Ladies of Disgrace Box Set

by Vicki Hopkins

  “So you bedded her, I take it,” Sir Walton said. “What was she like?” He closed his eyes and grinned. “I can just imagine her naked, voluptuous body.”

  “Imagine nothing.” Cedric interrupted him. “Apparently he crawled into bed with her, professed his undying love, and she told him to leave.”

  “What?” Lord Grafton squawked.

  “Well, you make it sound much worse than it played out at that moment.” Albert attempted to save face. “I foolishly uttered feigned affections, hoping she would submit to my desires.”

  “Liar.” Cedric snorted. “The story Charlotte tells is much different.”

  “And whom do you believe? Me or your cousin?” Albert raised his chin in defiance.

  Without hesitation, Cedric replied, “Charlotte, frankly. By the look in your eye, you have made a grave mistake, Beckett. You have fallen in love with her.”

  “Well, she does not love me, which is a sentiment she made quite clear upon our parting of ways.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure.” Cedric grinned. “Frankly, I think she is in love with you but is too stubborn to admit it.”

  Shocked at Cedric’s declaration, Albert would not believe Charlotte held any affection for him. Nevertheless, it sparked a small flame of hope that underneath her denial she had grown to like him after all.

  “Oh dear Lord, what a mess this has turned into,” Lord Grafton announced. He set his hand on Cedric’s shoulder and opened the palm of his other. “Please return to me the money I wagered on this fiasco. Obviously, your ploy has miserably failed.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  To Err is Human

  Dressed in his finest, Albert sat in the carriage, twisting his leather gloves together in a fit of anxiety. The previous week, Cedric invited him to a dinner party at his home where he was now headed to come face-to-face once again with Charlotte. The scene of the invitation replayed in his mind.

  “Will Charlotte be there?”

  “Of course, and so will her parents, the Earl and Countess of Chatham.”

  Her parents.

  Albert’s curiosity had piqued upon hearing those words. An urge to meet them and ascertain their characters and influence upon Charlotte gave way to his acceptance of the invitation. When Cedric suggest he not tell Charlotte of his attendance, he wholeheartedly agreed it would be best not to do so. She would not look kindly upon him, and frankly, he still nurtured his wounded ego over her rejection.

  To add insult to injury, Cedric answered his foolish question. She hadn’t mentioned his name since they parted. Supposedly Charlotte had been busy with undisclosed personal matters. Albert fretted at the possibility she had met another man more congenial who shared the same choices in her entertainment. The thought distressed him further as he tightened the twisted leather between his hands.

  Albert wrestled over Cedric’s insinuation Charlotte held affections for him. Unable to erase her from his mind, he spent hours alone calculating the positives and negatives of her personality. Her independence and strong will did not sit well with his ideal of a demure and submissive wife. Imagining their life together as a married couple only resurrected images of constant sparring, along with pleasant ones of intimacy.

  Nevertheless, beneath Charlotte’s edgy personality resided a woman with a caring and big heart. She helped those less fortunate, which was a quality Albert lacked. Frankly, until he met Charlotte, he had not given the East End a second thought except to avoid it at all costs.

  The carriage slowed and came to a halt. Albert grimaced at his wrinkled leather gloves, having made a mess of them to the point of loss. After inhaling a deep breath, Albert knocked on the door and was greeted by a footman. A moment later he heard his name announced as having arrived. Nearly blinded by nerves, it took him a few seconds to acclimate to his surroundings. He kept his eyes focused on Cedric, afraid to glance around the room for fear he would see Charlotte and fall into an emotional abyss.

  “Albert, good of you to come,” Cedric said. They shook hands.

  “Thank you for inviting me.”

  “You haven’t met my wife, have you? This is my darling Felicity.”

  “Pleasure is all mine,” Albert said.

  “Albert Beckett.” She broadly smiled. “I have heard so much about you.”

  “I’m sure you have.” Albert’s voice trembled. “Good things I hope.”

  “Oh, yes, all good despite recent events.”

  “Yes, recent events,” Albert repeated. At last he felt strong enough to glance at his surroundings. To his surprise, Charlotte wasn’t there.

