The Rake's Rebellious Lady (16 page)

‘I think so well of you, sir. And I like you more than any other gentleman of my acquaintance except—’ She stopped and blushed. ‘I am not perfectly sure…’

‘I understand perfectly, more than you imagine, I dare say,’ he said. ‘I should be happy if our friendship were to continue, my dear.’

‘What a generous man you are,’ Caroline said. ‘I think myself very fortunate to have such a friend.’

‘Thank you. I am glad to have your good opinion, Miss Holbrook.’ George smiled at her. ‘I think perhaps we ought to go in for your aunt will be looking for you.’ Hardly had he
finished speaking when they saw her brother Nicolas walking towards them across the smooth lawns.

‘It was our dance, Caroline. Ah, I see you are with Mr Bellingham,’ he said. ‘Then all is well. I merely came to see if you had wandered out here alone, puss.’ He grinned at her and nodded to George. ‘Warm this evening, isn’t it?’

‘Yes. We came out to take some air, but we are about to return to the ballroom. I believe you are to go out of town in a few days?’

‘Yes, that is perfectly right. My brother has to visit Bollingbrook and Caroline is to go with him. Tom isn’t fit to drive yet, of course, though he is much recovered in himself, so I shall take them down.’

‘I am thinking of travelling to Bath this coming weekend,’ George told him. ‘The road follows the same direction you must take for a while, I dare say. We may see each other on the way.’

‘Indeed we may,’ Nicolas said. ‘My mother goes to Bath in a few days I believe. You will surely see her there, and us too after our visit to Bollingbrook. I have agreed to drive Caroline there before I return to my regiment.’

‘Yes, I had heard of Mrs Holbrook’s intention,’ George said with a smile. ‘My estate is on the way, not too distant from your grandfather’s. I shall stay there for a few nights on my journey, I believe. I have a little business to attend to before I go on.’

‘Then you must visit us at Bollingbrook,’ Nicolas said. ‘I dare say the old gentleman may like to give a dinner for his neighbours while we are there.’

‘Perhaps. We shall see,’ replied George, who knew Bollingbrook’s reputation as a recluse these past years. ‘And now I must bid you both good evening as I am engaged for the next dance…’

He went on ahead of them, leaving the brother and sister together in the garden. Nicolas looked at his sister thoughtfully.

‘Bellingham is a decent chap,’ he said. ‘You might think yourself fortunate if he asked for you, puss.’

‘He is very kind,’ Caroline told him a trifle wistfully. ‘And I do like him, but I am not sure who I wish to marry just yet.’

‘It’s this other fellow you’ve got your mind set on,’ Nicolas said and frowned, for he had heard some gossip. ‘I don’t say as there’s anything wrong with that, Caroline—but if he ain’t come up to scratch yet, he may not.’

‘I know,’ Caroline said. ‘I am not sure I wish to marry him if he does, Nicolas. Sometimes I have thought…and yet I do not know. This marrying business is more difficult than I had imagined. I had always believed Mama happy with Papa, but it seems that it was not so…and that upsets me a little.’ It had made her wonder if there was such a thing as true love, and she was not certain that she could trust her own feelings. Was the most she could sensibly hope for a marriage of convenience with someone she liked?

‘Well, I dare say there is time enough for you to find someone you can like.’ Nicolas glanced over his shoulder as he heard a rustling noise behind him. He was not carrying his pistol, though it was in the pocket of his topcoat. ‘I believe we should go in, puss—and I should tell you that I think it would not be sensible of you to venture out alone while you are in town.’

‘Are you thinking of what happened the other morning?’ Caroline saw the concern in his face. ‘I know Sir Frederick thinks someone deliberately caused that accident to the balloon, though I cannot imagine why anyone would want to do such a thing.’

‘It is difficult to know the reasoning behind it,’ Nicolas agreed. ‘But Tom and I think that you should take care, Caroline—just in case you were the intended victim.’

‘I know that I might have been killed, but why should someone want me dead? As far as I know I have no enemies and my dowry is virtually nothing.’

‘It may not be as insignificant as you think,’ Nicolas told her. ‘Grandfather may do something for all of us if he chooses.’

‘Grandfather has a lot of secrets, doesn’t he?’ Caroline said. ‘He hinted as much to me once, but when I asked him what he meant he became cross and told me to run away to my mother.’

