Jason Worthington comes calling

The knock at her door just as Charlotte was drifting off was so quiet she thought at first she had imagined it. "Charlie?" Only Jason called her "Charlie" it was a nickname she despised but he refused to abandon it. "Charlie, I must speak with you." His voice was thankfully low, so her other guests would not hear.

"In the morning Jason; I'm just nodding off." Charlotte told her persistent suitor, pleading silently for him to go away. To her horror she saw the door open a tiny crack.

"Jace!" She exclaimed loudly not having to feign shock at his bold intrusion. "Close that door, what would my father say?!" To her dismay the arrogant man misinterpreted her objection, stepping quickly into her boudoir and closing the door softly behind him.

"He won't mind, Charlie." Jason took a step closer to where she lay motionless under the bedsheets. "He wants us to be together. He told me." During the course of the evening Jason had removed both his dining jacket and cravat, so he was in her bed chamber wearing just a ruffled white blouse open at the neck and his form-fitting black pantaloons tucked neatly into his black boots.

"But I mind Mr. Worthington." Charlotte protested as he stepped even closer to her bedside. Charlotte wondered if slipping into the bedrooms of his hostesses was a common practice of Jason's. Considering the boastful comments she overheard about his success with London's women she would not be surprised, was he expecting a more welcoming reception. That would explain his audacious confidence. Or might it be the numerous drinks that he had enjoyed throughout the evening?

"You must leave now." She added to make sure there was no misunderstanding.

"I will Charlotte, if you insist." Jason assured her even as he knelt at her side just a foot or two away from her trembling body. At least he did not presume to sit upon her bed, but even this was intolerable. He was close enough for Charlotte to smell the strong odor of brandy on his breath; Jason Worthington was most certainly at least a little drunk.

"But first I wanted to express my admiration for your recovery." His hand rested on her bed just inches from her. "You are as strong as a mule." Did Jason think that was a compliment? Both of his hands were on the bed now and his face was getting closer to hers. Jason's idea of a seduction was not subtle, and Charlotte pulled away from him in shock.

"Jason, leave this room immediately." She put as much **** behind her words as possible and was rewarded with a small retreat on his part.

"Charlotte, you must let me spend some time with you." Jason protested "Time alone, like your walk this evening with that dull young infantryman." If Jason was at all envious of Lt. Easton he hid his feelings well. Charlotte guessed that her arrogant suitor probably didn't even consider the impoverished officer a threat. "Let me stay here with you awhile so I can make clear to you the strength of my feelings." Once again he leaned towards her clearly intent on kissing her.

"Wait!" Charlotte protested "Not here, not now." After Mr. Fuller's kisses, Charlotte wanted no other man's lips to touch hers, not even the shy Lieutenant who looked so dashing in his bright red uniform. "Wait..." She repeated as she frantically tried to think of some way to discourage this brazen ****.

"Tomorrow." She gasped as Jason leaned in, his face was just inches from hers. "Tomorrow, I will take you to see the ruins of Saint Teresa's Chapel." Saint Teresa's was an abandoned Papist Chapel from the days before the Church of England. The roof had long ago fallen in but the walls of the chapel were covered in climbing roses and the floor was carpeted with a soft layer of moss. "But we can't go alone." Charlotte added quickly, not trusting Jason at all in such a private place. "My aunts would never allow it." That at least was certainly true. "I'll invite Priscilla Dunning to come as well."

Charlotte could see Jason's disappointment, but he agreed all the same. He tried once more to kiss her, but Charlotte turned her face away from his questing lips so they merely struck her cheek. Satisfied with that small victory Jason stood and moved stealthfully out of the room closing the door behind him as softly as he had opened it.

Charlotte straightened her nightgown, thankful that Jason had accepted her compromise, she couldn't imagine the unpleasantness of having him continue his drunken ****/seduction. With a slight shudder she moved stealthfully to the door to her chamber and locked it. Why ever hadn’t she thought to do that before? Unlike Mr. Fuller’s forceful kisses that had undeniably excited her, or the images of strong men mercilessly ravishing helpless maidens in her romances, there was nothing appealing about a drunken Jason Worthington attacking her in her bed. She set the key next to her on the bedstand angrily brushing away the thought of what her reaction might have been had Randolph Fuller let himself into her bed chamber.

However was she going to deal with Jason Worthington tomorrow? Inviting Priscilla had been a stroke of genius. For weeks now the buxom little songbird had been trying to tempt Jason away from Charlotte; this might be the perfect opportunity. If she could somehow pair off Mr. Worthington with the charming Miss Dunning, her life would be much more pleasant. The two of them deserved each other.