  “May I introduce you to Lord Chatham and his wife the countess.”

  The opportunity had arrived to inspect the two individuals responsible for the upbringing of their daughter. They weren’t quite what he expected. Her father, lean and tall, stood in a dignified stance. For some reason he had pictured him as a crude individual who drank, gambled, and lived as wildly as his daughter. His appearance bore none of those characteristics. Barely a strand of gray weaved through his brown hair though it had begun to thin on top.

  Shifting his eyes to the countess, Albert discovered where Charlotte got her beauty. Her hair, nearly the identical shade of red, accentuated her smooth and light complexion. The countess wore a low-cut gown Charlotte would have chosen herself.

  “It is a great pleasure to meet you.” Albert eyed them both with interest.

  “Cedric here tells me you are acquainted with our daughter, Charlotte.” Lord Chatham raised a curious brow. “Do you know her well?”

  Albert shot a glance toward Cedric, unsure of how to answer the query. Instead of interjecting into the conversation, he grinned as if he enjoyed the uncomfortable question.

  Sucking in another nervous breath, he answered, “Yes, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Charlotte.”

  “More than meeting, I hear,” the countess clarified with a grin. “I’ve been told you engaged in entertaining pastimes together that included meeting your family. I’m glad to hear Charlotte is moving on with life after the loss of her husband.”

  At last the reason for the hair color became quite evident. The countess’s crystal-clear Irish accent caught him off guard. For a second he closed his eyes, cringing at the thought of his uncle’s reaction that Charlotte was of Irish descent after all. Albert expelled a chuckle. Rather than respond directly, he deflected the question.

  “Perhaps Charlotte can comment further on our acquaintance.” He turned his head toward Cedric. “Where is she, by the way?”

  “Late, of course,” he replied.

  “Ah, yes,” Albert said. She had reverted to her old ways. Perhaps with her immediate family, punctuality did not matter. As he wished he could scold her for old times’ sake, the familiar smell of her perfume wafted up his nostrils. She had arrived. Slowly he turned and glanced at the doorway.

  “Sorry, I’m late,” she announced. When her eyes met his, they widened in shock. At the same moment, Albert glanced downward at the child who stood by her side, and he gasped. No one had told him she had a child. Why didn’t he know she had a child? A surge of anger rose in his chest.

  “Oh, my goodness, Charlotte,” the countess squealed. “Is this the young lass?”

  “Yes, mother, meet Lily.”

  “Oh, sweetie,” she cried, kneeling in front of the girl. “Let me give you a big hug.”

  Albert glanced at Cedric and his wife, who appeared as flabbergasted as he. Felicity interjected.

  “Charlotte, who is this little girl?”

  With a broad smile on her face, Charlotte led the child into the center of the room. The little girl’s blue eyes widened, and she clung to Charlotte tightly, looking terrified.

  “Don’t be afraid, honey, this is your new family,” Charlotte assured her while putting her arm around her shoulder.

  “New family?” The word shot out of Albert’s mouth without thought. Charlotte turned her eyes upon him.

  “Except for him.” Charlotte
recoiled, shooting a disgruntled look. “What are you doing here anyway?”

  “All right, I’m confused.” Cedric glanced at everyone. “What is going on here?”

  Charlotte did not hesitate to clarify. “This is Lily. I’ve become her guardian. We met at the Salvation Army soup kitchen. She lost her mother and has no father. I took her into my home. I couldn’t bear to see the child sent to an orphanage.”

  A grave error in Charlotte’s character rose to the surface. She had no control over the depths of her empathy and not the good sense to know when to draw the line. The foolish act had gone far beyond responsibility—it was unthinkable—it was irresponsible—it was outrageous!

  “I’m proud of you, Charlotte,” her father said. “I guess this makes me a guardian grandfather.” He cackled with pleasure. “I look forward to the challenge.”

  Albert couldn’t remain silent any longer. “Do you know what you’re doing for heaven’s sake? Tell me you don’t intend to raise this urchin!” He heatedly shot the words at Charlotte like flaming arrows.

