The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow (19 page)

Sarah glanced from Charlotte to Archie. “Shouldn't you be inside with the baby?” she said to Charlotte.

“I just came out to see the sunrise.” Charlotte slid down from her seat on the ledge and clutched her cloak around her. “I'll check on the baby now.”

“If old Penard knew you were out here, he would have stern words for you.”

“Sarah!” Archie's tone held no patience. “Mind your tongue when you don't know what you're speaking of.”

Sarah lifted her head. “I know perfectly well what I'm speaking off—a maid and a coachman alone in the courtyard together before the sun is fully risen. I'm sure Mr. Penard would be happy to receive my report.”

Charlotte brushed past Sarah without looking back at Archie and disappeared into the kitchen.

Archie strode over to Sarah and spun her to look at him directly. “If you say one word of this to Mr. Penard, I will personally see that you are put out of the house.”

“On what grounds?” She stared at him, daring. “I rather think I am to be made nanny again if Miss Emmaline has anything to say about it.”

“You were never nanny.”

She clamped her teeth together.

He slammed through the kitchen door. Sarah followed slowly. There was something between those two that ought not to be there. She was sure of it. This was not over.

 20 

C
harlotte held the two suits for Emmaline Brewster's inspection.

“The pale pink silk, I think,” Emmaline Brewster said. “Yes, the pink, with the pearl necklace and my hair on top of my head.”

“Yes, miss.” Charlotte laid the pale pink silk on the bed and returned the blue satin to a hook in the closet. Though made of delicate silk, the pink skirt had an elaborate drape with asymmetrical swags at the hips that made Emmaline's waist seem more slender than it was. The suit's jacket featured tiny pleats across the front and buttoned down one side.

Charlotte helped Emmaline out of the ordinary day dress she had worn all morning. Though it was something Emmaline would not leave the house in, the sage green broadcloth print was still far finer than anything Charlotte could ever hope to wear. But in an hour's time, Emmaline would be entering the Henderson household for a luncheon, and an ordinary day dress would not do.

“I do wish this were simply a ladies luncheon,” Emmaline moaned as Charlotte held the pink skirt for her to step into.
“Wednesday midday seems like an odd time for the Hendersons to arrange a social event. Flora says Mr. Henderson is more unbalanced than ever. Mrs. Glessner has implied that he does not make any effort to control himself, and Flora has seen for herself the way he behaves. I'm hardly looking forward to this luncheon.”

“Perhaps it will not be so bad, ma'am.” Charlotte held the jacket open for Miss Emmaline to put her arms in the sleeves.

“I can always hope not to be seated next to him.” Emmaline shuffled slowly to the vanity table and fingered the string of pearls. “I'm getting tired of all this socializing. I'm surprised Flora has tolerated me all this time. I don't dare defy her by refusing to go.”

“Shall I fasten the pearls, miss?” Charlotte knew she must handle the pearls despite the tremble in her fingers.

Emmaline handed the necklace to Charlotte. “I suppose Flora is still hoping I'll meet someone and lose interest in the baby. But I'm still hoping she'll come around to seeing that Teddy belongs with me. If Cousin Louisa comes to Chicago, I'll lose him.”

Charlotte swallowed hard. “Miss, may I speak?”

Emmaline turned and looked at her, wide-eyed. “Of course.”

“Maybe you should take Teddy and go,” Charlotte said, barely above a whisper. “Maybe it's time.”

Emmaline stared at her. “Do you mean I should take him without the blessing of Flora and Samuel?”

Charlotte nodded, pressing her lips together.

Emmaline sank into the chair in front of the vanity table. “Flora is hoping Louisa will come as soon as next week. She's been stubborn about this, even when she knows how much I want the child.”

“Anyone can see you adore him,” Charlotte said.

Emmaline looked up and beamed. “I do adore him! How can anyone resist him? Surely he would steal Louisa's heart the way he stole mine.”

“But if he's gone when Louisa comes,” Charlotte said, “perhaps they would not follow.”

“They'll be angry.”

“Yes, miss. The Bannings do not like to be contradicted.”

“They certainly do not. But that does not make them right.”

“No, miss.” Charlotte's knees wavered, but her resolve did not.

“Teddy knows me now. He's comfortable with me. I'm quite persuaded he's genuinely fond of me.”

“It's clear he is.” Charlotte's voice caught despite her best effort to remain calm. “Perhaps it's best if you go.”

“You're quite serious, aren't you?” Emmaline's face paled as she considered the proposition.

Charlotte nodded, her throat thick to the point of stifling her breath.

“I'm not sure I can manage it on my own,” Emmaline said. “I can take care of him, I know that. But getting everything ready, making the arrangements to steal away—I'll need some help.”

Charlotte's heart thrust against the walls of her chest. She would shrivel up and die inside, but Henry would be happy and safe. Her heart would never mend, but Henry would never want for anything.

“So you'll help me?” Emmaline asked, her eyes pleading.

Charlotte nodded one last time.

Archie prodded the horses into the coach house, where he unhitched the carriage. He handed the reins to Karl to stable the horses.

