However, as the dance started and she shifted to the left, she caught a glimpse of Mr. Caldwell frowning at her. Obviously upset for some reason. The look on his face was priceless. Like a lion watching his prey being taken from him. Lord Eastbrook needed to take care or he might very well regret asking her to dance.
As the music came to an end, Lord Eastbrook tucked her arm into his and began to lead her back to Mr. Caldwell.
“Lady Alice,” he said quietly to her. “I hoped I might have a word with you sometime. I would like to discuss something with you.”
Her insides froze, this sounded ominous. Halting halfway back to Nathanial, she turned and said, “Of course, Lord Eastbrook. What did you wish to discuss?” Her stomach turned over with fear while she waited for a reply. If the young man said anything about becoming his mistress, she would strangle him right here in front of everybody.
He smiled at her and said, “I wish to discuss Miss Caldwell. Have I done something to offend her? I know you are her dear friend. If so, please let me know what it was so that I might repair any injury I have caused.”
Alice’s insides relaxed. Olivia, the young man was worried about Olivia.
She smiled at him and gently patted his hand. “I assure you, Lord Eastbrook. You have done nothing wrong.”
He frowned at her, “Then why I do feel Miss Caldwell drawing away from me? It is as if she has no more interest in my company.”
Alice tried not to smile, it was a shame, the man had no idea. Obviously, he had never experienced a woman that wasn’t falling all over herself to be in his company. Oh, how the mighty have fallen, she thought as she slowly shook her head.
“I assure you, Lord Eastbrook, Miss Caldwell is new to this world. Both I and her brother have advised her not to become too attached too quickly.”
The young Lord frowned, then seemed to relax. Obviously pleased to realize the problem was not with himself. But that Miss Caldwell’s family was the issue.
Smiling to Lady Alice he dipped his head in thanks and returned to escorting her back to Mr. Caldwell.
As they approached, Nathanial continued to scowl. Alice wondered if Lord Eastbrook noticed and chalked it up to Caldwell being protective of his sister. Alice, on the other hand, wondered if it might be because he was jealous.
“Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked her after Lord Eastbrook departed.
She smiled to herself. That tone of voice could mean only one thing. Jealousy.
“Yes,” she said as she gently fanned herself. “It is always nice to dance. And Lord Eastbrook dances so well. A sign of a true gentleman.”
The grumble in the back of his throat made her want to laugh, the man was not pleased.
“A little young, don’t you think?” he said.
She laughed, “Who? Lord Eastbrook? Yes, but so handsome. That does compensate for so much.”
He grumbled again and continued to stare out at the dance floor.
Alice continued to smile to herself. Who would ever have believed that Mr. Nathanial Caldwell could be jealous of her for dancing with a man? You would think he was enamored or something. A thought that sent a warm sensation throughout her body.
Mr. Nathanial Caldwell, one of the richest, strongest, and most handsome men in Britain was interested in her. It was enough to make a woman want to laugh out loud at the happiness of life.
Chapter Twelve
The next morning, Alice was surprised to find Mr. Caldwell alone in the dining room at breakfast. Dressed in a black coat, impeccable cravat, and pantaloons, the man looked commanding and so handsome. Her heart lurched when she realized she would be eating alone with him. Where was her mother when she needed her?
“Olivia is visiting a friend, Miss Amanda Watson,” he said in answer to her questioning glance at Olivia’s chair.
Alice nodded as she waved off a footman so that she might gather her own plate. “Have they been friends long?” she asked Mr. Caldwell, surprised that Olivia had never mentioned her.
Mr. Caldwell laughed. “Since childhood,” he said. “The Watson family lived next to my father’s house. It took Olivia a good six months to forgive me for separating them. I have offered to sponsor Amanda with a season. I had hoped that she might join Olivia. But it seems the girl is extremely shy and has no wish for a season. I gather that balls and such are something she wishes to avoid.”
Alice smiled her thanks to the footman as he slid her chair behind her. “Yes, well, it is complementary of your sister that she continues to care for her friends from her youth. It says something positive about her character.”
A quick glance at him and memories of their kiss haunted her. An awkward silence fell over the room. Like a heavy fog that threatened to engulf the entire world. Alice desperately sought some avenue to break the tension. What was it about this man? She had spent her life learning how to maintain a conversation. Yet, a few minutes alone with him and she had forgotten everything she had ever been taught.
“She seems to be taking well to her season, don’t you think?” she asked. “Olivia.” Silently sighing in relief that she had formed words that made sense.
“Yes,” he replied with a smile that pulled at her heart. “And I believe that can be attributed to you. Your guidance and support have been invaluable.”
Alice smiled internally at the compliment. He recognized that she had been of assistance. She was of value after all.
Dipping her head, she said, “I believe Olivia would have done very well without me. Believe me, I can’t see Olivia failing at anything she does.”
He slowly shook his head. “Perhaps, but it is you that has made it go so much easier. Knowing what to wear, who to talk to, what to say, which balls to attend. I assure you, my life would have been so much worse if you had not agreed to join us.”
