The Best Man's Bridesmaid (6 page)

It was several hours before she was sure she had done all she could do, and began to execute her plan.

Just before six, she heard the clip-clop of hooves. Jenkins turned and leaned down toward the door of the coach, which had been parked, ready for what was to come, for almost the half hour. “I reckon that’s him coming now, my lady. Are you all set?”

Am I? I have to be, this is my future at stake.
“As I will ever be. Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need it, my lady, but I will do so.” She was sure once more she heard him mutter under his breath. This time the words, “It’s him that needs it.” Caroline stifled a grin; her old and trusted retainers were more family to her than any others; she would not under any circumstances chastise them for any supposed familiarity, especially as they supported her so valiantly. With regards to Charlie, she could but hope so.

***

Charlie, mounted on his favorite chestnut, had made good time on the road. Aided by a full moon and a reasonable road, he had stopped just once for a swift glass of ale and to rest his horse. To keep his destination secret, he had travelled without his valet. And as for the same reasons, he had travelled by horseback, with a saddlebag attached to his pommel. He rode his horse at no more than a canter for the most part. He didn’t want to overstretch and have to leave him at a coaching house to rest. With both he and his horse in good fettle, he turned into the gates of Chattels a few minutes before the hour.

His breath quickened as he started along the drive. Soon he would see her again, find out her secrets, and discover if they had a future. For he had realized that was what he wanted. Their future—together. How he would persuade her? He had no idea, unless… He grinned to himself and felt his cock stir at the thought. Perhaps he needed to show her more of how well they meshed? His cock hardened, and his breathing became uneven at his wayward ideas.

Deep in thought, as he decided just where he would begin to learn more about her luscious body and introduce her to all the delights they could experience together, he paid little heed to the route ahead. His horse was surefooted and hardly needed any directions from him; therefore, Charlie, used to musing on his travels, continued with his thoughts turned inward and with just half an eye open for any potential dangers.

He was jolted out of his reverie as Merlin, his horse, snorted and shook his head, his bit jangling and his gait suddenly uneven. Charlie glanced up, now fully alert.

“What the?” Slewed across the drive was a coach. Dark, no markings like so many on the roads. So why did it seem familiar? As he approached, the horses attached to it moved unease in their stance. Merlin responded with a side step and tossed his head.

There was a high-pitched cry from within the carriage. Charlie dismounted quickly, with a brief, “Stay Merlin,” and left his horse to its own devices as he strode to the vehicle. Once there he began to murmur to the pair attached to the coach. The noise from inside began to increase in volume.

“Begging your pardon, my lord.” The coachman had dismounted, his face averted from Charlie. “P’raps you could help the lady inside? She needs a little reassurance maybe? I’ve got the cattle now.”

Charlie nodded, even as he wondered why the man was so hesitant to show his face. However, he had no time to question him and swung himself into the carriage. In the corner he could make out the rather beguiling shape of a woman. Her face was deep in shadow, her hair covered by the hood of her cloak.

Charlie paused and then sat down on the seat opposite her. He stretched out his legs, not troubling to hide his ever-thickening manhood, which was clearly outlined by his form-fitting clothes.

“I’ve been in this scenario before,” he said in a slow tone, as light dawned. “Haven’t I? You, Amanda, a coach in the snow. Peggy!” He laughed. “Sweet Peggy. I knew you were familiar. Oh my. No wonder you said only for me and in me. It has been you all along. You in the coach and you in—”. He stopped abruptly as he remembered why some casual meetings now seemed so familiar. “But why, Peggy?” He pulled back the cloak hood and caressed her face within his hands. “Also why did you not disclose, Peggy, Caroline, and my mystery lady were one and the same? And now, why here, like this to show me? Do you wish us to recreate our first meeting?”

“Oh, I do, one day,” Caroline said. Her eyes danced with mischief. “But I think we deserve more, don’t you? Warmth, light, and a long and, I hope, interesting story.”

