Ignoring them, Charlaine focused her attention on Pierce. His face looked tense as he kept looking about, no doubt hoping that Caroline would make an appearance at tonight’s ball. What had happened at the masquerade?
When they had ridden home in the carriage the night before, Caroline had blushed in a most telling way when Charlaine had inquired after her night. Had they finally confessed their love to one another? Charlaine could only hope it was so for they simply belonged together. A shared life would bring them both happiness…if only they dared reach for it.
“Now you look worried,” Charlaine observed as she handed him a glass of lemonade. “I do believe it wise you keep a clear head tonight.”
Pierce frowned at the glass, then took a careful sip and grimace at the sweet taste. “What makes you say that?”
“I cannot help but wonder if…” Her words trailed off, however, the smile that tugged on her lips told Pierce all he needed to know. “Will you finally ask her to marry you?” she pressed when he failed to answer.
Pierce laughed. “I assume you would not object to such an endeavor?”
Smiling, Charlaine squeezed his hand. “I want to see you happy, and she is perfect for you.” Indeed, Pierce and Caroline reminded her of Amancia and Peter; a most heartwarming thought.
“How would you know?” Pierce demanded. “You hardly know her.” Still, the look on his face suggested that he agreed with her assessment.
“I’m a good judge of character, or have you forgotten?” Sighing, Charlaine glanced over her shoulder, only to spot a familiar frown glaring back at her.
Fortunately for her, Nathanial had agreed to attend the Hawthorne ball upon Pierce’s urgings earlier in the week and was not the kind of man to go back on his word. Thus, he was in attendance, no matter how much he would have preferred to stay away. Indeed, the dark look in his eyes told her that, at present, she was his least favorite person in the world.
“He looks furious,” Pierce commented, concern in his dark gaze. “I assume you did not introduce yourself last night.” As though he didn’t know!
“Of course not, it was a masquerade.” Still, she ought to have, especially knowing how Nathanial had been hurt before. In the moment, though, Charlaine, too, had felt liberated of the shackles of her past. She had lived and breathed with ease, enjoying the first tentative moments of meeting another who had the potential of becoming very dear to her.
And she wanted him as…her friend, a companion with whom to share life’s challenges. Someone she could trust. Someone who would not hesitate to place his trust in her.
“And yet, he holds it against you,” Pierce remarked, pointing out how Charlaine’s failure to reveal her identity had messed up all she had hoped for. Not that he needed to!
Charlaine nodded. “It would seem he does,” she stated, a feeling of dread settling in her stomach. Still, the world was never simply dark. There was always a silver lining! Always! One only needed to look hard enough.
Yes, she had messed up the moment they had shared. Now, she needed to fix it!
And she would.
Pierce frowned as he watched a slow smile spread over her face. “What, exactly, happened between you two?”
Remembering the way they had spun across the terrace, her hands resting in Nathanial’s, the way they had laughed and talked, the way they had danced, Charlaine merely batted her lashes at Pierce in that innocent way debutantes often used and refrained from saying a single word.
The memory was hers—hers alone—and she would not share it!
“Do I need to be worried?” Pierce asked before a somewhat teasing note tinged his voice. “Do I need to call him out?”
Charlaine laughed, deeply touched by Pierce’s devotion to her. “You’re sweet to worry about me, but you need not. Mr. Caswell is a truly honorable man.” Indeed, she had been the one to kiss him. “And I assure you, it took all of my ingenuity to breach those defenses of his and see him forget his troubled past.” She sighed. “If only for a moment.”
Now, on to the next.
Pierce’s gaze swept over her face, a hint of suspicion in his dark eyes. “I assume you have plans of your own for the evening as well as the weeks beyond tonight, am I right?”
Once again, Charlaine merely smiled in reply.
“He doesn’t know yet, does he?” Pierce inquired.
Charlaine laughed. “Oh, dear goodness, of course not. The poor man would no doubt have an apoplexy.” Indeed, she would need to tread carefully. After all, she had foolishly risked his trust and lost it. Now, she would have to fight even harder to regain it, to prove herself his friend.
“And yet, you’re undeterred.” Pierce chuckled as he shook his head at her.
Charlaine sighed, remembering the moment her sister had met Peter at the market. It had been abrupt and unexpected, but if they had not acted on the surge of emotions they had felt, they would have missed out on a beautiful life together. No, Charlaine had always trusted her instincts, and they had never led her astray. “We must always fight for what we believe in,” she told him imploringly, knowing he, too, was standing at a fork in the road.
As though on cue, Charlaine spotted Caroline stepping into the entrance hall in that moment, dressed in a stunningly beautiful gown, her parents by her side, pride shining in their eyes. “I do believe your own chance for happiness has just arrived, and it would seem she’s already made a decision of her own,” she told Pierce, enjoying the way his gaze widened and he drew in a shuddering breath.
Squeezing his hand in reassurance, Charlaine cast him an encouraging smile and then stepped away, certain that Pierce was not fool enough to let Caroline slip through his fingers tonight.
As all guests turned to the entrance hall, their jaws dropping as they stared at Miss Caroline Hawkins, no longer hiding behind those thick spectacles and another one of her mousey-gray frocks, Charlaine cut her way through the crowd, eyes fixed on Nathanial Caswell.
His gaze narrowed when he saw her head in his direction. Then he quickly stepped away, moving in the opposite direction.
Charlaine stopped in her tracks as she watched him slink off, obviously determined to avoid her. “Oh, no,” she mumbled. “You’re not getting away.” Then she spun on her heel, retreated a few steps and slipped out onto the terrace.
As expected, it stretched around the large chamber to another set of double doors. They, too, stood open, allowing the air to circulate. A number of guests—those as of yet unaware of Miss Hawkins’ marvelous transformation—stood on the terrace or promenaded through the gardens. Torches had been lit here and there, illuminating the paths cutting through the lawn.
Breathing in the fresh night air, Charlaine quickly moved down toward the open doors and arrived just in time to see Nathanial push out of the crowded ballroom. His face was taut, and he looked over his shoulder as though he felt hunted. Then he proceeded across the terrace toward the gardens beyond.
“Pardon me, Mr. Caswell,” Charlaine called softly. “But do you have a moment?”
At the sound of her voice, Nathanial stilled and his shoulders slumped in what seemed like defeat. Clearly, he had never been pursued by a determined female before!
Then he breathed in deeply and slowly turned to face her. By the time his blue eyes settled on hers, Charlaine had crossed the small distance between them. “What do you want?” he snarled, that muscle in his jaw twitching sharply as he fought to remain in control. Quite obviously, he was a lot more furious than he let on.