CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TWO – PAST FAILURES

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the room. Charlotte felt her face burning with shame, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. Richard, his jaw clenched, glared at Lady Lavinia. "That's enough, Lady Lavinia," he said, his voice low and controlled. "I will not sit here and listen to you disparage Miss Charlotte's character. She is a woman of integrity and strength, and I will not have you sully her reputation with your gossip." Lady Lavinia's eyes flashed with anger. "How noble of you, Richard. But I'm afraid you don't know the whole story. Charlotte's past is far more checkered than you realize. Shall I tell you about her brief dalliance with a common sailor? Or perhaps the scandal involving her family's financial ruin?" Charlotte stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the polished floor. "Excuse me," she said, her voice trembling. "I find myself feeling unwell. I must retire for the evening." Without waiting for a response, Charlotte fled the room, her vision blurred by tears. S