Sir Stuart who asked her to dance.
“Oh Frances, there you are.” Annie’s face fell when she saw what must have been the frightful look on Frances’s face. “What is it?”
“Have you seen Charlie?” Frances asked in a rush.
“Yes. He was just here. I believe he went with Lord Avery to his study.”
Right. Frances would just go wait for him. She had to ask him. Awkward as it might be, she had to know the truth. “I’ll be back soon,” she assured Annie, hurrying off before her friend had a chance to ask any questions.
Frances waited in the corridor outside Lord Avery’s study for several minutes before she decided to put her ear to the door. Once again, her mother’s admonishment not to eavesdrop rang in her ears. But in this case it was only expedient. She might get a better idea of how much longer the two men would be if she could hear a bit of their conversation. If it seemed it would be quite a while, she’d have to seek out Charlie another evening.
She sidled up to the door and pressed her ear to the wood.
“I cannot say I’m not surprised.” The voice was not Charlie’s. It must have been Lord Avery. “And you’re quite certain about this?”
“Never been more certain,” Charlie replied.
Frances bit her lip. Certain about what?
“Then I wish you well. You know you can always count on me. And rest assured I will keep this matter entirely private, between the two of us.”
Count on Lord Avery for what? Keep what matter private ?
“Thank you, Maxwell,” Charlie said. “There’s just one more thing.”
One more thing? What ?
Frances leaned heavily against the door hoping beyond hope to hear what they were saying or guess what they were doing. With her full weight against it, the door clicked open and she tumbled inside. She sprawled in an ignominious heap upon the Aubusson rug in Lord Avery’s study.
She pushed herself up on both hands and glanced at the other occupants of the room. Lord Avery and Charlie were standing close together. It looked as if Charlie had bent down to whisper something in his friend’s ear. Or … she rubbed her eyes. Had he been about to kiss him?
She gasped.
Charlie quickly straightened and turned to face her. “Miss Birmingham!”
Frances gulped. “I was … I was just looking for you, Mr. Holloway.”
Both men came hurrying around the furniture to help her to her feet.
“Are you quite all right, Miss Birmingham?” Lord Avery asked solicitously, offering his hand.
She allowed the older man to help her up, knowing her face must be bright red. “Yes. Yes, of course. I’m perfectly fine. I’ll just … I’ll speak with you another time, Mr. Holloway. My … my apologies for interrupting.”
Without waiting for either man to utter another word, she turned and nearly raced from the room.
* * *
“That was a bit … odd,” Avery said as soon as Frances had taken her leave.
“Yes. I’ve found Miss Birmingham to be quite … unique,” Charlie said, staring after the space she’d just inhabited, wondering exactly what she’d wanted to speak to him about..
“I was about to tell you how much I appreciate your help and guidance, Maxwell,” Charlie said.
The two men walked together to the door. “No need to thank me. I’m happy to oblige. Do let me know how you get on, Charlie,” Avery said. “I’ve every reason to believe you’ll be a fine tutor.”
“Thank you, my friend.” Charlie shook the other man’s hand and then strolled off in pursuit of Miss Birmingham.
CHAPTER 14
Charlie had never had a chance to speak with Frances last night. He’d returned to the ballroom after his meeting with Avery to find her gone. Annie informed him that she’d left immediately. Odd when she’d seemed so eager to speak with him only a few minutes earlier. Eager enough to seek him out and come tumbling through the door of the room he’d been in. Perhaps she was just embarrassed by her little mishap.
But two things still
“Oh Frances, there you are.” Annie’s face fell when she saw what must have been the frightful look on Frances’s face. “What is it?”
“Have you seen Charlie?” Frances asked in a rush.
“Yes. He was just here. I believe he went with Lord Avery to his study.”
Right. Frances would just go wait for him. She had to ask him. Awkward as it might be, she had to know the truth. “I’ll be back soon,” she assured Annie, hurrying off before her friend had a chance to ask any questions.
Frances waited in the corridor outside Lord Avery’s study for several minutes before she decided to put her ear to the door. Once again, her mother’s admonishment not to eavesdrop rang in her ears. But in this case it was only expedient. She might get a better idea of how much longer the two men would be if she could hear a bit of their conversation. If it seemed it would be quite a while, she’d have to seek out Charlie another evening.
She sidled up to the door and pressed her ear to the wood.
“I cannot say I’m not surprised.” The voice was not Charlie’s. It must have been Lord Avery. “And you’re quite certain about this?”
“Never been more certain,” Charlie replied.
Frances bit her lip. Certain about what?
“Then I wish you well. You know you can always count on me. And rest assured I will keep this matter entirely private, between the two of us.”
Count on Lord Avery for what? Keep what matter private ?
“Thank you, Maxwell,” Charlie said. “There’s just one more thing.”
One more thing? What ?
Frances leaned heavily against the door hoping beyond hope to hear what they were saying or guess what they were doing. With her full weight against it, the door clicked open and she tumbled inside. She sprawled in an ignominious heap upon the Aubusson rug in Lord Avery’s study.
She pushed herself up on both hands and glanced at the other occupants of the room. Lord Avery and Charlie were standing close together. It looked as if Charlie had bent down to whisper something in his friend’s ear. Or … she rubbed her eyes. Had he been about to kiss him?
She gasped.
Charlie quickly straightened and turned to face her. “Miss Birmingham!”
Frances gulped. “I was … I was just looking for you, Mr. Holloway.”
Both men came hurrying around the furniture to help her to her feet.
“Are you quite all right, Miss Birmingham?” Lord Avery asked solicitously, offering his hand.
She allowed the older man to help her up, knowing her face must be bright red. “Yes. Yes, of course. I’m perfectly fine. I’ll just … I’ll speak with you another time, Mr. Holloway. My … my apologies for interrupting.”
Without waiting for either man to utter another word, she turned and nearly raced from the room.
* * *
“That was a bit … odd,” Avery said as soon as Frances had taken her leave.
“Yes. I’ve found Miss Birmingham to be quite … unique,” Charlie said, staring after the space she’d just inhabited, wondering exactly what she’d wanted to speak to him about..
“I was about to tell you how much I appreciate your help and guidance, Maxwell,” Charlie said.
The two men walked together to the door. “No need to thank me. I’m happy to oblige. Do let me know how you get on, Charlie,” Avery said. “I’ve every reason to believe you’ll be a fine tutor.”
“Thank you, my friend.” Charlie shook the other man’s hand and then strolled off in pursuit of Miss Birmingham.
CHAPTER 14
Charlie had never had a chance to speak with Frances last night. He’d returned to the ballroom after his meeting with Avery to find her gone. Annie informed him that she’d left immediately. Odd when she’d seemed so eager to speak with him only a few minutes earlier. Eager enough to seek him out and come tumbling through the door of the room he’d been in. Perhaps she was just embarrassed by her little mishap.
But two things still
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