  “Yes, I do,” she replied steadfast and defiant.

  “Look at her. She’s like a fish out of water, taking her from Whitechapel and inserting her into a social class where she clearly doesn’t belong.” He stomped a step in her direction. “Honestly, Charlotte, you have gone stark, raving mad.” Albert’s nostrils flared. He was so angry at her stupidity for upsetting the natural social order he wanted to throw her over his knee and spank the daylights out of her.

  Charlotte’s eyes narrowed at him. “Still a pompous ass, I see. You haven’t changed one bit. Your heart is as cold as stone.” She gritted her teeth. “Honestly, I wish I had a sledgehammer so I could smash it to pieces.”

  “You’ve done quite well crushing it already. Thank goodness your latest act of stupidity has reminded me you are a vulgar and illogical woman who will never change.”

  “What I do, Albert Beckett, is none of your bloody business,” she snarled, balling her fist at him.

  “I wash my hands of you,” he yelled. Albert glanced around at the shocked countenances. There was no reason to remain.

  “Cedric, I apologize, but I must leave. Clearly your cousin and I cannot breathe the same air.”

  Without bidding goodbye to her parents, Albert spun on his heel and stormed from the room. As he did, he heard the earl’s remark.

  “Good God, what the bloody hell is wrong with him?”

  Charlotte mumbled something in return that he did not hear. Whatever affections he thought lingered, evaporated in the heat of his anger. She had put an obstacle between the two of them in the form of a child and ruined everything.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The Taste of Humble Pie

  The season drew to a close, and Albert became anxious to return to Broughton Hall. He had enough of London—north, south, west, and especially east. The day he agreed to Cedric’s foolish challenge to reform Charlotte had been the worst mistake of his life. He could have spent his time searching for a wife rather than wasting it in an attempt to reform Charlotte. At the moment, all he wanted was the quiet country and months away from the female sex to recover.

  As one of his last social activities before departing, he dropped into the gentlemen’s club for drinks and to bid farewell to acquaintances. Since the diabolical game had ended, no one would pressure him further about the challenge. Hopefully, her name wouldn’t even come up in conversation. Charlotte’s rash decision of late had done much to dampen any lingering affections he held in her regard.

  When he walked through the doors into the gathering room, he glanced around. The usual attendees sat chatting. The waiters were serving drinks to members. Lord Grafton and Sir Walton sat across from one another, talking or gossiping as usual. When Grafton noted his arrival, he ignored him and spoke in a low tone to his companion. Cedric sat in his favorite chair by the window, drinking brandy, with his nose in the London news no doubt scanning the financials. He, too, ignored his arrival. Something was not right. The atmosphere remained quiet and cold.

  “Gentlemen,” he said, nodding at Grafton and Walton. “Pleasant day don’t you think?” Neither replied. Astonished at the ostracism, Albert stepped away and approached Cedric. He too showed no interest in his arrival and remained hidden behind his newspaper.

  “Might I join you for a drink?” Albert asked in an amicable tone.

  Cedric shot him an irritated glare. “You can do whatever the bloody hell you like as long as it’s somewhere else,” he snarled.

  Taken aback by his response, Albert grabbed the paper from Cedric’s hands to get his attention. “I don’t appreciate your tone.”

  Cedric held out his hand. “My paper please.”

  “Not until you tell me what’s going on here. Everyone treats me as if I have the plague. What have I done to deserve this?” The incomprehensible situation baffled him. Albert had considered Cedric a friend and confidant.

  “What have you done?” Cedric roared, drawing attention. Lord Grafton and Sir Walton came and stood by Cedric’s side as if they were in full support of his discourteous behavior.

  “You’ve done a foolish thing,” Lord Grafton replied.

  “An unforgiveable thing,” Sir Walton added.

  “What? What have I done?”

  Cedric slowly rose from his chair and stood in front of Albert. He looked him straight in the eye and hissed a response between his teeth. “You have offended my family, Albert, by your actions toward Charlotte. At the dinner party, you were rude, insensitive, and clearly out of line railing at her for her charitable deed.”