‘He certainly does—more than we could ever know!’ Nicolas said and laughed. ‘Well, puss, I think we have probably lost our dance, for here comes your next partner, if I do not mistake his look. I shall leave you now—I have an appointment elsewhere, but do not forget what I told you…the garden is out of bounds for you without someone to protect you.’

‘Then I shall not venture out even if it is hot,’ Caroline said. She glanced over her shoulder, for she had felt for the past few minutes that she was being watched…

* * *

‘I shall miss you when you leave London,’ Julia said, looking a little wistful. ‘I am happier with you than any of my other friends, Caroline. I do hope we shall not lose touch?’

‘Oh, no, I am sure we shall not,’ Caroline said. ‘I shall write to you and tell you all what is happening. Have I told you that Tom has to go abroad for a while?’

‘Go abroad?’ Julia looked surprised and then upset. ‘Oh, I did not know. Will he be gone long, do you think?’

‘I would not think it,’ Caroline answered, for she could see that Julia had been greatly affected by the news.

‘Mr Asbury has made me an offer of marriage,’ Julia said. ‘Please, do not mention it to anyone, for I have asked him for a little time. I am not sure, you see. I like him very well, and he is the only gentleman to have offered for me—other than Mr Farringdon.’

‘Oh, yes,’ Caroline agreed. ‘You would not wish to marry Mr Farringdon…’ She frowned as she realised something. ‘He has not been in town for a week or more now, I think. At least I have not seen him.’

‘George said he has been obliged to leave town in a hurry. His tailor had heard rumours of him being near to ruin and he was pressing for settlement.’

‘Oh, that is unfortunate for him,’ Caroline said, for even though she did not like the gentleman, she would not wish such a fate on anyone. ‘However, I must admit that he had a way of looking at one that was most uncomfortable.’

‘Oh, yes,’ Julia said. ‘It is strange how some gentlemen make one feel happy in their company—and others do not.’

‘Yes, isn’t it?’ Caroline agreed. ‘It is not easy to know one’s own heart sometimes, is it?’

‘I know my own heart,’ Julia replied with a frown. ‘But Mama wishes me to marry quite soon and she likes Mr Asbury…’

Caroline looked at her, feeling sorry because she knew that it was useless for her friend to have hopes of Tom. However much he might be attracted to Julia, he would not offer for her until he could afford to support her. She wished that she might say something to ease Julia’s uncertainty, but she could not, for Tom had said nothing of his intentions to her and it would be wrong to arouse false hopes.

‘Well, perhaps things will turn out as they ought,’ she said and smiled at Julia. ‘Oh, dear, sometimes I think it
would have been very much easier to have been born a man, don’t you?’

‘Oh, yes,’ Julia agreed. ‘At least one could have asked the person one liked instead of having to wait to be asked.’

‘Yes, that is unfair,’ Caroline said, ‘though I think that if I truly wanted to marry a gentleman who did not speak, I might just give him a hint.’

Julia looked at her and sighed. ‘You are so much braver than I,’ she said. ‘All I can do is smile and hope…’

* * *

‘Will you allow me to drive for a while?’ Caroline asked her brother. They had been driving for some distance and the busy streets of London were left far behind them now. ‘It is ages since you taught me to drive, Nicolas, and I have had no opportunity since you left to join the army, and I should be glad of some practice.’

‘Very well,’ Nicolas said and handed the reins to her. ‘The road is quiet enough. Do you see that phaeton up ahead of us, puss? Let us try to overtake him before we come to the crossroads. Do not be anxious—I am here to take over if you cannot manage it.’

‘Oh, yes,’ Caroline said, much amused. She was sitting up beside him, but she glanced over her shoulder at Tom, who was resting with his head back, his eyes closed. ‘Wake up, Tom!’ she cried. ‘We’re going to race that phaeton ahead of us.’

‘God save us!’ Tom said wryly. ‘You were supposed to be saving me from more injury, brother—not exposing me to certain death.’

‘Never fear, Tom,’ he said with a grin. ‘I am here and I shall take the reins if Caroline cannot manage it.’

Caroline’s face was vivid with excitement. She could feel the wind in her hair as her bonnet blew off, hanging by its ribbons, and she cried out to her brother as they caught up with the vehicle in front of them.

‘Go on, Caroline,’ Nicolas urged. ‘Pull out and pass him now. It is easy enough for we are at the crossroads and you have plenty of room.’

‘Do you think I ought?’ Caroline asked, knowing a moment of doubt. It had been fun catching the phaeton ahead of them, but she had recognised it and would have slowed up had Nicolas allowed it.

