Charlotte stared at her in utter disbelief. “I would sooner throw myself into the Thames.”
Arabella only laughed harder as the carriage pulled away.
Charlotte watched it disappear down the drive before turning reluctantly back toward the manor. Somewhere inside waited a maddeningly handsome duke, an increasingly complicated deception, and a household already treating her as though she belonged there… as it's mistress.
The thought unsettled her far more than she cared to admit.
Me? A duchess. That could never happen.
* * *
Victor stood near the front entrance with one hand clasped behind his back, watching through the open doorway as Charlotte lingered beside Arabella’s carriage. The afternoon breeze tugged lightly at the ribbons of her bonnet while Arabella spoke animatedly, no doubt offering entirelyunhelpful commentary about the situation. Charlotte looked simultaneously resigned and determined, which Victor was beginning to suspect was her natural state. It irritated him how noticeable she had become within the span of only a few days.
Arabella finally climbed into the carriage, though not before sending Charlotte one last deeply amused smile. Victor caught only fragments of the exchange.
“Do try not to fall in love with him,” Arabella said.
“I would sooner throw myself into the Thames,” Charlotte retorted.
Victor smiled at the words.
The carriage rolled away, leaving Charlotte standing alone upon the front steps for a brief moment before she turned and entered the manor once more. She halted slightly upon noticing him still waiting there.
“You remain,” she observed.
“It would appear so,” he replied smoothly.
“How unfortunate for us both,” she said.
Victor followed beside her as they crossed the foyer together. “It is perhaps fortunate,” he said, “that your cousins are now aware of our arrangement.”
Charlotte nodded faintly. “Arabella will undoubtedly attempt to pry further details from me until the end of time,” she muttered. “But she may be trusted.”
“Even so,” Victor said, “I think it wise we keep the matter private. No one else should know within society.”
Charlotte glanced toward him at once. “Agreed,” she said. “The ton would devour this story alive.”
“They generally devour everything,” he replied dryly.
That earned the faintest twitch of amusement from her. “True.”
She hesitated briefly before continuing. “I shall also be writing to my sisters this evening.”
Victor looked down at her. “Indeed?”
“I intend to ask them to come to London earlier than anticipated for the season. They can stay with my uncle,” she explained. “It seems prudent to begin preparations now, particularly regarding gowns.”
Victor raised a brow slightly. “And why are you informing me of this?”
Charlotte stopped walking altogether, staring at him as though he were exceptionally slow. “Because you intend to sponsor them,” she said patiently. “I assumed you would wish some say in how your funds are spent.”
Victor blinked once before letting out a quiet huff of amusement. “Miss Brown,” he said, “if you are going to empty my coffers, you shall need to make a far more ambitious effort.”
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Empty your… I would not. Oh, I see. You are mocking me again.”
“Only a little,” he admitted.
Charlotte folded her arms. “I am being quite serious.”
