Page 40 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
“It is not that it is important to me, but as someone of your stature should know, it is really not a place for you.” Amanda tutted and shook her head. “I do not want you to embarrass yourself, Lotte.”
Charlotte’s eyes flashed as she narrowed her gaze at Amanda. “Am I back to being your servant again?”
“You have never gone above that station unless it was in your mind,” Amanda reminded Charlotte. “Do not look at me like that, Lotte. I only tell you this because of our friendship and Lord Stanhope’s reputation. Think of him and what it would be like for it to get out that he was courting a maid.”
Charlotte blushed. She sputtered out the words, “Amanda that is most crude. We are not courting, nor close to it. We are merely acquainted.” She straightened her back and eyed Amanda steadily. “Is this about him or about how you feel?”
“You always take offense when none was intended. I offered you a room as my guest and you took offense. I gave you the job you wanted and treated you as such, and again you were offended.” Amanda shook her head and set her tea down. “I do not think it is me who needs to worry about how she feels, Lotte.”
Amanda stood up and left the room before Charlotte had a chance to recover from Amanda’s bruising words. Let that soak into the silly woman’s head.
It was just as well that Graham was absent from breakfast due to an early morning meeting. He would have surely tried to make peace. But really, it is better that things be out in the open. Lord Stanhope deserves a real lady, not some fraud trying to better her station in life.
Amanda did not feel bad in the least about it, not even when she met Charlotte downstairs an hour later to go to the tea party at Lord Stanhope’s. She had to admit that part of her was disappointed that Charlotte had not chosen to simply stay home. It did not matter, as there were other things to do to put a surly maid in her place.
The carriage ride was a quiet one. The only time anyone spoke was when Amanda’s aunt made small talk. Eventually, the woman gave up and Amanda thought the better of her for it.
When they arrived, Amanda stepped out of the carriage and breathed in the lovely fragrance of the flowers that grew along the edge of the driveway. A couple was exiting a carriage just ahead of them and Amanda smiled. The more witnesses the better.
Charlotte and her aunt made their way out of the carriage and walked towards Amanda, who waited just before the steps to the front door. As they approached Amanda said, loud enough for all to hear, “The servant’s entrance is around the side of the house, Lotte. We shall meet you inside.”
The look on Charlotte’s face was the perfect blend of disbelief and outrage. Amanda’s aunt looked at Charlotte expectantly. Charlotte ducked her head and fled around the corner of the house. Amanda just did manage to hide her satisfied smile.
“Really, you think she would not have to be told,” Amanda said with a sigh. “Shall we, Aunt?”
Chapter 7
Graham was late out of his meeting and had to go straight from there to the home of Lord Stanhope, where he was to meet his sister and Miss Browne. As his carriage passed the park, he noticed a familiar form and tapped the roof of the carriage for the driver to stop. When the carriage was pulled to one side of the road he got out.
The driver looked over the edge of the carriage at him curiously. “Find a place to park and await me,” Graham said absentmindedly. The driver nodded and cracked the reins to take the carriage to a safer spot.
Graham turned his attention on the crumpled form on the bench ahead of him. “Miss Browne?”
She looked up at him. Her tear-stained face tore at his heart. “Lord Easterly,” she whispered as she dabbed at her face with her handkerchief, as if she could clean away the evidence of her tears.
“Are you well? I was passing on my way to Lord Stanhope’s tea party when I saw you sitting here.” Graham regarded the woman with puzzlement. “I thought you were with my aunt and sister?”
Miss Browne nodded. “I was. I just had to get some air.”
“So you came here alone?” Graham looked around and found his first observation was indeed correct. The young woman was quite alone, and in public no less. “Surely something had to happen to make you choose to spend time here on this bench instead of at the party?”
Miss Browne waved off his question and Graham had no choice but to let his questions go unanswered, or he would be forced to pry. He really did not want to pry. If she chose to keep her secrets, he would allow her to do so.
He glanced up at the lovely park behind them. “Since we are here at Hyde Park anyway, and I have no real desire to spend an hour with Lord Stanhope and my sister, would you care to take a turn around the gardens with me?”
Charlotte looked at him in surprise. She took the arm he offered her. “That would be nice.”
They walked around the park’s walking path, which circled the park and was really quite a pleasant respite in the middle of London for a good constitutional. Graham felt wholly better once the shadows in Miss Browne’s eyes were replaced with genuine glimmers of amusement at his observations.
“I saw a green rose once,” Graham told her.
Charlotte hid a laugh behind her free hand. “Surely you jest?”
“No. it was as green as its leaves. It was quite disconcerting actually.” Graham laid his hand on top of Miss Browne’s hand on his arm. “You know, you really do have the loveliest hair.” He lifted his hand and pushed a sprig of hair behind her ear.
The most fetching colour rose to Miss Browne’s cheeks and thrilled Graham with his discovery of how easily he could make the girl flush.
Miss Browne said, “I think my hair rather dull compared to yours.”
