Charles had no intention of damaging her reputation. “Father and I were walking along Bond Street. Anyway, it’s no matter.”
“Go on about her many fine qualities,” Waverly prodded. “After that baronet’s sister, I can easily understand why you want a smooth tongue to your woman.”
Charles rolled his eyes. Waverly could turn the most benign remark into a sinful insinuation. Pelham glared at him, still playing the protective brother-in-law.
“Miss Rare-Foure is extraordinarily loyal to her family, which I greatly appreciate, and she runs the confectionery mostly by herself at present, so she’s intelligent,” Charles continued. “And I admire her aplomb.”
Waverly grinned. “I think you admire her—”
“Waverly!” Pelham warned.
Their friend sighed. “I shall stop. So you fancy this young woman, and then what? Are you seriously considering her for your wife?”
Why did he make it sound like a frivolous idea?Charles shrugged again.
“Why not?” Pelham asked. “Mr. Foure and Mrs. Rare-Foure raised three splendid daughters. It’s a shame you missed out on the middle one,” he said to Waverly.
“I missed out on nothing. She is more like Jeffcoat’s baronet’s sister, I think.” Then he smiled at Charles. “I suppose I could turn my attention to the youngest daughter if she’s the paragon you make her out to be. We could compete for her attention.”
Charles knew his feelings for Charlotte were genuine and deeper than he’d suspected when Waverly’s proposal lanced him with jealousy. He wondered whether to protest, which might make his friend even more intent on pursuing Charlotte for sport, or if he should feign indifference to put him off.
In the end, Pelham said, “We’re friends first, aren’t we Waverly? When we both had our eye on Lady Madeleine a few years back, you abandoned the field of battle.”
Waverly’s expression tightened. “Because all other things being equal, you are a duke, and I am not. Thus, I knew which way the earl’s daughter would run.”
“But we are both viscounts,” Charles said, “so will you trounce upon our friendship and go after a female in whom I’ve expressed interest? Would prefer to win — or in this case, lose — rather than maintain our bond?”
Waverly tried to stare him down, then he rolled his dark eyes, and finally, a smile appeared. “Of course not, Jeffcoat. You are like a brother to me, and I wouldn’t endanger that for any haybag, no matter how curvy.”
“Haybag! I say—”
Waverly held up his hands. “I mean for any woman whomsoever. If you like her, not only will she become instantly like a sister to me, but I shall assist you in any way possible, as I did for Pelham here, both when he pursued Lady Madeleine and his current duchess.”
“Was he helpful?” Charles asked the duke.
Pelham shrugged. “Moderately. At least, he didn’t get in the way.”
Waverly folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head at the duke.
“All right,” Pelham conceded. “He actually gave me some sound advice on more than one occasion. How he can see clearly about anything to do with women when he’s such a confirmed bachelor, I’ll never understand.”
“Let’s drink to that,” Waverly said.
They all lifted their wine glasses. “To what?” Charles asked. “To your being a bachelor for the rest of your life or for your offering me some sound advice if needed?”
“Either, both. It’s no matter,” Waverly said and drained his wine glass.
Charles couldn’t imagine asking or needing either of his friends for help, but he was relieved neither of them had tried to dissuade him from his pursuit, if that was what it was. If either had heard anything about her being flighty or fickle, knowing his distaste for females who were unfaithful, they would have told him.
“I have been out on the town with her once and I have invited her to go out again. To a concert.”
He wondered if he should tell the duke about Charlotte’s intent to expand the shop, seeing as the duchess might have a strong opinion, but that seemed to be breaking a confidence so he held his tongue.
Instead, he let Waverly expound on the most romantic venues in London and kept his thoughts to himself.
CHARLOTTE HAD TASTED so many sweets by the time Edward returned from deliveries, she had to let him watch the front so she could go have a cup of fortifying tea. Not everything was wrong, but some of the confectionery was “off.” Some of the chocolates had a strange herbal flavor she couldn’t put her finger on, the toffee as already discovered had been cooked too long, and a few of Amity’s bonbons seemed to be filled with brick instead of smooth, creamy fondant. The worst part was, she couldn’t tell what was good by looking at it.
One thing she knew for certain, she had sold that smartly dressed saucebox some bad tasting confectionery. She wouldn’t be surprised if the woman returned to rage about it.
