“So do you,” she teased.
“Mother would kill me if she saw me like this.” Brandon wriggled his stockinged feet. “Does it feel strange I feel more comfortable around you than my own mother?”
“Not really and I’m flattered.” Caroline looked around the room. She never felt anything but awe each time she laid eyes on the dowager duchess’s library. “This is a lovely room. I never thought I’d see so many books in one room outside a public library. Does your mother ever come in here?”
“Once a week. She doesn’t read much, and it has to be very specific books when she does.” Brandon closed his book and rubbed a hand affectionately down the used spine. “This was my parents’ country home when Father was alive. Books were his pride and joy. He often spent hours in here or in his study simply reading.”
Chapter 7
Truth Revealed
“And it’s from him that you got your love of reading?”
“Exactly.” Brandon grimaced. “Don’t tell anyone that I love my books. They’ll never see me the same way again.”
“I won’t say a word.” Caroline placed a finger to her lips. “Promise. What did your mother say about it?”
“She didn’t like that I was at home studiously pouring over books. She preferred that I was outside being a boy.”
Caroline laughed.
“Sounds like she wouldn’t have been happy with you either way.”
“Probably not. She’s very particular in things.” Brandon smiled warmly at her. “But she seems to be very taken with you.”
Caroline sighed.
“For now.”
“How can anyone not love you?”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence, Brandon.” Caroline leaned against the window frame. “I admit, I thought I was going to ruin it a few times. And the duchess does tend to push a little too much on everything and I simply can’t say no.”
“That’s probably part of the reason she likes you so much. But she does approve.”
“That’s something.” Caroline was aware that Brandon was looking at her with a sudden intensity that made her a little uncomfortable. “I think knowing I don’t have people coming after me looking for a marriage to get their hands on my money has made me relax. I feel better in myself.”
“That’s good.” Brandon’s eyes were twinkling. “And it’s nice to see you smile more. You certainly know how to light up a room.”
Caroline felt her face going red.
“I never had time for social engagements when I was younger. Aunt Agnes barely went out, so I didn’t either. I didn’t mind because the cottage had everything I could possibly want. And the scenery was beautiful.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask: what’s happened to your home?”
“Aunt Agnes put in the will that it was to be mine to use however I wanted.” Caroline smiled. “I’m glad she let me have it; I love the place.”
Brandon sat forward, putting the book aside.
“Maybe you’ll show me the cottage one day,” he said quietly.
“If you think a mere young woman is worth your time,” Caroline quipped.
“I’m giving you time now, aren’t I?”
“For a very good reason.”
Brandon’s smile slipped a little. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.
“It’s not going to be for much longer, Caroline. Just another week and then we can go back to London and go our separate ways.”
Caroline knew that but the thought didn’t make her feel better. Maybe she had been in Brandon’s company too long; she was getting used to him.
“But if we’re going to go our separate ways, how are you going to explain your mother when she comes to visit why I’m not there?”
“I’ll think of something. We’re in this together now.” Brandon sat back and stretched his legs. “And I do appreciate you helping me out.”
“You rescued me from my cousin. It’s only logical that I return the favor.”
“Not many women would agree to do this.”
Caroline shrugged.
“I don’t think I had much to lose to start with.”
“Well, I certainly did.” Brandon made a face. “You’ve seen the women my mother had lined up.”
“I’m afraid I have.” Caroline had seen the girls sidling up to Brandon at social engagements, giving her disgusted looks before stalking away once Brandon introduced her as his wife. “I think they’re better suited to you, though.”
“More than you.” Brandon barked out a laugh. “Not a chance. If I can find someone I can be so relaxed that I’m in a state of undress and not feel ashamed, where I can sit reading for hours without the need for any conversation, I’d be a happy man.”
Caroline could see that. Brandon was certainly looking less tense than when they first arrived. The comfortable familiarity between them would create a scandal should anyone know about it, but Caroline couldn’t bring herself to care for now. Chances were, once she married–if she married–that would never happen with her husband.
Take little blessings wherever they arose, her aunt used to say. Caroline was taking this blessing she was able to be herself for the first time in months.
***
The next day, Brandon went out with some friends to hunt. He tried to get Caroline to come along but Caroline managed to beg off. She wasn’t very good on a horse still and she didn’t want to look a fool. Brandon looked upset that she wouldn't be at his side, but he acquiesced to her request to stay home and walk around the gardens. He had kissed her cheek before leaving.
That was the first time he had ever kissed her beyond her hand. Those times had been during balls and other engagements, kissing her ring and giving her a look that made Caroline think she had had her corset done up too tightly. Now Caroline’s head was in a whirl.
She had to be very careful. Keep herself distanced or things were going to happen that Caroline wouldn’t be able to cope with. They would get into trouble if Caroline let her emotions get involved.
As soon as Brandon left, Caroline escaped into the gardens and took a walk around the vast grounds. It was beautiful; the gardeners took great care of the place. She could see the beauty of the estate. Brandon’s father had certainly crafted it to a paradise. Caroline hadn’t realized there was such beauty and peace this far north.
