A Scandalous Publication Page 14

  Chapter Sixteen

  The bell of a nearby church was striking midnight as Max’s carriage drew up outside the house in Henrietta Street. The Parkstone barouche was still there and so Max declined to go in, not wishing to risk an unpleasant scene with Sylvia that might ruin this very special evening.

  They lingered in the carriage for a moment, and he cupped Charlotte’s face in his hands, kissing her on the lips once more before alighting and assisting her down. His fingers were warm and firm around hers as he drew her closer, his lips so very near as he looked down into her eyes again. “You’re sure of your feelings?”

  “Very sure.”

  “And you know that Judith no longer has any place in my life?”

  “Yes.”

  “It never mattered in the past that I’d acquired the reputation I had, but then you came along and suddenly it mattered a great deal.” He smiled at her, his eyes almost black in the slanting light of a nearby streetlamp. “I wish I wasn’t going away for the next month, but I must.”

  “I’ll miss you so very much.”

  “And I you.”

  “I’ll write to you.”

  He hesitated then. “Yes,” he said softly, “for it is surely expected that a lady should write to the man she is to marry.”

  Charlotte stared at him. “Are you asking me…?”

  “To be my wife? Yes, Charlotte, for I can’t imagine any other woman at my side, nor any other woman as mistress of Kimber Park.” He touched her hair with his fingertips. “Will you accept me, my love?”

  “If you’re sure you want me.”

  “Do you need more proof than tonight?”

  She smiled then. “No,” she whispered.

  “Then will you marry me, Charlotte?”

  “Yes. Oh, yes.”

  He drew her into his arms again, his lips lingering on hers for a final time. She didn’t want him to leave, for that would mean the end of a day that had started in the depths of despair but that was finishing at the very peak of enchantment and joy. But then he was gone, stepping quickly back into the carriage, which almost immediately drove away, the team’s hooves clattering loudly in the quiet darkness.

  “It would seem that your problems with Talgarth are more than resolved, Charlotte.” Richard spoke from close by.

  She turned quickly to see him standing on the pavement, having just returned from a walk. “I didn’t know you were there!” she cried.

  He grinned. “That much was obvious, even to me.” He stubbed out the Spanish cigar that was the reason for his walk, his sister refusing to countenance tobacco smoke in the house. “So, that was the reason for your strange mood, I confess I hadn’t thought that to be the way of it. Against all the odds, you appear to have snapped up one of England’s most eligible men.”

  “I love him, Richard.”

  “I sincerely trust you do, for I wouldn’t approve at all if my niece was as intimate as that with a man she cared little for. Why didn’t he go in?”

  She hesitated then. Richard, like her mother, still knew nothing about Sylvia’s loathing for Max. To spare her mother distress, it had been agreed between Sylvia, the admiral, and Charlotte herself not to mention the matter; now that situation could no longer continue, not if Max was to become part of the family. She went slowly to him. “Richard, there’s something you should know, something that can no longer be left unsaid, even though it will undoubtedly cause more than a little discord.”

  “Discord? In what way?”

  “Max has asked me to marry him and I’ve accepted, but Sylvia will not approve at all; in fact, she’s bound to be very upset indeed.”

  Richard stared at her. “You’re not saying that Sylvia is secretly in love with him herself? Is he the one who’s always stood between me and happiness?”

  “No, far from it. No, Richard, Sylvia doesn’t love Max, she loathes him.”

  “But she never mentions him!”

  “No, we agreed not to, because it might upset Mother. Oh, dear, it’s so very hard to explain, especially as I know you love her so very much. Things have to be resolved somehow, Richard; they have to be if I’m going to marry Max and if you are to stand any chance at all of marrying Sylvia. Can we walk for a while?”

  “If you wish, but first I must tell Sophia that you’re with me. She thinks you’ve retired to your bed, and if she should go up to find you not there, she’ll be frantic with worry.”

