“What the devil is going on?” Carter threw the covers off and grabbed his banyan, shrugging into it as he viewed Grayson with curiosity. “Has Bath been invaded?”
Grayson ran his fingers through his hair. “No. But you must dress quickly and meet my wife downstairs in your drawing room.”
“Meet your wife? What is this about, Berkshire?” He slipped off the banyan and took the shirt his valet handed him.
“Lottie.”
Before Carter could react, Berkshire was gone, and Carter was left staring at the closed door.
Lottie? It must be something serious for them to arrive at his house and drag him from his bed. Had Lottie been injured? His heart began to thump, knowing whatever Lady Berkshire planned to say to him was not going to be good news.
He grew frustrated with Manfred’s attention to his ascot and bushed his hand away and left the room. He passed a footman as he came down the stairs. “See that my carriage is made ready to go.”
“Yes, sir.”
Whatever the problem was, he was certain to need his carriage. When he arrived at the drawing room, he found Lady Berkshire sitting on a chair, twisting a handkerchief in her fingers. Berkshire paced the room, looking as unsettled as his wife.
“What has happened? Is Miss Danvers ill?” He looked back and forth between the couple.
Lady Berkshire jumped up. “Oh, thank goodness you were quick. No, she is not ill, but you must stop her.”
Since he knew Miss Danvers was in good health, he relaxed somewhat, but was still on edge. “Stop her from what?”
“Leaving Bath,” Lady Berkshire said right before she burst into tears.
“Leaving?” His initial panic returned as he looked over at Berkshire. “Why is she leaving? Where is she going?”
“I think we should all sit down and discuss this calmly.”
Carter felt anything by calm, but the only way he would get information out of Berkshire was to take a deep breath and listen.
Once they were seated, Carter looked over at Lady Berkshire. “Please explain to me what has happened and why Lottie is leaving Bath.”
Lady Berkshire patted her swollen, red eyes. “Lady Pamela and I always knew Lottie was hiding something. She only spoke briefly of her past, merely telling us she had a mother in London from whom she was estranged.”
Carter jumped in. “I knew she was hiding something because she attempted to disguise herself in London.”
Lady Berkshire nodded. “Yes, the spectacles. Lottie only found out about a year ago—right before she moved to Bath—that her mother is a well-known . . .” Lady Berkshire looked in her husband’s direction.
Berkshire cleared this throat. “Lottie’s mother is Mrs. Danforth.”
Carter blew out a low whistle. “The Mrs. Danforth?”
“You know her, too?” Lady Berkshire’s distressed had returned.
“No. I don’t know her, but I know of her. Most young gentlemen in London do. But from what I know, she only has one protector at a time and her current one has been with her for years. Much to many men’s sorrow.” Carter faced Berkshire. “I hope you don’t mind me speaking so directly to your wife.”
“Not at all. If we’re going to help the girl, we need to have it all out in the open.”
Lady Berkshire began to twist her handkerchief again. “Lottie came to me yesterday, very upset. Lord Sterling approached her while she was out with one of her students.”
Carter felt his anger rise. “That cad has been insisting he knows her. He has upset her before with his insinuations and annoyance.”
“Yes. Well, he apparently figured out why she looked familiar and asked her to consider going under his protection.”
The heavy silence was broken by Carter’s softly spoken words, “I will kill him.”
Berkshire nodded. “However, there is a much more important matter you need to deal with.”
“Then I can kill him?”
Lady Berkshire shook her head in annoyance. “Men! What you need to do right now is stop Lottie from leaving.”
His blood was coursing so quickly through his body his head was pounding and felt as though it would explode. But dealing with Sterling would have to wait until he had Lottie firmly in his arms. “Of course, she wants to leave. Sterling has made it impossible for her to earn a living. No member of the ton will allow her to instruct their daughter.”
Lady Berkshire nodded. “She was planning on packing up her flat and leaving today for I don’t know where. She didn’t even know herself.”
“Today!”
“Yes. You must stop her,” Lady Berkshire wailed.
“Anywhere she would go she’d have to start at the Bath Rail Station.” Carter strode to the front door. “Where is my carriage?”
Manfred said, “Waiting for you, sir.”
Carter took Lady Berkshire’s hand in his. “You are a good friend. She will need you in the coming weeks.”
“I love Lottie. I will always stand by her, have no doubt about that. Today I will visit with Lady Pamela and tell her what’s going on. She will be there for Lottie, as well.” Lady Berkshire touched Carter on his arm, the soft contact helping to calm him.
Carter examined Lady Berkshire’s distressed face and turned to her husband. “Send for tea if you wish. I will fetch Miss Danvers. She is going nowhere. Trust me.” With those words, he left the house and hopped into his carriage. “Bath Rail Station. Quickly.”
He thought of a hundred different ways to approach Lottie, but only one remained in his mind. She was his. She would always be his, and no amount of reluctance from her because of her background would matter.
Now he understood her anxiety while they were in London. Anyone who had attended one of Mrs. Danforth’s numerous parties would recognize Lottie. Although he’d never met Mrs. Danforth, Sterling’s insistence that she looked familiar meant there must be a resemblance between the two women.