“How was the lunch at the Hendersons?” Karl asked. “The usual hoity-toity stuff, I imagine.”

Archie snorted softly. “Mrs. Banning has a month's supply of stories about Mr. Henderson, and she complained about the skimpy portions all the way home. Miss Emmaline seemed particularly antsy. The whole affair took too long. I don't think she liked missing her walk with the baby.”

“That drama is over—at least until the next time!” Karl laughed and ran his hand through the mane of a gelding before leading him to a stall.

Archie left the coach house and walked along the side of the mansion to the servants' entrance. He had not snatched a moment alone with Charlotte since the previous morning in the courtyard. At least now he understood why she was driving herself to exhaustion every moment of the day. Frenetic activity left her no spare moment to indulge her feelings about the crushing loss she was contemplating.

In the kitchen a few minutes later, Archie found Charlotte alone—at least for the moment—and washing the greens for the dinner's salad.

“They just got home from a lunch party,” Archie commented. “Yet here you are, getting ready to feed them again.”

Charlotte shrugged but did not speak.

Archie moved across the room to be close to her. “I'm glad to find you alone.”

“I'm not alone,” she said, gesturing to where the high chair was set up next to the table. Henry slapped the tray in greeting, and Archie smiled at the boy.

Charlotte began tearing the greens into bite-size pieces. “Actually, I've been hoping to talk to you.” She did not lift her eyes.

Archie put a hand on Charlotte's shoulder. “You can always talk to me—especially now . . . after what you told me yesterday.”

“That's what I want to talk about,” Charlotte said. “I want your help.”

“You know I want to help you.”

“I hope you mean that.” She paused her work to look him in the eye. “I'm going to help Miss Emmaline take him. She's going to need a ride to the train station with her trunks. I'm hoping you will take her when the time comes.”

Archie froze, his hand sliding off her shoulder. “Charlotte, no. You can't do that.”

“I've thought about it constantly for almost two days.” Charlotte resumed tearing salad greens. “Letting Miss Emmaline take him is the best thing. He'll be safe and in a good home far away from here. From . . . that man.”

Archie moved swiftly across the room and stood beside the high chair. “But Charlotte, he's your baby. You can't give him away.”

“If it's the best thing for him, I have to.”

He could see her mind was made up. She picked up a carrot and began to peel furiously, as if she could give away her child and continue with the next thing that had to be done.

Archie lifted the boy from the chair and carried him toward his mother.

He shook his head slowly. “I'm sorry, Charlotte, I can't do what you ask.”

She looked at him sharply. “But you said you wanted to help.”

“That's not what I meant, and you know it.” He stroked
the boy's feathery head. Archie spoke again, hardly more than breath. “Look at your son, Charlotte.”

“I don't have any option, Archie.” She attacked another carrot. “I have nowhere to go, I can't take care of him here, and I can't possibly let the Bannings give him away to someone who lives in Greenville of all places. He's fond of Miss Brewster, and she's devoted to him. She can give him so many things that I can't.”

“You're his mother.”

She spun and glared. “Don't you think I know that? That's why I have to do this. I have to give him the best I can, and this is it.”

He saw a hardness in her face he had never witnessed before. But if she were going to do this, she would have to do it without him.

“I want to help, Charlotte, but not this way. Let's talk more. Tell me more details, and we'll figure something out. Maybe I can find a place for you to stay with Irish friends, at least until Miss Lucy gets back. I might at least find a place for Henry. Give me some time to help.”

“Archie, please. I've waffled for weeks. Now I've made up my mind. Help me.”

He shook his head. “Even if I thought this were wise, I can't involve a Banning carriage or horse in what they are sure to perceive as an outright kidnapping.”

Charlotte whacked a carrot in half, then set the knife down. “I understand. I shouldn't have thought to put you at risk. Never mind, then.” She took Henry from Archie's arms.

“Miss Lucy would never want this,” Archie said.

Sarah tromped in from the servants' hall with a bushel basket of potatoes, and let its weight thud to the floor. “I
don't know why we have to do so many potatoes. They're not going to eat them all. They never do.”

Archie stepped away from Charlotte, who simultaneously moved in the other direction and put Henry back in the chair.

“Mrs. Fletcher works out the menu with Mrs. Banning,” Charlotte said. “It's not our place to question it.”

“It's never our place to have an independent thought,” Sarah muttered.

Charlotte thwacked a yellow sweet onion.

Archie moved toward the hall. “I'd better see that the carriage gets wiped down properly.” In the doorway, he turned to look back at Charlotte one more time and did not like the hunch that had invaded her posture.

Sarah considered Archie's reluctant steps out of the kitchen.
I may be the scullery maid, but I'm not blind.

Sarah picked up the basket of potatoes once again and lugged it closer to the working area of the kitchen. “Shouldn't the baby be upstairs? It's nap time.”

“He's getting too old for so many naps,” Charlotte said. “He didn't want to sleep.” She wiped her hands on her apron, then picked up a slice of bread on the counter, carried it to the high chair, and broke off bits for the baby to pick up from the tray.