The Second Season

by Heather Chapman

  “But Caroline, you must! There are simply too many details to be taken into account. Please, I beg you would go pick up my wedding slippers. They should be done, and we have no time to wait for a delivery. I do not understand your refusal. Mr. Clark has always been in your regard, has he not?”

  Caroline made an excuse about a headache and the impossibility of her going to town, but when Lucy stood in anger and declared Caroline unfeeling, Caroline found herself confused. “But why can you not send Louisa or another one of our maids to fetch your shoes? I am not in the mood for a chance meeting with Lord Searly. It has been only a month since I refused him, and a meeting would be extremely uncomfortable,” Caroline explained.

  Lucy’s shoulders relaxed. She took Caroline’s hand. “I should have thought as much. I am sorry, Caroline. I had not meant to cause you pain. Only, I do not trust Louisa or anyone else’s opinion on the matter. My shoes, and every other detail, must simply be perfect. But I would not wish you to be uncomfortable.”

  Caroline found she could not refuse her sister. Lucy was overwhelmed with the final details of the wedding. The family was set to leave London in a week. With everything that was going on, Caroline decided it was foolish to allow her own embarrassment to dissuade her from assisting her sister at such a time. With trepidation she dressed for town and climbed into the carriage. She resolved that she would not allow Mr. Clark to sense her humiliation. He was, after all, a cordwainer, and she, his customer. There was nothing unusual about their meeting.

  The shop entry was empty except for the clerk. He greeted her kindly and offered to inquire about Lucy’s shoes. Caroline sat quietly for a few minutes until Mr. Clark followed the clerk from behind the curtain.

  Mr. Clark’s eyes widened upon seeing Caroline. One hand flew to his hair, brushing out a few specks of wood, while the other hand fell to his apron, smoothing out a wrinkle. “Miss Hopkins, I—” He gave a slight bow, then stood shakily. “I have your sister’s slippers.”

  The clerk handed Caroline the silk slippers.

  Caroline examined them, avoiding his gaze. “They are lovely. I am sure she will approve.”

  The noise of the streets filled the silence.

  Mr. Clark cleared his throat. “I have your riding boots nearly finished. Would you like to try them on?”

  Caroline was taken by surprise. “My riding boots? I am not sure I know what you are about.”

  “Yes, the boots your betrothed, I mean—that is, Lord Searly assured me I should have them fitted when they were ready. Did he not tell you? I would have waited for the announcement in the paper, but he assured me it was agreed upon, and I—” Mr. Clark was now looking at the ground.

  Caroline gave an uncomfortable laugh. “I am sure there has been a mistake. I have not seen Lord Searly for a month now, and I can assure you there is no engagement between us.”

  Mr. Clark’s face reddened as he almost whispered, “But Lord Searly assured me of the arrangement.”

  The silence was once more broken by Caroline’s uncomfortable laughter. “Lord Searly must have been mistaken. Perhaps he intended them for another young lady.”

  “Of course. I must be mistaken,” he mumbled, shaking his head.

  “Yes, thank you. Mr. Clark.” Caroline turned to leave, pausing after a few steps. “My family and I are set to leave London in a week. I am grateful for your services and friendship. I wish you well.”

  “Good day, Miss Hopkins,” Mr. Clark quietly replied.

  A

  The shock of finding Caroline not engaged to Lord Searly stayed with Thomas most of the day. He was only sure of the truth of it when his clerk interrupted his thoughts to announce Lord Searly. Thomas stood instantly, offering his hand.

  “Clark, you must know the laugh you gave me,” the duke explained as he shook Thomas’s outstretched hand. “I received your note by surprise this morning. You see, some fleeting feeling for Miss Hopkins overtook me, but you must know it has come to nothing. I find the girl just as silly as any other.” He was laughing now.

  Thomas stared silently.

  “I will pay you, of course, for your work. I am sure they are an excellent pair of riding boots. But, as you can see, I am quite without a use for them as they were made to the measurements of Miss Hopkins. You must sell them to someone else.”

  Thomas could not find words to reply. He opened his mouth twice, but found he had no words in such a situation.

  “It cannot be disagreeable, Clark,” Lord Searly explained, patting him on the back, “I will pay you as promised and you shall make double your assumed price upon selling them!”

  Thomas nodded and cleared his throat. “It is a fine arrangement. It is, however, a most uncomfortable situation. You must have read what happened this morning. I give my full apologies, Your Grace.”

  “It is of no matter, Clark. I am sure Miss Hopkins found it a funny jest. The matter by no means upset her, and I am sure I find no provocation from it. No, rather, I find it all most diverting. You will forgive me, Clark. I will send my man to settle my accounts in the morning.”

  The two exchanged a few courteous exchanges before Lord Searly left in his carriage.