Mrs. Danforth was well known for her parties, but from what he’d heard they were far from hedonistic. The people who attend were from the demimonde, but there are also many members of the ton—gentlemen and a few ladies who were more daring, also graced her parlor, along with many from the wealthy merchant class.
She’d been known to have men thrown from her events for over-imbibing or harassing her female employees. In all ways, Mrs. Danforth was a very well-educated woman with excellent taste and a pleasing personality.
The Bath Station was crowded, as always. He searched the entire place, the waiting room, the ticket room, the benches crowded with travelers. He apologized numerous times for bumping into people. Frustrated, he was about to join the queue to ask the ticket seller if he remembered Lottie, when the door to the ladies’ water closet opened and Lottie stepped out.
His heart stuttered. She was so beautiful, and she looked so lost and vulnerable. Everything protective in him rose up. He wanted to take her into his arms and hold her close. Tell her nothing bad would ever happen to her.
Slowly, he meandered through the throng and made his way toward her. She looked up and gasped when she spotted him. She turned quickly and tried to run into the station waiting room, but two women blocked the entrance and he caught up to her.
“Let me go. Please.” Tears stood in her beautiful eyes.
“No, Lottie. I will not let you go. Not now, not ever.” He wrapped his arms around her despite them being in the middle of the platform with bustling porters and passengers filling the space.
“You don’t understand.” Her voice was almost a moan.
He gripped her chin and tilted her face up. “Yes. I do. I understand and you must know by now that you belong to me.”
“I don’t want a protector!” She shoved against him and turned to flee, but he stopped her. “No, sweetheart. Please. I would never humiliate you in that way.”
She stopped, one lone tear traveling down her soft skin. “Then I don’t understand.” She hiccupped, and he wanted to wrap her up and take her far, far,
away. Away from a world that blamed her for something she had nothing to do with.
He smiled softly at her and cupped her cheeks. “I love you, Miss Charlotte Danvers. I want to make you my wife.”
10
Lottie stared at Carter for a full minute, while her heart thundered in her chest and she repeated his words over and over in her head.
“I want to make you my wife.”
Either she had developed a hearing problem or Carter did not fully understand her dilemma. Too confused to even think about what he said, she asked, “Why are you here?”
A frown was his only answer.
“I mean, here at the rail station.”
He took her by the arm and moved her away from the noisy platform. “I will be happy to explain, but we must talk, and this is not the proper place for what I need to say.”
She waved her ticket in his face. “I am leaving on the next train to London.”
“You hate London, and you are going nowhere until I have the opportunity to say what I need to.”
She could think of only one reason why he would be here and made that ridiculous statement. Addie. She must have told him about her encounter with Lord Sterling. Most likely Carter was here to play the part of a knight rescuing a lady in distress and talk her out of leaving. Even resorting to saying absurd things.
I want to make you my wife.
“My carriage is around the corner. Since I prefer privacy that is perfect.” The determination on his face was almost comical.
She attempted to drag her feet. “I only have another twenty minutes until my train leaves.”
He didn’t answer her but continued to move her forward. “What I have to discuss will only take a few minutes.”
Resigned to allowing Carter to have his say, she walked with him to his carriage. He helped her in, then joined her. Once they were settled, he tapped on the ceiling of the carriage and it moved forward.
“I thought this would not take long. I have a train to catch.”
“No train. No leaving.” He reached over and pulled her across the space until she was sitting on his lap.
“Mr. Westbrooke! This is most improper.” For as inappropriate as it was, she couldn’t stop the tingle inside that always taunted her when she was near him. The familiar scent of his bath soap and the solid muscles of his thighs that she felt right through their multiple layers of clothes teased her with things she could never have.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. “I would get down on one knee, but I’m afraid if I let you go you will foolishly jump from the moving carriage and hurt yourself.”
She shook her head. “Please don’t repeat what you said at the rail station.”
“I will repeat it, and I meant it. I want you to be my wife. I want to be your husband. I want us to be married. To each other. You and me.” He grinned. “Is that clear enough?”
Lottie groaned and closed her eyes. “I know why you’re doing this.” She glared at him. “Addie must have told you about my encounter with Lord Sterling yesterday. She also told you I was leaving Bath to avoid the nastiness that would begin as soon as word spread who my mother is.”
He continued to smile at her like she was telling him a lovely bedtime story. “Yes. Lady Berkshire was thoughtful enough to rouse me first thing this morning to tell me what happened with you and Sterling—who I will visit sometime soon for a chat—and your intention to leave Bath.”
He held up his hand as she started to speak. “I don’t personally know, but have heard of, Mrs. Danforth. What I didn’t know was she had a wonderful, beautiful, smart, charming daughter.” He cupped her cheeks. “Who I have fallen madly in love with.”
She shook her head. “No. No. No.”
“Yes.” He shifted her so they sat face to face. “I don’t care who your mother is. I love you. I want you to be mine.”
She rested her hands on his shoulders. “You’re the son of an earl! Can you imagine what your father would say if you were foolish enough to marry me?”
