Page 7 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
“That is kind of you, Vicar,” the driver said. “I do not think Her Ladyship would take kindly to me being idle for so long.”
Mr. Wilson turned and called, “Miss Browne, I do think this man is in a bit of a hurry.”
Charlotte was already pulling on her shawl as she walked to the door. “On my way, Mr. Wilson.” She stepped out of the door and gave the driver a smile.
“Good on you, Miss, for being punctual. Shall we be off then?” As the driver spoke, the footman leapt down and opened the door for Charlotte.
Charlotte nodded. “I suppose we should.” She accepted the hand the footman offered her as she got into the carriage. She did not feel that distressed until she waved goodbye to the children and the carriage lurched forward.
There was no turning back now. She was off to Berwick Manor, whether she wanted to be or not. She shifted on the seat and looked at the passing trees.
There was nothing now but the future. The feeling of standing at the edge of a cliff came to Charlotte. She could fall or she could fly, and she did not know which was going to happen. But she hoped it was the latter.
The ride was longer than she remembered from being a child travelling to the manor. When the carriage finally did stop, Charlotte’s limbs felt stiff from sitting. The footman opened the door. “Do you need help, Miss?”
Charlotte shook her head but accepted his hand down all the same. As soon as she was on the ground, he quickly scooped up the stool and put it back in its place at the rear of the carriage. Charlotte took a faltering step toward the large house.
Berwick Manor had never seemed so foreboding to her before. She remembered it as a magical place. But it stood cold and stark in the morning light. Charlotte drew in a breath as she stepped up onto the first step.
Charlotte did not see the steps before her. She saw the steps from her childhood memories. She and Amanda raced up these stairs and through the door without a care for the doorman’s stern warnings.
They had raced along the hallways and earned chuckles from Amanda’s parents. Too far away were those memories. Her hand slid around the heavy, metal door-knocker. Its loud, echoing sound against the door brought Charlotte firmly out of her reverie.
The doorman opened the door. Charlotte did not recognise the man, but why should she? They would not still have the same doorman surely. “Can I help you, Miss?”
For a moment Charlotte really hoped the man might be able to help her. She sighed. “I am expected by Miss Easterly. She sent a carriage to fetch me this morning.” Did Amanda not warn the household of her arrival? It might seem preposterous, but Charlotte knew all too well how much Amanda loved surprises.
She did not like the idea that this very much meant that Lord Easterly would be caught unaware by her arrival. She fidgeted with her gloves while the doorman gave her a considering look. “Just a moment, Miss.”
Charlotte was not surprised that the door closed again. She half-expected the man to tell her to go away, and this was the more tender of the options that lay before. The man would be wary of letting in some girl without a chaperone, of course.
She looked up at the sky. If Amanda had warned him, then the man would have ushered her inside. There was a ripple of thunder. “Please, spare me,” she whispered to the sky that was gathering clouds.
Chapter 2
Lord Graham Easterly, Earl of Atcham, stared at the paperwork in front of him. He barely saw it. His thoughts were far away in France.
The sturdy oak desk that he leaned his elbows on was one his father had made more than two decades ago. Graham could remember its arrival from the craftsman’s workshop. It had taken several men to carry it to its current location.
Graham frowned and wondered what his father would think of him if the man were alive today. Although the war had been over for some time, it still rang in his ears far more than Graham felt comfortable sharing. When he had heard that Vicar Browne’s son had perished at the Battle of Waterloo and would be left for the crows, Graham had felt compelled to send for his body.
It was one kindness he could afford to pay to the Browne family. He had made sure to do it all discreetly so as not to ruffle any feathers of Miss Browne’s. He did not know the woman’s station at present, but he would rather not cause any woes.
Still, he had not managed to make it to the funeral. He had not known that Charles’ family would choose to have it during the day while he was otherwise engaged. He felt remiss for not making the time.
“I should really go pay my respects to his family,” Graham mumbled to the portrait of his father that hung on the wall to his right. His father’s painting stared back at him with his stern gaze. Graham sighed at the man’s visage. “Same as always, Father.”
There was a knock at the door. “Your Lordship,” a female voice called through the door. “A guest has arrived, Your Lordship.”
Graham frowned. He stood up and went to the door. He yanked it open with irritation. “What is all this about a guest?”
The maid started at Graham’s sudden appearance. She begged his forgiveness as she took a step back. “She just arrived, and the doorman said I should come to fetch you.”
The words she said struck Graham. Someone had arrived at their home? If Tanner had sent the maid after him then he must have good reason. Graham left the maid with an incline of his head and went to see what the situation actually was for himself.
Graham had no sooner made it to the entrance hall than Amanda whisked by him all satin skirts and giggles. “That will be Charlotte>”
“What is this about, Amanda? I just had a maid come to fetch me from my study.” Graham made no effort to keep the irritation out of his voice as he addressed his sister.
