Part 11 (1/2)

”But he doesn't love me! At one time I thought he was my friend but I did something foolish back when you were staying at Ormond last year and he could hardly bear to be in my company afterwards. I know that he only came to London because Alexander virtually insisted. We have been cordial enough while here, but that doesn't const.i.tute enough for a deep and lasting relations.h.i.+p. He thinks that I am coa.r.s.e, not much better than a harlot.”

Olivia stroked Charlotte's damp cheeks.

”I don't know what you did back then, but I haven't seen you do anything that could be remotely described as coa.r.s.e. A little spirited, perhaps, but there's nothing wrong with that. Tell me what happened at Ormond and I may be able to make more sense of it for you.”

Charlotte shook her head, but the d.u.c.h.ess smiled benevolently at her and waited for her to tell the tale. Charlotte wiped her tears on the back of her hand before she began her tale.

”It was when Starlight was born. We'd had dinner and just finished dessert and the ladies were about to leave the room when I sneaked off to the stables. I knew that Star Gazer hadn't looked comfortable during the day and I wanted to see how she was coming along. I discovered Geoffrey in the stables with his s.h.i.+rt off, attempting to turn the foal while it was still in Star Gazer's birth ca.n.a.l. She wouldn't let him near her and I ended up stripping my dress so that I could do it. I asked Geoff to undo my b.u.t.tons. As bad as it sounds, I couldn't let my gown become soiled. Giles had spent a fortune on it. I was fully covered at all times anyway, but after the foal had been born, Geoffrey became all tense and angry and stomped off. Alexander arrived and he helped me into my gown again before we returned to the castle. It was all very circ.u.mspect and only due to necessity. There was no impropriety. Alexander can attest to the truth of my words, but since that day, Geoffrey has gone out of his way to avoid me and until this trip, it had worked. I had seen him only a handful of times. He does it on purpose because he hates me and what I did. He thinks that I am no better than those women who hang around the bar at the Bear and Dragon.”

Olivia let out a gentle breath.

”You took off your dress...Ah, I see. Well, that explains a lot.”

Charlotte looked surprised.

”It does?”

Olivia nodded happily.

”Oh yes, never clearer.”

Charlotte remained confused.

”How?”

Olivia stood up.

”Never mind how. We have to sort you out a gown to wear tomorrow. Fortunately the weather has turned fair and you can choose from one of your lighter day dresses. There must be something that you haven't yet worn.”

Charlotte lifted herself from the floor and walked wearily to the wardrobe. She opened the doors and began easing the many dresses apart. She stopped as she held back several frocks and looked carefully the one left showing. She stepped back and pulled the fabric of the many skirts forwards.

”If I have to choose something, what about this ivory dress with the apple blossom applique. I've not worn it yet and it is so pretty. I have a green jacket and hat that would look perfect with it.”

Olivia beamed as she examined the gown. Square at the neckline, it flared out into layers of silk beneath the bust-line. A line of exquisite apple blossom embroideries had been sewn into the ribbon joining the bodice to the skirts. Olivia smiled and nodded sagely.

”The dress will be perfect, but not the hat. I'll ask Freder...er Coalport to take a look in my trunks upstairs. I feel sure that my own wedding veil was near to the door. I only took it out to be washed earlier on in the season and it appeared to still be in excellent condition.”

Charlotte gasped.

”Your own wedding veil? Oh Olivia, I couldn't possibly. It must be so precious to you.”

The older lady dabbed her eyes gently.

”It was very dear to me, but life goes on and you wearing it will make me very happy, so think nothing of it. It will look perfect with your gown. I'll send Coalport up at first light. Now, you must make away to bed. Your new husband will think that I have been lecturing you if you turn up at St. Georges with your eyes all puffy and black ringed.”

Charlotte nodded.

”I am tired. These last few days have sapped even my endless energy, though I am not sure that I will sleep.”

Olivia patted her hand.

”You will, and before you decide to do anything foolish and run away, just remember that there are worse things than marrying a man such as Mr. Talbot. You may even end up liking him.”

Charlotte had been about to yawn but it turned into a wide smiled.

”Oh, I already like him.” She blushed as she realized what she had said and then turned towards her bed.

Olivia began unb.u.t.toning her dress and pulling the pins from her hair. She helped the young woman into her nightdress before kissing her on the forehead and tucking her into the big bed.

”So you like him already. It is a good start. I think it will all turn out for the good. You need to marry someone. It might as well be someone who you already know and like. Maybe it was fate that put that stone seat in the way.” She raised a quizzical eyebrow.

Charlotte said nothing as she sighed deeply, snuggled beneath the covers and closed her tired eyes. It felt as though only a few minutes had pa.s.sed before Louise opened her curtains to let in the morning suns.h.i.+ne as she bustled about Charlotte's room, fussing delightedly over the news of the surprise wedding as she arranged Charlotte a scented bath.

