Charlaine stood by the fireplace in the drawing room as she heard the dim sounds of someone sneaking across the foyer. A slow smile danced across her face as she turned to watch the door handle slowly being pushed down from the other side. Then the door slid open, revealing Miss Caroline Hawkins in its frame.
The young woman’s eyes were wide as she moved cautiously into the dimly lit room as of yet unaware of Charlaine’s presence. To Charlaine’s great surprise, the woman’s eyes were not hidden behind those thick spectacles she usually wore. Indeed, there seemed to be a lot more to Miss Caroline Hawkins than met the eye.
The young woman’s jaw dropped in shock the moment she beheld Charlaine, her eyes widening as though looking for a way out of a trap.
“I’m so glad you’ve received my message,” Charlaine exclaimed, smiling at Miss Hawkins reassuringly. “Please, do come in.” All would be lost if the woman were to bolt.
“Your message?” Miss Hawkins croaked as her face paled.
“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Charlaine admitted, then quickly crossed the small distance to Miss Hawkins’ side, took hold of her hand and pulled her into the room, swiftly closing the door. “I need to speak with you.”
Miss Hawkins’ eyes remained wide as she allowed Charlaine to urge her to the settee. She shrugged out of her cloak and then reluctantly took a seat, all the while watching Charlaine like a hawk, concern lingering in her pale eyes. Of course, if she were discovered here on her own in the middle of the night, she would most likely be ruined!
And yet, she had come.
“You need not be afraid,” Charlaine assured her as she sat down on the other end of the settee. “I swear I have no intention of harming you in any way.”
“Then why did you send a note in Pierce’s name?” she asked, suspicion still clinging to her words.
Charlaine’s heart rejoiced. “You call him Pierce? That sounds most promising.”
Miss Hawkins flinched, and more color drained from her face.
“I had hoped that there was a deep affection between the two of you. Pierce is utterly smitten with you, and I feared you might not reciprocate his feelings.”
At Charlaine’s confession, Miss Hawkins’ face finally regained some color, darkening her cheeks as she briefly dropped her gaze. “He is?” she asked almost breathlessly, telling Charlaine all she needed to know. Still, if they loved each other, what on earth was standing between them? It was about time someone helped them along. “Do you love him?”
Miss Hawkins flinched yet again.
Charlaine chuckled. “Do not worry. I asked him the very same thing, and the way he refused to answer was very telling.” She smiled at the young woman. “As is yours.”
Since Miss Hawkins continued to stare at her in utter shock, Charlaine went head. “Well, to answer your question: I sent the note in his name because I feared that otherwise you might not come, and I do need your help.”
“My help?” The trance seemed to fall from her limbs as her eyes began to move over Charlaine in a more lively manner.
Charlaine grinned at her guest. “To tell you the truth, I intend to sneak out of the house tonight and I want you to come with me.” After all, Miss Hawkins seemed to have ample practice when it came to sneaking out of the house…as was evidenced by her presence here tonight.
“Sneak out of the house?” Miss Hawkins gasped as though she would never in a thousand years contemplate the idea. “To go where?”
“A masquerade,” Charlaine exclaimed, unable to keep her eagerness at bay. Her hands clapped together in delight and her feet all but danced on the floor. Still, a part of her felt annoyed by how much a silly masquerade meant to her. If only she could enjoy London’s balls like other women. “I’m well aware that London society is not all that fond of me−apparently, I’m not the kind of woman they would welcome into their midst−and I must admit I’m growing tired of their pointed stares and hushed whispers.” There! She’d said it! “But I refuse to let their animosity dull my spirits.” Squaring her shoulders, she looked Miss Hawkins in the eyes. “Tonight, I want to enjoy myself. I want to dance and laugh and be looked at without judgment, and I think a masquerade is the perfect place to do so.” Smiling, she leaned forward, praying that Miss Hawkins’ spirit possessed an adventurous streak not unlike her own. “I thought you might feel the same.”