  He went briefly into the house, emerging again almost immediately. Offering Charlotte his arm, he paused for a moment. “Is this going to be serious enough to warrant my needing another cigar to soothe my shattered composure?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “That means it is.” He took out a cigar, the lucifer he lit it with flaring brightly for a moment, illuminating his face. The sweet smoke threaded away in the light night breeze, then he offered her his arm again and they walked slowly in the direction of Cavendish Square. “Now, then, what’s all this about?”

  She began to tell him everything, leaving nothing out. They made a complete circuit of the square, where the silence was punctuated by the occasional rattle of a passing carriage, and by music and laughter emanating from the Duke of Chandos’ mansion on the north side.

  When she had finished, Richard was silent for a moment. “You’re right,” he said at last, “your match with Max Talgarth is going to cause discord.”

  “Max is innocent.”

  “And Sylvia is going to say with equal conviction that he’s guilty.”

  “She’s wrong. I’ve seen proof of his conduct toward my father.”

  “In that respect then, I must agree with you, but have you equally seen proof of his conduct toward his wife?”

  She looked away. “No,” she admitted, “but I still believe him. And so does the admiral.”

  He nodded. “Yes, there’s no gainsaying that the admiral does indeed still hold Max in high esteem, which he would hardly do if there was any doubt in his mind. Charlotte, all this places me in a damnably difficult position. I love Sylvia so very much.”

  “I know.” She squeezed his arm. “I’m sorry to be the cause of all this.”

  “You’re hardly the cause.”

  “Everything would be all right if I hadn’t fallen in love with Max, and he with me.”

  “It can’t be helped.”

  “Sylvia’s bound to be desperately upset, and that will mean my mother having to be told everything I’ve just told you. It’s going to be very difficult and disagreeable, Richard. I don’t want to quarrel with anyone. I want us all to be happy: you and Sylvia, my mother and the admiral, and Max and myself.”

  He put his arm quickly around her shoulder. “It may yet be resolved.”

  “That can happen only if Sylvia admits that Max is innocent, and I don’t think she’s prepared to do that.”

  “Well, there’s no point in postponing the moment. Shall we go back now and tell them what’s happened?”

  “I don’t want anything to spoil tonight.”

  “It’s been spoiled already, by your having to tell me all this.”

  “Yes, I suppose you’re right. Richard, I love you very much, and whatever happens—”

  He kissed her on the cheek. “Whatever happens, I’ll still love you too. It’s going to be the proverbial bumpy ride, but we’ll survive.”

  “It means so very, very much to Sylvia,” she warned.

  He took a deep breath. “I know, that’s why I want to face her with it all now. Waiting would simply make it worse. Come on, let’s get it over with.”

  Charlotte’s heart felt very heavy as they walked back to the house, for she knew that a most dreadful scene was bound to ensue. Sylvia wasn’t open to reason at all where Max was concerned, and she wouldn’t receive the news very well.

  Everyone was seated in the drawing room, discussing the merits of the Clarendon Hotel’s fine French menu. Dinner had gone very well indeed; they had enjoyed themselves to the full and were still imbue
d with a slightly rosy glow after indulging in some excellent iced champagne. Their chatter and good humor faded almost immediately at the serious expressions on the faces of Charlotte and Richard as they entered.

  Mrs. Wyndham sat anxiously forward. “Is something wrong? What’s happened?”

  Richard didn’t beat about the bush; he sat on the arm of Sylvia’s chair, his hand resting lightly and protectively on her bare shoulder. “Charlotte has some news for you all,” he said.

  Everyone looked at Charlotte. She hesitated. How could she say it without hurting or provoking Sylvia? “I….”

  Sylvia was now as anxious as Mrs. Wyndham. “What is it, Charlotte? You look so dreadfully pale.”

  “I’m going to marry Sir Maxim Talgarth.” The words came out in a rush, allowing no room for misinterpretation and sparing Sylvia nothing. Charlotte could have bitten her tongue for inadvertently being so insensitive, but it was done now and there was no going back.

