"Think? All I do is think! Well, dear sister, I have finally decided to do what you have been wanting me to do. Cause a stir and have a little fun. If Tom can do it, then so can I."
Rebecca frowned unhappily.
"Perhaps I was too quick to encourage you. This is not you, Caro."
"Well perhaps it should be."
"You've had enough to drink."
Caroline merely laughed and plucked her fourth glass. Or was it fifth?
"I never realised how delicious champagne was you know. So bubbly," she giggled.
Already Caroline was feeling better about the whole nasty business with Tom. In fact, she was starting to forget what was so terrible to begin with.
The candles suddenly seemed brighter, the laughter louder. Why had she never drunk more of this before? It was truly marvellous stuff.
Lord Hadley chose that moment to seek her out.
"Good heavens, run," whispered Rebecca, "Hadley has spotted you."
Caroline looked up and favoured the approaching Hadley with a breath-taking smile, which caused him to stumble a little.
Poor man.
"G-good evening, my lady," he stuttered, unused to such a friendly reception.
"Lord Hadley, I am so very pleased to see you."
"Really?" he asked.
"Really?" Rebecca echoed.
Caroline tittered, which she had never done before, lightly tapping Hadley's arm with her fan.
"Of course," she answered flirtatiously, batting her lashes.
Rebecca watched in fascinated horror.
She was torn between concern and amusement. Caroline — proper, perfect Caroline — was well and truly in her cups.
Hadley for his part looked as though he might faint from the pleasure of having the undivided attention of a catch such as Lady Caroline.
"Will you do me the honour of dancing the next with me, Lady Caroline?"
"My dear Hadley, I thought you'd never ask," she answered lightly, throwing back the rest of her drink in one swallow and handing the flute to her bemused looking sisters. Sisters? Why were there suddenly two of them?
Caroline staggered a little as the room tilted alarmingly. Thankfully though her arm was safely ensconced within Hadley's and so she did not fall straight out on her—
"Are you quite well, my lady?" Hadley's concerned voice interrupted Caroline's slightly fuzzy thoughts.
She hiccupped a little and grinned widely.
"I believe I'm better than I've ever been Hadley," she answered with what she hoped was a flirtatious wink.
Why is he looking more frightened than enamoured? she wondered, a little put out at his reaction.
The music for a cotillion started and Hadley moved to stand opposite her.
Caroline concentrated on staying upright and made sure to catch as many male eyes as possible to deliver surreptitious smiles and coy glances. If she was going to be a flirt, she wanted to do it right.
The music started and Caroline was about to take her opening steps when she heard an audible hiss behind her. Turning in confusion, she saw Rebecca anxiously waving and beckoning with an amused looking Edward standing beside her.
Caroline waved away Rebecca's interference and turned back to Hadley.
Heavens, this dance was never-ending, Caroline thought after only seconds. She was quite parched and was anxious to have some more of the delicious champagne on offer. Plus, Hadley was just as sleep-inducing as ever and she was beginning to think she should tell him so, for his sake as well as her own. He could never be expected to improve if he was oblivious to his faults.
And he was a terrible flirt. Looking scared instead of infatuated at her every smile. No, something would have to be done. The sooner she got rid of him, the sooner she could find someone more responsive to her efforts. And some more champagne.
Mercifully the dance ended and Hadley tried to escort Caroline to Rebecca and Edward at the side of the dance floor, but Caroline dragged him toward the refreshment table.
"Be a dear and fetch me some champagne, won't you?" she said, fanning herself profusely for it was stiflingly hot.
Hadley, who was becoming steadily more odious by the second, hesitated and began stuttering, "I am not quite sure, my lady, that you should—er—what I mean is, you seem quite—"
"Oh for heaven's sake." Caroline pushed past him and scooped up a glass of champagne. It was much warmer than her previous glasses had been and did not taste nearly as nice. But her throat was dry and she might as well have something. So she drank the contents in one giant gulp, grimacing as it hit her stomach. She did not remember the other glasses making her feel a little ill. She pressed a hand to her stomach and waited several moments for the nauseous sensation to pass.
It wasn't long before she felt somewhat better, however, and Caroline had something terribly important to say. The time had come to set this little man to rights!
"Viscount Hemley—"
"Hadley, my lady."
"Yes, yes. Hexley. I feel I must tell you that you are really quite an obn—"
"There you are. Come, the carriage is waiting."
Caroline spun around and immediately regretted it as her stomach roiled disturbingly.
Tom stood behind her, his face impassive, holding out a hand to her.
Had he run mad? Did he truly expect her to leave with him? Where was his chit? She almost laughed at his audacity to order her about but her stomach once again flipped alarmingly, so she judged it best to stay perfectly still and glare at him instead.
Tom watched worriedly as the colour drained from Caroline's face and her usually peachy skin turned slightly green.
Dear God, she wasn't going to cast up her accounts here in the ballroom was she?
The time had definitely come to remove her.
He'd been watching, torn between amusement and concern as she'd drunk more and more, and then staggered through the dance with Hadley.
Thankfully he was certain that only he, Edward, and Rebecca had been watching her so closely, and therefore her reputation wouldn't suffer for the spectacle. Until Hadley opened his sizeable mouth, of course.
