Chapter 16

A dead mouse lay inside the box.

Charlotte dropped the box with the dead mouse, and they both landed at her feet. She screamed again and again in terror, backing away. Mary tried to reach for her to calm her, but Charlotte could only think of getting to her room as quickly as her feet would carry her. As she turned, she did not see the servant behind her with a tray of wine in crystal glasses. Their collision was so violent they collapsed to the wood floor in opposite directions, the crystal shattering all around them.

"Charlotte!" Mary said, running the short distance to her. "Oh, there's glass!"

But it was too late. Charlotte, dazed, rolled and tried to sit up as broken pieces of glass cut her arm. Charlotte could not stop the tears now. She sobbed openly, wounded and utterly humiliated.

Sidney was about to light his cigar when he heard the scream. The cigar fell from his fingers and he ran into the hall. He saw Charlotte on the floor, just inside the entrance to the drawing room, a servant on the floor near her, and glass surrounding them.

"Charlotte!" Her Christian name escaped his lips as panic rose within him. He crushed broken glass to get to her and crouched down to gather her in his arms.

"Sidney, she's bleeding," Mary said. "The glass cut her."

"Fetch a towel. Now!" he yelled. He did not care who fetched the towel, as long as someone did. He did not care that there was a servant on the floor who could have been bleeding as well. His only concern was Charlotte. She was crying uncontrollably, her body convulsing. He pressed his cheek to the top of her head in an effort to comfort her, but it was having no effect. She continued to sob.

The other men had followed him and were helping the servant to her feet. There were gasps among the women as they saw the blue box and the dead mouse.

"What the hell happened in here?" Sidney shouted.

Lady Worcester had come forward, being cautious of the broken glass. She appeared shaken by the entire incident. "I...I was presenting the ladies with jewelry and Charlotte opened her box. There was supposed to be a necklace inside and instead, it was a dead mouse."

"A dead mouse?" Sidney asked incredulously. "How does a dead mouse end up inside a jewelry box?"

"I do not know but I most assuredly will find out," Lady Worcester vowed resolutely.

Sidney looked at the floor and saw the mouse and the blue box. He turned back to Charlotte, whose sobs had subsided slightly.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked.

Charlotte looked up at him through blurred vision and shook her head. Her voice was thick and garbled. "I...I don't think so," she managed. It took her a moment to realize that he was holding her fiercely to his chest. She had seen this protective side of him before; he had saved her from harm in the alley upon her arrival in London. At the time, Charlotte told him she did not need his protection, though the opposite was true. That part of London, the east end as she now knew it, was a dangerous place for young women. She was relieved beyond measure to see him, but she dared not to tell him that. She wished him to see her as strong, independent, and capable of taking care of herself. She did not want to need him. And here he was again, when she was most vulnerable, determined to keep her safe. Though she knew he loved her, she knew he was not acting out of obligation. This is who Sidney truly was.

Charlotte felt so warm in his arms; she could feel the pounding of his heart and hear the quickness of his breath. How long had he been holding her? Seconds? Minutes? The hold seemed to last for an eternity. Another servant soon brought the towel and Sidney pulled back to apply pressure to Charlotte's arm. There were three cuts and though they were not deep, the bleeding needed to be stopped and a salve needed to be applied soon. He did not want her arm to scar.

"Sidney," Mary said tenderly. "We'll take care of her." Lady Babington had now joined Mary. Mary understood Sidney's feelings for Charlotte, but he could not continue to embrace her as he was doing. Everyone in the room was staring at him, including Mrs. Campion.

Sidney looked up at Mary as if he had forgotten she was standing there. Indeed, he had forgotten. He was focused on Charlotte's well-being. To see her in such pain had profoundly affected him, and he wanted to do whatever he could to take her pain away. He looked at Charlotte, then back at Mary, and remembered that the room was full of people. He slowly stood and helped Charlotte to her feet, all the while keeping her arm wrapped in the towel. Mary and Lady Babington led Charlotte away, making sure to steer her around the broken glass.

