A Brooding Christmas Promise (Christmas Matches of Worth #2)

Chapter Seven

You must not let Lady Foster ruin your time in London. Instead, you must simply ignore her, show her that what she intends will never come to pass and, instead, throw yourself into as much enjoyment as you can.

Nodding to herself, Charlotte considered the beautiful things strewn across the table, ready for Amelia and herself. The conversation she had shared with Lord Trenton and Lord Crestwood the previous day had given her a great deal to consider and, as she had pondered, the truth of what Lord Crestwood had said had settled into her heart and mind. He was quite right. Either she let Lady Foster do as she pleased and would spend her Christmas time looking over her shoulder, always afraid of what she would find there or she simply ignored her as best she could and did as she pleased. It was a choice and Charlotte was, now, slowly becoming determined to do the latter.

“ What did you think of Lord Trenton?”

Charlotte glanced at her sister before reaching for another silk ribbon. “I thought him a very kind-hearted gentleman, just as was Lord Crestwood.”

“Handsome too.”

Ignoring this, Charlotte picked up a silver ribbon and began to make her garland, combining ribbons, strands of ivy and holly with which to decorate her sister’s home in time for Christmas day.

“Though I must say, I thought that Lord Crestwood was a little more desirous in his eagerness to help you. The way that he first came to your aid and then, thereafter, said he would host various events simply so that you would be able to attend without concern… that speaks of a very kind heart.”

“Yes, I quite agree,” Charlotte murmured, keeping her eyes on the task at hand rather than looking at her sister. The trouble was, she had found both Lord Trenton and Lord Crestwood very generous indeed and certainly, they were both handsome, but there had been something about seeing Lord Crestwood again which had warmed her heart.

“Are you quite certain…?” Amelia trailed off and let out a small sigh, shaking her head as she did so. “Forgive me. It is only that I continue to think that this entire circumstance is deeply unfair. I wish very much for you to have as much happiness as I do and to know that you never shall, breaks my heart.”

Charlotte gave her sister a small smile. “You need not worry about me. I am sure I shall find some sort of contentment.”

Amelia scowled but said nothing and Charlotte set her mind away from Lord Crestwood and focused on all that was before her. She had many other events to enjoy, she now had newfound acquaintances willing to assist her when it came to Lady Foster and Christmas day was still to come! There would be much laughter, enjoyment and fine company, she was sure, and that would make her very happy indeed.

Though I shall then have to return to my stepmother.

The thought made her heart sink low almost instantly, her shoulders dropping at the thought.

“It is very bad with her, is it not?”

Charlotte glanced at her sister. “I do not want to speak of it, not because I think you rude but because I know that you will continually worry,” she answered, gently. “You have a great deal of happiness and I will not let my circumstances dampen that.”

“I shall worry about you regardless. It mars my own happiness knowing that you are suffering.” Amelia reached to touch her hand. “I do not say that with the desire that you pity me but rather so that you know just how much I desire for you to be as free in your choices as I was.”

Charlotte smiled, squeezed her sister’s hand but said nothing. The weight of what her father had asked her weighed heavily upon her but she could do nothing about it.

“Our brother informed me that he has never seen the will, however,” Amelia continued, taking her hand back. “Is that not a little strange?”

“Given that there was an attack by highwaymen on the mail coach, I do not think so,” Charlotte answered, giving her sister a glance, lifting her eyebrow as she did so. “Besides, I read those words, remember? Now please, can we stop discussing this matter and, I must insist, that includes discussion about Lord Trenton and Lord Crestwood!”

“Lord Trenton might be interested but I am afraid that I have heard recently that Lord Crestwood has determined never to marry… or at least, not to consider it for a long time.”

A blush infused Charlotte’s cheeks as Lord Hesterway walked into the room and bent to kiss Amelia on the cheek. “I was just informing Amelia that I have no desire to be urged to consider either gentleman. Though,” she continued, her curiosity piqued, “is there a reason that he has said such a thing?”

“Oh, do you not know?” Amelia pressed one hand lightly to her forehead. “No, of course you do not. I should have told you about it before but I quite forgot.”

“What is it?”

Amelia let out a sigh. “It is a very sad story. He was due to engage himself to a young lady who had declared herself in love with him and he with her. However, even though he sought permission from her father – and was granted it – the lady in question then went on to elope with another!”