Geoffrey waited nervously at the front of the church. He'd not slept well, visions of Charlotte galloping across fields as she tried to escape her fate kept him twisting and turning in the dusty bed. From the look of the man's heavy lidded eyes over their breakfast, it didn't look as though Giles had fared much better.

His valet stood by his side. As Giles would be accompanying Charlotte, and lacking any other particular friend in town, he had sent a note around to the Albany house and asked Coalport to stand with him as his groomsman. His delighted valet had appeared only half an hour later, arms full of clothes and with a carriage full of twittering maids who immediately rushed into the house to join those already there, and began dusting and polis.h.i.+ng with an almost alarming vigour.

Now, the rector peered up at him from behind his round spectacles. He had squinted suspiciously at the special licence when Geoffrey had shown it to him earlier that morning, but had agreed to the last minute service for an extra increment.

Olivia sat in the opposite pew, her hands in her lap as she refused to look over towards him. Geoffrey suspected that her reluctance to meet his gaze was more to do with the fact that Coalport was looking very dapper in a beautiful navy blue suit, his cravat tied meticulously and his jacket looking as though it had been painted on his skin.

Geoffrey looked down at his own wedding outfit. Somewhere in the last weeks, he had missed seeing the ensemble that Coalport had laid out for him that morning. Stepping out of his bath after his early morning visit to the bishop and to the shops along Hatton Row, Geoffrey had seen the midnight blue breeches and coat for the first time. He looked quizzically at his valet but Coalport had merely added the finest waistcoat Geoffrey had ever seen. Its silver threads gave a subtle hint of grey and when he stood to look at the whole ensemble a few minutes later, he realized that the colour matched his eyes perfectly.

The church door creaked open somewhere behind him and Geoffrey breathed in steadily, trying to still his pounding heart as he heard footsteps approach him from behind, but when he turned, he was surprised to see Lord Charles Latham, Lord Hubert Carruthers and Sir Anthony Torrington making their way towards him. Olivia's friends, Lord and Lady Latham, and Lord and Lady Armitage who immediately moved to sit with the now smiling d.u.c.h.ess, followed them.

The three younger men moved to shake Geoffrey's hand. Hubert Carruthers immediately began apologising for his uncouth behaviour at their first meeting.

”I hope that you understood that our banter at dinner that first night was all a joke. Had we realized that Lady Charlotte was your intended we would never have been so cra.s.s. Let me a.s.sure you that nothing we said that night was acted upon.”

Torrington took Geoffrey's hand next.

”Bit thick of us really. We really should have guessed what was going on the moment we met you. Lord Caithwell would never have sent his ward into town with you if there wasn't some expectation of your marriage. Can't think why we didn't realize it before. That must have been why old Ainsworth warned us off. He's older and wiser, of course.” He shook his head as Carruther's nodded vigorously.

Charles Latham gave him a short bow.

”I came to offer my own congratulations. She is a beautiful woman and you are a lucky man to win her affections, though I confess that I had thought it might be a fine outcome when I saw you with her a few nights ago. The attraction between the two of you was palpable, nevertheless, even though you are marrying her and will keep her close to your heart, should she ever need my a.s.sistance she only has to ask.” He bowed again before the three of them moved to take their seats behind him.

Geoffrey's heart filled his chest and he had difficulty swallowing. He glanced over towards Olivia, the only person who could have arranged for this all to happen. She gave a small smile back as he nodded his head in grat.i.tude for her actions. The attendance of her old friends and his apparent new ones, though not enough to cover the scandal completely, added an air of respectability to the proceedings. He cared nothing for himself but he would have been devastated if Charlotte had been shunned by society.

He turned back towards the rector whose expression had changed somewhat at seeing his now ill.u.s.trious congregation. He smiled benevolently and looked along the aisle as the front door of the church opened again.

Geoffrey couldn't look this time. He stared down at the floor suddenly unable to meet her gaze, knowing that his heart would break if he saw condemnation or hatred in her beautiful blue eyes.

Her delicate scent wafted over him and he dared to glance across the aisle. He could see pale silk and a soft lace veil. In her hand she held a small posy of blossoms. The petals trembled.

Geoffrey could bare it no longer. He looked up. Through the delicate lace veil he could see the heightened colour in her cheeks and the sparkle of tears on her lashes. She sucked in her full bottom lip then let out a huffed, resigned breath as the rector began the far too short ceremony.

They sat silently opposite one another in the carriage that bore them back to Alexander's townhouse. Charlotte stared down at her left hand where Geoffrey had only minutes before, placed the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. When or how he had bought it, she had no idea, but the full circle of cornflower blue sapphires edged with tiny sparkling diamonds was like nothing she had ever seen before. She glanced up and saw him staring back at her, his full lips pressed together and a strange glimmer in his stormy sky eyes.

Her heart thumped erratically and her pulse throbbed in her ears. She wanted to say something to him, but his unreadable expression kept her lips sealed.