To Warm A Wintered Heart (Regency Romance)

by Deborah M. Hathaway

  Charlotte had tried to remain attentive to her family and Mrs. Worthington all morning, but the fascination she felt over Gabriel’s pleasant demeanor had caused her to become increasingly more distracted, even more so when he tipped his hat to her in greeting, his blue eyes holding an unfamiliar softness to them, and she had nearly forgotten the unkindness with which he had treated her.

  As their small party ambled next to the slow-flowing river, Mrs. Rosebury and Mrs. Worthington walked further ahead, involved in their own conversation, while the others remained behind. Charlotte and her sister walked in front of their father and Gabriel as the gentlemen spoke of the horse Mr. Rosebury had finally purchased.

  “He will be the finest stallion I own,” Mr. Rosebury said, “and I must thank you, Mr. Worthington, for lending me your expertise.”

  “Not at all, sir,” Gabriel said, his deep voice causing Charlotte’s heart to skip a beat, “for it was your eye that caught sight of the horse first.”

  “Is he very tall, Father?” Julia asked over her shoulder.

  “He is the tallest horse I have ever seen, my dear, excepting Mr. Worthington’s, of course,” Mr. Rosebury replied with a proud smile. “You shall see when they deliver him within a fortnight.”

  “How wonderful,” Julia said. “Perhaps you and Mama might allow me to ride him a time or two.”

  “Perhaps,” Mr. Rosebury said, his voice as hopeful as his daughter’s. “But enough about my own purchase. Were you met with success in Mrs. Hunt’s shop?”

  Julia reached into her basket and dug out a handful of ribbons before shaking them in the air.

  “Indeed, I was,” she said. “I was able to acquire every ribbon I desired.”

  “Do you not have those very same colors at Brightwood?”

  “Oh, Father,” Julia said as she rolled her eyes, “of course not. You well know what Aunt says. ‘One must always possess every color ribbon, for one never knows when one might be in need of a certain color.’ ”

  “I see,” Mr. Rosebury responded, coming up to walk in between his daughters, “and has your aunt stressed the importance of not losing the ribbons one already has?”

  “Misplaced, Father,” Julia said, “I have misplaced them, as I have told you time and time again.”

  Charlotte smiled at their conversation before their voices faded away, and she looked out to the river where swans floated near green willow trees that hung lazily over the water’s edge, their leaves nearly yellow with the changing season.

  “It is a beautiful river.”

  Charlotte nearly jumped at the sound of Gabriel’s voice next to her, and she looked over to discover her father and sister had moved further ahead while Gabriel moved to walk next to her.

  “Indeed,” she said simply, narrowing her eyes as she perused his handsome face, ignoring the pounding in her heart before looking back to the river as he spoke again.

  “The current gives a sense of peace difficult to find in this world.”

  Charlotte gave a simple nod in response, trying to make sense of his sudden willingness to share as the two continued in silence.

  “Your father seems quite taken with his new horse,” he said next.

  “He does.”

  “I do not blame him, for he has made a fine choice.”

  “I am sure he has.”

  “Will you wish to ride the horse as Miss Julia desires?”

  Irritation began to boil within Charlotte, replacing the confusion she felt before.

  Does he think his attempt at conversation will simply erase his actions from before? she thought bitterly.

  “No,” she said.

  Silence met her response for a moment, and she felt Gabriel’s eyes focus upon her before she unconsciously increased her speed.

  “I must show my horse your swiftness, Miss Rosebury, for I am certain you walk faster than his gallop.”

  Her mouth nearly dropped open at his comment, but when Charlotte noticed the amused look upon his face, she did not give him the satisfaction, simply increasing her speed further and praying to catch up to her family before Gabriel had the opportunity to speak further.

  “Do you quicken your step to be rid of me, Miss Rosebury?” he asked, keeping up with her, despite her best attempts to leave him behind.

  “Perhaps,” she muttered.

  “You do not seem to be in so fine a mood any longer,” he said, and her teeth clenched together as she fought to hold her tongue.