“Another?” Charlotte’s heart squeezed painfully in sympathy for Lord Crestwood. “Why would she do such a thing? Why accept courtship from Lord Crestwood if she was only to agree to marry another?”

“Because Lord Grifford was – and still is, I might say – a rogue. There was no hope that her father would agree to her courtship nor her betrothal to such a gentleman.” Lord Hesterway shook his head. “Lady Maria, as she was then, made a somewhat foolish decision, I think. Mayhap she believed herself in love with him, I do not know.”

Charlotte put one hand to her heart. “He has not proved himself worthy of her, then?”

Amelia shook her head. “Once they returned from honeymoon, he was found here while she lingered at the estate. It soon became clear that he did not think matrimony was anything of significance. Since then, I believe that her father has intervened and offered the gentleman a substantial amount of coin if he will stay at the estate with his wife. Given that I have not seen him present in society, I assume that he has done that very thing.”

“Oh, how awful,” Charlotte answered, her heart filled with sadness over the entire situation. “But Lord Crestwood, why has he rejected matrimony in such a way?”

Lord Hesterway shrugged. “Who can say?”

“Though,” Amelia said, tilting her head, “it does mean that you need not have any concern about being in his company.”

“What do you mean?” Charlotte frowned, wondering if her sister was, yet again, attempting to convince her to pursue a connection with a particular gentleman, only for Amelia’s next words to free her from such thoughts.

“If Lord Crestwood has turned from such things and is determined that he will not engage himself to any lady in any way, then there can be no concern on your part about being in his company, can there?”

Considering this, Charlotte began to nod slowly, a hint of a smile at the edges of her mouth. “You are certain that you have no other motive in suggesting that, my dear sister?”

“None in the least!” Amelia’s eyes went wide. “I can assure you, my only thought is of your happiness during the Christmas Season and, given that you will become bored of my company alone, then why should you not spend time with a kind, amiable gentleman who has no interest in pursuing any young lady for matrimony?”

“He is an excellent fellow, aside from the heavy moods which come upon him at times – or so I have been told,” Lord Hesterway added. “Though now, at least, you can understand why that might be, should it happen when you are in his company.”

Charlotte nodded. “I suppose that I can.” A hint of a smile brushed the sides of her mouth. “And though this is terribly wicked of me to say, would it not also upset Lady Foster a little?”

There came a silence after this remark and Charlotte’s smile cracked, suddenly afraid that she had said something she ought not to have said. She was about to pull that remark back, about to say how foolish she had been to have thought such a way, only for Amelia to burst into laughter, with her husband soon joining her.

Charlotte’s smile returned.

“My goodness, I would never have thought that you would say such a thing as that!” Amelia panted, her eyes streaming as her mouth pulled wide. “My goodness, you have gone from a lady afraid of the disaster that Lady Foster might bring to you to someone who is now determined not to permit her to do such a thing!”

“I have had much to consider,” Charlotte answered, flushing as Lord Hesterway also continued to chuckle, though he appeared delighted with what she had said also. “I do not want to spend my time here continually worried about what she will do, what she will think and what she will relate to our stepmother. I have been looking forward to spending time with you both and to permit Lady Foster to bring disaster to that would be deeply upsetting and, no doubt, I would regret it also.”

“Indeed, I think you would,” Amelia agreed, suddenly serious. “Can you think about how you would feel in the midst of dreary January or February, knowing that you let Lady Foster occupy your thoughts?”

Charlotte swallowed, a knot in her stomach. “Yes, I see what you mean,” she said, quickly, finding herself a little unsettled. “I have decided that I will not permit her to do such a thing, however.” She took in a deep breath and set her shoulders. “And if it is truly as you say as regards Lord Crestwood – and I shall ask him, have no doubt – then I do not see why I should not spend time in his company, even if it will anger Lady Foster!” She smiled and then looked down at her garland which was almost completed. “I am here to enjoy the Christmas Season and that is precisely what I shall do,” she said, firmly. “Lady Foster shall be nothing more than a thought to me from now on.”

“Wonderful!” Amelia’s voice was overly bright and Charlotte tossed her a sharp look, wondering if what she had said about Lord Crestwood really was true or if there was something more there, only to shrug inwardly. She would have to be bold, yes, but she would simply ask him and from there, determine what she would do. Setting her first Christmas garland aside, she reached for another ribbon, ready to do the same as a smile rose across her face. Perhaps this connection with Lord Crestwood would be an excellent one indeed!