She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. It was such a sweet thing to say. Then she caught a look in his eyes. A look that told her his words had more than one meaning.
Biting her lip, she returned her focus to her food. That look had turned her insides over and made her cheeks grow warm. Was she blushing? Could he see her blushing? The thought made her cheeks grow even warmer. Oh, what must he think of her? A silly woman who couldn’t even hold a simple conversation without her mind drifting to things it shouldn’t.
“I am worried though,” he said as he returned to his meal. She sighed internally. He was not going to acknowledge her discomfort. He was not going to embarrass her.
“About what? Mr. Caldwell.”
“Olivia,” he said. “She seems bothered. As if troubled, yet not really knowing the reason why.”
Alice smiled to herself, pleased that he knew his sister so well. Many men wouldn’t have picked up on the subtle clues. Many men wouldn’t have cared even if they had. But Mr. Caldwell was not like most men, she reminded herself for the hundredth time.
“Yes,” Alice said, “it is still very early, and Olivia is still quite young. I imagine that all of this is a little overwhelming. I know my first season I felt as if I were caught in a whirlwind.”
He smiled at her and nodded. “I can well imagine. That is why I thought a few days at my country estate would give her a chance to catch her wind.”
Alice frowned. “During the season?”
Mr. Caldwell nodded as he took another bite. “You forget, unlike the Lords, I am not tied to Parliament. My business affairs can be handled from Kent, at least for a few days. I thought it might be a nice interlude for all of us.”
Alice nodded, perhaps he was right. A few days away might be nice. “When would we go?” she asked.
“This weekend, after church. Benson needs time to make all the arrangements,” he said with a small laugh and a shake of his head. “You know, there was a time in my life when I could have thrown everything I owned in a sea bag and traveled halfway around the world. Now it takes four days and half a dozen carriages to go away for a few days.”
She studied him for a moment as she thought abou
t what he had said. If she was not mistaken, he almost sounded wistful, as if he missed that time in his life.
“Yes, well, that is a problem most people would rather enjoy,” she said as she gave him a quick smile.
He returned her smile and shrugged his shoulders, but he couldn’t hide the memories that flashed behind his eyes.
Alice silently studied him as she continued to eat her breakfast. Who was this man really? Would she ever learn the true essence of him? What made him happy? What were his goals and dreams. His greatest fears? Would she ever really know him? Would anyone?
Her mind whirled with a burning desire to know everything about him. Just as her body yearned to know him physically.
Fighting to keep the blush from her cheeks as she thought of things no respectable Lady should be thinking of, she glanced up to catch him studying her. His eyes hooded and contemplating her as if she were a mystery wrapped in a secret. A puzzle to be solved.
Her stomach flipped, and her heart stopped. That look could mean only one thing. A burning desire to understand her. To know who she was. The thought sent a warm shiver down her back as his eyes momentarily changed over to a look of passion and need.
She swallowed hard but did not look away, she couldn’t look away.
“Yes,” he said with a firm nod. “A few days in the country away from prying eyes and wagging tongues will do us good. There is so much we can do there that can’t be done as easily here in London.”
Alice froze, his words could mean a dozen different things. Was he talking about his sister, or was he talking about her? Suddenly, the thought of being alone with him, away from the ton, made her feel soft and vulnerable in a way that was both delicious and terrifying.
Somehow, she knew, this trip might end up being of great significance.
.o0o.
Alice froze as she stepped down from the coach. Her jaw dropped as she glanced at her mother. Sometimes she forgot just how wealthy Mr. Caldwell was.
She had anticipated a small country manor. A few servants perhaps. But this . . .? It was enough to make a woman marvel in amazement. Obviously built during the Tudor reign, the yellow brick building was much larger than she had foreseen. Not a palace, but more than a simple manor. It’s dormers and large windows were designed to impress. Green ivy crawled up the building face. Gray smoke from at least six different chimneys escaped into the afternoon air. This was a house of a powerful man.
A dozen servants and staff were waiting their arrival. Lined up waiting to be of service. Each of the men turned out in the red and gold livery of the Caldwell’s. The women in starched gray dresses. Alice, however, kept finding her eyes drawn back to the impressive building behind them.
“I bought it a few years ago,” Mr. Caldwell said as he stepped up next to her mother and herself. “It’s old, drafty, and the local lands barely pay for its upkeep, but it was one of the few things not entailed and available at the time.”
Alice nodded, unable to take her eyes off the magnificent building.
“And that’s the dowager home,” he said, pointing to a smaller house set off to the side. “It’s empty now of course. Although, I use it sometimes when I wish to be alone. The main house is not conducive to silent contemplation. Too much like a museum, if you ask me. The dowager house is comfortable, peaceful, a perfect place to hide away from the world.”
Her mother’s brow narrowed for a moment as she looked up at him, then at the small house and again back to him. Alice could see the gears turning in her mother’s mind like a windmill grinding wheat.
Alice’s stomach churned as she became desperately afraid her mother might say something inappropriate, or worse, say something that indicated she might find the dowager house acceptable. Especially if her daughter was the wife of the owner.