  Why must I hold my tongue? she thought then. He certainly never has.

  “Would you care to help me understand your silence?” Gabriel asked.

  Charlotte stopped in an instant and waited until Gabriel faced her before continuing.

  “If I may be frank, Mr. Worthington,” she began, “I merely avoid speaking to you for fear of you finding my kindness offensive, as you have done countless times during your stay with my family.”

  Gabriel’s expression did not change, his gaze merely focusing upon her as she breathed heavily with anger.

  “I see,” he said simply. “Well, what if I made a promise to never take offense at your words again?”

  “Then I would pray for your soul, sir, for you and I both know where deceivers belong after they depart from this earth.”

  She moved to step past the gentleman, attempting to lessen the shame her words had caused her by imagining the proud smile Julia would share with her upon hearing her defense.

  Gabriel’s hand reached out to hold her elbow in an instant, however, preventing her from moving further, not because of firmness, but because his touch caused a peculiar weakness within her knees.

  “Miss Rosebury,” he said softly, “please, wait a moment.”

  “And why should I?”

  “Please,” he said again, his deep voice even softer, “I would be grateful if you would allow me the chance to apologize.”

  He released his hold of her, and Charlotte glanced over her shoulder to where her family drifted further away.

  “But should you wish to return to the others without delay, I shall no longer keep you, nor shall I speak another offensive word to you. You have my word.”

  The sincerity in his voice caused Charlotte to pause, her breathing steady before she slowly nodded, still eying him warily.

  “I shall listen to what you wish to share with me.”

  “Thank you,” Gabriel said before his gaze dropped to the pathway beneath them. “I have been meaning to, for quite some time, that is, I feel I should…”

  He paused, shaking his head before raising his eyes to focus upon her own.

  “Miss Rosebury,” he began again, “I must apologize to you for my behavior upon my arrival at Brightwood. My words were not only assuming, but also shameful and cruel, as have been my actions since. Please forgive my ignorance and vanity. I shall do my best from this point on to behave as the gentleman I am.”

  Charlotte stood in stunned silence as the man spoke, thoughts swirling in her mind as her heart slowly softened.

  “Furthermore,” he continued, “I must ask your forgiveness for my reaction when you happened upon me playing the pianoforte. I am simply not used to playing with others present, and I was caught unaware and acted accordingly, but that is no excuse, and I have sorely regretted my behavior. I sincerely hope a friendship might exist between us. However, if you wish to continue forth as acquaintances, I shall respect your wish but will no longer cause you unhappiness in your own home.”

  Without a moment’s hesitation, Charlotte shook her head. “Mr. Worthington,” she began, “of course I wish to be your friend. However, if a friendship is to exist between us, I must know if you still believe what you thought before, that your mother, that I…”

  She trailed off when Gabriel shook his head.

  “No,” he said, his gaze averted, “my thoughts of your intentions were false and presumptuous, for I have discovered the sincerity of your kindness for myself.”

  Charlotte felt as if a weight had been
lifted from her shoulders, and she smiled brighter than she had in days.

  “Thank you, Mr. Worthington,” she said. “And do allow me to apologize for my own harsh words upon our meeting.”

  “Your words were warranted. There is nothing to forgive.”

  They stood in silence for a moment, Charlotte reaching up to twist a strand of her hair around her forefinger before seeing her family walking ahead of them.

  “Shall we continue then,” she asked, “as friends?”

  Gabriel nodded, and the two fell in step together, walking in silence before Charlotte glanced up to stare at Gabriel’s handsome face as he focused upon the river next to them.

  “At the risk of further offending you,” Charlotte began, gauging Gabriel’s reaction carefully before continuing, “if you are ashamed of playing the pianoforte, you ought not be. You are quite talented.”

  She was pleasantly surprised when Gabriel did not storm away in anger nor frown at her, merely saying, “Thank you, but there are many who do not think it a very manly pursuit.”

  “What does it matter if you enjoy yourself?”

  Gabriel’s eyes focused so intently upon her, she looked away with a blush creeping upon her cheeks.