It was a shame they weren’t properly married; Caroline would enjoy coming here for visits.
It was warm when she set out but then the wind picked up a little and Caroline realized she had forgotten her shawl. Maybe she could fetch a shawl from her room and go back out again. It wasn’t that cold, just a little breezy.
Caroline headed back to the house. She didn’t see the dowager duchess in the doorway until she almost ran into her. Her face red, Caroline darted back and bobbed a curtsy.
“Your Grace. Forgive me, I didn’t realize you were there.”
“You need to leave this place, madam.” The dowager duchess’ voice was clipped. “Right now.”
Caroline started. Lady Clarissa was scowling at her with such a look of hate that it was like being slapped in the face. She was ramrod stiff, ice cold. Caroline had no idea what had happened; the dowager duchess had been a little frosty the night before and then had breakfast in bed that morning.
They had barely been in each other’s company for the past two days. What had she done wrong?
“I beg your pardon, Your Grace?”
“I know your little secret,” Duchess Clarissa hissed. “The charade that you concocted with my son.”
“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I heard you two in the library yesterday. Your marriage is a sham.”
Caroline felt her blood go cold. They had been found out. The thing that had kept her on edge for their entire visit had happened. How could they have been so lax in believing they wouldn’t be overheard? Lady Clarissa sneered at her and advanced on Caroline, who backed away.
“What di
d you do, little miss? Promise him something he couldn’t resist?”
“No, of course not!” Caroline wobbled on the edge of the steps and stepped around the older woman, backing across the terrace again. “The duke was the one who suggested it. I went along with it because I wanted to help.”
“Oh, really?” The dowager duchess snorted. “And you think I’m going to believe that?”
“You can believe all you want, Your Grace, but I simply wanted to help the duke. He was in a bind and I owed him a favor…”
“So, it was something he couldn’t refuse!” Duchess Clarissa gave a triumphant cry. She swiped her hand through the air, almost hitting Caroline in the face. “I knew you were a woman of ill repute!”
“I’m not!”
“You are. I’ve never heard of you before. You had to be someone from the streets. It would explain why you wore out of season clothes and you needed lessons on how to act in Society.” The dowager duchess wrinkled her nose. “It was because you’d never seen a ballroom in your life except through a window.”
Caroline flushed. That was not fair.
“That was uncalled for,” she protested. “What I told you about how I came into Society was the truth. My aunt Agnes left me the money. That’s it.”
“And from what I’ve been told, you forced the old bat to give it to you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’ve spoken to Viscount Carlton.”
Chapter 8
The Runaway Damsel
Of course she had. Caroline shouldn’t have thought she was fully clear from the man. She gritted her teeth.
“My cousin is a gambler who wants the money because he’s broke.”
“Is that why you refused his offer of marriage?”
“He’s a vile man and I dislike him intensely. I will never marry him.”
Duchess Clarissa grunted. She looked Caroline up and down as if she was inspecting the bottom of her shoe.
“Well, maybe you should take him up on his offer. With his background, you two would be perfect for each other. Not my son. He doesn’t deserve a woman with a soiled reputation.”
“My reputation has never been touched!” Caroline cried.
Lady Clarissa smirked. Caroline half-expected her to cackle.
“It will be once I start talking. I had a woman lined up for my son and she was the perfect girl to be his wife. Certainly of a higher social standing. Even Brandon would have agreed. But he threw that into a mess when he came here with you.” She sniffed. “I was willing to try to like you but I just couldn’t. You weren’t the girl I wanted for him. Now I know he’s never been married, this will make it easy. You will return to London immediately. If you fight me on this or tell the duke about our conversation, I’ll tell Society what you did and then no one will want you gracing their drawing rooms.”
She would as well. Caroline didn’t doubt it. She needed to find Brandon. But he wouldn’t be back for hours.
She was on her own.
“What…what about Brandon?”
“The duke will get over you.” The dowager duchess sounded very confident on that. “His attempt to stop marriage to my choice has failed and he’ll fall into line now I’ve discovered his plan.”
“Brandon won’t bow down to you, Your Grace,” Caroline shot back. “You’re not in charge of him.”
The older woman advanced on her, towering over Caroline.
“Oh, but I am,” she whispered. “He just doesn’t know it yet. Now, get out. Right now.”
Caroline wasn’t about to argue. She ran.
***
Brandon was looking forward to getting back. He had spent most of the day away from Caroline, and Brandon had been shocked to find that he missed her. He had gotten very used to her in his life; she was familiar to him. Brandon liked her company and liked the fact she didn’t force him into anything, not like his mother. Caroline took him as he was, flaws and all.
She was worth her weight in gold. And Brandon was only beginning to realize that.
Was he falling for her? It was possible. Brandon found himself thinking about Caroline whenever he fell asleep and she was on his mind again when he woke up. That smile of hers had his chest tightening.
