Page 45 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
“Do you not?” Miss Browne seemed to be holding on by a thread, her hands wringing together as she awaited his answer.
Graham could not believe what she was saying, what she was asking. Miss Browne actually viewed him as a man unto himself, a man worthy of jealousy and not just her friend’s older brother and a patron. “You misunderstand my intentions with Her Grace. The Duchess of Windham and I are friends. We have been since well before I went to the war, but we are nothing but friends.”
“She wishes to be more,” Miss Browne ventured.
Graham nodded. “I suppose she does. I should have been more straightforward with her but I never had a reason to be until now.”
Miss Browne took a step forward. “Until now?” Her voice was so soft, so fragile.
Graham reached out and ran a finger along her cheek. “I cannot help what the duchess feels, but I never intended being more than friends with her.”
Miss Browne pushed forward and Graham did not fight it when the young woman tugged his jacket to bring him within reach. Their lips met, slightly, gently, then more insistent.
A voice cleared its throat behind Graham, and he stepped back out of the embrace as Miss Browne too took a step backwards, as if ice water had been thrown upon her. The innkeeper’s wife stood behind Graham eyeing them with keen interest.
“Begging your pardon, Lordship,” the woman said as her eyes slid over to Miss Browne. “I was just coming to offer the lady a towel for the morning.”
Graham recovered himself swiftly. “Of course. I was just bidding Miss Browne goodnight.” He turned toward Miss Browne and gave her a slight bow. “Goodnight.”
“And you,” Miss Browne said with a curtsey.
Graham inclined his head to the innkeeper’s wife and was swiftly off to his room again. When he closed his door, he leaned his head against the coolness of the wood. What had he been thinking? He mumbled a curse beneath his breath.
Chapter 8
Charlotte did not truly want to allow the innkeeper’s wife to dally, but the woman insisted her way right into Charlotte’s room. “Now, let me place this towel down here,” the woman said busily.
Charlotte hovered near the door. “I really do not require anything.”
“I just want to make sure all our guests are comfortable.” The innkeeper’s wife stopped and looked at Charlotte. “You look familiar. Are you that girl from the penny portrait?”
Charlotte blushed deeply. She had forgotten all about Mrs. Lennox saying her print had become quite popular. “I have had a penny portrait made, yes.”
“Miss Browne, I think the print was called. Didn’t see your name on the ledger.” The woman’s curious gaze took in Charlotte from head to toe. “Suppose His Lordship has you set up for the night.”
Charlotte floundered. She sputtered, “I – perhaps – I mean yes.”
“The Earl of Atcham is a lovely man. He comes through here all the time. Can’t say I’ve seen this side of him.” She was puttering here and there as she spoke. “Oh, well, guess I better let you get some sleep.” The woman gave Charlotte a wink as she left.
Charlotte stood in the doorway completely puzzled by the woman’s bizarre behaviour. “What an odd woman,” she mumbled as she got ready for bed.
It was not until the next morning that Charlotte realised what she had done. She had confirmed her identity to the woman who had seen her kissing Lord Easterly. Charlotte fairly raced to Lord Easterly’s door that morning but could not bring herself to knock.
How would it look? No. Charlotte turned around and walked back to the stairs to simply await him downstairs. As she did so, she heard Lord Easterly’s door open.
She turned around in surprise. “Oh, Lord Easterly,” she said, as if she had not just been about to knock on his door. Charlotte wondered at how the man could make himself look so handsome after a long ride from London and a night in an inn.
Lord Easterly gave her a smile. “If you are headed to breakfast, let us go together.”
“Is that wise?” Charlotte asked. “After last night, I mean.”
Lord Easterly seemed to give it some thought. “Perhaps you are right. You may go down first and I will come later. I would never do anything to harm your reputation.”
“I may have done that myself,” Charlotte told him in a whisper. “The innkeeper’s wife knows who I am from that penny portrait that Mrs. Lennox had done in London.”
Lord Easterly breathed out a sigh. “There is nothing to be done for it now. Just go on down to breakfast. I shall be down shortly.”
Charlotte had little choice but to do as he said. Lord Easterly knew society better than she did. She walked down the stairs as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She saw the innkeeper’s wife at the counter below.
