The Captivating Lady Charlotte (Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace #2)(25)
“Someone like him?” Lavinia’s eyes flashed. “My dear, I do wish you knew how childish you sound sometimes.”
Charlotte drew back as if slapped. She lifted her chin, avoiding her cousin’s eyes, her heart stinging like a salt-rubbed wound. She pressed her lips together to halt the tremor.
“Charlotte, I’m sorry if my words sound harsh, but His Grace is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and one of the most interesting. Did you know he has created a formula to make certain crops resist disease? He is known throughout England as being one of the most benevolent masters toward his tenants. He is a man of faith, and vision, and—”
“A perfect paragon of virtue,” she muttered.
“Any lady he pays attention to should count herself very fortunate indeed.”
“Now you sound like Mama.”
“Now you sound like a petulant schoolgirl.” Lavinia eased from the bed. “Don’t waste your life on an unworthy dream.”
“I suppose you mean Lord Markham.”
Her cousin nodded. “I do mean Lord Markham. What do you truly know of his character?”
“He is kind.” He paid her compliments. “He does good things, too.” Like asking her to dance. Fetching her a glass of lemonade.
“I’m not saying he doesn’t.”
“Yet you warn me away from him. Why? I love him.”
“Do you?” Her cousin moved to the window. “Do you know what love is?”
“Of course! It … it’s the most wonderful feeling. I have never felt so alive!”
Lavinia’s smile grew tender, and Charlotte could suddenly see the wonderful mother she would be. “Love is so much more than just a feeling.”
Charlotte’s brow furrowed. What secret did Lavinia know? How could love be anything greater than the slushy feeling in one’s middle whenever the man she dreamed about smiled at her? Or the heated shiver whenever she felt his touch? Or the enormous sense of happiness that made her want to dance and spin around whenever he laughed with her? That had to be love. Didn’t it?
Her chin lifted. “When I think on Lord Markham, my only desire is to be near him and hear his voice. Every activity provides more delight when he is in attendance. And when he is not—”
“Come. Let us not argue. We’ll talk on this subject more later,” Lavinia said.
With great effort, Charlotte shoved aside the offense, forced a smile to her lips. “I expect arguing wouldn’t be good for the baby.”
Lavinia laughed, placing a finger on her lips. “Remember, nobody knows.”
“You mean the duke does?”
Her cousin blinked, then smiled, catching the reference to her earlier jest. “I don’t think so.”
“My lips shall remain sealed.”
“Remain sealed about what?” came a querulous voice from beyond the partially opened door. Mama limped in, wearing a silken wrapper and a disconsolate expression. “I don’t know what time you call this, but I could not stay in bed a moment longer while I could hear voices penetrating from next door.” She frowned at Lavinia. “Such very thin walls you have here, my dear. Most unfortunate.”
“I’ve never noticed,” Lavinia said, smiling. “I’ll be sure to mention something to Nicholas—”
“Don’t bother. I will mention it to him myself. But one can hardly expect anything less when one considers it was built by Hawkesburys after all.”
“Mama, I don’t think it appropriate to cast aspersions against the family of your host—”
“Your opinion carries little weight with me, my girl, especially after your atrocious behavior last night.”
Charlotte clamped her lips together, her heart writhing at the sympathy she saw in Lavinia’s glance before her cousin’s gaze returned to Mama, her expression cool.
“Aunt Constance, I must admit to feeling uncomfortable when you criticize my husband’s family. I am doing my best to overlook the past, and when people make such accusations, it does nobody any good, least of all my or Nicholas’s peace of mind.”
Mama sniffed. “Be that as it may, it does not change the events of the past.”
“Nothing can, Aunt Constance. The only thing that can change is our response to it. And I have determined to not hold bitterness against the Hawkesbury family in my heart.”
“Even with such a mother-in-law?”
Lavinia smiled sweetly. “Please do not cause trouble, Aunt Constance, else I’ll be forced to renege my invitation.”
“Hmph. Very well. Now perhaps you will tell me when you’re expecting Hawkesbury’s whelp to be born?”
Near Ashton Common
Three days later
Jensen drew out his pocket watch and checked the time. “Only another hour to go, sir.”
“Thank goodness.” William stifled a yawn against the back of his hand. But his time in Bristol had been worthwhile, his conversation with Mr. McAdam concerning road design and construction instructive, to say the least. McAdam had made suggestions to help William’s cause, believing road surfaces that used evenly spread smaller stones—no larger than what might fit into a man’s mouth, as he’d startlingly explained—should ensure the vehicle wheels passed along well, while enabling water to drain away to ditches on either side. Without requiring heavy stones or arduous engineering work, roads could be built more easily, releasing men to work elsewhere. All in all a most productive time, time spent determining how best to employ a prototype of McAdam’s ideas on William’s estate, before eventually deciding that lining the road between the Abbey and the neighboring village of Hartwell would best serve his purpose.