A thousand thoughts flitted across Miss Hawkins’ face, and yet, Charlaine thought she saw temptation spark in her wide blue eyes. “What if we’re discovered?”
Charlaine shrugged. “What if we’re not?”
A slow smile stole onto Miss Hawkins’ face despite her obvious effort to contain it.
“I can see that you want to come,” Charlaine remarked before grasping the other woman’s hands. “Please, do.”
“What about Pierce?” Miss Hawkins asked, still undecided. “Will he not realize that you’ve left?”
“Oh, he’s already at the masquerade.”
Miss Hawkins stilled. “But…but then we’ll surely be discovered.”
Charlaine could not help but grin. “Well, it is a masquerade.” She squeezed the other woman’s hands. “Still, are you not curious to see if he will recognize you?” A wide mix of emotions danced across Miss Hawkins’ face. “I think it’s about time the two of you spoke to each other,” Charlaine urged before her smile deepened. “I have the perfect gown for you. I swear it will not fail to catch his attention.”
That, in turn, captured Miss Hawkins’ attention for her hand moved upward and tugged on the high collar of her mouse-gray dress. Her eyes became distant as she lost herself in a memory. A pleasant one to be certain for the smile that tugged on her lips whispered of utter bliss.
“Will you come then?” Charlaine asked hopefully.
Miss Hawkins nodded. “I cannot believe I will, but, yes. I’ll come with you.”
Charlaine’s heart thudded wildly in her chest, and she could no longer stay seated. Her hands clapped together in joy at the thought of another adventure on the horizon. “Oh, this is wonderful! And if we’re to be the best of friends, you must call me Charlaine.” After what she had observed tonight, Charlaine no longer harbored the slightest doubt that Pierce and Caroline would be married in no time at all. If only those two would finally realize that as well!
Pulling Caroline off the settee, Charlaine looped her arm through hers and drew her toward the door. “Everything is prepared. We’ll change and then we’ll be off.”
“How did you know where to find me?” Caroline asked, her demeanor growing more confident as they crossed the foyer.
“I enlisted Albert’s help,” Charlaine confessed, glancing around to ensure the dear man was not lurking nearby. He did have a slightly upsetting tendency of appearing and disappearing without warning. “He, too, wishes to see Pierce happy, and he is very fond of you as well, dear Caroline.”
An adorable smile lit up Caroline’s face.
After changing with all haste, Charlaine found her new friend standing in front of the tall mirror in her chamber, her spectacle-free gaze sweeping over the ruby red gown Charlaine had chosen for her. It made her look radiant and would certainly succeed in drawing Pierce’s attention.
“You look different without your spectacles,” Charlaine observed as she smoothed her hands down her own golden gown. It shimmered like the sun, and she felt utterly glamorous in it. “You don’t need them, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” Caroline admitted, her blue eyes sparkling with her daring spirit.
Charlaine could not help but wonder why Caroline had ever decided to wear spectacles that served no purpose. However, time was running short and so they hurried downstairs and then rushed to seat themselves in the carriage Albert had reluctantly ordered for them.
“I have a confession to make,” Charlaine admitted as the carriage rumbled down the street toward the Witherton’s townhouse. “There is someone I wish to see tonight.” Perhaps she could kill two birds with one stone, bring Pierce and Caroline together−finally!−and cheer up poor Nathanial. In all honesty, Charlaine doubted the man would find much amusement without a little bit of coaxing, and Pierce was definitely not the right person for the job.
Surprise shone on Caroline’s face. “Who is he?”
Charlaine chuckled at the memory of Nathanial’s tense face. “Oh, he’s a kind, young man who believes the world has nothing left to offer him.” She wiggled her brows devilishly, enjoying the way Caroline’s jaw dropped slightly. “I intend to disabuse him of that misconception.”
That was a promise.
After all, she had promised him to be his friend, and friends looked out for one another, did they not?
And she would, whether he wanted her to or not.