Spinster Ever After (The Spinster Chronicles #7) - Rebecca Connolly Page 0,31
returning her attention to him. “I am sorry you have had such a wait.”
Aubrey waved it off with a quick expression of dismissal. “Not in the least. I am married to Grace, so waiting for the appearance of resplendence is quite a normal thing for me now.”
Charlotte sputtered and turned to Grace. “Is he always like that?”
“No,” Grace said simply, smiling sweetly at her husband. “He is showing off at present.”
“To answer your question,” Aubrey went on, ignoring his wife’s commentary, “no, you are not the last ones down. Your father kept me company, but when it was clear it would be some time, he retired to his library. Your mother was down but forgot something so went back up. Your brother, I have yet to see.”
There was no surprise in anything he had said, and Charlotte could only sigh. “All that fuss and bother, and still Charles takes more time than I do to be presentable for Society. I do not understand it, nor will I. What can he possibly have to prepare?”
“You would be surprised, my dear sister.” Charles strode down the stairs, smug expression on his face, her mother on his arm. “There, we are all looking our finest. Would you send for Father?”
“No need, no need,” came the sound of their father’s voice from further down the corridor. “The sound of your footfall on the stairs echoed into the library, so I felt myself summoned.”
Grace snickered and looped her hand through Aubrey’s. “Oh, I do love spending time with the Wright family.”
“Happy to oblige,” Charlotte muttered, moving over to the waiting maids for her cloak. “If nobody minds, I’ll ride over with the Ingrams. More room for us all.”
“Don’t impose, Charlotte!” her mother protested. “And don’t invite yourself! Lord Ingram, forgive her…”
Aubrey chuckled with some warmth and bowed. “Mrs. Wright, I can assure you that I rarely see a need to forgive Charlotte for anything. I am well aware of her nature and her antics, and I have no qualms about allowing her to ride with Lady Ingram and myself to the Prestons’ home this evening.”
“You’re a better man than I,” Charles informed him as he retrieved his hat for the evening.
Charlotte glared at him. “That was never in question.”
Before the siblings could properly spat, they were all ushered out to the carriages and loaded in, and then they were off.
There was not much conversation in the Ingram coach, as Charlotte preferred to look out of the window in anticipation of what the evening could bring. She did not anticipate finding her husband and falling in love in one night, but she hoped that she could make a good start, at the very least. She could not properly set a true plan in motion without these first steps.
She’d accept anything as a beginning. Finding one of the men on her list intriguing. Dancing more than once with him. Flirting mutually. Catching scattered looks throughout the night.
Anything more than the unknown would be of great comfort.
“Do you need me to function in any sort of assisting capacity this evening, Charlotte?” Aubrey offered kindly, as though he could sense her inner nerves and turmoil. “Or protective?”
Charlotte smiled at him, shaking her head. “Only if you see me suffering from boredom or unable to escape someone tiresome. I would be most grateful for a rescue under those circumstances, but I think I should be quite able to manage otherwise.”
“Good,” he said simply, “because we are here.” He quirked his brows and scooted to the edge of his seat, preparing to disembark as the carriage rolled to a stop.
Heavens. Charlotte looked up at the house, nothing too fine by appearances, but certainly lit up enough to be inviting. So why should her pulse begin to race, and her throat dry up?
“Oh, and Charlotte…”
She swallowed. “Aubrey?”
He grinned in his usual mischievous manner. “The Prestons have a son, you know. He is back from the Continent, and apparently very keenly interested in finding a wife.” With that, he pushed out of the coach and held out a hand for his wife.
Grace scowled at him, but placed her hand in his, giving Charlotte a meaningful look. “Are you ready, dear?”
Charlotte nodded even as Grace was pulled gently from the coach, then nodded privately to herself. “Yes,” she told herself, jumping in near fright as Aubrey’s hand reappeared for her.
She cleared her throat and took it. “Yes,” she said again, this time for their benefit. “I am ready.”