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who was going to climb the stairs and lie down in her mother’s bed. The woman returned her look with the hint of a smile that held little warmth. She wasn’t worried about winning Charlotte’s approval. She had the approval of the Vance who mattered.
    Beside her, Charlotte’s father yawned, obviously with no awareness at all of the strained air between the two women, or perhaps simply not caring. “A good gathering, Charley.” He clapped a hand down on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
    The praise and his use of her pet name almost softened her anger at him, but then he went on. “Send Mellie up to help Selena do whatever it is you ladies have to do to retire for the evening.” His sleepiness fell away and his eyes brightened as he turned to Selena. “You were especially lovely tonight, my dear Selena. I was, without a doubt, the envy of every man here.”
    “Thank you, my love.” Selena smiled up at him with practiced charm. She turned from him to lay her hand lightly on Charlotte’s arm. It was all Charlotte could do to stay still and not jerk away from the woman’s touch. “Your father and I do appreciate all you did to make my welcome here at Grayson so fine. I’m sure you have been invaluable to Charles in seeing to so many details of the household, and I’m even surer you will be greatly relieved to have that burden lifted from your young shoulders so that you can pursue the more lighthearted activities suited to a young lady.” She raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows at Charlotte. “I hear you plan to wed next month. We shall have to host a dozen parties for you before the big event.”
    Charlotte stared at the woman in front of her and was unable to push even the corners of her mouth up to fake a smile. The woman might as well have put both hands against Charlotte’s back to shove her out the front door behind the last guest. “Yes, well, Edwin is not extremely fond of social gatherings, and it’s not the best time for entertaining with the country so precariously divided.” Charlotte shifted her feet just enough to move out from under the woman’s hand.
    Selena pretended not to notice as she actually laughed. A sound as practiced as her smile. Lilting and feminine. Everything about her was lovely, from her rich brown hair swept up in the latest style to her soft white hands with perfectly shaped nails that showed no evidence of ever being used for anything other than fluttering a fan in front of her beautiful china doll face. Charlotte hid her own hands in the folds of her skirt. The woman in front of her would probably shrink back in horror if she knew how only that morning Charlotte had buried her hands wrist deep in dough to help Aunt Tish get the many tarts prepared for the party.
    “Oh, but my dear child, that is the very best time for light entertainments to help take our minds off such unpleasantness,” Selena was saying. A look of sympathy pulled down her lips. “And I do understand your Edwin’s reluctance, but sometimes a man only needs to be convinced of what he truly wants.” She glanced up through dark eyelashes at Charlotte’s father. “Isn’t that so, my love?”
    He laughed down at her. “I took little convincing.” His eyes drank her in and his voice was husky as he went on, “It’s late. Time to retire. You and Charlotte can discuss the need for such feminine wiles on the morrow.” He took Selena’s arm and ushered her toward the stairs. He didn’t even glance back at Charlotte as he said, “Tell Mellie to be quick, Charlotte.”
    Rooted to her spot, she stared after them and wanted to yell that Mellie was not his new wife’s to order about. Charlotte wanted Mellie to come to her room to help her pull the pins from her hair and undo her stays while they talked about the party. That’s how it had always been. Mellie helping her get ready for bed. But there was nothing for it but to do as her father said.
    “Don’t you be worrying, Miss Lottie. I’ll have