An English Lord's Love Affair

Chapter 22.3. A Decent Future

   The congregants of Saint Luke's Church sat in a dazed trance, apparently not recovered from the previous evening's exciting masquerade ball. Of course sleeping during a sermon was not an unusual occurence. On any given Sunday the person's vigorous pounding on the mahogany pulpit was routinely interspersed with an errant snore from the oaken pews.

   Charlotte found it impossible to focus on Parson Gaillard at all with his thin pointed nose and buckled shoes even though she guessed that his sermon on virtue was directed at her.

   Well, it was too late, she thought unremorsefully.

   She fiddled with an onyx button on her glove, the moments dragging by. Somewhere in the back of the church a small boy broke wind and was soundly slapped by his mother. Lord, what if she conceived a child as a result of her love affair with Benedic? If such a thing did happen, her brothers would personally escort him to the altar, and Charlotte would let them, too, although she had no reason to think he would not come willingly.

   "Is there something wrong?" Paulina whispered as they knelt together to pray.

   Charlotte glanced up. She'd just realized that neither Aleister nor Sir Edward had attended the overlong service, but then that shouldn't surprise her. "Why do you ask?"
she whispered back to her cousin.

   "You keep sighing and fidgeting."

   Charlotte lowered her gaze. There was something wrong with her. Here she sat in a quiet ivy-smothered parish church, her head piously bowed, on her knees, praying for the soul of a man who had debauched her in the dark, on a floor, less than twenty-four hours ago.

   She ought to be praying for forgiveness. Or praying that her family would never find out what she had done.

   But no. She was praying that Dominic would not go out and get himself killed in earnest, thereby remaining alive to debauched her all over again. And offer her a decent future.

   He'd said he would come back to her, hadn't he?

   She shifted on her knees. She felt a little cold, from anxiety and lack sleep. How much longer could Parson Gaillard go on praying? He must have covered every sin twice over by now.

   "Charlotte." Paulina nudged her as the lengthy prayer finally ended and they settled back into their seats. "Do you want to know something?" she whispered.

   Yes. She wanted to know that Benedic would be waiting for her when they returned home, and that Sir Edward would pay for all the evil he had inflicted.

   "What?" she whispered back.

   "I borrowed your corset."

   Charlotte sat up a little straighter, examining her cousin from the corner of her eye. "Oh? Is there another dance upcoming?"

   "No." Paulina blushed attractively under her creamy freckled skin. "I'm wearing it right now."

   "You wicked thing," Charlotte teased.

   "It was your idea."

   "Mine?"

   "Don't you remember? You suggested I wear it to church. Do I have it on properly?"

   "It's rather hard to tell under your spencer, Paulina."

   "Oh. Right." Paulina wriggled around for a few moments before whispering again, "Do you want to know something else?"

   "Why not? It has to be more interesting than this sermon."

   "James is going to marry the Simmonds heiress. His brother told me last night. I am sorry, Charlotte."

   "Such is life, Paulina."

   "Aren't you at all upset?"

   "Not over James. I cannot imagine marrying a man who stamps his foot to get his way. It's rather like being betrothed to your first pony."

   "I've thought of something else," Paulina whispered.

   Aunt Penelope made a face. "Do be quiet, girls."

   "What?" Charlotte whispered to her cousin.

   Parson Gaillard gave the pulpit one last resounding bang. The congregation have a collective sigh of relief.

   "All the women in the parish were hoping Lord Overton would come to church today so they could see what he looked like in the daylight." Paulina paused. "I expect he's off to grander things."

   Charlotte forced a smile. Grander things. "I expect so."