“What I do not understand,” Caroline said, “is why he would do such a thing to you, his own brother. It does not make sense.”
“At first, I believed it was an attempt to claim the entirety of our father’s inheritance. What I suspect now is much worse.” He stared off toward the ocean. “His name was noted in several of the transactions in that ledger, showing that he is deeply entrenched in this sordid business. Perhaps he feared I would learn of these secrets, though I had no idea at the time such things were happening. I suppose one could say I was ignorant, but even now I find it difficult to believe anyone would partake in such shocking matters.”
Caroline felt nothing but pain for what William had to be feeling. To have a brother caught up in such heinous circumstances could not be easy. Without thought for what he would take from her actions, she threw her arms around the man. “The redemption you spoke of?” she whispered. “Now I understand. I believe you will find it.”
He drew her in closer, and she reveled in the feel of his arms around her. When the embrace broke, he smiled down at her; a smile she had never seen on him before this moment.
“I believe I already have.”
***
Caroline had never stayed at a true hotel before, and she looked up at the entrance to the Heather’s Hotel in awe. The building had been painted white, and unlike the inn they had stayed in a few days prior, the paint was not peeling. Large, round columns held a roofed entry where the finest of carriages stopped to allow their wealthy guests to enter without sun or rain to give them any bother.
Men and women in the finest of outfits that would rival their counterparts in London moved past Caroline and William, many with sneers of disgust while other simply paid them no heed, as if they were nonexistent. Though she had experienced such reactions most of her life, Caroline still could not help but feel foolish. Did they belong in such a place?
“We deserve a rest,” William whispered as if sensing her discomfiture. “And a meal like everyone else.”
Caroline smiled. He clutched a bag in each of his hands, refusing to allow anyone to lend him aid—and for good reason. It would have been much too easy for anyone to take a few pieces and neither she nor William would have noticed. They had yet to take an inventory of what they had gained.
Inside the hotel was all the more astonishing with its rich rugs of red and gold, chairs and settees of velvet and tables of deep mahogany, most of Indian design. Guests read newspapers and books, drank tea or spirits, but all who glanced their way took a second look as Caroline followed William up to the counter to where a man raised a disapproving eyebrow and pursed his lips when he saw them.
“I am sorry,” he said as he looked down his nose at them, “but we have no positions open this season. The inn two streets over may have something, however.”
William set the sacks on the ground with a thud and glared at the man. “Not only have my wife and I been the subject of thievery to highwaymen,” he said through a clenched jaw, “but now we must endure the uneducated rabble of one such as yourself? If you were to know who I am, you would fall to your knees and beg for my forgiveness. To imply that my wife is no better than a servant?” He shook his head at the horror of it. Then he reached into his pocket where he had placed a handful of the gold coins and slammed them on the counter. “To believe that a gentleman of my standing would be forced to such treatment…”
By this time, the clerk’s eyes nearly covered his face. “My apologies a hundredfold,” he stammered. “You must understand…the manner in which you are dressed…”
“If you had been accosted during your journey and been robbed of all of your possession but the few we have remaining in these sacks, you might find yourself wearing whatever you can find that is clean, would you not? It was not as if we could pop into Layton and Shears or Weston’s for something new, now could we? However, I imagined that we would have a better welcome at the best hotel in all of Cornwall. Apparently, I was mistaken.”
The clerk turned to Caroline and bowed. “My sincerest of apologies, Madam, if I offended you.”
“I suppose I can understand your concerns,” Caroline replied, finding the situation most amusing. “I only hope you never meet the barbaric actions we have endured.”
“May the thieves meet their just reward,” the man replied with another, deeper, bow. “When were you robbed, if I might ask? It might be good to inform our other guests to be on the lookout when they journey in that direction.”
William sighed. “That is of no consequence now; I imagine the men are already well on their way to another area. Would they not expect me to inform someone? What I would like to know is if you have a room.”
“Indeed,” the man replied. “A fine one at that for our most special guest.” He produced a ledger and a key. “Your name?” His look of expectation was as clear as the nose on his face.
“William Pendleton,” William replied. “I assume you know my father?”
“Indeed,” the clerk said with clear admiration. “A great man. My condolences for his recent passing.”
“The man was an old fool,” William muttered and then smiled. “I suppose most sons feel the same about their fathers.”
The man seemed unsure as how to respond. Instead he entered the information into the ledger, handed the key over to William, and then relayed the location of their room. “If you would like a steward to help with your…” he looked down at the bags beside William, “luggage?”
“That will not be necessary,” William replied as he bent down and lifted the two sacks. Caroline had placed several handfuls of coins and jewels into her pockets—rolled in pieces of cloth to keep them from clinking and drawing attention—in order to lighten the bags somewhat. Her skirts pulled downward, and she worried the dress would tear from her shoulders from the weight. “We will be in need of new luggage, however, for when we replace our wardrobe.” He shook his head. “Such a pity to lose that new frock coat. I had yet to wear it!”
