Bad Boys Ahoy!

He recoiled as the import of her words struck home. 'You refuse me.' His voice was a pained whisper, his heart aching as he stepped away. Her touch, which he had been longing for, was suddenly painful.

Hugh struggled to control his breathing, unsure of what he could do or say to erase the tormented look he saw in Charlotte's eyes. There was sadness there, a deep well of it. Her gaze said good-bye as surely as her kiss had.

It was then he realized there was nothing he could say. Her fear was too powerful. Even with an offer of marriage, she still couldn't trust him. Shaking his head, he turned away, his throat clenched tight. He strode down the hall, suddenly anxious to be away from her and the cloying agony that twisted inside him.

'Wait!' she cried after him. 'Please don't go. Not like this.'

He knew she would chase him down as she had before, so he lengthened his stride. Hugh left her and the wondrous dream of happiness far behind him. He didn't look back. He couldn't.

He loved her too much.

Chapter Nine

'I miss Lord Montrose.' Gwen dropped her cards on the table.

'Pick those up,' Charlotte scolded. 'I can see your hand.'

'I'm no longer in the mood to play. Where is he? I haven't seen him in two days. I inquired after him with Lady Julienne, and she said only that he was 'about.' What does that mean?' Releasing a deep sigh, Charlotte set down her cards and leaned back in her chair. Tired and abjectly miserable, she hadn't been interested in playing anyway. She'd suggested the game in an attempt to cheer Gwen, who was taking Hugh's absence almost as hard as she was. 'It means he doesn't wish to be found, Gwen.'

Blue eyes narrowed. 'What did you do, Charlotte?'

'What did I do? Why is his behavior my fault?'

'I may be young and naive, but I'm not stupid. The duke is strolling about, puffed up like a rooster, and you glance away whenever Lord Montrose is mentioned.'

Charlotte swallowed hard. Part of her hoped every moment that Hugh would walk into the room just so she could see him with her own eyes and assure herself that he was well. The other part of her dreaded such an event, knowing how badly she had wounded him. Her heart ached every moment. 'Mrs. Riddleton.'

Glancing up, Charlotte's eyes widened at the sight of Lord Merrick. Tall and radiating savagery barely restrained, he was intimidating, with his long, black hair and intense blue gaze. Standing in the parlor full of women, his presence was overwhelming.

'Lord Merrick.' Her heart leapt into a faster rhythm, knowing the only reason the earl would seek her out would be related to Hugh.

Gesturing to one of the two empty chairs, he asked, 'May I? I won't take up too much of your time.'

'Certainly, my lord.'

He settled his powerful frame into the seat and clasped his hands in his lap. 'Lord Montrose has shared your map and other items with me, Mrs. Riddleton.'

Charlotte's hand went to her throat. 'He did?'

'Yes, he did. Lady Merrick and I travel to the West Indies at the end of every Season to visit with her father. Lord Montrose has asked that I take you with us on the journey next year, and he has provided enough funds to retain a large expedition for the search. He's also spoken with Lord Glenmoore and made arrangements for you to continue to have use of the residence here in Derbyshire.'

Swallowing hard, she glanced at Gwen, whose pursed lips and narrowed eyes condemned her. She was condemning herself, knowing how difficult it must have been for Hugh to speak with Jared and reveal her negative reply to his proposal.

Lord Merrick cleared his throat, and she returned her gaze to his. His handsome face was impassive, betraying none of his thoughts. 'I will relate to you what I told Montrose. A great many adventurers have searched for that treasure over the years, Mrs. Riddleton. I doubt your chances of locating it are any better than theirs, even with Montrose's substantial largesse. However, he insisted this be done, and because I consider him a friend, I have agreed to assist you.' He stood. 'I have your direction, and I will contact you to make arrangements as the date of departure nears.'

She grabbed his arm and blurted, 'How is he?'

Merrick arched a brow and studied her carefully. 'As well as any man can be when he's disheartened.'

'Oh.' Her hand fell away. The tone of Merrick's voice told her much. 'You don't like me, do you, Lord Merrick?'

'I don't like that you have wounded my friend, but I very much appreciate your rejection of his suit. I was fortunate to find true happiness in my marriage. I wish nothing less for him. He's heartbroken now, but he'll recover. I hope one day he will love again, as unfashionable as that is, and next time I hope the lucky woman loves him as well.'

Charlotte looked away quickly, biting back a sob. The picture evoked by Merrick's words cut her deeply, clenching a fist around her heart. 'I love him,' she said, her voice wavering but clear.

'Mrs. Riddleton,' he said, sighing, 'I am not privy to the state of your affairs, but I can assure you, for you to remain seated here while a man who loves you suffers is not love by any means.'

She looked at him. 'My decision was made for his benefit as well as mine. I have reasons. I-'

'I'm certain you do. But love requires a leap of faith, and often it has no reason. It simply exists.' He bowed. 'Montrose has made arrangements for you to depart tomorrow. Is that acceptable to you?'

She gave a jerky nod, and Merrick walked away, his departure drawing the appreciative gaze of every woman in the room.

Gwen stood. 'You coward,' she accused, in a sharp whisper. 'You want to run back to the manse and allow the best thing that ever happened to us go without argument!'

Charlotte blinked, never having witnessed Gwen saying an unkind word to anyone. 'That's not true. I'm doing what is best for all of us. We hardly know him and his history-'

''Tis not his history that is the problem, but yours. You are afraid to rely on anyone. You have fended for yourself and all of us for so long, you don't know how to allow someone else to lighten your load.'

'You are too young to understand, Gwen.'

'How could living with Montrose possibly be any worse than the way we are living now? Even if he were to become destitute, which I doubt, from what I've managed to overhear, we would live no less in poverty than we do at this moment, and we would have him!'

Standing, Charlotte lifted her chin, fighting off the tears that threatened. She had managed hardly a wink of sleep in the last two nights, and the conversation with Lord Merrick had her thoughts in chaos. Looking around, she saw the curious glances. 'I refuse to discuss this any further while we have an audience.' She swept out of the room with Guinevere fast on her heels.

'Think on it, Charlotte. Think how happy we have all been. Tom and Henry carry themselves with a pride they never had before, because Lord Montrose has never condescended to them or made them feel inferior for their handicaps. Katie adores him. Even Artemis has a grudging like of him.' Gwen's voice became breathless as she chased Charlotte up the stairs. 'It wasn't an accident that I went to his room that night. I wanted him to find the secret door. I wanted him to know to look deeper.'

Charlotte halted on the upper landing, her breath coming in heaving gasps. She spun around. 'Beg your pardon?'

Gwen held out a hand and leaned against the railing, catching her breath. 'When Tom and Henry told me about the earl, I thought he might be the one. When Katie told me the story about the pitchers, I began to think of how I could be certain. And when I saw your face with its rosy glow and bright eyes, I knew he was the one, and Artemis did, too. Why you cannot see it is beyond me!'

Shocked, Charlotte could say nothing.

'I have admired you for as long as I've known you, Charlotte. Please don't take that away from me.' Gwen