Carter immediately noticed the change in Lottie. The glow on her face and excitement in her eyes told him this break with her mother was probably slowly eating her away.
“Then when I turned ten years of age, she enrolled me in a private girls’ boarding school outside of Paris. Amazingly enough, Mama made the trip to the school at least twice a month to visit with me. We had wonderful times then, also. We saw much of Paris, visited all the lovely tourist sites and ate delicious food.”
Her voice slowly died away and she looked over at him. “Why would she do that? I just don’t understand.”
“When you learned of her situation, did you ask her why?” His heart was breaking at the look on her face. He had a feeling she had not told anyone all of this. Not even her best friends.
She shook her head. “No. I just ranted and yelled and acted very much like a child, I’m afraid.”
“Then you left.”
“Yes. That same night I hired a hackney and stayed in a hotel for two nights until I decided to come to Bath.”
She rubbed her arms as if she had suddenly caught a chill. “I didn’t have quite enough to set up a household with the money I had saved from my salary as a teacher the last two years at the school, so Mama gave me money to move, but I paid her back every penny.”
He knew in his heart Lottie would never be at peace until she faced her mother once again. Right now, he was more concerned with getting her to Berkshire’s house, applying for the special license and getting married.
A short wedding trip would give them time to separate themselves from any scandal that was starting in Bath. It would also provide him the opportunity to ease his wife into the marriage bed.
Always the optimist, he was certain it would all work out. What he wanted more than anything was to hear from Lottie’s lips that she loved him as much as he loved her. It would take time, he was sure, but time was all he had once she was legally his.
“We have arrived, sweetheart.” Carter pushed the curtain aside and looked out the window as they rolled to a stop in front of the Berkshire townhouse. The door to the carriage opened and he stepped out and turned to help Lottie down.
“Lottie! Oh, thank heavens he caught you in time.” Lady Berkshire hurried down the steps, her arms out, ready to embrace her friend.
Both women were in tears as they hugged, and Carter grinned up at Berkshire who watched his wife with the same look of love, which Carter was certain was on his face, too.
11
Lottie entered the breakfast room at Berkshire townhouse to join Addie, Lord Berkshire, and Lady Pamela enjoying food that smelled wonderful.
“Pamela!” Lottie rushed forward as Pamela rose from her seat to embrace her.
Pamela hugged her tightly, then leaned back to look at her. “How d-dare you th-th-think you had to leave your h-home and fr-friends. Don’t you know we all l-love you and will st-stand by you no m-matter what?”
Poor Pamela was in a frenzy for her stutter to be so bad when surrounded by friends. Lottie felt guilty for her friend’s distress. She hugged her once again. “I know. I should have known better. But I was so . . .”
“Why don’t you sit and have some breakfast?” Addie waved to the chair across from her. “I find, since my morning sickness has passed, I am ravenous all day. If this keeps up, I will hardly make it through the doorway when it’s time for this child to be born.”
Addie had told her the night before that she and Lord Berkshire were expecting their first child in about five months. In her concern for Lottie the night she visited and told her she was leaving Bath, Addie had kept quiet about the baby because she didn’t want to speak of her joy while Lottie was so upset.
“Isn’t it w-wonderful, Lottie? We’re g-going to be aunts!” Pamela beamed at Addie.
Lottie was indeed happy for Addie and Berkshire. At the same time, she thought it was quite brave of them to have another child when Berkshire’s young son, Michael was deaf. Would this new baby have the same affliction?
Of course, if they engaged in the activity that married couples engaged in, another child was almost guaranteed.
That brought her thoughts back to her own situation. She’d spent a good part of the night tossing and turning, afraid that her feelings toward Carter were almost as strong as his toward her. Was it fair of her to marry him when he was sure to have some pain because of his choice?
Then she realized he was a grown man, knowledgeable of the world, and if he didn’t care about her background, then she needed to stop worrying about it. She smiled thinking Carter’s optimistic attitude toward life was rubbing off on her.
“Yes. That is exciting,” Lottie said in answer to Pamela’s question. “I plan to spoil the little darling shamelessly.”
Pamela grinned at Lottie. “Except you might have one of your own one day.”
“One certainly hopes so.” Carter entered the dining room and walked over to Lottie, kissing her on the cheek. “Good morning, my love.”
The fluttering in her stomach started up and she could feel the blush beginning in her toes and ending at her hairline. “Good morning, to you as well.”