Upstairs the duchess was becoming worried. Surely her daughter had been unchaperoned far too long. She walked quickly around her chamber a few times. At first she couldn’t believe it when Marcel told her he had reversed himself and now approved the match. But when he detailed all the awful details of Alex’s first marriage, she agreed. Adelaide sighed. Now if only Charlotte could bring herself to discuss what had happened three years ago….

Marcel walked into her bedchamber through the connecting doors leading to his own chambers.

“Time to go, dearest. We’ll be late. You know that I hate to be late.”

“Oh, Marcel.” Adelaide turned an anguished face toward him. “We can’t go anywhere. Why, Charlotte and Alexander Foakes are still closeted in the Chinese Salon … don’t you think we should join them? They’ve been together, unchaperoned, for over forty-five minutes!” She yanked on the bell cord vigorously.

“Nonsense,” her husband replied. “Charlotte’s a grown girl. She won’t get up to any tricks. Besides, Campion told me that she had a tea tray and a light luncheon sent in. Does that sound like a seduction to you? Now, it’s time to go.” He firmly swept his reluctant wife toward the door.

“But what will he think of me?” she wailed. “We can’t simply leave them unchaperoned!”

“Listen, Addie. You told Charlotte all about the reasons why I originally forbade the marriage, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then, Alex obviously needs some time to explain about his first marriage and the annulment, and all the rest of it that I told you.”

“Perhaps we should just say good-bye?”

“Nonsense,” Marcel said again. “We’ll leave word with Campion.”

Marcel followed his wife down the stairs, ready to push her out the door if need be. He knew as well as anyone that leaving his daughter unchaperoned would be considered a piece of great folly in some circles. But he was playing a deep game, he thought proudly. Not for nothing was he considered a wily poker player. He liked this earl. In fact, he liked him more than he had liked any of Charlotte’s other suitors. He fancied Alex had the right combination of strength and intelligence to cope with Charlotte’s painting and general stubbornness. But he shrewdly reckoned that Alex had quite a job before him convincing Charlotte, and so he had told him, straight out. Women didn’t like to marry men with reputations of this sort. Now, if Alex had had a reputation for whoring and the like, he wouldn’t see any problem. But a reputation for being a limp lily—no. Charlotte had her pride, as much as the next woman.