“I am familiar with Latin; it helps when cataloguing plants. Do you have any books about nature here?”
“We have books about everything. Even etiquette, which you may wish to seek out.”
His comment provided a slight pause in their conversation. Charlotte smoothed down her dress. She pressed her lips together, tightening them for a moment before they returned to their full shape.
Nathaniel had to shake himself for a moment as he found himself captivated by the gentle twitches of her lips.
“I am well-versed in etiquette, Your Grace. What happened when we first met? It was?—”
“Not to be spoken of again,” Nathaniel said immediately. His words were harsh, slashing through the air like a knife cuttingthrough ribbon. He clenched his jaw, for the last thing he wanted to think about was the kiss.
There was a slight crackle in the air, a palpable tension. His fingers gripped the arms of the chair as though bracing himself for a sudden attack. Charlotte was unpredictable after all. She had thrown herself at him once. She might very well do so again.
Instead, she took a breath and squared her shoulders.
“Very well, Your Grace,” she agreed. But even this drew suspicion. She struck Nathaniel as a combative person, so such a quick concession felt like it must be a ploy. He felt as though he were still playing a game with her, even though they had left the cards behind.
“I wish to speak plainly with you, Lady Charlotte, to avoid any misunderstanding. What happened between us will not lead to marriage. You may aspire to become a duchess, but this is certainly not the way to achieve that end.”
Charlotte drew back. A flash of indignation passed across her face. Her feet came together, and she clasped her hands tightly.
“Believe me, Your Grace, I have no desire to pursue marriage.”
“I find that difficult to believe.”
“Whether you believe it or not, it is the truth. And if you are implying again that I seek to trap you?—”
“What other conclusion could I draw?” he asked.
After the kiss, he had turned the situation around in his mind. The logical conclusion was that she attempted to elicit affection from him so he would marry her. The alternative was that she made a habit of kissing strangers.
Charlotte took another deep breath.
“If it were up to me, we wouldn’t have been that close.”
Nathaniel furrowed his brow. “Are you hinting that a higher power had some part to play in our meeting? I don’t believe that God called you to kiss me.”
“I had no other choice,” she replied.
Nathaniel studied her face, utterly baffled by the response. What could have caused her to take such drastic action?
“Why?” he asked.
A few heartbeats passed between them. Nathaniel leaned forward slightly. As maddening as this woman was, she was also an enigma. She seemed intelligent, far more so than most he met, and yet usually, intelligence did not go hand in hand with recklessness. She possessed a unique combination of qualities unlike anything he had encountered before.
“I believe you said that we should not speak of it again. I would hate to break the rules you determined,” she said.
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, frustrated that she was using his own words against him.
“I shall take my leave of you now, Lady Charlotte. Enjoy the pleasures of the library as much as you wish. But I would suggest that you keep your distance from me during your stay, lest you receive another mysterious calling.”
He spoke as he rose, watching the look of indignation and disgust color Charlotte’s face. Nathaniel strode away, pausing when he reached the entrance. He looked back and watched Charlotte lift Hector in her arms, cuddling the cat. Then, she disappeared behind a bookshelf, her hair and dress flowing behind her.
Nathaniel lingered for a few moments, trying to understand how a woman like her could have come to be. Then, he shook his head and huffed, retreating to a safe part of the house.
Chapter Ten
The day was a pleasant one. The sky was blue, and the gardens were a sun trap. Golden light splashed over colorful flowers, bringing out their vivid shades. The air was sweet with the aroma of the plants. With every deep breath, Charlotte felt more relaxed. Trees and thick hedges ran around the perimeter of the garden, obscuring the walls of the estate.
