A Spinster's Awakening (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 2)

CHAPTER ONE

“There. Doesn’t that look wonderful?” Mrs Augusta Applebottom asked.

She moved to Charity’s side and tipped her head to study the floral creation she had just positioned precisely upon the altar in St Magdaline’s church.

“Yes, indeed it does,” Charity murmured politely, but her thoughts were too troubled to give the floral decoration anything more than the briefest of cursory glances before she turned away and went in search of her shawl.

Her failure to offer the effusive praises Augusta expected were enough to make Augusta throw her a sharp look. As usual she picked up on Charity’s subdued tone. She made her way over to her and began to study Charity far too closely.

Charity hurriedly gathered her belongings and turned away before Augusta could read the emotions on her face. Unfortunately, Augusta seemed to sense the reason for Charity’s upset and patted her sympathetically on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, dear. I am sure it will be your turn one day.” Augusta offered soothingly as she gathered up the flower stems, ribbon and lace that littered the front pew of the church. “You are never too old, you know.”

“I am not going to marry,” Charity replied flatly. “Not only is there a severe shortage of eligible bachelors but I am perfectly content the way I am, thank you.”

Charity forced herself to throw her good friend a rather false smile. It didn’t meet her eyes and died as swiftly as it began. Neither woman was in any doubt she was lying.

“Oh, tush,” Augusta huffed. Her tone softened and became encouraging. “What about Ralph Chambers? He is a nice boy.”

Charity’s brows rose in alarm. “Ralph is twice my age and prefers the busty bar maid over at the Dog and Duck,” she declared hastily, eager to quell that notion before it took root in the older woman’s mind.

Augusta turned to lift a surprised brow at her. “Really?” She frowned thoughtfully at the back of the pew for a moment. Her voice was nothing more than a dull murmur when she muttered: “I thought that was all over.”

Charity drew her shawl around her shoulders. She was eager to get out of the church before Augusta took it in mind to try to match her up with someone else, like the equally single vicar of the parish: Reverent Ernest, who was in his seventies and tended to drink too much.

“Well, over or not, Ralph is certainly not somebody I shall be furthering an acquaintance with, I can assure you of that,” Charity declared flatly. She tugged sharply on her shawl to straighten the edges and then began to make her way down the aisle toward the door.

“How about Hubert Coggins? Now he has a good job over at the bank, and he has connections with the Earl up on the estate. He is friendly enough, and if you don’t mind that strange little snorting habit he has, I am sure you would cope with someone like him,” Augusta offered, her small eyes alight with hope.

“I am sure Hubert would have something to say about that. We grew up together. It would seem wrong for anything like that to happen between us. It would be like kissing my brother.” Charity shivered dramatically such was the force of her revulsion.

Augusta frowned at her. “Have you not kissed anybody yet?”

Charity’s cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. She looked around the church, desperate to find a way out of the situation, or find an appropriate response. She didn’t want to answer that, not least because it was something personal and private to her, and Augusta was a scurrilous gossip. Moreover, she daren’t admit the truth: no, she had never been kissed.

“Augusta! You shouldn’t go around asking people questions like that,” Charity protested, flicking a somewhat panicked look around the cold and empty church. “Does privacy mean nothing to you?”

Augusta wasn’t to be denied her juicy bit of gossip, though, and leaned toward Charity undeterred.

“You haven’t, have you?” She squinted at Charity, as though trying to gauge her answer despite Charity’s reticence.

“I am not going to answer that,” Charity replied primly.

“Oh, but you can tell me,” Augusta suggested. “It will be between us.”

“If you are ready, I think it is time to go,” Charity urged, throwing a desperate look at the church door.