Sidney shook his head slightly to clear it. Lady Worcester was ordering a servant to remove the blue box, the dead mouse, the glass, and spilled wine. The other guests were talking amongst themselves, some of them telling Lady Worcester they were taking their leave for the evening. Mrs. Campion was in a far corner of the room alone, watching with disgust. She was clutching her black box in her hand. As he crossed the room, he looked at every woman's box. Each one was black. Charlotte's had been blue.

"Well, this is simply revolting, isn't it?" she asked as Sidney approached her.

"I assume Miss Heywood was the only one with a dead mouse in her box?" he replied.

"Yes, she was. The other women received exquisite jewelry. Necklaces, bracelets."

"And what did you receive?"

Mrs. Campion looked at him curiously. He had an odd tone to his voice. "A diamond brooch. Would you like to see it?"

"No."

"Well, then, I wish to leave."

"You were carrying that blue box," Sidney said.

"Yes, I was carrying it," Mrs. Campion acknowledged with a haughty shrug of her shoulder.

"I thought it was a gift for Lady Worcester when I saw you with it. It was actually a gift for Charlotte. How did you come by it?"

"When we saw each other in the jewelry shop yesterday, Lady Worcester asked me to bring it because the jeweler had not yet completed the work. My earrings for the wedding were to be ready as well. I simply agreed to assist her."

"Did you know it was a gift for Miss Heywood?"

Mrs. Campion hesitated. "Yes, Lady Worcester mentioned it was a surprise for her. But, there was a necklace in the box when I arrived," she added quickly.

"And how do you know that?"

Mrs. Campion hesitated again, her lip starting to quiver. "Because...Lady Worcester told me it was an emerald necklace. She said it was a gift for Charlotte."

"And you're certain the necklace was inside the box?"

"Yes. Because I opened it."

"You opened a gift that did not belong to you?" Sidney pressed.

"I...wanted to see what it looked like."

Sidney stared at Mrs. Campion, unsure of who the woman standing before him was. He shook his head and started to turn away. Mrs. Campion touched his arm to stop him.

"Sidney, I did not put that mouse in that box," she whispered harshly. "I swear to you, there was a necklace in it when I arrived."

"And you expect me to believe you?"

"Of course I expect you to believe me! I am to be your wife."

Sidney was silent, trying to determine if she was telling the truth or not.

"Oh, Sidney, really. Were you so fooled by the ruse of a farm girl?"

Sidney was incensed. "The ruse of a farm girl?"

"Yes. I realize she is Lady Worcester's guest, but Miss Heywood seems to command a great deal more attention than she ought. You said at the regatta she was no more than a nanny, taking care of the children over the summer."

"She is more than that." Sidney did not intend for the words to come out as they had. He knew his affection for Charlotte had been apparent after she was hurt, but he could not admit what he felt for Charlotte to Mrs. Campion. "She is…a member of the family," he said in further explanation.

"Is that so? An honorary Parker, is she? Well, perhaps Tom and Mary Parker should be more careful whom they allow into their home."

"And what is the meaning of that?"

"It means, how do you know that she didn't plan this herself? Appearing in London on such short notice to visit Lady Worcester, greeting us when we arrived tonight, seating herself across from you at dinner. Going outdoors just at the moment you were outdoors. Then at just the opportune moment, a dead mouse appears in her jewelry box and you run to her as if she were a marionettist pulling your strings."

Sidney could not believe the things Mrs. Campion was saying. "Miss Heywood would never do such a thing."

"And why not? Because she is so pure and innocent? Never underestimate an uncultured woman who sets her sights on a wealthy gentleman. I have seen it many times. I told her that her scheme would not work."

"When did you tell her this?"

"When she returned from talking with you earlier. She needed to be told the truth, since you obviously were reluctant to do it."

Sidney was sick. He had never heard Mrs. Campion talk in such a way. The things she had accused Charlotte of! He no longer wished to be near her. He wanted to see Charlotte, to be bathed in her purity and her innocence. It would be refreshing compared to the manure he now felt mired in.