She rapped on the roof, and Charlie felt the coach move. He sat back and waited for her to continue.

“Oh, your horse?” Caroline gasped and twisted to try and see out of the window. As it was a dark night, and very little moon, a black horse would not be the easiest thing to see. “I forgot him, where is he? Will he stray? What should we do?”

In answer Charlie whistled a peculiar set of notes. There was an answering whinny. “He’ll follow. Merlin is well trained.” He turned to look her straight in the eye, the moonlight through the window bright enough to let him see her features. “So,” he said as he thought his words over and forced himself not to show his feelings. His mind was full of what ifs? “Impatient as I am, ‘Peggy,’ to hear your long and interesting story, I am content to wait. Though not for too long.”

He sat back and watched her eyes drift to where his cock was now trying to be free of its confines. “As you see, my cock is showing, I am impatient to be inside you, to show you everything a man and a woman can experience.” He paused. “In every way.”

C
HAPTER
S
IX

Caroline’s body heated and her skin tingled at his arousing words. She moved and curled up close to him. His warmth and hardness comforted her, and she sighed. It was bliss. “No,” she agreed. “Not for too long, just until we are warm, settled, and private.”

She wished she felt more in control. She knew what she wanted to happen. Yet, it was the way it happened that mattered most. Yes, she admitted to herself, she wanted to feel Charlie inside her, to experience that total union. But, and it was a big but, if he was not as committed as she, then the act of making love, their joining, would be worthless. Any feelings and emotions she would feel would become debased. So she needed to tread with care. She decided the first step was to be open and honest with him and hope he would return the favor.

One inside her home, she discarded her cloak and led him to her little parlor on the first floor. She loved the room. It was frankly sensuous, deep red and gold silk wall hangings and long golden curtains that covered the shutters. The furniture was generous, the chaise a daybed large enough for two. After she had read her aunt’s epistle, she knew why. There was no other place where she felt that she could talk openly about her past and their hopeful future to Charlie.

She took care not to spill any liquid as she handed him a glass of port and wondered as she did so if they would drink the champagne afterward. She seated herself on the only chair in the room made for one and waved him to the large roomy seat opposite.

“Well,” she began. Her palms were damp; the next few minutes were so important. “It’s a long story. Will you listen and hear me out? Before dinner. Because I am too nervous to eat until you have heard and commented on what I will say.” She gestured to a selection of cold food on the table next to him. “If you cannot wait until dinner,” she began, but he interrupted her.

“I can wait for food, but am impatient for you. And I would prefer you sitting here next to me, as you tell me whatever you need to say. So, please talk, fast, before I disgrace myself.”

She looked at his obvious arousal. She did that to him? It gave her courage.

“First, I must go back several years. To when, as a schoolgirl, I first saw a blond Adonis escorting a lady through the park. I was with my governess. She stopped to talk to a friend, and I wandered off to try and see where the couple had gone. As it turned out, ‘twas not very far. Out of general sight, but where a twelve-year-old innocent could come across them and see just where his hands were.” She laughed. “Not anywhere I thought a gentleman could put his hands, but as the lady seemed to enjoy it, I thought it must be acceptable. Until the gentleman caught sight of me and gave me a rather large piece of his mind. A wonder I wasn’t put off beautiful blond men for life. Though it seems I wasn’t.”

“Lucinda Hermiston,” Charlie murmured. “I remember. A scrubby little schoolgirl saw us. I had one hand up Lucinda’s skirt and one inside her bodice. That was you?”

She nodded. “That was the first time I saw you. The next time was when I was almost due to come out. You were egging on one of your friend in a race against, I think, a goose at Lady Elms’s summer house party. I was friends with Clara Elms. I was warned against you and ‘types like him, if you want to keep your good name and reputation.’” Her voice was so like her mama’s that Charlie laughed.

“I’m glad you didn’t take need of her warning.”

