The Coveted Countess

Chapter 6

"Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet." Plato

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Chapter Six

Nate was a fool. A stupid, ignorant fool. How could he have thought that after such a prolonged absence there could be any residual attachment? He must've been absolutely delusional to think that he could return and that she would be swept off her feet by his mere presence.

Just as soon as her fiancé had arrived, she'd left his side as she'd rather Mr Mornington's arms around her. Nate's first impression of him was that he was a scrawny twit. He was not completely devoid of good looks, but he looked to be as old, if not younger than Charlotte. No more than twenty years old. Of course Nate's thirty years would seem old to him.

"Daddy, I can walk," Maggie complained.

In his utter humiliation at seeing Charlotte and Eric embrace, he'd scooped Maggie up as he wanted to leave Ascot immediately.

He didn't release Maggie until his driver had brought the carriage around. He didn't want to risk her wandering off and delaying their departure. Once inside the carriage, he let her go and she sat on the seat opposite him.

Maggie stared at him curiously and cocked her head. "Who was that man that Lady Charlotte was with?" she asked.

Nate didn't answer. He voiced the word 'fiancé' in his head with such distaste, if it came out of his mouth it would most definitely be with a sneer. "Are you tired of England?" he asked instead. Frowning darkly, he continued. "I am. I will organise for us to leave immediately upon our return. Perhaps we'll travel east, this time. We shall go to France and then continue on through the German Empire and perhaps on to Russia. I've heard wondrous things about the Imperial palaces there. We shall have to peruse a language book or two ..." he babbled until Maggie interrupted him.

"Hold on a minute," she said, holding her hand up. "I ain't going anywhere," she said firmly.

"'Ain't' is not a word," Nate murmured.

"I don't care if 'ain't' ain't a word. I ain't going anywhere. We just got here!" she protested impatiently.

"AndI say we're leaving!" Nate countered in the same tone. He could not believe he was having such a disagreement with a seven-year-old. They both were glaring at each other. It didn't help that Maggie's adorableness was one of her strengths.

"You go hide all you want. I'm staying right here." She folded her arms across her chest and slouched in her chair.

"Excuse me?" Nate scoffed.

"You heard me," she muttered, staring at her hands in her lap.

"Mind your attitude, young lady," Nate said sharply. "I won't tolerate any rudeness." He would let her get away with almost anything, but he wouldn't allow her to be rude.

Maggie begrudgingly looked back to him, her pale green eyes glassy. "I ain't never had a home. Not a real one," she said tearfully. "Momma always moved me from Charlotte to Raleigh and back to Charlotte whenever she got singing jobs. Then you came and we went to Boston but it still wasn't home. I got a home now. Please don't make me go," she begged.

Looking into the all-knowing yet still innocent eyes of his child before him, he knew she was right. To leave would be to hide, and he was no coward. Charlotte was just a person. There were several other people in that house that mattered to him as well. No more than the person sitting in front of him. "Alright," he agreed. "We'll stay."