But this was meant to be a farce, a fake marriage to stop his mother from matching him to the ghastly Judith Hawkins, the daughter of the Marquis of Northumberland. Duchess Clarissa thought she was a perfect fit for him but Brandon disliked her intensely. The girl was awful, and she got on his nerves. Brandon wouldn’t be able to produce heirs if Lady Judith became his wife. That marriage would be loveless and childless.
Was that the reason he was finding Caroline more attractive? Brandon thought about it all the way back to his mother’s home. He needed to see her, to find out for himself. If there really was something and Caroline felt the same–Brandon hoped so–then they could make it more official. Caroline made a perfect fake duchess. She would make an even better real duchess.
Marlow met him in the stable yard. Brandon dismounted and the stable boy took his horse away as Brandon strode over to his valet.
“Good hunting, Your Grace?” Marlow asked, taking his master’s gloves.
“Excellent. Is Duchess Caroline around? I want to have a word with her.”
“Duchess Caroline…”
“Yes, you know who I…,” then Brandon saw Marlow’s nervous expression. Something was wrong. “What is it? Has something happened to Caroline?”
“She’s fine, as far as I know.”
“What does that mean?”
“She’s gone.”
Brandon felt like he had been slapped in the face.
“What do you mean, she’s gone?”
“She just left. The coach took her back to London two hours ago. I tried to talk to her but she wouldn’t talk to me.” Marlow looked uncomfortable. “But she had been crying.”
She had been crying? Brandon wanted to find Caroline and hold her, wipe away her tears. His heart stopped. Oh, God, he really was in love with her.
“Where’s my mother?”
“In the drawing room. She wants to see you once you come in.”
Brandon was sure Lady Clarissa had had something to do with this. She had been looking for an excuse to get rid of Caroline even since she arrived. It had been very subtle but Brandon had been able to head it off. He was very careful not to leave Caroline alone with his mother. Had she managed to corner Caroline?
Clarissa was sitting by the window, looking like the perfect lady of the manor as she looked out of the window. She turned her head when Brandon barged in and smiled. Her expression said she was very proud of herself.
“There you are, Brandon. I was beginning to wonder where you were.”
“Why has my wife gone, Mother?” Brandon demanded. “What did you do?”
Lady Clarissa’s eyes widened.
“I didn’t do anything. Lady Caroline just said she had to go back to London and that she couldn’t take it anymore.”
“What are you talking about? Take what anymore?”
“That’s what she said to me. I couldn’t get any sense out of her. Neither could the servants.” The dowager duchess shrugged. “She just said she couldn’t take it and she had to leave.”
Brandon didn’t believe that. This couldn’t be right. Caroline had looked so happy. She hadn’t been showing any sign that she wanted to leave. What had happened between Brandon leaving the house and returning just now?
The thought she had left him shook him up.
“I’m afraid she’s left you, honey.” The dowager duchess stood, smoothing her hands down her skirts. She looked very satisfied. “I must say, I wasn’t expecting that. She was such a nice young lady. And she was perfect for you.” She approached Brandon and patted his arm. “Don’t worry, darling. You’ll find someone else. It’s best to forget about her.”
“Easy for you to say, Mother,” Brandon muttered, pulling his arm away. “You're not in love with her.”
That had Lady Clarissa jerking back in shock, her face paling.
“Love? You love her?”
Brandon thought he did. But he didn’t answer his mother, turning his back on her and leaving the room. He needed to get out of there.
Caroline had said she would help him out. And now she was gone. All Brandon could feel was a hollow feeling in his chest.
***
“Miss Caroline?”
Caroline jerked when someone touched her shoulder. Holly was standing over her, frowning at her. Caroline realized she had been sitting in her chair staring out at the small garden they had out the back of her house and hadn’t realized Holly had been standing there. She sat up and rubbed her hands over her face.
“What is it, Holly?”
“Cook said lunch is ready.”
Lunch. Caroline’s stomach twisted. She felt nauseous.
“I’m not very hungry, but thank you.”
“But you need to eat, Miss Caroline. You haven’t eaten much for the past three weeks. You’re wasting away.”
“I can’t bring myself to eat.”
“You must,” Holly insisted. She knelt beside her mistress, gripping Caroline’s hand. “You’ll become ill.”
“I’d prefer to be ill,” Caroline grumbled. “Maybe I’ll waste away.”
Her depression had gotten worse in the weeks since coming home. It felt like she had lost all interest in life. Caroline couldn’t bring herself to do anything, simply sitting in the garden staring into space. The few visitors she had had left as soon as they came when they realized she wasn’t in the mood for company. Caroline could barely bring herself to smile at anyone; she just wanted to be left alone.
The house was feeling like a prison. Caroline was becoming suffocated. Maybe she should just leave and go to the cottage. A few weeks alone at the cottage would do her some good. Perhaps she could forget about the Duke of Brandon and their scam that had been found out.
She should have known this would happen. Her gut said it was a possibility. But Caroline couldn’t turn back the clock.
Chapter 9
Regency Romances Page 91
