The door opened, and her grandmother’s butler stood to attention, catching the Dowager Countess’s eye.
"Lady Charity Beaumont, Your Ladyship," he announced with a bow.
Constance gasped. "Charity? Here? But how – and why?"
Her grandmother shook her head. "I know as much as you do, my dear. Show her in, James – do not leave my granddaughter waiting out in the hallway."
"Very good, my lady."
A moment later, the always-smiling, effervescent figure of her sister almost bounded into the room.
"Did I surprise you?" she asked, embracing her sister first, and then her grandmother.
"I should say!" Constance laughed. "What on earth are you doing here? And how did you get here?"
"Do not say you travelled all the way alone, please," Grandmamma added.
Charity shook her head. "I borrowed a carriage, and Mama let me take one of the housemaids, since you already had ours."
"Well, as long as you travelled properly, then. You must be exhausted. James, we’ll need more tea, and another cup, please."
"It’s already on its way, my lady," he said in his smooth, deep voice.
"Excellent."
"As to why I’m here…" Charity smiled. "Well, I missed you, dear sister. The Season alone is not the same, I must admit." She turned to her grandmother and took her hand. "And I have not seen you in so long, dear Grandmamma. I hope you will not mind my staying with you too?"
"Of course I won’t mind; I’ll be glad of the company. But are you sure your parents don’t mind losing both of you for the Season? Are they remaining in London alone?"
"They were quite happy for me to come," Charity said, but Constance was sure she saw her sister’s smile falter slightly. There was more to this story, she was certain, and once they were alone, she intended to get it out of her.
Still, she could not deny that she was pleased to see her. She had been enjoying Northumberland – the castles, her time with her grandmother, and yes, meeting Ezra – but she missed having a companion: someone to confide in, to whisper secrets to late at night, and upon whom she could always rely.
She pulled her sister, who was seated on the sofa beside her, into another tight embrace. "It is so good to see you here," she said.
"Well, I want to hear all about what you have been up to! I have only received one letter from you since you arrived – and I’m assuming that’s because others have gone missing, not because you’ve been lax in writing to me."
???
Ezra was not sure whether inviting Constance to tea with his mother had been a mistake, but the invitation was out there now. He had wanted to mend whatever had gone wrong between them at the ball and had wanted to see her again, but without her feeling any pressure.
Although, he wasn’t sure now that tea with his mother was really the right way to go about that. He had thought it would seem more appropriate, but now he only hoped his mother would behave herself and not say anything too upsetting. She was always polite – she knew how to be a hostess – but her tongue could sometimes be a little acidic, and she was not afraid to make her opinions known.
He wondered if he ought to tell her that he had feelings for Lady Constance. He had certainly not expected it to happen; after the death of Laura and the guilt he had carried, he had not thought he would ever feel anything close to romance again. But he definitely was attracted to her – and in fact, he thought it stronger than anything he had felt before.
He didn’t think he could ignore it; he didn’t think he wanted to ignore it.
Was he really seriously considering that she might be the next Countess of Gracewood? He had thought there would never be another one. And yet…as he stared out across his grounds, he knew that he did not want her to leave this place and never return. The idea of never seeing her again was painful; possibly more so than the fear he had of loving, of losing again.
It was a revelation he would have to ponder – but first of all, they had to make it through tea with his mother.
???
"Are you sure he won’t mind you bringing me?" Charity asked as they rode in the carriage to the Earl’s home on Friday.
"Of course not. He’ll be pleased to meet you, I’m sure."
"Because Grandmamma seems to think—"
