A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Henrietta Harding

  “Just wait and see, my dear. My control over this place is more frightening than you could ever imagine,” he growled before turning on his heel and marching off. People quickly darted out of his way as he stormed out of the cemetery. And the moment he was gone, the whispers started once more.

  “Come, Miss Caroline. Let me escort you back to Lord and Lady Murphy,” William suggested as he gestured towards the church.

  “That would probably be a wise choice. I promised Lord Murphy that I wouldn’t make any rash decisions.”

  “You handled yourself well, Miss Caroline. After all, this was not a day to pressure you. This will be one of Lord Canton’s many mistakes,” William said as he walked beside her. Caroline didn’t dare look at the multitude that had gathered near to witness Lord Canton’s outburst. She was not pleased with the way the man had handled himself, making her wonder about his ulterior motives. The man always seemed to be scheming one thing or another.

  By the time Caroline reached the Murphys near the front of the church, she was thoroughly ready to return to their townhouse and get some rest. It had been a terrible and awful day, having to watch her parents be buried. All she wanted at that moment was the chance to be alone and rest.

  “Are you all right, my dear? Lord Canton left in an awful hurry and looked rather ousted,” Lord Murphy said.

  “I could no longer handle his overbearing nature. He refused to give me space on this day and insisted on showing me signs of affection that were very unwanted. I broke off our engagement and plan to publish my decision in the paper at my soonest convenience,” Caroline explained. Lady Murphy gasped as she placed her hand over her mouth, and Caroline watched as Lord Murphy looked at William long and hard.

  “I think you made a very wise decision,” Gwendolen said as she looked between Caroline and William with a smile on her lips.

  “Well, let us be off now. There is no reason to remain. Good day, Sir Roberts,” Lord Murphy said with a dip of his head. Caroline looked at William for a moment, wanting to be held by him once more. But all she could muster was a small smile as they departed. William left the church and started walking along the sidewalk as Lord Murphy helped the ladies all into the carriage. Caroline wondered when she would see him again.

  Chapter 23

  “Well, it seems it’s official,” William’s father said, setting down the morning paper and pushing it towards William. They were enjoying breakfast, and as usual, his father had been studying the newspaper to learn of all sorts of things that were happening in the great country of England.

  William took the newspaper and looked down at the announcement that his father had pointed out. It seemed like only a week ago that he had read Caroline’s wedding announcement. Now he was reading the official announcement declaring that the engagement had been broken.

  There would be much gossip about the situation, he speculated. Some may claim that Caroline was simply grieving and didn’t know what she was doing. Others might say that something distasteful must have happened to cause her to do such a thing right after the death of her parents.

  Either way, William couldn’t be more pleased. This meant Caroline would be available to be courted and he could finally be the man she’d always deserved. It seemed like the time had finally come to ensure their future.

  “It’s been three days since the funeral. I feel it is still too soon to approach her,” William said as he set the newspaper aside.

  “Then why don’t you send her a gift?” Grendel spoke up, a cheery look on her face. William was always uncertain how Grendel would handle her days. Sometimes she’d be awfully tired, while other days she’d be cheerful and lively.

  “And what sort of gift would you suggest?” William asked.

  “Something that would mean something special to her,” Grendel suggested. “You must know what she enjoys doing.”

  “She’s always enjoyed horseback riding. I remember her telling me it was the most thrilling thing her father would let her do. I also know she enjoys books, as I would often find her reading back when I was employed by Lord Goldman,” William said.

  “Then it sounds like you have a bit of shopping to do this morning,” Grendel said with a bright smile. “Myself, I shall retire to the sitting room by the back door. I can sit there and enjoy the garden without having to go outside.” Her lady’s maid came forth then and helped Grendel from the chair and out of the dining room.

  “You shouldn’t wait long to pursue Caroline,” his father advised once they were alone. “The details of her father’s will have been published, as well. She has a lot to offer a husband. And now that all of town knows that she is eligible once more, there will be many suitors eager to make her acquaintance.”

  “I understand, Father. However, I don’t want to pressure Caroline in her time of grief. There’s no saying how long she’ll wear of the garments of mourning.”

  “You are a very considerate man, William. But time seems of the essence. You don’t know what others will do, or even if Lord Canton is thinking of some plan to pressure Caroline into marrying once more.”

  “You are right, as always. But for now, I’m going to side with Grendel and see if I can go purchase a gift to be sent to Caroline. It will be a subtle enough gesture that I think she’ll appreciate.”