  Albert couldn’t believe his ears. Did Cedric approve of what she had done? “Don’t tell me you think it was a wise decision to bring that child into her home.”

  “It doesn’t matter what Charlotte does,” Lord Grafton heatedly remarked. “She has the full support of everyone who knows her.”

  “You were disrespectful,” Sir Walton countered. “After Cedric conveyed your words, we were all aghast at your ill behavior. No gentleman talks to a lady in such a fashion. Especially in front of her family.”

  He couldn’t believe his ears. Not long ago, they all admired him for his character. Isn’t that why they chose him to reform Charlotte? He was the best of the lot. Nonetheless, Charlotte had all the men wrapped around her little finger, flaunting herself in red dresses and flirting without shame. They didn’t want her reformation. Instead, they wanted titillating gossip about her escapades and dreams of bedding her themselves.

  “Oh, I see. Let everyone take the charming Lady Rutherford’s side. The bloody ill-mannered, beautiful redhead with the full bosom and alluring figure has blinded you all. You’re a bunch of fools. She’s nothing more than a vulgar woman.”

  “That’s it,” Cedric firmly announced. “I have had enough of your foul mouth.” Before Albert could react, Cedric’s fist came straight for his jaw. With one punch he fell back on his rear in front of everyone.

  “She was right, you know,” Cedric hollered, shaking his fist up and down from the blow. “You are a pompous ass.”

  Stunned, he watched the members in the room stand to their feet and turn their back to him. A deadly silence filled the area. Never in his entire life had he endured such humiliation. Albert stood upright, brushed off his pants, and sheepishly strode toward the door. His jaw pounded in pain as he rubbed it with the palm of his hand. At that moment, he didn’t know which hurt worse—his chin or the sting of rejection from his peers.

  As he walked out into the street, it became painfully clear he had made an utter fool of himself. His love for Charlotte clouded his judgment. Rather than controlling his disagreeable thoughts over her newfound charity, he spewed out venomous remarks in front of her parents and cousin. To add to his shame, he had repeated the same offense a few minutes ago at the club.

  Mortified he had not recognized the gravity of his behavior before receiving the blow from Cedric’s clenched fist, he staggered down the street like a d
runk. The time had arrived to eat humble pie, and Albert knew it would be a bitter dish to swallow.

  CHARLOTTE SAT IN THE parlor, watching Lily play with a new doll her parents had purchased as a gift. As she expected, both her father and mother had blessed her decision to take Lily as her ward. They wholeheartedly agreed to support her in the endeavor. Naturally, Charlotte hoped to one day have a child of her own, but it seemed martial prospects were far and few.

  Cedric and Felicity were quite taken by Charlotte’s announcement. Lily, nevertheless, by the end of the evening had won both their hearts. If anything, it spurred Felicity’s insistence it was time for Cedric to settle down and become a family man.

  Surprisingly, her cousin did not think any less of her for being Lily’s guardian. If anything, it required Charlotte to curb her social activities and make better choices. It appeared a six-year-old orphan would have more influence on her character going forward than Cedric’s foolish bid at the hands of Albert Beckett.

  Lily was a sweet little girl even though her early life had been spent on the streets of Whitechapel. When Miss Winston instructed her in learning to read, she listened intently, showing eagerness. Her home, warm clothes, and a comfortable bed had opened a whole new world, allowing her to heal from the loss of her mother. Whenever she required slight correction for small infractions of bad manners, Lily listened and obeyed without complaint.

  The only cloud that hung above Charlotte remained in the form of Albert. After he rudely departed from Cedric’s residence, yelling cruel and hurtful statements, it took days for Charlotte to recover. As expected, his tolerance of the poor and her decision to become Lily’s guardian did not sit well with him. Regardless, it no longer mattered. What did she care what he thought? She hoped never to see him again and firmly told Cedric he was not welcome to future family gatherings of any kind to which he heartily agreed.

  “Excuse me, Lady Charlotte, but it’s almost ten o’clock,” Miss Winston announced. “Time for Lily’s morning lesson.”