“Oh, brother,” Charlotte smiled. “I hate to say that anyone you have courted has courted you in jest.”
Finally, he smiled lightly, chuckling under his breath. Charlotte had worried it was too soon to joke, but Benedict always enjoyed some good banter. “This is serious.”
Charlotte sighed, thinking back on her father. He would have been upset with Charlotte too, but she could also see him admitting within several years that he might have been foolish enough to do the same thing. Her mother and Benedict were far more proper, but Charlotte had been favored by the only troublemaker in the family. “I think he would have somewhat liked how wrong it was.”
Benedict frowned, knowing full well that that was the truth. Their father did enforce proper conduct for his wife’s sake, but Charlotte never did miss his strangled smiles or his laughter soaking through the study door when he was alone. He had been just as poorly behaved as Charlotte had in his youth, but as a father, it was his duty to pretend to be above that. “You are right,” Benedict agreed begrudgingly. “Maybe it is good that I do not have him to rely on.”
“Please,” Charlotte pleaded once more. “It was a mistake, but I cannot regret it because I have learned something that might certainly change my life for the better, should you allow it.”
“Oh—” Benedict exhaled, carefully weighing the words in his mouth before he spoke them. “Okay. I will.”
Charlotte curtsied, before wrapping an arm around her brother’s neck and hugging him. At first, he stood there stiff and after a moment, he returned the gesture. He wasn’t usually a hugger, but now felt like a good time. As she pulled away and headed to the door, he stopped her.
“Did you reunite Lord Stanton and Arabella?”
Charlotte narrowed her eyes, not knowing what to say. She had given the credit to William. “No…?”
“Holdford said you did.”
“Oh!” She cleared her throat. “Oh, that. I remember that.”
Benedict made a show of rolling his eyes. “As annoying and pigheaded as you are, you have grown. Thank you for doing this for Arabella and I.”
“And Lord Stanton,” Charlotte pointed out. “He is perhaps the luckiest of us all.”
“Oh, yes,” Benedict agreed. “He is much, much luckier than Holdford.” He pointed at the door. “Send him in.”
Although it took every bone in her body to resist commenting on his insult, she controlled herself. It would all be worth it once she and William were together. She nodded, leaving the room.
William’s face lit with hope as she exited the study. All she could do was smile at him. Before she walked away, she leaned up to his ear and whispered, “The servant’s stairs are to the left of the backdoor. Go up the stairs, Turn left, go through the door. Turn left again. Knock twice at the door on the left end of the hall.” She pulled away, her eyes widening with surprise. “Left, left, left,” she repeated.
He smiled before looking around for eavesdroppers. “Charlotte, we mustn’t celebrate just yet.”
She nodded. “So go in there. We will have reason afterwards.” That was enough to send him eagerly to the door.
Charlotte turned around in the hall and made her way to the foyer. Arabella was standing next to Lord Stanton and what looked to be one of his family members, drinking punch.
She walked over and placed her hand on her sister’s back. “May I steal you?”
Arabella’s eyes widened and she turned around. “Yes, in ten minutes.”
“Oh dear,” Charlotte grimaced. “It really cannot wait.”
Arabella sighed and looked back at Lord Stanton and their companion. She said her goodbyes and curtsied at the group before following her sister up the stairs in a huff. Charlotte’s heart pounded like a symbol against her sternum. She lifted her skirts slightly and ran.
“Wait up!” Arabella called out, rounding the top of the stairs and following Charlotte into her room. She closed the door. “What?”
“How much do you love me?” she asked.
Arabella scrunched her face and tilted her head.
“How much, Arabella?”
“A…lot?”
“And how happy are you now that Lord Stanton intends to court you?”
Arabella’s lips puckered in suspicion. “Very.”