Secluded with the Rogue

Chapter 20

Twenty

C harlene's heart ached.

She'd told Drew she had feelings for him, and it hadn’t mattered. He'd still rejected her.

Anger flared in her chest. She was exhausted of men meddling in her life: first her father, then her onetime fiancé, now the man she loved. Oh God! She loved him . She loved him, but he didn't love her. Even if he felt something for her, it was not enough to do anything about it, to tell her father to go hang, he was marrying her anyway.

Charlene slipped from the library and was headed to the ladies' retiring room to refresh herself, maybe splash a bit of water on her face, but as she moved around the edges of the gathering, raised voices in the foyer caught her attention. She moved to the hall and saw Drew—Drew, speaking to…Lord Fenwick?

The lout had appeared on their doorstep that morning unannounced and uninvited. There had been nothing for it but to give him shelter and invite him to the party. Though her father assured her the engagement was off.

“What did you say?” Lord Fenwick's voice rang out in the open space. He stood flanked by two other men she recognized from the neighborhood. They had both been bullies as children, so she was not surprised to see they had gravitated to a man such as Lord Fenwick.

“I said, if you speak such foulness about Lady Charlene again in my presence, I shall trounce you.” Drew's words were said through clenched teeth and Charlene’s heart leapt.

“What, has the little hussy spread her thighs for you, too?” Lord Fenwick sneered at Drew.

Without hesitation, Drew slammed a fist into the man's face. “I warned you, you fucking blighter.”

Lord Fenwick wailed like a child as he grabbed at his now bleeding face. “What the hell? Since she won't marry me, I assumed it's because she got herself with child by someone else.” The man straightened up, cheeks red, and glared at Drew. “Maybe it was you?”

Before Charlene could gasp the brute had swung at Drew, who handily dodged the wild lunge only to slam another fist into Lord Fenwick's face, sending him crashing into a cabinet that lined the entry.

That was when her father rushed into the hall. “What is the meaning of this?”

One idiot with Lord Fenwick helped the bastard up while Drew turned to face her father. “Lord Brookhaven, my apologies for the disruption. I walked in on Lord Fenwick speaking ill of your daughter and felt compelled to straighten out his falsehoods.”

Still hidden just around the corner, Charlene watched her father's eyes narrow as he looked at the man who would have been his son-in-law. “And what precisely did you say to provoke this man?”

“Nothing that isn't true.” Lord Fenwick looked defiant.

Charlene gasped softly at his utter tripe. Well, she couldn’t allow this to continue. She stepped out of the shadows and faced her father. “That cretin suggested I had begged off from the engagement because I was with child by another man.”

Her father's face turned red. “He said what ?”

“You heard me, Father. I am sorry to say he called me a hussy. This—this man you wanted me to marry. This paragon of gentlemanly behavior called me a whore without a shred of evidence.” Fury made Charlene’s voice shake as she stood there.

Lord Fenwick stepped forward between where she and Drew each stood. “And yet aren't you?”

Her father growled and threw his own punch to Lord Fenwick's face before spitting, “Get out of my house. Leave this instant—and if I hear one more slanderous comment about my daughter, I shall see you blackballed from not only White's but from polite Society.” The man’s voice was low and gravely as he pointed to the door.

Charlene swallowed as two footmen picked up Lord Fenwick who had once more found himself knocked to the ground, and bodily threw him from their home.

Lord Fenwick groaned loudly as he landed awkwardly on the gravel driveway then he said something Charlie could not hear.

One footman looked at her father. “And his luggage?”

Her father looked annoyed but answered, “Yes, yes, we're not robbing the man, just throwing him out.”

The footman bowed and the pair of servants left, presumably to gather Lord Fenwick's things.

Drew took that moment to bow to her father. “Again, my apologies for the disturbance.” He turned to leave.

“Wentworth.”

Charlene’s heart stopped, her mind unable to take in what was happening. Her father had reached out and taken Drew’s arm to stop him.

