Perfectly Flawed (18 page)

Rounding the corner, Charlotte remained quiet.

Aunt Penny searched the surface of the large round
table. "Despite the concerns we discussed, His Grace has
instructed me to plan a dinner party for those few who
remain." She remained oblivious to her niece's arrival.
The search continued around the vase filled with flowers
and the small side table next to the Sheraton chairs that
lined one wall, and ended at the top of the marble-topped
entry table.

"It is understandable," Sir Samuel agreed. "The London Season has been relocated here. I expect one must
do their best to replicate the festive atmosphere."

Aunt Penny straightened and appeared confused. "I
was certain a few calling cards remained."

Charlotte stepped forward with Huxley following in
her wake. "Now that the letters are delivered, we can expect those gentlemen to arrive within the hour. Please
have them directed to the hedge maze."

"As you wish, my lady." Huxley acknowledged her
instructions with a bow and departed, attending to her
request.

Charlotte set the three calling cards upon the circular
table and took a moment to move them apart.

"Do I understand correctly that these gentlemen are
returning to Faraday Hall?" Aunt Penny asked Charlotte.

"Yes, Aunt Penny." Charlotte stood with an unnaturally stiff bearing. She needed to remain strong. "I have
written to each and told them I shall marry the first one
who finds me in the center of the maze."

"You did no such thing!" her aunt cried, unable to control her outburst. Sir Samuel caught Aunt Penny's arm,
keeping her steady.

"I have," Charlotte insisted. "Since the one gentleman I wish will not have me, it does not matter who else
I marry." She glanced down, indicating the three cards
on the table with the splayed fingers of her right hand. "I
am confident that any one of these more than worthy
gentlemen would make a fine husband."

"But Charlotte, this is impossible-" Aunt Penny,
who had been robbed of all expression, could not think
of what to say to dissuade her. "This cannot be true.
You do not mean what you're saying."

"Your sister, Augusta"-Sir Samuel began with
complete calm-"had very wise words for me when I
found myself in despair after she refused my proposal. At the time, I felt as if I would never find another
to return my affection. For I believed myself to be
completely ..

The emotion that choked his voice came as a surprise. Charlotte had not known he held such esteem for
her elder sister.

"I still hold great affection for her, but I do not think
I could have made her happy. She assured me that I
would someday find someone who would return my regard, and I should not give up hope. I might suggest the
same would apply to you." He gazed at Charlotte with
heart-wrenching sincerity. "She was quite reassuring
and I found myself grateful to her for speaking her
mind. It was a difficult subject to broach."

"And how have Gusta's words served you?" Charlotte's voice, although firm, held a small tremor.

"What's that?" he replied, apparently unprepared for
her question. He must have been expecting a response
from the kind, compassionate Charlotte, not this strongwilled, decisive version.

Charlotte stared at him. She could not see how his
circumstance applied to hers. "I believe you find yourself still unattached."

"Well, yes." He glanced at Aunt Penny, who remained
silent. "I do, however, expect that someday-"

"Yes, I am sure you shall encounter this woman of
mutual affection someday. I tell you now, Sir Samuel, I
have met the man I love, and if he cannot declare himself, then it does not matter whom I marry." Charlotte
remained adamant and headed for the corridor, toward
the rear of the house.

"You cannot mean this." Aunt Penny blanched and
clutched onto Sir Samuel's arm even tighter.

Charlotte had not come to this decision lightly. If she
did not take this opportunity to choose among the three
remaining men, she would never marry. "The letters
have already been sent. I shall make my way to Mother's
statue in the center of the maze and await my fiance"
Charlotte turned and left.

Sir Samuel stood, supporting Mrs. Parker. "What are
we to make of that?" Both of them looked absolutely
stunned. "Is there no stopping her? Clearly she is unhappy
about her predicament."

Philip heard raised voices, three distinct ones. He
moved down the corridor to the staircase, descended the
stairs, and joined the two who remained.

"Unhappy? Charlotte has become unreasonable."
Mrs. Parker appeared as if she were trying very hard to
keep control over her emotions. "I cannot think what to
do, Sir Samuel. If you were so good as to help-"

"Anything," he promised. "I am at your service, Mrs.
Parker."

Mrs. Parker stepped away from Sir Samuel. "I must
inform His Grace at once."

"Is there something amiss?" Philip inquired, revealing his presence in case he had not been noticed. "Might
I lend aid?"

There was no disguising her relief at his appearance,
or had it been his offer? "I beg your indulgence, Sir
Philip. I ask only because we must act quickly." She
glanced at Sir Samuel, as if wishing he could explain in
her stead. "I am afraid Charlotte has done something-"

"She has promised to marry the first to find her in the
center of the maze," Sir Samuel supplied with a succinct
expression. "Those gentlemen must not be allowed to
enter."

"Yes, that is it exactly," Mrs. Parker agreed.

The news stunned Philip. "Lady Charlotte usually
seems most sensible. I do not understand why she
would-"

"She is feeling desperate!" Mrs. Parker pulled out a
handkerchief to blot her eyes.

Again Sir Samuel intervened. "I believe Lady Charlotte despairs that the man she loves does not return her
affection, and therefore it matters not whom she marries."

Philip's brows rose and kept his face impassive so as
not to show his surprise. The man she loves? So none of
the remaining suitors she wrote were men Charlotte loved.

Could it be ... ? he wondered.

"I must find the Duke immediately." Mrs. Parker turned to quit the room. "If you gentlemen will do what you can
to prevent those men from entering the maze."

Performing a swift bow, Sir Samuel then headed for
the front door.

