Page 59 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
Amanda waved off the apology. She followed Charlotte and watched as her friend rounded up the children with such adeptness that it made Amanda marvel. It seemed the very act of herding cats to Amanda, but Charlotte accomplished it with relative ease.
Once the children were outside, Charlotte shooed them off, “Go on and play. I have to attend to the washing.”
The oldest of the girls offered, “I can help.”
“There will be plenty of time for work in your future,” Charlotte assured her. “Now run on with the others.”
Amanda came up beside Charlotte. “Should the child not get used to the duties of her station?”
The hard look that Charlotte gave Amanda made her regret her words. “She is a child and children should play.”
Amanda frowned. She stood awkwardly to the side while Charlotte worked. Charlotte walked down the row of clothing, pinned to the line with wooden pegs and felt each garment. If Charlotte deemed one dry enough, she took it down and folded it up neatly before placing it in a woven basket that was set nearby in the grass.
The afternoon passed in that fashion. Amanda followed her friend around as Charlotte did task after task, all while wrangling the brood of children. There were lessons to be taught and a house to be cleaned. Mrs. Wilson was in the kitchen cooking, and all the household seemed as busy as bees, other than Amanda.
Charlotte spoke to her as she worked. “You should show some compassion to your brother. He is only trying to do what he thinks is best for you.”
After her chores for the afternoon were at an end, Charlotte led Amanda out towards the small shed that served as Charlotte’s bedroom. Amanda was appalled at the very sight of the place. “This is how you live? You do everything for them, and this is where they place you?”
“I placed myself here,” Charlotte informed Amanda. “I like the quiet and it gives me my own space.”
Amanda frowned as Charlotte showed her inside the shed. It was neat and orderly. There was a bed and a small table to write. Amanda felt something she had never truly felt before toward Charlotte. She felt pity.
There was guilt that rolled up inside her. She had sent Charlotte fleeing back to this life. Charlotte had chosen this life over life at Berwick Manor, all because of the chain of events that Amanda had set in motion.
She could not quite bring herself to say the words, but Amanda felt the weight of how she had treated Charlotte on her shoulders. She looked around at Charlotte’s ‘room’. She had driven Charlotte here with her spite and jealousy.
Charlotte gave Amanda a curious look. “Are you ill?”
“No.” Amanda turned toward Charlotte. “You have always been very kind to me. I should not impose on you anymore.”
Charlotte’s expression held confusion. “You will journey back to Berwick Manor?”
“I should like to speak to Lord Stanhope before I see my brother again, but it may not be possible. I cannot run away from things, as you have said.” Amanda straightened her shoulders.
Charlotte gave Amanda a smile. She put her hand on Amanda’s shoulder. “I never said you had to do it all by yourself. The road home does cut through the town. It would do little harm to take a look around. Besides, it will be dark before you reach Berwick Manor. I could not stand by and let you travel alone.”
Amanda let out a breath she had not realised she was holding. “Oh, thank you,” she said with genuine gratitude. “Again, you show me kindness, even when I fear that I have not been as kind as I could be to you.”
“Come. The longer we stand talking the later it gets,” Charlotte said. Amanda let the conversation drop as Charlotte said. “I have to tell Mrs. Wilson where I will be. Wait with your horse and I will come to you.”
Amanda waited for Charlotte to fetch her horse. “This is Dusk,” Charlotte said with affection as she led the grey stallion towards her.
“He’s beautiful. I did not know that you had a horse.” Amanda did not know why she said it , but she immediately regretted her words as a look of sadness crossed Charlotte’s face.
Charlotte turned toward the horse as if to check her saddle. “He was my brother’s. I could not keep him, so I sold him to the Wilson family.”
“I did not mean to hurt you,” Amanda said truthfully. “I remember how much you loved riding.”
Charlotte nodded. “Truthfully, I don’t get to ride often. It is better that he has a family that needs him. Still, it is nice to ride him again. Come on. We are wasting daylight.”
*
Charlotte eyed Amanda as they rode. It had been a most eventful day, and Charlotte certainly had not thought she would have spent it convincing Amanda Easterly not to run away. There were birds calling out as the sun sank behind the treetops. “I know that it is not my place, but I do wish you would give up this pursuit of Lord Stanhope.”
“Why?” Amanda looked at her and Charlotte could see the pride there. Where was that glimmer of humility that Charlotte had spotted in the woman at the house?
Charlotte said reasonably, “I know that you hold affection for him, but the side of the man that I have seen does not speak of someone who has either my or your best interest at heart.”
