“Oh my,” Regina blushed and reached out for the flowers. “These are…?”
“For you.”
“Not for one of my daughters?”
“For you, Lady Pemberton.” Regina loved that. She accepted the flowers and cradled them in her arms like a newborn baby. Very clever of him to develop a friendship with her beloved mother. There were three sure-fire ways to enter a lady’s heart. Flowers, compliments, and a positive relationship with her mother were all important. It was almost pathetic how calculated he was being.
“I assume you are not here to call on me!” She giggled, her face even redder.
“I would find it tempting, ma’am,” he said. Charlotte made a show of rolling her eyes when he looked at her reaction. “Your daughter made quite the impression on me yesterday evening.”
Regina smiled, setting the bouquet on the end table beside her. “Yes, my Arabella has that effect.”
“Oh no, not–” he paused, smiling at Arabella. “You are lovely, but I do not believe we have had much of an introduction.” He glanced back at Regina. “Your Lady Charlotte is the object of my affections,” he said.
Charlotte stifled a scoff. Everyone turned to look at her. “I apologize. Those flowers are odiferous.” She smiled.
“Odiferous?” William asked, eyebrows folding in.
“Yes, Lord Holdford. It means they carry a strong smell.”
William crossed his arms. “I know what–”
“Oh, you see, I could have been convinced otherwise.” Charlotte brushed him off. Both Arabella and Regina looked confused by the short conversation that took place.
“Um, perhaps you should play the pianoforte?” Regina asked, trying to ease the tension in the room. “What do you think, Lord Holdford? Should she play for us?”
Charlotte widened her eyes as if to tell him not to say yes. She was a terrible player, it was true, but her dear sweet mother was just a little biased. It was one of the many lovely things about her.
William smiled at Charlotte. “I had actually come with the intention of asking Lady Charlotte on a promenade.” he said. Charlotte exhaled with relief and stood up. “However,” he said. “What a lovely idea. I should love to hear your daughter play for us.”
Charlotte’s face soured and William sat eagerly on the couch beside Regina. After a prolonged and expectant silence, Charlotte hurried over to the pianoforte.
“I have a headache, Mama,” Arabella said. Whether she was trying to get Charlotte out of playing or if she was trying to escape the cruel fate of listening, it was hard to tell.
“Just one song, dear. Your sister has herfirstcaller.”
Arabella nodded, shifting uncomfortably and perhaps bracing herself. Charlotte took a deep breath and steadied her fingers over the keys. She hesitated, trying to figure out what song she should play. After a moment of contemplation, William glided over to the pianoforte and took the music book into his hands. He flipped through the pages, chuckling when he stopped scrolling.
“Can you sing too? This would be lovely.”
He set the sheet in front of her and Charlotte immediately reddened with annoyance when she saw the song he picked. “You are funny,” she said.
“I would like to think as much,” he said, making his way back to sit down. Charlotte began to bang away at the keys. She was no singer either, but a show was a show. If he wanted her to playNo One Shall Govern Me, then he would live to regret it.
When young and thoughtless, Laura said,
No one shall win my heart;
But little dreamt the simple maid,
Of love’s delusive art.
It didn’t sound great, and this, Charlotte was well aware of. Her sister gritted her teeth and William grimaced as if she was dragging metal across a cobblestone path.
But time on airy pinions flew,
And Laura’s charms decay’d;