“Oh, but I did, to all intents and purposes. When, eventually, I was allowed my season, I was the most flowerlike of all the wallflowers. Then I was instructed to accept your request for a dance. Well, two dances, one per ball if, I remember correctly. I was in heaven, although I did wonder why my mama’s attitude towards you changed. From being the one I was warned against you were now the one to be encouraged. Not that I questioned the diktat. To dance with Lord Charlie Lampson, I was enthralled. Did that mean he had a tendre for me? But then you bowed with meticulous precision and thanked me for my time, before you left me and squired one of the beauties for the waltz and supper. I immediately retired to the ‘untaken’ end of the ballroom and watched with envious eyes. When you asked me to take a drive in the park with you, I was overjoyed. So naive, for why would a regular nonesuch as you be interested in a nothing such as me?” She shook her head at her innocence. “You drove once up the row and back, addressed the merest banalities toward me, ogled the Franklin chit, and took me home.”

Charlie stirred in his seat; he looked uneasy and somewhat ashamed. As she saw the remorse on his face, Caroline moved swiftly to sit next to him, forgetting her resolve to stay apart.

“Charlie, do not look like that,” she implored him. “It is the way of that world. Of the ton. You were behaving as was expected of you. Even in asking for my hand. I heard them afterward. Our parents,” she elaborated. “They were congratulating themselves on having tamed you. You had left the capital to hunt and drink with your cronies. I was so confused. I knew both sets of parents were together, and I went to find them, to ask how I could be a good fiancé to you. How to get to know and understand you. For I was overjoyed that, from all the eligible young ladies available, you had chosen me. As I went to knock on the drawing room door, I overheard them talking about why you had been informed you would ask me to marry you. I believe, unless my ears deceived me, it was something to do with a married lady—or two, a jealous husband, and maybe a cuckolded one? And why I would say yes.”

There was silence. She looked at the fire, the wall, anywhere but at him.

“I never cuckolded anyone,” Charlie said with indignance, “or gave a slip… not to my knowledge. I was always care… Well, you know what I mean—or do you?”

She nodded, took pity on him. “To continue, if you wish me to?” He squeezed her hand and put his arm around her. A sense of well being crept over her and she leaned into him as he nodded and kissed the tip of her nose.

“Well, as you may imagine, all my dreams disintegrated. I saw what had happened, and I was in despair. I was a pawn, being used to safeguard your reputation and at the same time relieve my parents of one less child to marry off. No one had thought about me and my wants and desires. My feelings counted for nothing. All that was important was to remove me from the marriage mart. My sister did not take.”

“No wonder,” Charlie remarked. “Crab faced and crotchety. Like your mother.” He realized just to whom he was talking. “Sorry”

“No need to be sorry, ‘tis a harsh but true fact. And her temper is one to be pleased never to experience.” She kissed him in return and nuzzled his neck. “I was distraught, but then my savior, in the shape of Great-Aunt Maud’s will appeared. And something else.”

“Peggy.” It was a statement. “And Lady Mystery.”

Caroline looked at him. Saw the love reflected in his eyes, and at last she began to think they might just achieve all that she was striving for.

“Mm, Peggy, and as you say, Lady Mystery. As she I was invited to be a member of La Bella Isabella and her Dancing Girls. A select few of the debutants would enjoy themselves before they settled down. I was amazed when I told you about that, I had vowed to keep it secret. But on each of our meetings, I told you more, about her. Only her,” she said and stopped speaking. “How much do you know about Amanda?” she asked as she remembered an earlier conversation.

“Well, I was there, as you know, when she first met Harry, but very little else. He told me she picked him up after he left me, but neither you or he has ever explained why you were with Amanda or why she addressed you as Peggy.” He stopped and groaned. “Holy Hell, Peggy, my Lady Mystery, I have been so blind. Amanda—Isabella,
she
is La Bella Isabella. Why did I not realize earlier?”

“You saw and heard what you wanted, no more.”

He nodded. “So, Mystery—Peggy? Just a dancing girl? Or more? Why Peggy, when you have such a beautiful name? Do you trust me not to divulge your secrets?”