  “I am glad you decided to join us in Stratford, after all,” she said, changing the subject to alleviate her discomfort. “It is a quiet town, but it serves us well. Your mother seems to have taken a liking to it.”

  “She has, indeed,” Gabriel agreed. “I know she has also enjoyed being with your family. She speaks very highly of you all.”

  Charlotte smiled. “She is a delight to have in our home. I very much enjoy her company.”

  “As do I,” Gabriel agreed. “Though, I do wish she would refrain from treating me as a child.”

  Charlotte glanced up at him. “Well, perhaps if you did not…”

  “Yes?” he asked when her sentence trailed off.

  “Do you promise not to take offense at my words?”

  He studied her for a moment before nodding.

  “Very well,” she said. “Perhaps if you did not behave as a child, your mother would not feel the need to treat you as one.”

  Charlotte laughed as a scowl instantly spread across Gabriel’s face.

  “There, you see?” she said. “Right there. I have not seen a frown so fierce upon a face since my sister was a child and she was stopped from eating a mud pie she had created.”

  Gabriel turned away but not before Charlotte caught sight of a smile forming upon his lips.

  “Ah, so you agree with me,” she said. “Otherwise, you would not try so hard to hide your smile.”

  “Perhaps there is a small amount of truth in what you say, Miss Rosebury,” Gabriel said, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

  Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat to have his handsome gaze upon her.

  “Thank you for walking with me, Mr. Worthington,” she said. “I think we shall become good friends.”

  And though Gabriel did not say a word, the nod he responded with gave Charlotte enough hope to be happy for the present, and as they continued toward their families, walking comfortably together along the riverside, Charlotte could not help but smile.

  Chapter Five

  Charlotte joined in with the applause as another dance came to an end at the Seabrook’s private ball. She watched as the women left the dance floor with their individual partners and tried not to search for the one gentleman who had occupied her thoughts for days, the one gentleman with whom she wished to dance and had not yet had the opportunity to do so.

  “It is so unfortunate when women outnumber the gentlemen at a ball,” Mrs. Worthington said next to her. “The hostess can only do so much to ensure each lady has a partner for each dance.”

  Charlotte smiled, for she knew Mrs. Worthington’s words were for her benefit, having had no partner the last two dances.

  “I do not mind,” Charlotte responded as she shrugged, “for now I may sit with you all during the meal.”

  “And we are happy because of it, my dear,” Mrs. Rosebury said, lacing her arm through her daughter’s before the three women and Mr. Rosebury made their way to one of the many tables filled with food in the adjacent room.

  Charlotte took her place next to her parents before glancing up to see Gabriel striding directly toward them, and her stomach flipped until she noticed Miss Mounsey, a young woman with a flawless complexion, red lips, and long fingers wrapped tightly around his arm, walking closely by his side.

  “Mr. Worthington, Miss Mounsey,” Mr. Rosebury said as the two approached their table, “do join us.”

  As they sat down across from her, Charlotte smiled at Gabriel, pleased with the friendship that had continued to grow between them ever since that day in Stratford, but as Miss Mounsey continued to shamelessly stare at Gabriel, Charlotte’s spirits threatened to dampen.

  “How do you do this evening, Miss Mounsey?” Charlotte asked politely.

  “Oh, forgive me, Miss Rosebury,” Miss Mounsey said with a giggle, her blonde curls bouncing as she turned to look at Charlotte. “I did not see you there. I am in very high spirits, as you can see, due to the attention I have received from this superior gentleman next to me.”

  Charlotte spooned a few vegetables upon her plate as she glanced up at Gabriel. “Yes, Mr. Worthington is filled with many amiable qualities.”

  “Is that so, Miss Rosebury?” Gabriel asked, the faintest of smiles upon his lips.

  “Yes, but I—”

  “Oh, but where is your partner, Miss Rosebury?” Miss Mounsey interrupted, glancing to and fro, despite the occupied seats around them.

  “As I am sure you have already noticed, Miss Mounsey, I did not have a partner for this last dance.”