“I hope he would say ‘congratulations’ but even if he doesn’t it makes no difference to me. He doesn’t make me as happy as you do. He doesn’t fill the open spots in my heart like you do.”
She raised her eyes to the heavens. “Do you understand the sort of remarks that will be tossed my way? How you will be shunned for being married to me?”
He stiffened and the look on his face frightened her. “If anyone says anything to you in any way derogatory, they had better be prepared to be pummeled into the dirt.”
“Then you had better be ready to spend quite a bit of money on bandages because once it becomes known that I am the daughter of Mrs. Danforth there will be plenty to say.”
He ran his finger down her cheek, most likely attempting to distract her. “Please say yes. You will have the protection of my name. Of my family. No one will cast a slur upon you.” He grinned again. “Even if they don’t mind the threat of a beating.”
If she seriously considered his offer—was she really thinking that way?—she had to tell him one more thing. “There is something else that you should know before you continue to wish me upon you for the rest of your life.”
“Yes,” he gently kissed her lips.
“I do not wish to . . .”
“To what?” He nibbled on her ear. ‘Twas most distracting.
“To do what my mother does.”
His eyebrows almost reached his hairline. “Become a courtesan?”
“No, of course not. I mean, yes, I don’t want to be a courtesan. You’re mixing me all up.”
He took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. “Just say it, sweetheart. Tell me what troubles you.”
“I would not want to consummate our marriage.”
Carter stopped and looked up at her from where he was about to kiss her knuckles again. “What?”
“I don’t think I can do it.” Her face was a bright red and she chewed on her lower lip. “I can’t bring myself to do what my mother does for money.”
“Then I won’t pay you.”
She pulled her hands away and placed them on her hips, which given the rough road they were traveling over, might end up with her on the floor. “This is not a joke.”
“I’m not joking. I will do whatever it is you want me to do to make you feel secure and safe. But—I must draw the line at no consummation. For one thing, I would like children one day.”
“I would too.”
Carter shook his head, not believing the conversation they were having, but glad that it was taking long enough for her train to leave without her. “My love, in order to have children, there must be a man and a woman, and they must have sexual relations. And since it is quite rare for a woman to conceive with only one attempt, sexual relations must be continuous.”
Carter was not discouraged. The time he’d kissed Lottie and when he’d held her in his arms while dancing, he sensed the unleashed passion in her. It might be something she thought she didn’t want right now, but given enough time and effort, he knew he could convince her that pleasure between a husband and wife could be a wonderful thing.
“Just promise me that you will allow me to hold, touch, and kiss you.”
“That’s all?”
“For now.”
She continued to study him, then slowly nodded. “Yes. If you are foolish enough to marry me with what you know about my mother and are willing to not push me on the other thing, then I will . . .”
“Marry me?”
“Marry you.”
He immediately grabbed the train ticket out of her hand and tore it into pieces. “You will not be needing this.”
“What will I do now? I’ve given up my flat, even though I still have a couple of weeks left on my rent.”
Carter pulled her in for a kiss that quieted her. They could work out all the logistics and other problems she could imagine, but right now he wanted to kiss his betrothed.
She sat rigid at first, then
as he continued the assault on her mouth, she softened until she was plastered against him and moaning as he slipped into her mouth and tangled with her tongue. He placed his hand on her lower back and pulled her flush against his middle.
He pulled away and scattered kisses over her throat and jawline. “So soft.” He pushed his fingers into her hair, knocking her hat off and causing numerous hairpins to go flying.
The woman who claimed she did not want to consummate their marriage was anything but reluctant and shy. She placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled him back to her lips.
The carriage slowed down due to traffic and she pulled back. “Wait!” She was panting and her cheeks were flushed. He saw the passion in her eyes and was quite satisfied with their arrangement. It would not take him long to seduce her into his bed.
“This is not proper. If someone were to look into the carriage I would be ruined.” She bent to retrieve her hat and placed it on her head. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that with the mess her hair was, the hat was not going to make a bit of difference in her appearance.
“You are correct. This is not the place for a betrothal celebration. Let me instruct my driver to proceed to Lord Berkshire’s house. I am sure Lady Berkshire will be more than happy to house you until our wedding.”
Lottie merely nodded and he tapped on the ceiling. The driver slid open the small door and looked down. “Yes, sir.”
“Please proceed to Lord Berkshire’s home.”
“Very good, sir.” The little opening slid closed and the driver picked up the pace, no longer under the previous instructions to wander the town aimlessly until Carter gave him other orders.
Lottie shifted off his lap, but he refused to let her move to the other side and instead anchored her against him.
She looked up at him, her lovely lips swollen from his kiss. “I don’t want a wedding.”
He grinned. She had agreed to marry him but didn’t want to have sexual relations and didn’t want a wedding. He was beginning to realize his soon-to-be wife could be adorably confusing at times. “Excuse me? Perhaps you mean no public wedding, my love?”
The Courtesan’s Daughter and the Gentleman: The Merry Misfits of Bath ~ Book Two Page 9
