The Corinthians Series: Rules of Masquerade

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

While she pummeled her pillow in the middle of the night into a lumpy submission, Charlotte thought how she missed home. Here in Moonhurst manor nothing remotely smelled, sounded or shared any resemblance to her home in London. Her bed sheets were pristine white and smelled like a combination of fresh pine and lemon zest. The guest room was smaller compared to hers and the furniture was neat and orderly. The window overlooked green rolling fields dotted with trees, flower beds and shrubberies. The only view Charlotte had come to know growing up was cobbled streets and small cramped garden. The country air was fresh and invigorating, but nothing could measure up to home.

It was in the middle of the night. After dinner and a few short games of cards, the guests had retreated into their chambers for the evening. Candles had been extinguished and Moonhurst Manor slowly fell into silence as its inhabitance succumbed into blissful slumber. Charlotte herself was tired, especially after the game of treasure hunt and croquet later in the day, but homesickness was preventing her from getting some shut-eye. The pillow was too lumpy, the room too humid, the bed creaked when she turned around and Lord William’s request for a kiss kept playing on and on in her mind.

A kiss. Good lord just thinking his lips on hers again, Charlotte’s palm began to sweat. His full lips, caressing her own deliciously, coaxing, seeking entrance before plunging into the cavern of her mouth - Charlotte gulped and threw her blanket away; hot flushes were creeping onto her skin causing beads of perspiration to appear on her forehead.

What an unseasonably warm night, tonight!

In truth, she was surprised at her own audacity earlier in the afternoon when she taunted Lord William before she escaped to lunch. Lord, what was she thinking? She must have sounded wanton and shameless. Charlotte sighed and began absentmindedly playing with her hair, curling her fingers and tugging it slightly. Well, she blamed it on hunger and the light headed feeling she experienced every time Lord William was indecently near her person.

So far she had suffer the peculiar feeling a few times; one of the most notable occurrences happened inside the portrait hall, when Lord William had placed his body so inappropriately close to hers, she could barely breathe and her body was taken over a wave of warmth down to her toes. The light headedness soon came, increasing her heartbeat and blurring her senses. Remembering the moment where she had stare up into the depth of his luminescence rich brown eyes, Charlotte’s heart raced. With perfect clarity she recalled the contours of his jaw, his illusive dimples and his descending mouth.Charlotte began fanning herself with hand.

Then quite suddenly she heard a dull thump.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

Her eyes cut through the darkness and was pinned on the door where the sound of the thumping came. It did not sounded like a knock but a rather dull thwack of something heavy banging on her door. Charlotte slowly rose from her bed, tiptoes across the floor and grasped the handle before pulling it open.

Quite abruptly, something white and round swiftly sailed into her room. She would have been very shocked indeed if the round bundle of fur was not recognizable. Charlotte knelt down and held out her hand. The snout of Sir Cherry, Lady Lorelei’s plump English bulldog eagerly sniffed her palm.

“Now now, what are you doing here?” She chided him, playfully patting his sturdy middle section. His pushed in nose continued to sniff her hand for snacks. She had met the gregarious pet of Lady Lorelei before and had taken an instant liking on the ten month old puppy. Apparently the feeling was mutual.