  Thomas held the boots in his hands. He had never made such a pair of ladies’ riding boots. He had spent countless hours on the detailing. Lord Searly would pay him handsomely for his work. Perhaps Thomas could sell the boots to another lady. However, try as he might, Thomas could not envision another besides Caroline wearing the boots. He had made them for her. He apprehensively took out a pen and began a letter.

  Caroline,

  My apologies for this morning.—

  Please accept these boots, as they were made for you and only you.

  —Thomas

  Caroline felt her heart skip as she pulled out the beautiful riding boots. They were made of black leather and at first glance looked like many of the boots that she had seen other women wear. Upon closer inspection, however, Caroline noticed the intricate detailing. The front of the boot had a delicate floral pattern that swirled around the lip of the boot, cascading down the sides of it. The effect was breathtaking. Caroline ran her fingers over the small carvings, following the pattern to the back of the heel. Inscribed was the letter C. The edges of the C were made into a lovely curve that joined a pair of small flowers. The seams of the boot had been sewed with perfection along a small carved groove that was bordered by an inlay leather of white. Its delicate twists and turns within the black leather looked like nothing Caroline had ever seen.

  On the sole of the boot was Mr. Clark’s brand. It was a small stamp that read “TJC of London” in script. She ran her fingers across it, tears streaming down her face. She was not wholly aware of why she was crying, only that she felt Mr. Clark had in some way inscribed much more into her boots than his name. She dabbed at her eyes, and looked at the lining of the boot.

  There, right before her eyes, was a lining made of pink silk. Caroline blinked in astonishment as she held the boot closer. She began shaking her head in disbelief. The lining of the magnificent riding boot had been sewn with none other than the silk she had been admiring in the market square months ago, the same silk she had dropped on the cobblestone street and the same silk that Mr. Clark had rushed to retrieve. She breathed deeply as she traced the “C” on the back of the boot, her own initial in the heel. Lord Searly had obviously ordered the boots, but Caroline felt certain that they had never really been from Lord Searly at all.

  A

  CHAPTER 35

  John had arrived in London just last night, and Caroline hung close to her little brother. He was sixteen now, and was growing at a rapid speed. He had grown an astonishing five inches in the past season. Not only had he grown taller and broader, he had grown in confidence. He begged Caroline to take him to town multiple times a day, but Lady Hopkins forbade it, telling John he was much too young to be affiliated with the ton in any way, lest he fall into gaming or some sort of mischief.

  Caroline had spen
t the days listening to her brother speak of all that had happened in school. John was not a good letter writer, and as diligent as Caroline had been in writing him, it had not had the least impact on John. He enjoyed receiving her letters and did mean to reply to them, but one thing led to another, and he procrastinated his replies for far too long. John had decided it was better to fill Caroline in on all the happenings of school in person. His speech had improved dramatically, and at times, Caroline found herself marveling at the similarities between John and her father. John sounded sophisticated and mature with his new manners he had picked up along the way.

  John accompanied Caroline to the park to ride for four straight days before they were to return to Whitefield Hall. Caroline was especially grateful for a ride without her groom, however endearing George was to her, and for a suitable companion that would not protest the logs and fences Caroline chose to jump.

  It was not long before the two were racing and competing just as they had always done in Chelmsford. It was after one of these races, that Caroline begged for breath. She dismounted, followed by John, and the two began leading their horses along a broken path of small flowers.

  “Well, I will tell you this, mon petit chou,” John began, “you may have come to London as an elegant young lady ready for courting, but you have not outgrown your boyish ways.”

  Caroline returned the laugh as she nodded. “Yes, I see you are right, but you cannot fool me with all your talk of school and books. You have certainly not changed, at least not when it comes to character. You are still my favorite brother.”

  John nudged Caroline with his elbow, replying through his clenched teeth, “And yet, I must be your least favorite as well, for I am your only brother. I shall not be so abominable as to pretend you are my favorite. Lucy is much more kind to me.”

  Caroline smirked at this. “I suppose Lucy is much kinder. But then again, John, you will someday see that my teasing has done you good. You would not wish to be all seriousness and little musings. Yes, the more I reflect upon the whole of it, the more convinced I am that I am the perfect sister.”

  “It is a wonder you have not been married already.”

  Caroline startled, turning quickly to face her brother. “I suppose you have a reason for saying such a ridiculous comment?”

  John laughed heartily and mockingly grabbed her hand. “It is a brother’s right to taunt an older sister, though I suppose I would taunt a younger sister if I had one. At any rate, I think only a fool would be immune to you, Caroline. I am your younger brother, and even I see how amusing you are. I have of course, heard of the grand duke’s offer. He must have been a capital bore, mind you, but were there not any other attractive offers?” He paused. “You must have had plenty of suitors. Perhaps they were not equal to the task of offering just yet. I am sure you will make a fine match, just as Lucy.”

