A Love Unbroken - Rose Pearson Page 0,15

been so very close to Amelia.

“You did find them in time, I hope?” his mother asked, turning wide eyes towards Charles, her voice filled with desperation. “There were not any others who noticed him speaking to my daughter unattended?”

“They might well have done, had it not been for Lady Selina Forrest and Lady Hayward,” Charles replied, solemnly. “When I approached, it was with such relief and gladness to see them both standing with Amelia. Lord Telford took his leave the moment he saw me approach, which is yet another reason for you to realize just how unsuitable he is, Amelia!”

“I did not ask for her company,” Lady Amelia replied, ungratefully. “I knew Lady Selina had seen us, but I did not think she would bring Lady Hayward to join us. We were simply having a conversation, Barrington!” Her head lifted slowly and she looked back at him, a flicker of resentment growing in her eyes. “I thought it a little rude that they both forced their company upon us!”

“Then you are even more of a fool than I first thought,” he responded swiftly, as their mother shook her head, closing her eyes for a long moment. “Can you not see just what Lady Selina and Lady Hayward did for you, Amelia? By having Lady Hayward’s company, she made the gathering quite respectable. No doubt she would have lingered beside you until I or Mama came in search of you. You cannot know just how grateful I am to them both.”

“Nor I,” Lady Barrington added, passing one hand over her eyes before she pushed herself up from the table, her desire to eat evidently gone entirely. “Barrington, I have thought you too harsh with your threat to return Amelia to the estate, should she continue on with such silliness,” she continued, standing behind her chair now and looking at him. “But now that I have heard the truth of this, now that I have come to realize just how much of a fool I have become in trusting my daughter’s words, I no longer think you too severe.”

“Mama!” Lady Amelia gasped, turning her head to look at her mother, but Lady Barrington remained firm.

“If such a thing should happen again, Amelia, I will personally put you in the carriage myself and have us both driven back to the estate,” Lady Barrington said, glaring at her daughter. “Your brother can remain here, if he so wishes, for there is no need for him to forgo the rest of the Season on your account!” She looked back at Charles, who nodded his head, appreciating her determination and her willingness to now come alongside him in encouraging Amelia to behave properly. With a deep breath, she delivered the last part of her proclamation. “This is your only warning, Amelia. Anything more and I shall have our bags packed and your Season will be at an end.”

“Thank you, Mama,” Charles said quietly.

Lady Amelia rose from her chair, one hand balling up her napkin as tears flooded her eyes. She made to say something, opening and closing her mouth many times before, finally, with a strangled sob, she rushed from the room.

“I do not mean to upset her so,” Charles said, softly as Lady Barrington made her way to the door. “But you must understand that it is for the best, Mama.”

She looked back at him, her face set and her coloring still rather pale.

“Have no fear,” she replied, shaking her head. “I understand everything now, Barrington. Your sister made a very severe mistake last evening.”

“Are you going to go after her?” he asked, but Lady Barrington shook her head.

“I am going to write to Lady Hayward,” she responded, with a small smile. “I wish to thank her for keeping my daughter safe from Lord Telford’s advances last evening, and to inform her that such a thing will never happen again.”

Charles nodded, but said nothing more, waiting until his mother had closed the door behind her before he allowed himself to flop back in his chair, a long and heavy breath escaping him. Closing his eyes, he recalled all that had occurred last evening. He had been most displeased with Amelia’s conduct from the very beginning, finding her looking all around her with an air of dislike.

When Lady Selina and Lady Hayward had come to join them, there had been such a curl of disdain on his sister’s face that he had wanted to drag her to one side and berate her furiously. It had been