Hurrying her mother into the main house, Alice tried to keep her cheeks from blushing too much less Mr. Caldwell read her mind.
Olivia was kind enough to show them to their rooms, only leaving them once they were settled and she was sure their needs had been met. The girl was a natural hostess, Alice thought to herself.
“Really, Alice,” her mother said after the young woman had left them. “This is a little much, don’t you think. I mean he is only a merchant after all. It doesn’t seem right for him to be in possession of such a home.”
“Mother,” Alice admonished. “He earned it. As to what seems appropriate, need I remind you that it is we who are indebted to Mr. Caldwell. Without his kindness, we would be dining on stale bread and wishing it were more.”
Her mother shrugged her shoulders as she hobbled to the adjoining bedroom. “I don’t know. It doesn’t seem right, that’s all. Not in my day, I can tell you. Perhaps if there was a Lady in residence. A woman of true breeding. Perhaps it would be more acceptable, such wealth. But a bachelor, it just doesn’t seem fair.”
Alice shook her head. Her mother was hopeless.
Sighing, she dismissed the maid provided by Olivia. She had long ago learned that she preferred putting her own clothes away. A habit her mother had admonished her repeatedly for.
Turning, she looked out the tall windows over the fields and beyond. The view was magnificent. Majestic almost. Checkerboard farms, green fields, and pastures. The kind of landscape that made a person feel comfortable.
Smiling to herself, she thought of the man who had brought them there. She couldn’t get the words about the dowager house out of her head. Alone, peaceful, empty, hideaway.
Had he been talking to her? Was it some secret message meant for only her to understand? Why did she think so? And why did the thought send a thousand shivers through her? Alone, with Mr. Caldwell. Make that two thousand shivers.
Sighing, she turned away from the window.
“And why the country?” her mother called from the other room, her voice rolling through the open adjoining door like a Sergeant Major’s. “Why take Olivia away from the balls and events? How is she ever supposed to find the perfect husband if her brother takes her off the field?”
“I don’t believe a few days will matter, mother,” Alice called back. “In fact, don’t they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Taking a short interlude might do her good. It might make the men of the ton wake up and see what a diamond they have right in front of them.”
Her mother scoffed. “The problem isn’t the men,” she said. “More than a dozen are interested. The problem is the girl. She can’t seem to make up her mind.”
Alice sighed as she shook out her dresses. Her mother would never understand. “Perhaps it is that the right man has not shown any interest.”
Her mother came to the door and stared at her daughter for a long moment. “If you ask me, the girl is under the mistaken belief that a woman needs to be in love before she marries. A modern idea that I wholly disagree with, I might add.”
All Alice could do was continue to shake her head as she placed her underthings in the top drawer of the dresser.
“Will you stop that?” her mother snapped as she frowned at her daughter. “I have repeatedly told you that is a maid’s responsibility.”
“I prefer it,” Alice said without stopping what she was doing.
“It doesn’t matter if you prefer it or not. It matters whether it is right or not. What would people think?”
Alice smiled at her mother. “It’s done. Besides, don’t forget, we will not be Mr. Caldwell’s guest forever. Once Olivia marries we will no longer be needed. I wouldn’t become too used to this lifestyle. I can assure you, it will not continue once we leave.”
Her mother frowned as she stepped back into her room. “As I said, it doesn’t seem fair,” she called over her shoulder.
Alice ignored her mother as she once more returned to the front window. This time, however, she did not look out over the distant vistas. Instead, this time, her eyes were drawn to the dowager’s house. Pulled there by some unseen force as her mind whirled around a need and a thought.
Chapter Thirt
een
Nathanial opened the French doors that led out to the back gardens and breathed in the night air. He smiled to himself. As close to the sea air as he ever seemed to get, he thought to himself as he took in another lung full.
Not as pure, not as clean as the deep blue. Too much grass and land smell for that, but so much better than London. The kind of breath that could clear a man’s head.
Leaving the doors open, he turned and began to pace. Hands folded behind his back, his eyes stared at the carpet as he slowly walked back and forth in his study.
So many things had to fall into place just right, he thought. Too many things were beyond his direct control. But he had laid his plans well. If his enemies performed as he suspected, it would work. Now it was a matter of waiting. Something that had always troubled him.
Sighing, he turned to repeat his path across the study. That wasn’t his real problem he admitted to himself.
Lady Alice, he thought. What were his plans for her? He well knew the dangers he was approaching when it came to the young woman. But since when had the threat of danger ever really stopped him? No. It wouldn’t stop him now, he vowed. Not in getting what he wanted. What he was learning he needed.
Grimacing, he halted and stared out over the gardens.
Dinner had gone well. The four of them dining on simple country fair. Easy conversation, no drama, not even a critique from Lady Weston. If he didn’t know better, he might have assumed the old woman was becoming comfortable here. As if she had almost come to accept the fact that he possessed such wealth. Either that, or she was sicker than he knew and simply trying to get through the night.
A knock at the door pulled him back to the present.
“Yes?” he answered softly.
“Sir,” his man Johnson said as he stepped into the room.
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