“We shall see it replaced, dear,” Caroline said as she patted his arm.
“Again, my apologies for earlier, my Lord,” the clerk called after them; however, William seemed to ignore the man. Caroline only wanted to giggle, but she maintained a straight face.
As they mounted the stairs the led to the upper rooms, Caroline lowered her voice and asked, “The man you claimed title to? Who is he?”
At the landing, they waited as another couple walked past them, then he replied, “An old friend of our family. He was a drunkard and definitely an old fool, but he was known to have traveled all over the country. He threw money around as if it grew on trees.”
Caroline did giggle this time. Whoever the man had been, the clerk certainly knew who he was. Never had she seen anyone change their stance as quickly as that man had!
They arrived at the room, and William used the key the clerk had given him to unlock the door. Caroline had cleaned the most exquisite of rooms in the past, but those did not compare to the suite of rooms she encountered here. They had their own sitting room with decorative furniture and a large fireplace. A desk with a matching chair sat in one corner and a table and chairs in another. Through a far door was a large four poster bed, a wardrobe, and a dressing table with an elegant framed mirror.
However, none of that compared to what she found through the double doors that led to a large balcony that overlooked a beach.
“Oh, the views!” she cried. “Come, William, and look with me.”
Unlike the beach where they had found the treasure, this one was filled with people, some lying beneath large umbrellas and others frolicking in the ocean waves. “Is it not too cold to be swimming?” she asked in wonder.
William chuckled. “It makes no difference how cold the water is to some people,” he replied. “If one plans to swim, he or she will swim regardless of the temperature, especially if they do not live near the coast.” He turned to her. “Now, it is imperative that we do not draw attention to ourselves.”
He opened his hand, and in it was a gold ring. He took her hand and placed the ring on her finger. “If you do not mind, you will be my wife for the next four days.”
Caroline felt a sudden lightheadedness. What William said made sense, but perhaps it was the sun beating down on her or her tiredness that brought on such a sensation and not the words he said. Yes, that had to explain such a reaction to this man placing a ring on her finger. “Y-yes, of course,” she managed to say.
However, when she looked up into his eyes, all she could imagine was him pulling her in and kissing her. If he did so at this moment, she would not pull away. Then what he said hit her. “Four days?”
He smiled and released her hand, much to her disappointment. “Yes. We will need to open an account at the bank in order for you to deposit your portion of the money.”
She nodded; she had not considered what she would actually do with all that money until the time came to purchase the building for her charity.
“Then, you will buy that dress you have always wanted.”
This, of course, made her smile. A new dress! A dress made by a dressmaker and not by her own hands! It was still difficult for her to imagine.
His next words caused her heart to still. “I will then go and finish what has been started.”
“And I will go my way,” she added sadly.
He nodded, but he, too, appeared saddened by the prospect. Or was she seeing what was not there? Regardless of the future, she at least had this moment as they looked out over the ocean from the most marvelous of rooms. She had four more days with this man, and Caroline wondered if they would prove to be the happiest of her life.
Chapter Twenty-One
The following afternoon, Caroline found herself peering through the window of a dressmaker’s shop. She and William had gone early to the bank to lodge most of the money into two accounts, and William had seen that the jewels were placed in the bank’s strongboxes for safekeeping. Both had kept back a portion of money in order to buy necessities, including new clothing, which Caroline had to admit was the most exciting.
Two women were inside the shop, much to Caroline’s relief, for she wrung her hands simply thinking of entering. What if she said the wrong thing? What if they called her out as the impostor she was? Why would anyone consider her a lady?
“Do not be afraid,” William said. “You deserve something beautiful, more so than either of them…or any lady in England. Enjoy yourself. I will meet you here later.”
Caroline smiled up at him. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I believe I will.” She squared her shoulders and entered the shop. She had rid herself of the spectacles, no longer afraid to show her face to others. As a matter of fact, she would never be afraid of anything ever again!
A woman of perhaps twenty approached her with a wide smile that eased Caroline’s nerves. “Good afternoon. My name is Susan. How may I be of assistance?”
“My husband and I were set upon by highwaymen,” Caroline said using her most exasperated tone, “and I’m afraid I have lost every bit of clothing I own.” She pulled at the skirts of her dress and sighed. “I have been forced to wear this for the past three days! I am in need of something decent in as little time as possible. Might you be able to help?”
“As a matter of fact,” the woman replied, “we offer a few selections of ready-made dresses. I am certain we can find you something to wear for the time being.” She led Caroline to a rack with several day dresses. “Do you have something particular in mind?”
Caroline gave the woman her best smile. “I will leave it up to your practiced eye,” she replied.
The compliment did as she had hoped, for the woman beamed. “I imagine we have at least one item that will fit you without many adjustments that will go with your coloring…” She combed through the various dresses, looking first at a dress and then at Caroline, until she came across a blue muslin printed with white daisies. “Yes, this will do nicely. If you find it acceptable of course, Miss…?”
