Her mother, Harriet, looked delighted regardless. “Then why does everyone believe you are?”
Charlotte exhaled slowly. “It is… complicated.”
“Oh, wonderful,” Penelope said. “Those are always the best stories.”
Harriet settled elegantly into her chair. “Go on then. I want to know why the eldest is the talk of the season.”
Charlotte pinched the bridge of her nose briefly before beginning. “When I first arrived at Mulford Manor, the dowager duchess mistakenly assumed I was the duke’s betrothed.”
Joan immediately burst into laughter.
Charlotte frowned at her. “It is not amusing.”
“It is extremely amusing,” Joan corrected.
“We attempted to correct her,” Charlotte continued firmly, “but her memory is unfortunately rather weak.”
Irene’s expression softened immediately with sympathy. “How sad.”
Charlotte nodded. “She grows confused at times and forgets things shortly after being told.”
Penelope leaned forward eagerly. “So the duke simply allowed his grandmother to believe you were to marry him?”
Charlotte hesitated.
“Well,” she admitted carefully, “it comforted her.”
Joan grinned wickedly. “How very romantic.”
“There is nothing romantic about it,” Charlotte shot back.
“Not even a little?” Harriet said.
“Not even remotely, mother. It is simply a misunderstanding. An unfortunate one, but I will move beyond it,” Charlotte said.
Charlotte then explained the disastrous promenade through Hyde Park, and Elizabeth proudly introduced her to Mrs. Holly and her sisters as Victor’s fiancée.
By the time she finished speaking, Joan and Penelope were laughing openly.
Penelope wiped tears from her eyes. “Oh, Charlotte, only you could accidentally become engaged to a duke.”
“I am not engaged as I have already said,” Charlotte said. Her annoyance was growing increasingly.
“You are socially engaged,” Harriet said with a smile.
Joan laughed harder. Meanwhile, Irene looked increasingly worried. “What will happen now?”
Charlotte sighed. “The duke and I intend to correct the misunderstanding publicly.”
Harriet, who had remained unusually quiet throughout the explanation, suddenly spoke.
“Or,” she said thoughtfully, “you could simply marry him.”
Charlotte stared at her in horror. “Mother!”
Harriet lifted one shoulder lightly. “He is wealthy, handsome, titled, and apparently already halfway compromised.”
“Mother, I beg you to not speak of this in such a way. That goes for all of you. You will be socializing among acquaintances this season, and I want all of you to declare it is nothing but a misunderstanding if the subject comes up,” Charlotte said sternly.
