Page 13 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
He walked the coin along his fingers, flipping it between them. It was an old habit. Far older than the coin. He was still lost in thought when Amanda entered.
She took one look at the coin and asked, “What have I done now?”
“Nothing that I know of. Are you in need of repenting?” Graham kept walking the coin along his fingers as he spoke to her.
Amanda stuck her tongue out at him. “Are you sure you are not the one that needs such as that? What are you thinking about so deeply?”
“I was thinking about how no one around here seems to heed what I say.” Graham shrugged and moved his hands off the table as the maid reached him and put his plate in front of him. “Thank you.”
Amanda looked around as Miss Browne came in. “You look awful.”
“I feel the same,” Miss Browne informed her.
Graham deposited the coin in his pocket. “All the same I am glad that you have joined us. Perhaps it will stop my sister and me from fighting so much.”
“I can honestly say that I feel no need to argue with you, Brother.” Amanda waited as the maid placed her plate in front of her. “I am in too good a mood for even your grumpiness to ruin it.”
Graham intoned, “Yes, because London is so much fun.”
“Not all of us have to work while we are there, Graham,” Amanda reminded him. “You do get to look for yourself a lovely bride as well. I just wish that you did not have to get Great Aunt Beatrice to be my chaperone.”
Graham lifted his glass of wine. “Who would you like me to get? There are scarcely any other relations around willing to do so.”
“Well, why not Charlotte?” Amanda waved at Miss Browne whose large brown eyes grew round with the unexpected turn of events.
Graham waved off Amanda’s nonsense. “She is your lady’s maid and, as such, is not really the best chaperone for society events. Trust me when I say that I have picked the best chaperone for you.”
“The best chaperone to make sure I never get suitors. She will beat them away from me. They will run in terror.” Amanda gestured with her hands as if she were clobbering her meat. “Terror, Graham.”
He gave her a smile. “My word on this is final.” He took a sip of her wine. “I simply do not have time to find another suitable chaperone and there is nothing wrong with her.”
The look of dissatisfaction on Amanda’s face made Graham’s evening all the better. He was never really harsh to her, and their parents had definitely never told Amanda no, but there were some things that even Graham could not do on a whim.
His eyes went over to Miss Browne. The young lady was nibbling at her meal. “Are you not hungry?”
Miss Browne’s eyes came up and she gazed at him through her long lashes as if she were too shy to look at him directly. “I think I am just tired.”
“I imagine you are if Mrs. Sullivan has had you working. The woman simply does not know when to stop, it seems.” Graham nodded. “You should eat though.”
Miss Browne gave him a small smile. “I know I should, but I think I am simply more tired than hungry.”
“Then you should sleep,” Amanda said.
Graham rolled his eyes at his sister. She would say the opposite of whatever he said, so Graham left it up to Miss Browne and said, “It is your choice.”
Miss Browne sighed. “As much as this is a lovely meal, I think I shall go up to bed.”
Graham accepted her decision with a nod of his head. When Miss Browne stood up to leave, Graham stood up respectfully. He only sat down when she was out of the room. Amanda snorted. “You really are just like Father.”
“How am I like him today?” Graham had got used to Amanda listing his flaws.
Amanda’s lips curved up into a smile. “It is no fun if you do not get angry, but truthfully you tend to try to be everyone’s father. It is quite odd.”
Graham had tried to explain to Amanda once why he had come back from the war with a protectiveness for those around him. He had only tried once, though. Amanda simply seemed incapable of understanding that he had seen enough death over the last few years to last him a lifetime.
*
The ceiling over Charlotte’s bed held a fascination that only appealed to those who were so desperate for sleep, and yet sleep would never come. She was terrified and at the same time excited to be leaving for London today. Charlotte got out of her bed with the eagerness of a child on Christmas morning.