Philip rose from his somewhat subdued display and replied, "I assure you I shall do my utmost to see these men
are prevented from being the first to find Lady Charlotte."

Charlotte walked from the back of the manor toward
the maze. Her steps grew less purposeful and her determination faded when she realized what she had done.

What madness had come over her to promise matrimony to the first man who found her in the center of the
maze?

Stopping to lean against the dense privet wall, she
pressed her tightly clenched fist to her forehead and
closed her eyes.

She had been frustrated and angry at Sir Philip. She'd
wished to have him look upon her as her other suitors
had ... not the ones frightened away, but the three who'd
remained despite her imaginary flaws.

Then there was her inexcusably childish behavior
when she confessed her dissatisfaction to Aunt Penny,
right in front of Sir Samuel.

Charlotte tilted her head back and gazed wide into
the sky above. As things were, Sir Philip would never know how she felt. He would be long gone by the time
she and her new fiance strolled arm in arm to her father's study to ask permission to marry.

She pushed off the stiff hedge and continued on her
way with far less haste, refusing to cry over Sir Philip.
Contemplating her remaining suitors, Charlotte decided
that any of the three would make a more than acceptable husband. They varied in age and station, but all
were from established, wealthy families. All had some
pleasing quality to recommend them.

Mr. Atwater was tall with straight brown hair that
touched his collar. He had the most delightful twinkle
in his eyes when he laughed and enjoyed making her
giggle as well.

Lord Stanton enjoyed many of the arts: painting, sculpture, architecture, and music. He delighted in taking
walks and admiring the flora as much as she. Charlotte
had been introduced to his lordship two years earlier
when he came to Faraday Hall for a house party soon
after her sister Augusta's first Season. He'd waited for
Charlotte to arrive on the social scene, and then stood in
her long line of suitors for a chance to pay his addresses.

The green-eyed, fair-haired Sir Hugh Linville, youngest of the three, was the most handsome and had a very
charming smile. She adored his constant optimistic outlook. His dancing skills were exceptional. She recalled
that he'd been the first to arrive with a filled pail of
gooseberries.

Finally reaching the center of the maze, Charlotte settled onto the stone bench. She busied herself by arranging her skirts to make a favorable impression. When regret
slowly seeped into her heart and soul, she then allowed
her eyes to close. No matter how good, kind, or agreeable
those men were, they were simply not meant for her.

Charlotte pressed her hand to her mouth and choked
back a sob, realizing she should not have written those
letters.

In times when she felt in particular need of her mother,
Charlotte would come to this place, wishing the late duchess were still with her. A mother she barely remembered.
But the words came to her as if her maternal parent had
said them herself.

Make it right.

Yes, Charlotte vowed. Perhaps she would break one
more heart before the day was through. She would explain to him, when he arrived ... whoever he should be,
that she had made a mistake. She would offer a most
sincere apology to him, hope he would understand, and
confess that she had no intention of marrying.

Settled in her favorite chair in the Librarium, Muriel expected Susan's arrival at any moment. A knock sounded
at the open door, echoing off the book lined walls of the
room before someone entered. Not Susan, but to Muriel's
great surprise, there stood Sir Philip.

"I beg your pardon, Lady Muriel." He stepped forward, dressed for travel in a brown frock coat, buck
skins, shiny top boots, and if she was not mistaken, a bit
of humility. "I must speak to you on a matter of some
urgency. This is in regard to your sister."

Muriel could not believe he was here, in her private
sanctuary.

"It seems that in her distress, Lady Charlotte had
penned some letters to her remaining suitors, agreeing
to marry the first to find her in the center of the maze."

"That is not true." Muriel launched to her feet. It
could not be. She moved around the table and made to
dash past the baronet, out the door, to find Charlotte and
hear it for herself.

"Not so fast " Sir Philip put up his arm, blocking the
doorway and preventing her exit.

"Allow me to pass, sir," Muriel glared. "If what you
say is true-"

"Do not fear. Mrs. Parker is at present notifying your
father, and Sir Samuel keeps watch for the gentlemen's
arrival."

"And you're here? Was it your task to inform me?"
Muriel backed away from him. His presence, not to
mention his proximity, upset her.

"No, I wish to successfully traverse the maze." It did
not appear Sir Philip was joking.

"You?" This could not be happening. Muriel knew
he'd heard the rumors regarding Charlotte. How could he
possibly overlook the talk of the men who had seen her
imperfections for themselves? "But why?"

"Because I find myself in love with her-and if it
matters not to her whom she weds, why should she not
marry me?"

At one time Muriel had to admit she did not care for
him. However, he'd befriended Mr. Evans, employed Thomas Sturgis, and had come to Farmer Gilbert's
aid-perhaps even saving his farm. She'd begun to
think of the baronet differently.

"Unless I am much mistaken, Lady Charlotte is under
the impression I care little or nothing for her, because I
have not behaved in a manner that accurately expressed
my affection." He came around the table displaying much
confidence.

His imposing bearing even impressed Muriel. Not
what she had expected at all.

"I was, at first, as you might imagine, drawn to her,
just as the others had been, by her beauty."

Why did he feel the need to be honest, especially to
her? It made his actions respectable, and Muriel had no
wish to have her already altered opinion of him elevated.

"I was an unexpected participant in a conversation
with Mrs. Parker and Sir Samuel regarding your sister a
short while ago." Sir Philip looked down his nose at
Muriel while speaking. "I deduced from their abstract
reference that I, without their knowledge, might have
been the implied subject. I believe I am the gentleman
who had not declared his affection for Lady Charlotte
and caused her to behave ... out of character."