A Christmas Match (Landon House #4) - Rose Pearson Page 0,40

only for him to then recoil away from her the moment Lady Norwich had returned.

“That is very interesting,” Lord Ramsbury murmured, as Charity turned her attention back to him and caught the sharp glint in his eyes. “I am glad that he was willing to do such a thing, Lady Charity, for I confess that both I and my dear wife have been saying much the same for many months and he has never once listened to us!”

Lady Ramsbury’s smile was warm.

“You have reached him when we could not,” she said, her hand out to rest on Charity’s arm for a moment. “That was very well done, my dear friend.”

Charity shook her head. “It counts for nothing if he is now keeping away from society because of Lady Norwich’s presence,” she said, a trifle glumly. “And I am not certain either that he is at all aware of her current situation.”

“You mean to say that he does not know she is widowed,” Lord Ramsbury clarified, as Charity nodded. “Well, that can be easily rectified. I –”

“Ramsbury!”

Charity could not help but turn her head and look behind her at the loud voice which had captured the attention of half the room. Much to her shock, Lord Hosmer appeared, a jaunty smile on his face as he came towards them.

“And Lady Charity!” he exclaimed, one hand pressing her arm for a moment before he forced himself between Charity and Lady Ramsbury in order to stand next to Lord Ramsbury. “What excellent company we have!”

A little embarrassed and praying that none of the other guests would look across at them and pay Lord Hosmer too much attention, Charity lowered her gaze to the floor as a flush of heat crossed her face.

“Hosmer,” Lord Ramsbury murmured, looking at his friend with a sharp eye. “We have not seen you in some days.”

Lord Hosmer swayed slightly, one hand clutching a glass of brandy which sloshed dangerously near to the rim of his glass as he lifted his arm in gesticulation.

“That is because I have remained at home,” he said, as Charity looked back at him carefully, taking in his flushed cheeks, the brightness to his eyes and the easy manner which had never been a part of his character before. “Did you know that she is returned to London?”

Charity’s heart sank. It was clear that Lord Hosmer had been very badly affected by Lady Norwich’s return to London. All that she had hoped for him, all that she had permitted herself to now expect, was gone in an instant.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are now to make our way to the music room where we shall sing some carols together and listen to a few of the young ladies perform pieces for us also!”

The cry of their host brought Charity a little relief as she made to turn away, no longer wanting to be in Lord Hosmer’s company. Her heart was aching terribly, disappointment and disillusionment filling her very marrow. It seemed that, regardless of what she had said to him, what she had encouraged him to think and to consider, he was going to be quite lost in his dark and desperate emotions when it came to Lady Norwich. Nothing she could say or do would help him. She had been foolish to even attempt to do so.

“Where are you going?”

Lord Hosmer’s hand caught her arm and Charity was caught off guard, being pulled back in a none too gentle manner as she looked back at Lord Hosmer. His eyes were fixed to hers, his brow furrowed as he studied her features.

“Lord Hosmer, do release Lady Charity,” Lady Hayward said, in a firm voice. “If you wish to join us, then do please attend us to the music room.”

Lord Hosmer’s jaw worked for a moment but, eventually, he let go of her arm and sighed heavily, dropping his head as he did so.

“I do not wish to sing carols,” he stated, his shoulders slumping as all exuberance left him. “There is –”

A sense of anger began to burn in Charity and she took a small step towards him, cutting him off with her own hard words.

“There is no joy to be had, Lord Hosmer?” she asked, her voice a harsh whisper, although each word seemed to strike him hard, given how much he recoiled. “You find it much too painful to sing such words, since they will remind you of Lady Norwich? Therefore, you shun it entirely instead of choosing to do so in the