  “Very well. I’m going to enjoy my exercise out in the gardens this morning. I look forward to seeing what item you can acquire for the young lady.”

  William gave his father a small smile as he rose from the table. He then made his way towards the foyer where he donned his top hat and cane.

  “Shall you be needing the carriage, sir?” asked his butler, who happened to see him preparing to leave the house.

  “It won’t be necessary, Mr Winston. I’m simply going to walk down the street to do a bit of shopping, is all,” William explained.

  “Very well, sir. I look forward to your return home.” William nodded to the man as he departed, allowing the butler to close the door behind him.

  Even now, it was hard to get used to the idea of servants serving him. Having been in the service industry for so long, it was almost surreal. And though he had the wealth for his own carriage, horses, and footmen, he rarely utilized them because he still felt capable of taking care of the majority of his own needs.

  William walked down the sidewalk, another beautiful day gracing the town. The sun was making its way higher into the sky, the heat of the summer apparent in the air. He wore a muslin shirt and an emerald-coloured vest, hoping the muslin would help him stay cool throughout the day. It was the type of day he’d want to spend with Caroline, escorting her through the park so they could enjoy the greenery together.

  So many things had changed for William in such a short amount of time. He was finally in a position to be suitable for Caroline, with his latest fame and fortune. And now that she wasn’t committed to Lord Canton, he could easily begin courting her. Lord Murphy seemed to be a reasonable enough guardian, and William hoped that he could persuade the Earl to give William his blessing.

  As he made it to the street that was lined with shops and businesses, William slowed his pace. He looked inside each window, wondering if he could find something that would pique Caroline’s interest and show that he still cared very much about her.

  As he continued on, he stopped inside a bookstore and began to browse the selection. William was determined to find the most perfect gift for Caroline. It had to be something that would lift her spirits and encourage her to continue enjoying life. Furthermore, it had to reflect his unchanging love for her.

  Eventually, he came across a book he had not seen before and started to thumb through the pages. It seemed like an easy enough read, a fictional novel about romance and social stigmas. The more William read through the book, the more he realized he enjoyed the author’s humour and wit and decided it would be perfect for Caroline. He purchased two copies so he could read it as well and have something to discuss with her when they would meet again.


  After paying for the two books, William made his way farther down the street, trying to spot anything else that might interest Caroline. As he came to a china shop, a small figurine in the window caught his attention. He bent down and looked through the windowpane, eyeing the small figure. It would be perfect. With a smile on his lips, William quickly entered the shop to acquire it, making sure it was wrapped and packaged securely so he could have it delivered to Caroline.

  With his items in hand, William made his way home, satisfied he’d made the right decisions. Once he returned to his townhouse, he took the time to show his father and Grendel what he’d selected, then he acquired his quill and ink to inscribe a short massage in the book for Caroline. Then, he gave the gifts over to Mr Winston, asking for them to be delivered to Caroline right away.

  “Certainly, Sir Roberts. They shall be neatly wrapped and then I’ll send Mathews to deliver them,” Mr Winston said with a smile curling his lips. William thanked the man before retiring to the sitting room, intent on reading the new novel.

  ~*~

  For days, Caroline had been beside herself with her emotions. She rose each morning wondering what she should do with herself. She felt no need to do anything and instead focused on the things that she needed to do regardless of how she felt.

  She dressed each day in a black gown, attended meals with the Murphys, and had even met with her father’s solicitor to review documents and make decisions for the small fortune she’d inherited through her dowry.

  But even though she was accomplishing all that was required of her, Caroline still didn’t know what she should be doing about her future. She’d officially posted that her engagement with Lord Canton had been dissolved. Therefore, she had avoided social situations in hopes of riding out the storm of gossip that no doubt followed her announcement. She figured that she could grieve for a small period of time before society would actually expect her to start appearing once more. And with the summer being in full swing, not many lords were hosting gatherings, as it was too warm to really be around a large group of people.

  “We should plan a trip to the coast,” Gwendolen said one afternoon as they gathered in the sitting room to talk of different happenings in town. “It would be cooler by the sea and we could swim when the days became too hot to sit around.”

  “I wouldn’t mind taking a short trip to our coastal estate,” Lady Murphy added.

  “I don’t see anything that would keep us in town. Miss Caroline, what do you think about the idea?”

  “I believe it would be nice to have a change of scenery. It may be more relaxing on the coast compared to remaining in town,” Caroline agreed. The idea actually seemed to bring some life back into her. She’d be away from society and perhaps could feel more like herself.

