Page 85 of Unmasking the Diamond
She passed it to him, her fingers brushing his. He unfolded the letter and read the short missive. It was confirmation that Lady Matthew was indeed a patient there. The air seemed to thicken as the weight of that revelation settled over him.
He lifted his gaze. “Where did you get this?”
“A maid in Lord Matthew’s household retrieved it for me,” she said, her chin lifting proudly. “I paid her well for her help and Martha is now in my employ.”
Luca’s stomach tightened. “Charlotte… this was too risky. If Lord Matthew discovers the letter is missing, it could lead straight back to you.”
“It won’t come to that,” she countered. “Martha retrieved it from among his other correspondences. He hadn’t even opened it.”
He exhaled sharply. “You should have asked me?—”
“Why would I need your permission?” she interrupted, her eyes flashing.
“That’s not what I meant,” he said, his voice rising despite himself. “But if the maid had been caught, did you consider the consequences? For her—or for you?”
Charlotte’s jaw set. “It was simple enough. I dressed as a maid and went to Lord Matthew’s townhouse?—”
His mouth fell open. “Youwhat?You dressed as a maid? Good gads, have you lost your senses?”
Her tone was sharp, controlled. “I was thinking only that I wanted to help Lady Matthew.”
“At the risk of your own reputation?”
“Yes.”
Luca raked a hand through his hair, pacing a few steps before facing her again. “Charlotte, you can’t put yourself in danger like this.”
Her eyes narrowed. “But you can?”
“It is different.”
“Different because I’m a woman?” She planted her hand on her hip, daring him to answer. “You’re no different than anyone else. You look at me and see a woman—someone who must be protected.”
“Youarea woman,” he shot back, though even as he said it, he regretted it.
“Yes, but one capable of far more than you give me credit for,” she retorted. “And in this case, I found proof that Lady Matthew is alive.”
Her words hit their mark. Luca exhaled slowly, shame and awe warring within him. “You’re right,” he admitted. “You’ve done remarkable work. I shouldn’t have criticized your methods.”
Charlotte eyed him warily. “I’m waiting for a ‘but.’”
“There is no ‘but.’” His voice softened. “I’m proud of you.”
For a moment, she looked utterly undone. Her chin trembled as she blinked hard, moisture gathering in her eyes. “No one has ever said that to me before.”
He frowned. “Never?”
She shook her head, her voice soft. “No. I’ve never done anything worthy of praise. I’ve spent my life trying to prove I’m not a disappointment. My mother gave her life for me, and she was extraordinary. I am nothing like her.”
Luca stepped closer, his chest tight. “I find that very hard to believe.”
She looked away, her eyes glistening. “Her name was Elizabeth, but she went by her middle name—Lottie.”
Understanding dawned. “That’s why you didn’t want me to call you Lottie.”
Charlotte nodded once, her voice breaking. “My mother was good and kind, and I robbed the world of her. I don’t deserve to share her name.”
The ache in her confession cut straight through him. Without thinking, Luca reached for her hand. “Charlotte, you didn’t rob the world of her. You honor her every day—by the way you fight for others, by your courage, by being exactly who you are.”