He'd been too late to stop her dancing, reaching Rebecca's side just seconds after Caroline had waved away Rebecca's pleading gestures and thrown herself into the dance.
As he'd been making his way steadily towards her, he'd seen her leer at Hadley and wink comically at him. Hadley had looked like he had no clue what to do and Tom couldn't blame him. This was not the sort of behaviour Society had come to expect from the perfect Lady Caroline Carrington. She'd scared the poor devil out of his wits.
The dance had ended without incident, to Tom's relief, and he'd waited impatiently for Caroline's return, all the while ignoring the death stares from his tiny but formidable cousin through marriage.
But instead of making their way towards Rebecca, Caroline and Hadley marched in the opposite direction. Well, Caroline marched. Hadley was dragged. Rather ferociously. She was clearly stronger than she looked.
Tom muttered an expletive not too dissimilar to the one coming from Rebecca. Edward laughed. The cad.
"It isn't funny, Edward!" Rebecca had hissed angrily. "She will regret this in the morning."
"I apologise, sweetheart. Do not distress yourself. I shall go and rescue Hadley from her clutches."
"Allow me."
At this request, Rebecca and Edward both turned their full attention to Tom and he had to fight the very real desire to stare at the ground and shuffle his feet just as he'd done as a lad when he was in trouble.
"I think not," Rebecca bit out crisply, and Tom was once again reminded quite forcibly of her older sister who could freeze a man with a single glare.
How odd, he thought distractedly, that Rebecca's handsomeness should be so famous and yet, in his eyes, could not hold a candle to the heart-breaking, ethereal beauty of her sister.
He turned to look again at Caroline, to make sure she wasn't doing anything too ridiculous, and was once more half amuse
d, half horrified as he watched her barge past Hadley and throw back the contents of another glass of champagne.
His eyes widened in alarm at the sudden pallor of her cheeks. He recognised that look. He'd been wearing it for years. A sure sign of total overindulgence. And what usually followed was never pretty.
He knew that Rebecca was the best person to look after Caroline in her present condition. He knew that Caroline would be furious about the vulgar display with Charlotte, and perhaps a little jealous.
But whether she was foxed or not, he wanted to explain himself. Though God only knew why it should matter so much. He had his suspicions as to why her opinion of him was so important. But he did not want to examine them too closely. Nor did he want to question why Rebecca was so angry with him. Speculation of that kind led to hope and he had learned a harsh lesson the last time he had allowed himself to hope.
Either way, he intended to speak to her and he intended to do it tonight.
"Rebecca," he said now, turning back to the younger sister to address her concerns before the older one did something irreparable, "Caroline's behaviour is sure to start drawing attention soon. If you leave now, who will be able to smooth over any gossip? Certainly not I."
Rebecca frowned at his words, true as they were. If just one person were to notice Caroline's behaviour and comment on it, it would spread like wildfire. And Hadley was sure to spread the news as soon as he recovered from his surreal ordeal.
Still, Rebecca was not about to let him whisk Caroline off. Especially in view of what Caroline had told her only tonight and what she'd witnessed between him and that horrid American.
"And you do not think the gossips will talk about Caroline leaving a ball with only you as company?"
"I dearly hope they do not notice. Not if I get her out quickly enough."
"And what is it you propose, Tom? A cosy little chat with you, Caroline, and that American b—"
"Sweetheart—" once again Edward's voice made a timely interruption— "let Tom take care of it tonight. You and I should concentrate on showing that nothing is amiss."
Tom looked across at Edward above Rebecca's head, which wasn't difficult since she fell quite short of both their shoulders. After a moment's glance, Tom gave a swift nod of thanks and moved to rescue Caroline. Or Hadley. He was not yet sure which.
As he approached them he was alarmed by the sound of Caroline's lilting voice, usually so soft and melodious, now harsh and very, very slurred, calling Hadley by anything other than his actual name, and sounding very much like she was building up to quite the set down.
Much as he'd like to see the irritating little lap dog sent on his way, he knew that Caroline would be horrified in the cold light of day so he stepped in and said the first thing that came to mind.
"There you are. Come, the carriage is waiting."
He had no carriage waiting. And he was fairly certain that she would refuse to go anywhere with him. But he had to stop her from speaking!
And now, here she stood in front of him, turning greener by the second and swaying unsteadily.
Was it odd that, even then, he could barely control his desire to gather her into his arms?
Her instability was endearing and the icy flame of her anger, evident in those expressive eyes, was doing things to him that had no place in a public ballroom.
He took a step closer as she placed a delicate hand on her throat. He would pay good money to be that hand right about now.
"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, hoping she wouldn't screech at him like a fishwife and draw attention.
There was no screeching however. Just a look so bleak that it nearly brought him to his knees. He questioned why his appearance should cause such a look to taint her perfect face, wondered if he could possibly be right about what he was beginning to suspect.
But then she took a deep breath and pulled herself up to her full height. Which wasn't very high.
"Of course," she answered, slurred really, her eyes glassy and a little unfocused, "Why wouldn't I be?"
