Aside from playing her plan over and over in her mind, Jules was all that Charley could think of.
“He met with Brightly but then went to the stables. I imagine he’s gone for a ride. I hate that my mother is keeping you locked away like this. And I hate what people are saying about you.”
“What exactly are people saying?” Daisy had known what other servants were saying, but Charley would feel better knowing what she would face that evening.
Bethany frowned. “Initially, it wasn’t that bad. It was storming outside and it wasn’t fair to expect the two of you to ride home through the worst of it. But…” Her nose scrunched as she winced. “The fact that neither you nor my brother have made an appearance today makes everything so much worse. It isn’t fair of Mother at all. But she is terribly disappointed. Felicity’s mother is one of her closest friends.”
“I suppose it would help if I wasn’t an American.” Charley sighed, giving Lady Westerley some benefit of the doubt. She herself had held preconceived ideas about the English when she’d arrived. It was only natural that the countess did the same about her.
Bethany glanced toward where Mrs. Crabtree sat, no doubt listening to their every word, and then leaning forward, whispered, “Do you love him?”
“Your brother?” Charley hedged.
Bethany nodded.
“Have you ever been in love?” Perhaps Bethany would understand. Perhaps she could be of some help if she did.
The girl dropped her gaze. “Unfortunately.” Her voice came out low. “But he…” And then she smiled. “This isn’t about me, though. Do you love Westerley?”
She didn’t even have to think before answering. “More than anything.” Charley leaned in closer and lowered her voice as well. “I’m not giving up so easily.” She studied the oldest of Jules’ two sisters for a moment and wondered why Bethany had given up on the man she cared for. At the girl’s watery smile, Charley determined that after all of this was over, she would find out who this man was and what could be done to help true love along. Perhaps the two of them simply needed an evening alone with a little whiskey…
She grimaced at herself, dumbfounded that she was even contemplating matchmaking. Apparently, she’d become a champion now for true love.
But first, she needed to focus all her efforts on freeing Jules.
Because Jules must be free if he would ever truly be happy and his happiness was more important than her own.
“Will you help me?”
Bethany dipped her chin and then her eyes widened when Charley slid the third missive she’d written out into her hands. For an instant, the other girl almost looked as though she was going to say something, but then understanding dawned and she turned so that her back faced the most vigilant chaperone and opened it quietly in her lap.
“My father will be here shortly, and I will be happy to put all of this behind me,” Charley conversed almost brightly as though she had the younger girl’s full attention. “Although I’m not looking look forward to a month or more on a ship, again, with nowhere to go and no one new to meet.”
“Did you become ill?” Bethany somehow managed to carry on the conversation as she read the contents of Charley’s request.
“The first few days. And when the winds kicked up. But I got used to it. It would be torture if it had persisted.”
Bethany folded the note and tucked it into her sleeve. She patted Charley’s hand again and nodded. “Again, I am so disappointed that you won’t be at the ball tonight. I would wish to have your opinion as to which of the titled young gentlemen might make the best husband for my sister.”
“Perhaps she will have need of a chaperone,” Charley suggested. “She worries your brother.” It was easiest to stick with the truth as much as possible.
Bethany’s expression was all agreement. “I’ll speak with my mother about it.” And then she moved toward the door. In what seemed to be a last-second impulse, she rushed forward and hugged Charley tightly. “I hope this works. I’ll be rooting for you,” she whispered before stepping back.
“You can tell me all about it tomorrow.” Charley bid her farewell and closed the door feeling almost like the lightning from the day before was charging through her.
It was a combination of fear and excitement. The fear was good. Her father had impressed upon her that the worst thing a person could do when approaching a difficult task was to be overconfident. Because overconfidence led one to underprepare.
Determination bolted through her. Tonight, she’d need all the preparation she could muster. With a small smile, Charley sat at the table and picked up the cards again.
Chapter 28
THE CARD ROOM
Jules slid the cue through his fingers, unable to take any satisfaction as his ball rolled precisely as he’d intended, hitting the green one and sending it into the right-side pocket.
Doing nothing, he decided, was perhaps one of the hardest things he’d ever done.
But when Charley had asked him to trust her, she’d had a certain look in her eyes. In that moment, he’d been reminded of her father when he’d offered to ante up a significant measure of his wealth in return for Jules’ promise. The odds of seeing two royal flushes in one night of poker, let alone a single hand, were impossible. The man had known exactly what he was doing. He’d made Jules believe that he couldn’t lose while holding the only hand that could beat him.
