“Charlotte,” he murmured, his eyes blazing as his mouth descended toward hers.

“Dare,” she answered, tilting her head back, her lips parting to meet his.

“Come and join us,” Patricia called as she and David waltzed by, abruptly reminding Charlotte that they were standing in full view of the entire wedding party. “You must have your wedding dance as well.”

Charlotte looked away from her husband, embarrassed that she had so forgotten herself as to act the wanton in public, until the thought struck her in another manner. She had almost kissed Dare in public! Surely that was a sign the visit to the old woman who sold potions and amulets was not in vain. No doubt she was falling in love, for who else but someone in love would desire to kiss her husband in public?

“Shall we?” Alasdair held out his arm for her.

She glanced up at him from under her lashes, dimpling as she noticed the high color visible on his cheeks, placing her hand on his arm and allowing him to lead her out to the floor cleared for dancing. She swayed against Dare’s hard body as he swung her into the dance, joy brimming inside her as she moved in time to the music, her heart beating wildly at being held in his arms. Forgotten was the mortification of the last few hours, forgotten was the nagging suspicion that she would never again truly be a member of the ton, forgotten was the worry over Alasdair achieving the success he so desperately sought.

It was all wiped clean from her mind as she fair hummed with happiness. She most definitely was falling in love with her husband, and given the notoriously fickle attention of the ton—new, more interesting gossip would no doubt soon engage their collective minds—things were most certainly looking up for her. She would soon be completely in love with Dare, she would welcome him to her bed for more than just sleeping, and after the rumors about her and Dare were no more, no doubt the foolish feelings of being an outsider staring in at Society would come to an unlamented end.

Life, she mused just before she gave herself up to the bliss of dancing with her husband, promised to be very pleasant, very pleasant indeed.

***

“The wedding went off very well,” Mrs. Whitney said with quiet satisfaction. “It’s a shame Nathaniel couldn’t attend, but I’m sure he’ll love Patricia almost as much as I do. She’s the perfect wife for David. I wouldn’t give him up to just anyone, you know, but they’ll do very well together. I feel that in my bones, and my bones are never wrong.”

Dare watched as his wife danced with his new brother-in-law, then turned to smile at the woman standing beside him. “They are very much in love. I’m sure they’ll be happy together. David said Whitney was expected in September?”

“That is his plan.”

“Ah.” That gave him two months or a little more to fine tune the engine. If all went well, he might even be able to take some time off to devote to his wife. Charlotte, his mind whispered her name. His gaze wandered over to where she was smiling up at David. Perhaps if they had the time together, she would fall in love with him, and at last he could…