Seeing her hesitation, Nicholas snatched the reins back from her and flicked his whip over the horses’ heads so that they sprang forward. The other carriage had increased its own speed and for a moment they were wheel to wheel. It was only when Nicolas saw the farm wagon coming from the right of the crossroads that he became aware of danger. It would have been wiser to drop back and let the phaeton have right of way but instead, he shot through and cut across to the left, causing the driver of the phaeton to curse and rein his horses in sharply.

Nicolas squeezed ahead, though it was only the skill of the other driver that saved them from an accident. Nicolas looked back with glee as he saw that they had left the phaeton far behind.

‘It was a pity it was over so quickly,’ he said regretfully. ‘I should have liked to race him for longer. He is no mean whip, Caroline.’ Realising that she was silent, he turned his head to look at her. ‘Did I scare you, puss?’

‘No, I was not frightened,’ she said. ‘But…that was Sir Freddie. I wasn’t sure until we caught up with him, for there
are other phaetons painted in those colours, but those were his horses and I caught a glimpse of his face as we shot past. He was very angry, Nicolas.’

‘He came off all right,’ Nicolas said, slightly shocked to discover who he had almost overset.

‘By his judgement, not yours,’ Tom said from behind them. ‘You are completely mad, Nicolas. You should not have encouraged Caroline to drive like that on the open road. And you were reckless to pass him that way. I do not think I should want to be in your shoes when Sir Frederick catches up to us.’

‘Well, I dare say he will not, unless I wish him too,’ Nicolas said. ‘I shall let them have their head for a while yet.’

‘You will have to rest them eventually or change them,’ Tom said and sat back, closing his eyes again. ‘Besides, it is almost time we stopped for nuncheon. There is an inn no more than five miles ahead of us. I stopped there on my way up and it serves tolerable food.’

Nicolas glanced back over his shoulder. ‘There is no sign of him. I dare say we shall reach the inn and eat our nuncheon before he catches up to us.’

Caroline was silent. She did not think that Sir Freddie would allow the incident to go without rebuke, and she was not at all surprised when a few moments later Tom called out that the phaeton was behind them. The driver caught up to them easily, keeping pace whatever Nicolas did in an effort to lose him, but did not attempt to pass. Though there were places that would have allowed it easily had Sir Frederick wished it, for even Nicolas was aware that Sir Freddie’s blacks had the beating of him if their master chose.

When he turned into the inn yard at Tom’s insistence, the phaeton followed. Nicolas jumped down, assisting his sister
and then his brother, who was still not as nimble as usual. Sir Freddie was attending to his horses, speaking to the ostler who had come running. One of the grooms had attended to Nicolas’s curricle, but it was clear that the preferred attention was being given to Sir Freddie.

‘You go ahead,’ Nicolas told Caroline and Tom. ‘I had best have a word first. It will not do to come to blows in the inn itself. If we are to quarrel, it may be done out here.’

‘But it was my fault in part…’ Caroline began, only to find herself being firmly propelled towards the inn.

‘Leave him to it,’ Tom said, a firm hand at her elbow. ‘Nicolas can handle himself, and it is his own fault if Sir Frederick gives him a set down.’

‘Oh, but…’ Caroline glanced back unhappily as she saw that the two men were closing on each other purposefully. ‘I do hope they won’t fight, Tom.’

‘Well, I know who will feel sorry for himself if they do,’ Tom said. ‘Sir Frederick trains at Cribbs’s Parlour. Nicolas is all pluck, but I think Rathbone is heavier, and has more science, I dare say. He is sure to give Nicolas a bloody nose if it comes to a mill.’

As they entered the inn, their host greeted them by beaming and welcoming them to his establishment. Tom asked for the private parlour, saying that there would be three of them for nuncheon. However, they had not been seated long before they heard voices and then the parlour door was flung open and Nicolas came in, followed by Sir Freddie. Caroline threw a scared glance at her brother, but was relieved to see that he did not have a bloody nose. He was slightly chastened, but did not seem resentful as he told them that he had invited Freddie to join them.

‘I have apologised for stealing the road,’ Nicolas said and grinned, a little shamefaced. ‘But Sir Frederick has been dashed obliging about it.’

‘No harm was done, though that was more luck than judgement,’ Sir Freddie said and his eyes glinted as he looked at Caroline. ‘However, it was not a fair race, for I had no idea of what you meant to do. Had I been aware that you meant to overtake me if you could, I should not have allowed you close enough and it would not have happened.’