With a gentle rebuke

"Don't do that, Lady Marlton. You have every right to be angry," Randy gazed at her steadily in the dimly lit chamber, "but do not cheapen yourself like that." Charlotte wanted to be to lash out at the highwayman, scream at him in frustration, but there was an honest sadness in his eyes that halted the angry retort on her lips.

Instead of once again berating Mr. Fuller for his presumption in tell her how she should speak, Charlotte bit her tongue and waited in silence until it became clear that this infuriating man was not planning to leave.

"Very well, then Mr. Fuller." Charlotte sighed softly, "Please tell me then, to what do I owe the honour of this visit?"

"I don't really know, Lady Marlton." Fuller rubbed his brow much like he had back in the cave when he had sat by her side, and Charlotte realized that this was what the man did when he was trying to work out his next course of action. "I should tell you how sorry I am for what I did, but I don't regret it, how could I?" There was a simple honesty to this man's words that Charlotte found soothing after the gallant flattery and clever wordplay favoured by London society.

"Why did you send me away?" She tried a little of this straightforward honesty herself. Again, Fuller rubbed his forehead slowly before finally breaking the silence with his deep baritone.

"Had I kept you with me, your reputation would have been ruined, Miss Charlotte." The longing in the man's words matched the pain that had been eating at her like a cancer. Had she misjudged this enigmatic outlaw?

"Wouldn't that have completed your vengeance?" By now she was leaning even closer to Fuller, close enough for her to smell the familiar scent of pine boughs and smoke ... Dear Lord, what was she thinking?!

"My argument is with your father, Miss Charlotte, not you." As if he realized how absurd it was for him to even be here at Marlton Manor, not to mention in Lady Marton's chambers, Randy started to climb to his feet, but even before he got off his knees, Miss Charlotte stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Wait!"