  Sylvia was suddenly very still.

  Mrs. Wyndham was delighted. “Oh, Charlotte, my dear! You sly minx, I had no idea at all. Oh, what a catch, what a very, very fine catch!” She turned excitedly to the admiral, who didn’t know quite what to say. He was quite obviously pleased for Charlotte and Max, but he knew his daughter’s reaction.

  Mrs. Wyndham stared at him. “Henry? Aren’t you pleased?”

  “Yes, of course I am, it’s just….” His glance slid unhappily to Sylvia.

  At last Mrs. Wyndham looked at her too, her eyes puzzled. “Sylvia? Whatever is it?”

  Sylvia shook off Richard’s hand and rose slowly and quiveringly to her feet, her eyes ablaze with furious disbelief. “Charlotte! How could you? How can you accept him when you know what he’s done?”

  “I don’t believe he’s done anything of which he should be ashamed, Sylvia,” replied Charlotte gently. “Please don’t be angry, for I don’t want to be at odds with you.”

  Sylvia gave a mirthless laugh. “At odds? Charlotte, it’s far more serious than that.”

  “I don’t want it to be, and there really isn’t any need for us to fall out.”

  “I can’t be friendly with someone who gives her hand to the man who ruined and probably killed her own father and who definitely murdered my sister.”

  Mrs. Wyndham swayed weakly, her face draining of color. The admiral immediately put a reassuring hand over hers, fixing his daughter with an angry look.

  “Sylvia! That’s quite enough; your conduct at this moment is beyond belief and quite unforgivable.”

  “My conduct is unforgivable?” she cried. “I’m the only one who’s right in all this.”

  Richard got up and went to her. “Please, Sylvia, don’t distress yourself anymore—”

  She still looked accusingly at Charlotte. “I shall never forgive you for this, Charlotte Wyndham. Never!”

  The admiral got up as well. “Sylvia, it’s time we left, before you say anything more you’ll regret in the morning.”

  “I won’t regret any of this. I know I’m right, and nothing you say will convince me to the contrary. That Charlotte, of all people, should cleave to that man….” She stepped closer to Charlotte then. “You’re making a dreadful mistake and I’m soon going to prove to the world what a monster Max Talgarth is; indeed I’ve already set about exposing him. Before long everyone who matters is going to know the truth about him, and I only hope by then you will have come to your senses.” Snatching up her reticule and shawl, she hurried from the room and out of the house.

  The admiral looked apologetically at them. “Please forgive her, she’s very upset.”

  Charlotte managed a smile and Richard nodded. “Of course.”

  The admiral went to Mrs. Wyndham then. “Will I still be welcome here tomorrow, Sophia?”

  She patted his hand and nodded, although she was still evidently very shaken. “Of course you will be, Henry. Let us hope it will be over and forgotten by then.”

  “I wish I could think that it would be,” he said heavily, raising her hand to his lips and then departing.

  Richard went to the door with him, and Mrs. Wyndham immediately spoke to Charlotte. “Young lady, there appears to be rather a lot of which I’ve been left in woeful ignorance. Don’t you think it’s time you did me the courtesy of explaining?”

  Slowly Charlotte turned to face her. “Yes. I’m sorry, Mother.”

  “So you should be, missy. So you should.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Whatever it was that Sylvia planned to do to expose Max to the world, it was not revealed over the next month while he was away at Chatsworth. Her initial angry reaction became less bitter, though, and within days of her furious departure she was again calling at the house in Henrietta Street. Her relations with Charlotte fell short of their former intimacy, and she declined to speak of Max at all, which made for a very difficult atmosphere, but one with which Charlotte was more than prepared to put up for everyone else’s sake.

  Mrs. Wyndham’s mood alternated between an almost dizzy delight and pride in Charlotte’s undoubted coup and moments of grave anxiety that Sylvia might prove right in the end after all. The admiral, decidedly displeased with his daughter, was very open about his delight in the forthcoming match, making no bones about his happiness for both Charlotte and Max.

