friend’s situation, though it was still preferable to her own. “That is a conundrum. But surely you can wait a year or two and see how the war progresses. And you never know. A dashing nobleman may swoop in and capture your heart when you least expect it.” She smiled wistfully.
“I don’t anticipate that happening, but you are correct that it isn’t necessary for me to decide now.” Anna stood and shook out her skirts. “We’d better return before Aunt Sarah wonders where we are.”
When they descended the stairs, Elizabeth’s voice carried out the open door of the parlor. Charlotte silently cursed her ill timing before entering.
“There you are.” The duchess stood. “I trust you girls have been enjoying yourselves, but it is time for us to take our leave.”
Elizabeth looked daggers at Charlotte before turning to smile at the duchess. “I regret our visit was so short. If Charlotte will condescend to share information with me, I will make certain I am at home the next time you visit.”
The duchess smiled and shooed Anna toward the door.
“I’ll have the sash delivered in the morning,” Anna whispered to Charlotte as the duchess towed her out of the parlor.
Elizabeth rounded on Charlotte, her stance unquestionably threatening. “It is inexcusable that you didn’t inform me the duchess and her niece would call this morning.”
Charlotte half listened to Elizabeth while focusing on the way Anna’s shoulders stiffened, a clear indication she could hear Elizabeth’s rant from the stoop.
Elizabeth took a step toward her, narrowing the distance between them to mere inches. “How do you think I felt when I walked into my parlor and found the duchess alone, reading a book? What were you thinking?”
Charlotte bowed her head, knowing the discussion would end sooner if she didn’t challenge Elizabeth. “Anna wanted to see the gown I’m wearing to the Paddon ball, so we went to my bedchamber—”
“You took the princess to your bedchamber?” she asked, squeezing the words out between her clenched teeth.
Charlotte stood still, focusing on the pattern of the carpet, working hard to keep her own anger in check.
Elizabeth closed her eyes. “Go. Just get away from me.”
Charlotte stormed out to the garden to examine the jessamine and calm her nerves before she told Elizabeth what had danced on the tip of her tongue.
If her deceitful sister-in-law was embarrassed by Charlotte’s accommodations, she had only herself to blame.
Chapter Six
Charlotte wiggled on the carriage seat, unable to remain still. She was about to attend her first opera, and at The Theatre Royale, Covent Garden. The closest she’d ever come to the theater was riding past in a carriage. She glanced at Elizabeth and Richard sitting across from her. Richard’s lips twisted in a frown. He wasn’t thrilled about their outing, but he couldn’t very well refuse an invitation from the Duke and Duchess of Chadwick to join them in their private box.
A light rain fell amid a brisk wind as they rolled to a stop in front of the theater, so they wasted no time getting inside. After shedding their cloaks, they entered the opulent Saloon, where the din of voices greeted them. Patrons stood chatting in clusters and sitting along the banquettes. Silk curtains framed the windows, and colorful pillows added comfort to the seating. Statues placed on pedestals between the banquettes may have afforded a modicum of privacy when it was less crowded. They passed through the Saloon and were ushered into the Chadwick box.
Charlotte made her greeting to the duke and duchess and followed Anna to the front row. Large chandeliers lit the theater and boxes as well, allowing her to view the patrons. Though the dress was formal, the atmosphere was rather raucous. Ladies and gentlemen both moved about the theater, passing from box to box to greet acquaintances and call to others in the pit.
“Is it always this active?” Charlotte asked Anna.
She
“I don’t anticipate that happening, but you are correct that it isn’t necessary for me to decide now.” Anna stood and shook out her skirts. “We’d better return before Aunt Sarah wonders where we are.”
When they descended the stairs, Elizabeth’s voice carried out the open door of the parlor. Charlotte silently cursed her ill timing before entering.
“There you are.” The duchess stood. “I trust you girls have been enjoying yourselves, but it is time for us to take our leave.”
Elizabeth looked daggers at Charlotte before turning to smile at the duchess. “I regret our visit was so short. If Charlotte will condescend to share information with me, I will make certain I am at home the next time you visit.”
The duchess smiled and shooed Anna toward the door.
“I’ll have the sash delivered in the morning,” Anna whispered to Charlotte as the duchess towed her out of the parlor.
Elizabeth rounded on Charlotte, her stance unquestionably threatening. “It is inexcusable that you didn’t inform me the duchess and her niece would call this morning.”
Charlotte half listened to Elizabeth while focusing on the way Anna’s shoulders stiffened, a clear indication she could hear Elizabeth’s rant from the stoop.
Elizabeth took a step toward her, narrowing the distance between them to mere inches. “How do you think I felt when I walked into my parlor and found the duchess alone, reading a book? What were you thinking?”
Charlotte bowed her head, knowing the discussion would end sooner if she didn’t challenge Elizabeth. “Anna wanted to see the gown I’m wearing to the Paddon ball, so we went to my bedchamber—”
“You took the princess to your bedchamber?” she asked, squeezing the words out between her clenched teeth.
Charlotte stood still, focusing on the pattern of the carpet, working hard to keep her own anger in check.
Elizabeth closed her eyes. “Go. Just get away from me.”
Charlotte stormed out to the garden to examine the jessamine and calm her nerves before she told Elizabeth what had danced on the tip of her tongue.
If her deceitful sister-in-law was embarrassed by Charlotte’s accommodations, she had only herself to blame.
Chapter Six
Charlotte wiggled on the carriage seat, unable to remain still. She was about to attend her first opera, and at The Theatre Royale, Covent Garden. The closest she’d ever come to the theater was riding past in a carriage. She glanced at Elizabeth and Richard sitting across from her. Richard’s lips twisted in a frown. He wasn’t thrilled about their outing, but he couldn’t very well refuse an invitation from the Duke and Duchess of Chadwick to join them in their private box.
A light rain fell amid a brisk wind as they rolled to a stop in front of the theater, so they wasted no time getting inside. After shedding their cloaks, they entered the opulent Saloon, where the din of voices greeted them. Patrons stood chatting in clusters and sitting along the banquettes. Silk curtains framed the windows, and colorful pillows added comfort to the seating. Statues placed on pedestals between the banquettes may have afforded a modicum of privacy when it was less crowded. They passed through the Saloon and were ushered into the Chadwick box.
Charlotte made her greeting to the duke and duchess and followed Anna to the front row. Large chandeliers lit the theater and boxes as well, allowing her to view the patrons. Though the dress was formal, the atmosphere was rather raucous. Ladies and gentlemen both moved about the theater, passing from box to box to greet acquaintances and call to others in the pit.
“Is it always this active?” Charlotte asked Anna.
She
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