“Just this morning,” George answered. “We’ve already ridden through the park and Charlotte promised to take me again tomorrow.”
Robert felt his breathing halt at the mere mention of Charlotte. “And tell me, where is your sister at the moment?”
“She was just here but now she’s waiting for you in the library.”
Robert slowly stood up. “Thank you, George. Let me go find her and we’ll be back straightaway. Hollis?”
The old butler hesitantly appeared in the doorway, looking quite worse for the wear.
“Have someone clean this mess up and call for fresh tea. And please keep an eye on Master George until his sister and I join him.”
Robert swore he saw Hollis cross himself as he brushed past him to make his way down the hall. He reached the library in just a few determined strides and swung the door open.
At first, he saw nothing. It wasn’t until he stepped behind the sofa in the center of the room that he found Charlotte lying on her stomach on the plush Italian carpet, looking completely at ease as she flipped through a book.
Charlotte looked up as Robert stood austerely before her. “You own a surprising amount of novels,” she said. “I’ve always loved a good romance. Do you enjoy them as well?”
Robert ignored her question. “What are you doing here?”
“George wanted to see London.”
“I’m aware of that, but what are you doing lounging about on a rug in my private home?”
She closed the book and moved her legs forward to sit upright. “You once said you fell in love with me when I rolled around on a library floor. I was hoping magic would strike twice.”
“I don’t have time for this,” Robert said, turning and walking towards the door. “Tell George he may come to visit whenever he likes so long as you are not with him.”
“Will you please wait? I want to apologize.”
“What you want holds little importance to me anymore.”
Charlotte promptly stood up. “Oh, really? Then why did you take it upon yourself to rearrange my entire life?”
Robert stopped walking. “You mean why did I bring your lunatic father to heel and free you from your ancient fiancé? I have no idea. I really shouldn’t have wasted my time.”
“Tell me how you managed it all.” Robert didn’t answer, leading Charlotte to cross the room and spin him around by the elbow. “I have the right to know.”
“Fine,” Robert said, pulling his arm free. “First I went to Lord Brinton. I reimbursed him the money he spent on your father’s debts and threatened him within an inch of his life until he agreed to release you from your engagement. I then went to your father and swore to see him rot in debtor’s prison if he didn’t agree to what I wished. I paid off the full amount of what he owed and sent him to live in one of my family’s estates in Ireland, where he will receive an annual allowance. I also informed him I would tear him limb from limb if he ever stepped foot in England again.”
Charlotte took a strained breath as she absorbed Robert’s revelations. “Just so you know, I had a plan of my own.”
“I have no doubt you did.” Robert tried to control his patience as he stepped around her to walk back deeper inside the library.
“I did,” she insisted. “I was never going to go through with marrying Lord Brinton. I have friends in the country—distant relations of my mother. They would have kept George and me hidden. We may have even left England to live abroad.”
“As I said, I assumed you did have a plan, Charlotte. Maybe I spent enough time with you to know that you would never bend to the will of any man.”
“Then why did you—”
“I did what I did because I wanted to give you the world. I wanted to play some part in helping you live the life you deserved, even if you didn’t want to spend that life with me.”
Charlotte stood completely still for several moments until she spoke again.
“Considering you just told me you never wish to see me again, it seems like you went through a fair bit of trouble on my behalf.”
“Your life is your own now. You need answer to no one. You have your freedom.”
“Yes,” Charlotte answered, taking a small step forward. “And now that I have my freedom, I want to use it to stay here—with you.”
Robert’s jaw tightened. He would not allow himself to hope. Not again. Not unless he was certain this was what Charlotte truly wanted. “Are you quite sure?” he asked, knowing full well that his heart would shatter to pieces if she left him for a second time.
“I’m sure that I love you. I’m very sure of that.”
Robert remained silent at Charlotte’s simple declaration. The air in the room seemed to spark with anticipation as she moved forward to leave no distance between them. Giving her ample time to move away, Robert gripped her waist as he leaned down and closer still, gently pressing his lips to hers. He had already begun to kiss her for a second time when another shattering crash echoed through the house.
Charlotte pulled back with a sigh. “I’m also sure that George and I will be the death of your butler if you still wish to marry me.”
“Hollis is more resilient than you think. He will adore George in less than a week. You...maybe a few months. A year at the most.”
“But you love me, don’t you?”
Robert wrapped his arms fully around Charlotte then, basking in the knowledge that he never had to let go again. “More than anything,” he said.
“Then why didn’t you come back to Greenspeak after my father was sent away? It’s been six