  “Then it is settled. I shall speak to the staff about the journey and make the arrangements as soon as possible. You ladies should make sure you have everything you might need for the trip. We shall stay for at least a month,” Lord Murphy decided.

  Gwendolen clapped her hands excitedly and looked to Caroline with glee in her eyes. Caroline couldn’t help but smile, thinking it was a grand idea.

  “Come, Caroline. Let us review our wardrobe for the trip,” Gwendolen suggested as she stood, extending her hand towards Caroline.

  “Certainly,” Caroline replied as she stood from her chair and followed after Gwendolen, her handing resting lightly in her friend’s. She felt such warmth in the other girl’s fingertips that she pondered how cold she must feel. Even in the hottest days of summer, she couldn’t seem to stay warm enough.

  “We must make certain plans if we are truly going to enjoy this trip,” Gwendolen said in a soft voice as they took the stairs to the bedchambers on the second floor. Caroline giggled, wondering what her friend was up to.

  “What plans do you have in mind?” Caroline asked as Gwendolen led them to her bedchamber.

  “Well, the way I see it, we are two eligible young ladies with plenty of time on our hands. Wouldn’t it be so delightful if we spent time with our beaus, as well?”

  “Though I know you pine after Lord Sergio, I have no such intentions towards a man.”

  “Certainly that cannot be the case,” Gwendolen said, letting go of Caroline’s hand and turning towards her. “I have my own ideas of why you broke off your engagement with Lord Canton.”

  “Come now, Gwendolen. It’s not good to speculate.”

  “Yes, it is—it’s so much fun,” she countered with a chuckle, moving towards her wardrobe and pulling open the doors to start rummaging through her many gowns. “Now, if I had to guess why you broke off your engagement, it would be more than just the fact that Lord Canton is an odious man. I would presume that you have intentions towards another.”

  “There is no surety in the matter,” Caroline confessed, looking down at her hands as she clasped them together. “My heart was not the main reason, no. With my parents now gone and the responsibility of ensure that my father’s title passes on to a worthy man, I knew that I couldn’t let Lord Canton take all that my father had worked hard to accomplish. I feel like I have a large decision to make that goes behind just choosing a husband.”

  “You are very amiable, Caroline. No one could fault you for your decision and why you did so. But since most of the Ton prefer a more scandalous story to whisper, they will think that you have fallen in love with another.”

  “I cannot confess to affections that are not reciprocated,” Caroline said then. Gwendolen stopped in her progress of choosing summer gowns and came back over to where Caroline was standing in the middle of the room.

  “Then my eyes have not deceived me? You do have feelings towards Sir Roberts?” she asked. Caroline sighed as she nodded, knowing it wouldn’t be long before her dearest friend discovered the truth.

  “I do have feelings for Sir Roberts. However, I don’t wish to act upon them until I understand his feelings for me, as well. After all, I recently lost my parents and broke off my engagement. It would be rather scandalous if I appeared in public with the man and showed signs of my affection,” Caroline said.

  “Then it is a good thing that we’ll be travelling to the coast. I shall write Lord Sergio and you to Sir Roberts, letting them know of our plans. If they do truly have desires towards us, then they will make time to come see us in our swimming attire.” Gwendolen smiled brightly at the idea as she returned to her task of going through her gowns.

  Caroline sat down in one of the chairs near the window, thinking more about her friend’s words. They would be far enough away from society’s eyes that she might be able to be more forward with William. She deeply desired to know his intentions. And though she could reasonably guess that he still had strong feelings for her, Caroline desperately wanted to know if those feelings would ever lead to something.

  Furthermore, she’d already confessed her feelings to her guardian. She hoped William would show some intention so that she wouldn’t feel foolish for saying such things.

  “What do you think of this gown? Is it too dark?” Gwendolen asked as she held up a blueberry-coloured muslin gown to her frame.

  “I believe so. It looks lovely with your dark hair, but I think we should stick to crème as much as possible while in the sun.”

  “Yes, I suppose you’re right,” Gwendolen mumbled as she placed the gown back in her wardrobe and continued her search. When a knock came to the door, Gwendolen called over her shoulder for the caller to enter. The door was pushed open then and in came in Caroline’s lady’s maid with a parcel in her arms.

  “Forgive the intrusion, Miss. This just came to the house for you,” the maid explained as she came over to Caroline and curtsied before offering her the parcel.

  “Thank you. I appreciate it,” Caroline replied with the dip of her head. Once the maid had left the room once more, Caroline looked down at the small cloth sack with a ribbon tied around the top.