But her voice held no confidence.
“I can call you out on your bluff, you know. You did not go on a walk.”
“We did go out,” Augusta’s shoulders stiffened.
“But it was not a walk,” Charity sighed. She hated to catch her own sister in a lie.Augusta’s eyes flashed with irritation and embarrassment mixed together.
“Why would he lie to you?” she demanded, referring to the duke, “He barely knows us.”
“I suppose he did it out of the goodness of his heart, or perhaps you requested him beforehand.”
Augusta’s expression shifted slightly, and Charity immediately knew that she had been the one to request it.
“And you are sure that he was lying to you?” Augusta said, but this time with less conviction than before.
“I can tell when he’s lying, and I can tell when you are lying too. Besides, Matilda was cold and crying, and I know that she would not be so distraught had it just been for a walk.”
Augusta’s face flushed.
“It could be for anything, surely you are assuming things.”
“For what, Augusta?” Charity lifted her brows slightly, “I would suggest you to not continue this strange lie anymore, as it brings us no benefit.”
Augusta opened her mouth, and Charity could see her searching for an answer that would sound sensible, and then she gave up, since there was none. She crossed her arms again and looked away.
“All right,” Augusta said. “Fine. We did not go on a walk, but we did not want to tell you because you would be upset.”
Charity felt her throat tighten again.
“You thought I would wake and find you gone and not be upset?”
“That’s not what I said,” Augusta’s jaw clenched.
“Then tell me what you meant,” Charity held her gaze.
Augusta’s shoulders rose slightly, and she seemed to be contemplating with herself.
“We thought you would stop us,” Augusta said, quickly, “and therefore it would be easiest to leave when you were not watching.”
Charity swallowed, and she felt a sharp sting of guilt, since she knew there was truth in that.
“So you decided to leave without speaking to me at all,” Charity said, not bothering to hide the disappointment in her voice now.
Augusta’s eyes flashed again, but this time it looked like fear underneath.
“We were going to go somewhere else.”
Matilda shifted in her chair and made a small sound, and Charity turned to her at once, since she did not want the child to be ignored while the older one took control of the conversation.
“Matilda,” Charity said gently, “did you want to go?”
Matilda shook her head quickly.
“No,” she said, and her voice trembled. “I didn’t want to go, but Augusta said we had to, and I didn’t want you to be mad at her, so I just did what she said.”
Augusta’s head snapped toward her, and the look she gave her sister was sharp again, but Charity caught it immediately.
“Enough,” Charity said, and she did not raise her voice. “You are the one who decided it, and you are the one who brought her along, and you are the one who must speak to me about it. So, I am listening now, Augusta. Tell me.”