Her father cleared his throat. “Thank you. For protecting my daughter's good name.”

Drew looked from her father to her. Their gazes met and locked for a long, very intense moment, before he said quietly, “Always, my lord.”

The only man Charlene had ever loved then walked out of the house, stepped over Lord Fenwick where he still laid in the driveway, and climbed into his carriage which had apparently pulled up during all the ruckus.

Charlene's heart sank as Drew left, for what she knew would be the last time. She would never see him again.

As she stood there, numb from the loss, her father glanced over to her. “We should get back to the festivities or your mother will notice. Heaven help us all if she gets wind of what just occurred.”

Nodding blankly, Charlene followed her father into the great hall and found a corner to hide in as she tried to think about everything which had happened.

A s she climbed into bed that night, once the party finally ended, Charlene’s body felt like aspic held up by bones. Her head ached and her lips were chewed raw inside from holding back her tears.

Her entire world had been upended. The thing was, she wasn't sure when Andrew Wentworth had become so central to her world.

Oh, she knew she loved him. There was no question, or her heart would not feel so shattered now. And she'd tried to tell him—but she was never one to be able to say elegant things. She was more of a furious poet. Words flowed for her when she was angry, not when she was calm, or at least trying to retain that elusive state. It was no wonder she'd failed so utterly at expressing herself.

Charlene sighed. And as a result of her inadequacies, Drew was gone, lost to her forever. The first tear which had been pent up for hours now slipped free and trailed down her cheek. It was as though the dam that had held all of her emotions back finally cracked.

She shattered. A sob broke free of her chest and the rest of the tears followed. She cried for the little girl who had been so infatuated with a boy named Drew, and for the girl who had thought she would have a fairytale love, and the woman who had fallen in love with the man. As her tears fell, soaking her pillow, Charlene curled up into a ball and let the pain wash over her in waves.

At some point, gentle hands took hold of her shoulders and eased her into a welcome embrace. She smelled lilacs, and knew it was her mother before she uttered a word.

“Hush now, dearest. Tell me, what has you so upset?”

Charlene sniffed and tried to find the words to explain as her mother ran a soothing hand up and down her back. In the end, there was only one thing to say. “I-I love him, Mother.”

“Lord Fenwick?” Her mother was so shocked it made Charlie laugh through her tears.

“No, heavens no. Drew. I love Drew, Mama.” The tears stirred once more, not quite finished with her yet.

“Oh, my child, I did not—I had never thought—and does he not feel the same way?” her mother crooned as she gently rocked Charlene, who laid half in her lap.

“I think he does. He said he was thrilled to know it, but—” she sniffled again “—but it made no difference. Father's threat to ruin him has c-come between us.”

Her mother sighed softly. When she spoke, it sounded to Charlene as though her mother agreed with Drew. “Dearest, it's not just your father's threats that stand between you two. You understand, don't you? A union between you two is impossible. Society would never accept him—for goodness’ sake, the man is in trade .”

Charlene pushed away from her mother. “It wouldn't matter if I stayed out of Society. I don't care about all of that nonsense, anyway.”

Her mother shook her head sadly. “I fear your Father would never allow it.” She brushed a strand of Charlene's hair away from her eyes. “He dotes on you and wants you to be well cared for. We are not getting any younger, and he needs to be assured that you will be secure long after we are gone.”

“But what about what I want? What I need?” The tears started again, and Charlene fell back into her mother's arms.

“Life does not always provide us with what we want, but I believe it usually allows for what we need. The question is do you want the man or do you need him in your life?” Her mother’s words were kind, but firm.

Charlene, drew in a great gulp of air and sat up to face her mother. “Without a doubt, I need him in my life. I love him.”

“Then have a little faith that all will turn out as it should.” She smiled softly at Charlene before rising from the bed. “Try to get some sleep. I’m sure the morning will bring more clarity.”