“Out with you. I don’t want to see you ever again,” Caroline spat as she quickly stood and walked to the other side of the room.
“Easy now, Caroline. I am not the villain here. I am only the messenger. Be reasonable,” he said, his voice calm and soothing as he spoke slowly and clearly.
“This is not possible,” she said, turning to face him as her voice grew louder. “My parents will be arriving this afternoon, and when they get here, I shall tell my father the horrible lie you have conjured up. Then, I will have suitable reasons to break our engagement.”
Lord Canton took a few steps towards her, his hands out in front of him as though he was trying to calm a horse. “Caroline, I am not lying to you. You must believe me and accept this reality,” he said.
“I told you that I don’t ever want to see you again. You must be gone now,” she said in return, practically yelling.
Lord Murphy came hurrying into the room then, his eyes growing wide at Lord Canton’s current state and the angry look on Caroline’s face. “What is going on here?” he asked.
“This man is spinning lies,” Caroline declared.
“I come bearing terrible news, Lord Murphy. I’m afraid that Caroline is in shock,” Lord Canton said, glancing at the older Earl before turning his gaze back on Caroline.
“What news?” Lord Murphy demanded to know.
“Lord and Lady Goldman have been reported deceased following a terrible carriage accident on their way to town. My scouts say the roads have been flooded from the sudden rain, causing plenty of problems for travellers,” Lord Canton explained.
“My God, are you certain of this?” Lord Murphy asked as his mouth fell open in surprise.
“I’m quite certain,” Lord Canton said to the Earl before turning his eyes back on Caroline. Her anger only continued to grow at the thought that Lord Murphy would believe such lies.
“Leave us, Lord Canton. I will consult with Miss Caroline. As her appointed guardian, and a married man, I shall be the one to be with her now,” Lord Murphy said in a firm voice. Lord Canton eyed him wearily, and Caroline wondered if he was going to listen to Lord Murphy’s command. But eventually, Lord Canton bowed his head and moved towards the open doors.
Caroline listened to the sound of the front door opening and closing. Looking at the carpets, she saw the wet footprints Lord Canton had left behind. She stared at them until Lord Murphy came to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, startling her for a moment before she looked up at him.
“I will send my footmen to the streets to uncover the truth of this matter,” Lord Murphy said in a soft voice. “I think it would be wise if you sat down or rested for a bit. This can take some time and become quite exhausting.”
“It can’t be true,” Caroline said in a soft voice. “It just can’t.”
Caroline hadn’t expected Lord Murphy’s embrace as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. “If it is true, you need not fear. I shall house you and take you on as our own. I shall treat you like my own daughter,” he said softly into her hair.
“Thank you,” Caroline said, not knowing what else to say. He then guided her down into a chair and pulled the servant’s cord.
Caroline felt like she was in a dazed state as the butler came into the room. She didn’t hear what Lord Murphy said because all she could think about was her parents. Eventually, she started to think about her life and what she would do if the news was true. What kind of life would she have then without her parents?
There came a time in the day when Lady Murphy and Gwendolen joined her in the sitting room. They sat on either side of Caroline, soothing her with words of comfort. They encouraged her to drink some tea and Caroline basically did all that she was asked to do. But the whole time, reality seemed like a distant dream and she could barely reason to what was happening around her.
It was late in the evening when the royal magistrate came to Lord Murphy’s townhouse. Caroline had been thinking it was rather late for visitors and that her parents should have arrived by now. She looked up from where she still sat in the sitting room and noticed the man in his fine clothing. He came to her and kneeled before her, just like Lord Canton had done before. Then, he issued her a scroll of paper. She took it and unravelled it, reading the message printed there. As the words settled into her mind, her hands began to shake, and she quickly passed the scroll to Lord Murphy.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Miss Goldman. I will notify your father’s solicitor, and the man will be in contact with you in a few days,” the royal magistrate said. He dipped his head low and then slowly stood back up. He said his goodbyes to Lord Murphy then and left the townhouse promptly.
“Miss Caroline, this is an official document,” Lord Murphy said. “I will begin making the funeral arrangements.” Caroline only nodded, then turned her attention on Gwendolen. There were tears in her friend’s eyes and Caroline tried to fathom why she wasn’t crying, too.
“Let’s have the lady’s maid prepare a bath for Miss Caroline,” she heard Lady Murphy said. “It seems she has gone into shock.”
“Come on, Caroline. Let’s get you into bed after a nice hot bath. I’ll ask Cook to make you up something special for dinner,” Gwendolen said in a shaky voice, though a smile remained on her lips.