At her garbled speech, Tom supressed a grin. Oh, she would have a headache like the worse sort of drunkard come tomorrow.
"No reason," he answered, "but if you are ready to leave?"
"I am most certainly not ready to leave," she said indignantly, very nearly incoherent. "Hexley and I are just going to have some more champagne. Isn't that right?" She turned and directed her question to the empty space Hadley had scarpered from moments ago.
She turned back to Tom now, looking adorably confused.
"Wait, wasn't there somebody just there?"
"All right. That's enough. We're leaving."
Taking her elbow he pulled her gently from the refreshment table trying to forcibly remove the flute she was clutching from her hand. It was no use. Her grip was vicelike and he had no wish to draw attention to them. So he waited impatiently while she finished the contents then turned her towards the door.
He smiled and nodded along the way while Caroline hiccupped and stumbled against him.
He bit the inside of his cheek as she trod on his toe time and again but eventually, mercifully, they reached the foyer.
Tom sent a footman to fetch his carriage while Rebecca appeared beside him clutching Caroline's cloak.
"Now, Caro. Tom has agreed to escort you home. Edward and I will remain here so that everyone knows there is nothing out of place."
Caroline nodded her understanding as Rebecca tucked her into her cloak, for all the world like a mother hen, and once again Caroline looked so miserable that Tom wanted to grab her and protect her all over again.
He heard an audible sniff as Caroline's eyes welled with tears.
His cue to leave.
"I'll just check on that carriage," he said before he shot off down the steps.
His mind must be playing tricks on him. Or perhaps it was an unhealthy dose of wishful thinking; for he felt sure that he had heard Caroline, just before he disappeared from view, mumble something about loving him.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"DEAREST, DO NOT distress yourself. If you do not want to be alone with him I shall come with you and we will figure out another way to silence the speculators."
"I do want to be alone with him. That's the problem. He hates me. Truly. And I thought we were perhaps… Oh but what does it matter anyway? He's obviously gone and fallen in love with that girl, whoever she is. But, Rebecca, I love him."
Fat tears trailed down Caroline's face and she did nothing to stop them. She felt ill and suddenly tired. The cold air sweeping up the steps of the building was doing nothing to help her head. If anything, it was making it worse.
And now she'd be forced to ride home with him. In an enclosed space. Probably while he wittered on about that irritatingly beautiful girl he'd had climbing all over him. It was not to be borne.
"Caroline, I have no idea what happened between him and that creature but I would bet every penny of my dowry that Tom does not hate you."
Rebecca grasped Caroline in a tight hug which did very little to help Caroline's heaving stomach.
"Now listen carefully. You have drunk too much so you may feel less—er—inhibited than usual. You must not say anything about how you feel to Tom during the ride back home. Do you understand? I do not want you doing or saying anything that you will regret tomorrow."
Before Caroline could reply, Edward appeared from one direction, Tom from the other.
"The carriage awaits, my lady," said Tom warily, watching closely for more tears.
"Rebecca, Hadley's already talking, the little rat. Come. We must return. People are looking for us."
"I'll kill him if he damages her reputation," Tom muttered grimly.
"Best worry about your own, cousin. The gossip about you and Miss Noble is gathering speed too."
"Bloody hell. There's nothing between Charlotte and I, dammit."
"Watch your language!" admonished Rebecca sharply, which was ironic since she could out-swear the lot
of them.
"A little rich, Rebecca," he shot back childishly.
"Stop squabbling, both of you," interjected Edward.
"Do not speak to me like that, Edward."
"Sorry, dear."
"You're apologising to her? She started it."
"Grow up, Tom."
"I think I'm going to be sick."
Caroline's weak mumble succeeded in bringing the extremely immature bickering to a close.
They all turned to her in alarm.
Rebecca immediately rushed to her side, holding her steady.
"I really think I should go with her," she said, worry etched on her face.
"I will take care of her, Rebecca," Tom insisted.
"You really are needed here, sweetheart," Edward pointed out.
"Well I do not think she particularly wants to go with Tom right now."
"I am standing right here, you know."
They both ignored him.
"I am aware of that darling, but I do think it is for the best."
Caroline felt herself sway. She really did feel dreadfully ill. It was time to go. And at this point, she no longer cared who she went with. As long as she left.
She heard Tom mutter something and suddenly she felt herself lifted into his arms.
Gasping in surprise, her eyes collided with his. Blue on blue. Her own, she knew would be slightly unfocused since she was finding it difficult to see less than two of him. His, though. His caused her heart to gallop alarmingly. They blazed with a fire that, although she could not name it, made her feel like her whole body would be alight soon.
She felt the hard planes of his body as her own pressed against it. Felt the solid strength in his arms as they scooped her up against him.
Tom gazed at her for a moment before turning his attention to the now silent Rebecca and Edward.
"Goodnight" was all he said before he turned and walked down the steps and toward the waiting carriage.
Caroline spoke not a word as he placed her gently against the cushioned seat before taking his place opposite her.
What was there to say anyway? She had been stunned into silence. More than that, she did not trust her own voice. Her body had reacted quite violently to being so close to his and she was both excited and slightly alarmed by the sensation.
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