"Oh, Mr. Parker, Mrs. Campion," Lady Worcester said, approaching them. "I am so deeply sorry for what has happened here tonight. I feel that your evening has been ruined and it was my fault. You were so kind, Mrs. Campion, to bring me the box. You can be assured that I will question all of my servants to learn how this happened. I wish to make it up to you by having you to dinner again—after your wedding, of course."

"That is very kind, Lady Worcester," Sidney said. "Have you seen Mrs. Parker about?"

"I have been busy with the guests leaving but I believe she is still upstairs with Miss Heywood and Lady Babington."

"Thank you." Sidney nodded and headed for the hall. He passed Lord Babington, Tom, Arthur, and Diana, all of whom had questioning looks on their faces. He would talk to them later, when he was certain Charlotte was well.

"Sidney!" Mrs. Campion called.

"Mrs. Campion, may I speak with you for a moment?" Lady Worcester asked.

"I am terribly busy—"

"With Mr. Parker? He seems to be walking away. Shall we go into the library?" Lady Worcester said as she took Mrs. Campion's elbow and guided her down the hall and into the library. She closed the door behind her.

"Why are we here?" Mrs. Campion asked. "What could we possibly have to talk about?"

"The incident that just occurred. I have reason to believe that you put the mouse in Miss Heywood's box."

"What?" Mrs. Campion erupted. "I did no such thing."

"My butler can attest that you brought the box with you when you arrived," Lady Worcester said, unruffled by Mrs. Campion's outburst.

"Of course I did! You asked me to bring it when we met at the jewelry shop. There was an emerald necklace in the box."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I opened it. I was...inspecting Mr. Collins' work."

"Or were you jealous of Miss Heywood and you wished to see what gift I was giving her?"

"That is absurd. I have no reason to be jealous of Miss Heywood."

"Is that so? You have been jealous of Miss Heywood from the moment you saw her at the regatta. You take great pleasure in humiliating her, insulting her love of her reading, mispronouncing the town where she is from. My servant has told me that you were talking with her in the drawing room, and afterward Miss Heywood did not seem herself."

Mrs. Campion's eyes widened with dawning realization. "You put the mouse in the box."

"I did no such thing."

"You had one of your servants do it. I...I will tell everyone!"

Lady Worcester stepped closer to Mrs. Campion and lowered her voice. "You will not. You will do exactly what I tell you. You will end your engagement to Mr. Parker tonight and you will have no further contact with him or Miss Heywood. Or I will tell the London beau monde that you committed a terrible deed at my home."

Mrs. Campion began shaking her head. "No. I am marrying Sidney on Friday."

"Mrs. Campion, there are witnesses to your conduct toward Miss Heywood. Your maid and your footman who were present at the regatta. My servants here this evening. Imagine the scandal that would result if your friends discovered that you attempted to frighten a rival with a dead mouse."

"Miss Heywood is no rival of mine. Sidney loves me. He always has."

"Oh, do not be absurd. Mr. Parker does not love you. He is love with Miss Heywood and you very well know it."

"No," Mrs. Campion said again, shaking her head more furiously this time. Her face was contorted with distress. "This is why you asked me to bring the box. You have been planning this all this time, for her. What is so extraordinary about her? Why should I sacrifice my happiness for her?"

"You sacrificed your happiness the minute you decided to marry Mr. Campion."

Mrs. Campion looked at Lady Worcester with daggers in her eyes. "No will one ever believe you."

"No, Mrs. Campion. No one will ever believe you. You may be the wealthiest widow in London, but I have been wealthy a great deal longer than you. Your mistake is believing that wealth will grant you acceptance. But you are still the middle-class woman who ended her engagement to a perfectly suitable man only to marry into London society. And that is who you will remain."

Silence filled the room. Lady Worcester carefully watched Mrs. Campion wring her hands.

"All right," Mrs. Campion finally said. "I will end the engagement."

Lady Worcester smiled. "Wonderful. I hope our time together has calmed you. It has been a rather eventful evening." She opened the door and allowed Mrs. Campion to walk past her. She placed her hand on Mrs. Campion's elbow again with slightly more pressure than the first time and guided her to the drawing room where there were still guests partaking of wine.