  Richard walked a delicate tightrope, trying to placate Sylvia on the one hand and determined to be fair to Charlotte on the other. It was a very difficult act, but he accomplished it sufficiently well, for his efforts were rewarded by a slight softening in Sylvia’s manner toward him. His resoluteness at a time of great difficulty made her look at him with new eyes, and everyone began to hope that this new development might see an end to her opposition to Max Talgarth.

  Whatever was going on around her, Charlotte remained secure in her love. Each letter she wrote to Max, and each one she received in return, made her love him all the more. She could hardly believe that it had happened, and there were times when she was afraid that it was a dream after all, and that soon she would wake up and find herself in her bed, gazing at the morning shadows on the ceiling….

  The days seemed to pass on leaden feet, and she felt that the date of his return to London would never come. He was due to arrive on the day before the Parkstone ball, an event he had always attended in the past for the admiral’s sake. He was due to attend this year, but Charlotte wondered if he still would. She had told him all about the upset with Sylvia, and knew that he now had grave doubts about going. That remained in the balance, but what was in no doubt at all was that on the evening of his return from Chatsworth he was taking Charlotte to the theater. It would be their first appearance in public together, and she was looking forward to it immensely, just as she looked to so many social events now that her feelings about such things had changed so much. The visit to the theater was, of course, a very important occasion for them both, for although there had obviously not been any formal announcement of their betrothal, or even of their understanding, news had nevertheless somehow leaked out. Society was astonished to learn that Max Talgarth, who could have had his pick of brides, had chosen George Wyndham’s unlikely daughter, and everyone was agog for his return so that it could be seen if the rumors were true or not. The house in Henrietta Street received a great many visitors, and almost without exception they managed to bring conversation around to the rumors, which Charlotte neither confirmed nor denied, since she didn’t think it right that she should say anything when Max was away. These visitors departed convinced that the whispers were absolutely true, and they in turn spread it all still further.

  Sylvia wasn’t alone in wishing to stop the match proceeding. Judith hadn’t yet given up her efforts to win Max back, and one morning, when she somehow seemed to know that Charlotte was alone in the house, she paid an unwelcome visit.

  Charlotte was seated in the garden reading, and looked up with startled surprise when Mrs. White announced the caller’s name. Judith’s tall, yellow figure looked particularly
striking among the soft greens of the garden, and her fringed parasol twirled determinedly above her head. Her eyes were alight with unpleasantness and loathing, and the sympathy Charlotte had hitherto felt for her evaporated immediately. Judith halted before her. “Good morning, Miss Wyndham.” The Devonshire House drawl was almost too much.

  “Good morning, Lady Judith. You’ll understand if I don’t invite you to sit down.”

  “Manners were never your forte.”

  “I have no wish to remain at odds with you, but it’s quite obvious from your bearing now that your visit isn’t all charitable, so I suggest that you say what you came to say and then leave.”

  “On the contrary, Miss Wyndham, my mission is very charitable indeed.”

  “We’re all in need of charity, my lady, but yours is a variety I would prefer to forgo.”

  Judith gave a cool smile. “No doubt, but I shall offer it to you anyway. I’ve come to warn you against Max Talgarth.”

  “Again? How very dull and repetitive of you.”

  “Well, since you wouldn’t listen the first time, I thought it only Christian to give you a second chance.”

  “I’m overwhelmed, but since you mean nothing to him, I fail to see why I should be expected to pay any more heed to you now than I did then.”

  “I’ve taken pity on you. You’ve made such a fool of yourself, letting the monde learn how neatly you’ve been hoodwinked. Really, it’s too ridiculous for words. You see, my dear Miss Wyndham, I’m still his mistress, no matter what he might have told you to the contrary. I’ve returned from Chatsworth this very day, so I should know what I’m talking about, shouldn’t I? He’s deceiving you, and when he’s enjoyed to the full the charms he admittedly finds alluring enough for the moment, he’ll leave you.”