hmm? Might there be a touch of green-eyed envy in your own heart?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” She sniffed and turned her head so as not to expose the truth to him. Shewasjealous. And the thought rankled.

During their evenings together, with the shared kisses and Simon’s patient seduction, she’d begun to believe he might truly like her. Want her.Her. That perhaps she had become special to him.

And she’d slowly started exposing her buried heart, bit by bit, pushing away the layers of protection she’d carefully constructed over the years. Like the sun peeking through an overcast sky, a shred of hope emerged that finally she could trust someone enough to make herself vulnerable. To risk the hurt. To lay her heart open in someone else’s hands.

Foolish.Naïve.

Terrifying.

She cursed the crack in her armor allowing him to sneak in.

He lavished the same attention and affection on everyone he met. He made each woman feel like she was the only thing in his universe when he spoke with her.

Layers of protection slipped back into place.

Just another conquest, she wasn’t special to him at all.

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