Caroline allowed her friend to guide her to her feet and lead her to her bedchamber. All the while, she couldn’t think of anything to say. The reality of it all hadn’t settled in her mind yet. And after a nice bath and a decent meal, Caroline got into bed.
When the lady’s maid left and Lady Murphy said goodnight, Gwendolen remained with her. She crawled into bed with Caroline and held her tightly. It was only then that Caroline thought to speak.
“Gwendolen, is it really true? Are my parents dead?” Caroline asked, the darkness seeming almost too much for her to bear.
“Yes, my dearest Caroline. The horrible news is true,” she said, her voice cracking. As she felt her friend begin to sob, so did Caroline finally let out her grief and agony. Her wails of pain filled the night air, and for the longest time, she thought it would never stop. How was she supposed to live without her parents? What would become of her now that she had no more family members to turn to?
Caroline wasn’t sure what time of night it happened, but eventually she fell asleep when her sobs exhausted her beyond her breaking point.
Chapter 20
With the morning came the papers detailing the death of Lord and Lady Goldman. William saw it with his own eyes and felt a deep grief settle into his soul. Not only had he missed his opportunity to finally speak to Lord Goldman and detail all the wrongdoings of Lord Canton, but he also knew that Caroline would be feeling immense pain.
After reading the details of the accident, William gathered his things. He placed the top hat on his head and pulled on his walking gloves. Then, he left the house in search of a way to bring Caroline some comfort.
Being so close to the shops district, it didn’t take William long to start looking into all the shop windows. Most of the things he saw seemed rather boring or typical. It was only when he passed by a stall of bundled flowers that he stopped and looked at a small bouquet of daffodils. William was surprised to see them, considering they typically bloomed in spring. William quickly purchased all the daffodils the seller had and made haste in walking to Lord Murphy’s townhouse.
As he neared the home, he saw that he was not the only one who had come to pay Caroline their respects. The front door was left open, and several men and women passed in and out of the house as he walked up the pathway.
Inside, he waited outside the sitting room after being greeted by the butler, who explained that Caroline was only receiving a few guests at a time. When it was finally his turn to enter, William took off his top hat, holding it in one hand and the flowers in the other as he stepped into the room.
There, he saw Caroline sitting in a chair by the fireplace, a small fire burning. It caused the room to be rather warm, but
when he saw how pale Caroline looked, he figured the fire had been built to keep her warm during her time of pain. On one side of her sat Miss Gwendolen, who held Caroline’s hand firmly. And on the other side was Lord Murphy, his eyes red as though he’d been weeping right alongside Caroline.
As William stepped near, he extended the flowers towards her. But it was Miss Gwendolen who accepted them with a smile and set them aside with the other flowers that had been brought for her friend. Caroline didn’t look up from the space before him that she seemed to continue to stare into as though she could not help so. Therefore, William lowered himself onto one knee until they were eye-to-eye.
“I’m so terribly sorry for your loss, Miss Caroline. I wish to offer my condolences and services, if there is anything I can do to ease your pain,” he said. His voice seemed to shake her awake as she blinked a few times and finally focused on William.
“Thank you for coming,” Caroline said in a voice that sound very rough and raw. He could tell that she’d not only been crying, but weeping openly by the soreness in her throat.
“Of course,” William said softly. “When I heard the news yesterday, I made plans to come see you as soon as it would be appropriate.”
“How did you come by the news so soon?” Lord Murphy asked, drawing William’s attention to him.
“An errand boy did come to my townhouse early yesterday morning and told me the news. Having ears and eyes on the streets is one of the ways I maintain my business dealings, Lord Murphy. I like to know who I can trust,” William explained. Lord Murphy nodded, seeming to be content with his answers.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Caroline said, causing William to quickly look back at his beloved. He could see the tears pooling in her eyes once more and he wished desperately to take her pain away.
“I felt the same way when my mother passed away. She had become so sick and needed rest. Then, one day, she was simply gone from our home. It will take time,” William said, hoping to encourage Caroline. She felt suddenly alone in the world, but William wanted her to know that she wasn’t completely alone. That she could rely on him.
“But I don’t have time, William. I don’t know what to do any more,” Caroline whimpered, tears coming down her face again. William saw Lord Murphy motion towards the open door and William then heard it shut behind them, ensuring they had some sort of privacy.
“No decision needs to be made today,” William told her with a soft smile on his lips. He then turned to Lord Murphy and asked, “Has she a guardian?”
“I have assured Miss Caroline that all her needs shall be met. She may remain in my home till the day she is married. The young lady shall want for nothing,” Lord Murphy assured him. William nodded, grateful for the Earl’s generosity.