  “What a pity,” she said, her dark brows pulling close together. “How very miserable it must be to sit for a whole dance all alone. Of course, I could never know such a thing, for I have been occupied all evening.”

  “It is not so very bad, I assure you,” Charlotte said, piercing a pea with her fork. “After all, without a partner, I am free to move and speak as I wish.”

  “Yes, but to have not been asked to dance,” Miss Mounsey continued, “how humiliating for you.”

  “It most certainly is not,” Charlotte said, noting Gabriel’s frown in the woman’s direction, “but how fortunate you have been to be spared the shame of having to stand alone.”

  “Fortunate as I may be,” Miss Mounsey said, apparently unaware of Gabriel’s frown, “I simply cannot bear to have an old friend endure such hardship. No, you shall fear no longer, Miss Rosebury. Mr. Worthington and I are here to help, for there must be someone in attendance who wishes to dance with you.”

  “How very generous you are, Miss Mounsey,” Charlotte said, her voice thick with sarcasm, “but I assure you, I am perfectly capable of finding my own partner.”

  Miss Mounsey leaned close to Gabriel, and Charlotte frowned.

  “You see, Mr. Worthington,” Miss Mounsey began with a pitying look in Charlotte’s direction, “Miss Rosebury claims to be fine without a partner, but I am certain this is untrue. Look at her eyes. She looks as dreadful as a dog put out in the rain.”

  “I disagree,” he said, and Miss Mounsey’s giggling came to an abrupt end.

  “Excuse me?” she said.

  “I disagree,” Gabriel repeated finally looking up from his plate to stare directly at Charlotte. “Miss Rosebury’s eyes hold nothing but joy and kindness in their hazel depths.”

  A joyful blush warmed her cheeks, but as the meal progressed, Charlotte’s spirits declined, for with each flirtatious giggle and batting eyelash Miss Mounsey sent in Gabriel’s direction, he did nothing to thwart her advances, and Charlotte could not help but compare his lack of action to the unkind words he had said to her only days before.

  He has apologized, though, she thought to maintain her smile. He has changed from your first meeting one another.

  When the meal ended, and the
two of them moved to the dance floor with separate partners, her confusion increased.

  Is my friendship so undesirable? she wondered. Am I so repulsive to him, he would rather dance with everyone but me?

  The discouraging thoughts prevented Charlotte from seeing logic, however, for had she seen the truth, perhaps she would have noticed a pair of light blue eyes watching her from across the room, having been doing so the entire evening.

  Gabriel could not help but notice how pretty Charlotte looked as she danced, her brown hair pulled back with a green bandeau, her hazel eyes shining as brightly as her smile.

  He thought back to how gracefully she had handled Miss Mounsey’s criticism, how she had forgiven Gabriel for his behavior, and he again wondered at how he could have possibly mistaken her kindness as false, knowing then that her amiable nature was what made her company so desirable.

  He glanced to his dance partner smiling coyly up at him, a woman who had been pushed into his arms by yet another ambitious mother, and he looked away with discomfort, wishing, yet again, he possessed the courage to ask Charlotte for a dance.

  You are not asking for her hand in marriage, Gabriel, he told himself. You are merely requesting a dance with a friend.

  He watched Charlotte move down the set with her dimpled smile, and he ignored the quickening of his heartbeat until he finally determined to ask her.

  After all, he thought, what harm could possibly come from a dance?

  Despite her earlier pessimism, Charlotte forced herself to enjoy the rest of the evening, dancing with lively, handsome partners, sampling delicious sweets, and conversing with friends.

  At one point in the evening, the Seabrook sisters had approached her, both of them having danced with Gabriel already, and had expressed how fortunate Charlotte was to have never had him as a partner, and though Charlotte smiled and politely agreed, she could not help but notice their twinkling eyes and flushed cheeks.

  As the night wore on, and the crowds thinned, Charlotte found herself standing between her parents and the Worthingtons, listening to their conversation half-heartedly as she attempted to stifle a yawn.