“I am Caroline Pendleton,” she replied, using the name William had given at the hotel. “My husband and I are here for only a few days, so I will not be able to order a dress made, but if you can make adjustments to two others, I would be ever so grateful.”
“Of course,” Susan replied.
She took Caroline to a back room where another girl, perhaps sixteen, was to take Caroline’s measurements.
“This is Beatrice,” Susan said. “I will return in a few moments.”
Caroline nodded and then turned to Beatrice. “Hello,” she said.
The girl blushed. Was it that uncommon for a lady to speak directly to the staff?
“Have you worked here long?” Caroline ask in another attempt to get the girl to talk.
“Two years,” she replied. “Miss Susan took me in and trained me.”
Caroline turned and stared at the girl. “Took you in?” she asked.
Beatrice nodded, “Oh, yes. I had no home to speak of, but Miss Susan was kind enough to help me by teaching me a skill. It turned out that I’m pretty deft with a needle.” The pride in the girl’s voice was endearing, and Caroline was happy to hear that the woman who would receive her money had such a good heart.
“Then I am sure she chose wisely,” Caroline replied. “I can see you are a strong woman. I have no doubt you will do great things in life.”
Beatrice’s blush deepened. “Thank you ever so much,” she whispered.
When the girl finished with the measurements, Caroline was donning her old dress once more when Susan returned, a hat balanced on her hand.
“I believe I may have found the most perfect hat,” she said proudly.
Caroline studied the hat the woman carried. It had a white ribbon and blue flowers that matched the dress. “I could not agree with you more,” Caroline said. She placed the hat on her head and looked in a nearby mirror. “Yes, this will do very nicely,” she said.
Susan smiled. “It suits you,” she replied. Then she giggled. “It appears your husband believes so, as well.”
Caroline turned to see William gawking through the window. “Yes, I believe he does,” Caroline said, a giddy feeling coming over her. The feeling of euphoria increased when Susan produced a set of white gloves, as well.
“I’m afraid we do not have shoes,” Susan said with a laugh. “However, Mr. Turner down the street has a nice selection if you would like to see him.”
“I will do that,” Caroline replied as she accepted the package she suspected was the dress. Soon, she had the hat and gloves added to her purchases, and she could not have been more pleased.
“And payment?” Caroline asked.
“When you are satisfied with your purchases, you may pay then,” Susan replied. “I will see the other dresses altered and delivered to your hotel. You may pay then.”
With her packages in hand, she exited the shop. Never in her life had she had so much fun!
“You are smiling,” William said. “I assume you enjoyed your experience?”
“You have no idea,” Caroline replied as William took her packages from her. “The number of dresses one may choose from. And so many colors! Then there are the hats, the gloves…” She allowed William to guide her down the street as she continued to laud the experience. “I will have two more dresses delivered in two days. Can you imagine? Three new dresses!” She shook her head in amazement.
They came to a stop, and William smiled down at her. “I have no doubt they will be lovely dresses,” he said, his voice strangely husky. “You will be the most beautiful woman in all of Cornwall.”
“Thank you,” she replied. Her face was on fire, and she put a finger under the ties of her bonnet, for they felt as if they were too tight. “And you? Did you acquire your suit?”
“I did,” he said as he turned to a carriage parked beside the footpath. He opened the door and placed the packages on the seat beside several others.
“What is this?” she asked in shock.
�
��I have hired it for our time here,” he replied. He offered her his hand, and she took it as she stepped into the vehicle. “I have a special dinner planned for us.”
Caroline felt as if she were on clouds, the cushions were so soft. When William had settled into the seat across from her, she said, “This is all too much. I do not deserve such treatment.”
He chuckled. “No, you deserve more. However, it is the least I can do after all you have done for me.”
Caroline could not help but sigh as the carriage rolled away from the curb. Everything was perfect, and for a moment it was as if all of her worries had disappeared.
However, when she glanced over at William, she remembered what would be coming soon and the part she would be forced to play, and her previous apprehension returned. Uncertainty and the unknown tended to bring on such reactions, she knew.
***
Caroline spent the following days preparing for her return journey to London as William prepared his to Sussex. As promised, Susan sent a runner with the new dresses, which now hung in the wardrobe beside the now clean dress in which Caroline had arrived. If her old dress had looked sad before, it looked piteous now beside the new.
She stood on the balcony of her hotel room with a glass of wine looking out over the moonlit ocean. On her was the new dress she had purchased as well as the gloves, and she could not have felt primmer than she did at that moment.
As she thought about the long journey home, she could not help but wonder what it would be like when she and William went their separate ways. She had come to enjoy his company, despite what had happened between them in the past, and she found it strange that the man who had destroyed her before had come to heal her. It was just as Doctor Brown had predicted; she had opened her heart and her life changed.
Oh, she did not love William, not in the sense of the word. However, something beautiful was now growing in her heart—a joy of being with him, to see him succeed in all he wished to do. Gone was the rake she had known and in his place was a gentleman about whom she had come to care.
Redeeming The Rake (Delicate Hearts Book 3) Page 13