“You have a strong family around you, Miss Caroline. I have the highest hopes that you will be taken care of, that you need not worry about anything,” William said as he turned his eyes back to her, still in his kneeling position.
Caroline was trying her best to dry her eyes on an already soaked handkerchief. William quickly removed his own from his vest pocket and handed it to her. She mustered up a small smile for him as she took it.
“I take my leave. Please let me know if there is any way that I can be of service,” William then said, giving Caroline a long look before glancing at both Miss Gwendolen and Lord Murphy. He wanted all three of them to understand that he was very much serious. William stood and bowed before turning and walking towards the door.
“William!” Caroline called, causing William to stop suddenly and turn towards her. She rose from her chair then and hurried forward, wrapping her arms around him. He returned the gesture, very well aware of the surprised eyes watching them. Eventually, this action would need to be explained, and more than likely Lord Murphy would demand he tell his side of the story. For now, however, William simply held Caroline as she wept, shushing her softly.
“You’re going to be quite fine, Caroline,” William whispered softly into her hair. “But this is not the time nor the place for such shows of affection.” His words seemed to snap Caroline back to her reality, and she dropped her arms and took a step back.
She curtsied then before saying, “Forgive me, Sir Roberts. I don’t know what overcame me.”
“No need to ask for forgiveness, Miss Caroline. I understand that you are very grieved at this moment and must feel as though the weight of the world is on your shoulders. I understand,” William said as he bowed. Miss Gwendolen came forward then and helped Caroline back to her seat. William nodded towards Lord Murphy once more as the man gave him a stern look. It was only then that William took his leave of the room.
The hallway was still filled with people who had come to pay their respects to Caroline. In the reception line was even Lord Canton, who also appeared grief-stricken. But when the Earl made eye contact with him, he stepped out of line and approached him.
“I’m surprised to see you here, Sir Roberts,” Lord Canton said, blocking his way to the open front door.
“I came to pay my respects to the young lady. Such a tragedy to lose both one’s parents in a single moment. I am glad to know that Lord Murphy has taken guardianship of her,” William said as he straightened his posture and looked hard into Lord Canton’s dark eyes. How desperately did William want to shout from the rooftops the evil deeds of this man. But he knew that the time had yet to come.
“Does not matter when we shall soon be married,” Lord Canton said, his voice like a growl.
“At the end of the summer, if I do remember,” William stated.
“We shall see. If Miss Caroline is without any parents, and the intent of Lord Murphy unknown, it would be best if we were married right away.”
“The woman is grieving, Lord Canton. I do hope that you won’t pressure her.”
Lord Canton looked at William then, distaste written all over his face as he turned his nose up at the younger man.
“‘Tis not a matter for your concern,” the Earl replied in a low voice, finally stepping out of William’s way as though to dismiss him as a servant.
William only dipped his head for a moment before hurrying out of the townhouse. If he stayed any longer, he’d be influenced to take Caroline from this home right away and secure their marriage. He was becoming more certain that Caroline still had feelings for him, especially after her outburst.
William knew that now was the time to finish putting his plan in action. With Lord Goldman now dead, it wouldn’t surprise William if Lord Canton found a way to pressure Caroline into marrying within the week.
~*~
People came and went before Caroline in what appeared to be a blur. All of her visitors said the same words and offered similar bouquets of flowers. Caroline knew that she should be grateful towards Gwendolen and her father, who remained with her the entire time that she saw to her well-wishers. But if Caroline was completely honest with herself, all she could really feel was a numbness in her body and a void where her heart used to be.
It had only been William who had been able to pull her from her state of mind. Being forced to look into his bright blue eyes made her remember that there was still reason to find love in the world. It was that moment she realized that she still had very strong feelings for him.
She desired to be with him, to actually marry him once and for all. But her grief overtook her rational mind. She had acted without thinking, only wanting the comfort from the last person she loved that was still alive.
Embracing William and feeling his arms around her was well worth the spectacle. She’d felt more comfort in that embrace than she had by anything that had been said to her. Caroline wanted to remain in that moment forever, to allow William to hold her and protect her from the dark world. But then his whispers had reminded her that there were others in the room with them and that she needed to not show such affections.
Not even when Lord Canton came to pay his respects did Caroline react in such a way. She looked into his dark eye
s and saw nothing in return. His sorrow felt unreal and his words fell on empty ears. She wasn’t sure what her future would hold for her, but she knew with a surety that she did not want to be with Lord Canton. With her parents now gone and unable to voice their disapproval of her, she figured this was a good time to take some risks.
A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 17
