“She’s feeling rotund and exhausted,” Charlotte told her. “And Beatrice has gone to Scotland.”
“I know. And poor timing. But what possessed you to try to build stairs on your own?”
“Is that your handiwork, too, Jeffcoat?” her father asked good naturedly. “Making tea, reading contracts, hammering and sawing — all for the sake of my youngest daughter?”
Charlotte watched Charles’s cheeks grow ruddy, and then she answered for him.
“Unfortunately, the stairs, or lack thereof, are the work of a builder whom I fear has taken off with our money.”
For the first time, her father looked truly annoyed. “He did, did he? Well, that won’t stand, I can tell you. I’ll hunt him down, make no mistake.”
Her mother patted his shoulder. “Don’t get worked up, my love. There is no clean sea air here to restore you.” Then she looked at Charlotte. “Is there anything else? Tell us everything, and then we’ll leave you two ... to have your tea.”
Charlotte felt her own cheeks grow warm. That her parents would consider allowing her and the viscount to remain alone after discovering them was incredibly improper. Perhaps it was a test.
As if sensing the same thing, Charles said, “Now that you are here to ... support Miss Rare-Foure, I shall take my leave. I have writs of court to work on. It was good to see you both again,” he added.
Turning to Charlotte, he took her hand and formally bent over it as if they were at a ball instead of in the midst of a ruined shop.
“I hope to see you again soon.” Their gazes locked, and all the feelings growing between them seemed to be apparent in the depths of his blue eyes.
“Yes,” she said, then coughed at her breathy tone in front of her parents, especially when she longed for a kiss goodbye.
She could see Charles knew her thoughts when his glance went to her lips, then back to her eyes. He smiled, his dimple appearing. “I’ll send an invitation to your home.”
She nodded. “Thank you for all your help, especially today at Covent Garden.”
“Covent Garden?” her mother asked.
With that, his lordship took his leave, knowing she had a lot to tell her parents. After the door closed behind him, Charlotte considered the situation.
“Perhaps you should stay for tea after all, for it will take a little while to catch you up. Or we could abandon it and go to Amity’s. I can explain it as easily to you there.”
“Wasting a pot of tea,” her mother said. Then she brightened. “We’ll take it with us.”
Charlotte’s father laughed until he was crying. “As if anyone would ever want to be in their carriage with a hot beverage.”
Her mother glared at him. “We have most definitely had chocolate in mugs while in a sleigh. I remember that Christmas in France on your father’s farm.”
“And Beatrice spilled hers all over the blanket. It sounds good, but I for one don’t want scalding tea spilling on my lap. It’s uncivilized.”
“Very well,” Felicity said. “We shall have a cup here and then go to Amity’s. Hurry along,” she ordered Charlotte. “Go find three mugs and pour. As long as you have milk. We are not savages, after all.”
Charlotte dashed into the back room. “Cannot waste a pot of tea,” she heard her mother add.
Felicity was frugal but never cheap. How she would take the income losses, Charlotte couldn’t guess, but soothing her with strong, milky tea was a good start.
“Where’s Edward?” she called out.
It was going to be a long afternoon of explanations, but hopefully Amity and her duke would put a good dinner on the table and have some smooth brandy after. They were all going to need it.
THE NEXT MORNING, NEITHER Edward nor his uncle appeared for work, and Charlotte felt truly heartsick. She had let her family down at least twice.
Fortunately, her mother was excited about the upstairs expansion, and when Charlotte drew her a sketch of the tables she’d ordered, Felicity approved.
It was tense over breakfast, however, when her mother insisted on reading the article disparaging the confectionery. Armand had to talk her out of going to the publisher’s offices in search of the reporter. Her mother wished to give the woman a stern talking to.
That would solve nothing. What they needed was to get up and running, and have good publicity outweigh the bad.
