“So am I,” he replied. “You need not seek my permission for every expense.” He shrugged lightly. “Order whatever is necessary. Dresses, slippers, ribbons, whatever ladies require to survive these dreadful social rituals. Tell whichever tailors you attend to place it on my credit. I shall have my solicitors deal with the matter.”
Confusion crossed her face almost instantly, and Victor found himself absurdly entertained by it.
“Oh?” he said lazily. “Did you imagine I would suddenly become ungenerous?”
Charlotte opened her mouth, likely to deliver something sharp in return, but before she could answer, another voice interrupted them.
“Oh, there you are, my dears.”
Elizabeth entered the foyer smiling warmly, and Charlotte transformed so quickly Victor almost admired the skill of it. A bright smile appeared upon her face as she moved immediately to his side, slipping her hand through his arm with smooth confidence.
“There you are, Your Grace,” she said sweetly.
Victor looked down at her sharply.
The little minx. She is far more skilled in deceit than she lets on.
Elizabeth positively beamed at the sight of them together. “How lovely you both look,” she declared.
Charlotte tilted her head slightly toward him, her fingers resting lightly against his sleeve. “You are too kind,” she said demurely.
Victor nearly choked on the sheer performance of it. Worse still, she looked entirely convincing.
The faint blush warming her cheeks only deepened the illusion, and Victor found his thoughts shifting abruptly in directions they absolutely should not. He became acutely aware of the softness of her touch against his arm, the subtle scent of her perfume, the way she looked up at him beneath lowered lashes.
Dangerous. Very dangerous.
“You seem unusually quiet,” Charlotte murmured under her breath, her tone edged with amusement.
Victor recovered himself at once. “I am admiring your commitment to… me,” he replied smoothly.
Elizabeth clapped her hands happily. “You see?” she said. “Perfect together.”
Charlotte smiled brightly. “Your Grace,” she said to Elizabeth, “perhaps we ought to take a stroll in the garden.”
“A splendid idea,” Elizabeth agreed immediately.
Charlotte withdrew her hand from Victor’s arm, though the warmth of her touch lingered there infuriatingly.
“We shall not be long,” she said politely.
Victor inclined his head. “Enjoy your walk.”
He watched them disappear down the corridor together before exhaling slowly.
The place where she had touched him still burned.
Victor frowned deeply at the thought.
Ridiculous. It was merely proximity, nothing more.
He had always appreciated women, and Charlotte Brown unfortunately happened to be one of them. That did not signify attachment. It certainly did not signify anything more than that.
He hated himself slightly for even needing the reminder.
Turning sharply, he nearly collided with Lionel rounding the corner.
“There you are,” Lionel said, amusement already visible in his expression. “I must commend you.”