  Caroline continued walking quietly. It was only when they neared a large shade tree that she softly explained, “It is not as simple as that, John. I thought it would be, but I find that not all men wish to be amused, at least not the men of character. I will not give up, however. There is one man in London that has caught my eye, and I have determined not to give up on him. There is always next year.”

  John changed the subject to horses, comparing the town ones to their finest at Whitefield Hall. He began making grand plans for the pair of them while he spent his summer in Chelmsford. In return, Caroline spoke freely about her plans for the summer, demanding that John ride every day with her. Any thoughts of the season had almost escaped her when she felt a set of eyes watching her. She turned and was shocked to see Mr. Clark situated under a nearby tree.

  “Thomas—Mr. Clark, I had not seen you. I would not wish to invade your privacy on such a day,” she said nervously, turning to leave.

  Mr. Clark stood immediately in response, shaking his head. “I am happy to see you. Please, do not leave on my account.”

  The two parties paused awkwardly, until John offered his hand. “Hello, sir. I am Caroline’s brother, John. I recently returned from school for a holiday.”

  Mr. Clark smiled, his dimple appearing. “I thought as much. I have not often seen such strikingly similar features before.” Mr. Clark turned to address Caroline. “You are not wearing the new riding boots. I hope they are to your liking?”

  Caroline blushed instantly, but forced herself to meet his gaze. “They are beautiful. Perhaps much more than beautiful. I did not want to dirty them.”

  Mr. Clark’s eyes fell, and he buried his hands in his coat pocket.

  She surprised herself by blurting out a lie. “And there was a small matter of fit.”

  Mr. Clark’s head rose, as he scratched his chin. “I would be happy to fix any problem. May I come for a home fitting tomorrow?”

  Caroline was assessing Mr. Clark’s manner. His eyes were soft and his expression genuine. She caught a hint of admiration in his gaze. “Yes, I think I would like that.”

  Mr. Clark smiled. “Then I shall call on you tomorrow, Miss Hopkins.”

  Caroline felt a small seed of hope beginning to blossom in her chest. She turned to John, “We must return home. Mother will be in fits if we are late to tea today. Mr. Frandsen will be there, along with his grandmother. Good day, Mr. Clark.”

  Mr. Clark grabbed the reins of her horse, and offered his hand as she mounted the mare. She took his hand timidly, but determined to hold her head high. He was now looking up to her tenderly, and she found her feeling of hope rising even more as she turned away and broke into a gallop.

  A

  Had John not just returned from school, Caroline would have retired early to bed. She felt the toll of the season and was anxiously anticipating Mr. Clark’s company in the morning. But however willing she was to retire, she stayed by John’s side that evening, listening as he rattled off stories of school. Caroline found herself leaning in to hear his ramblings. Most of his stories revolved around his strict schoolmasters and the daft schoolboys that accompanied them.

  “You cannot imagine the disagreeable man, Caroline! He stood there, with his stick, demanding the answer from poor William. I thought for sure William would turn beet red, but clear as day, he stands up and says, ‘Master Flemmings, perhaps if you had taught me better, I could give you the desired answer!’ Can you believe it? Flemmings threw him straight out, told him never to come back. But somehow, William found a way back.”

  Lady Hopkins rolled her eyes, patting John’s arm. “Now John, I would not have you associated with such a boy ever again! Your success in life is already determined, and how sad would it be to have your reputation tarnished by such a silly boy?”

  John laughed at this, promising his mother it would do no damage.

  “But John, you do not know what a slight a reputation can take from such things. Think of your poor sister, Caroline, who—if she would have only accepted the duke’s offer, but of course she did not accept it—and, well, John, now she is the gossip of town. How these things get spread about, I will never know. I do, though keenly, feel the blow it must be to you, Caroline,” she said, letting out a soft sigh. Lady Hopkins shook her head slowly, her eyes falling to Caroline.

  Caroline was quick to reply. “Yes, Mama. I do feel it, but have you not considered that I would be better off without such acquaintances? I do not feel the loss of any of their company. What were they but a few old mothers that had set their own daughters after the duke? No, Mama, I am the better for it.” She paused, aware of her mother’s intense stare. “And what’s more, I think it may do my reputation some good. I would rather be interesting than a complete bore!”

  Lady Hopkins fell into a fit of laughter, but not a pleasant one. It was the kind of laughter one does before going into hysterics. After a moment, the laughter transformed into a hacking cough that eventually made its way to exasperated sighs. “What a thing to tell your brother! John, in the future, do not consult with Caroline about any social matters. You must come to me with such things.
I will be your guide.”

  John must have sensed the tension between Caroline and Lady Hopkins for he sat silently, sipping his tea until Lady Hopkins rose to take a turn around the room.

  Lord Hopkins entered the room, took a seat next to John and whispered, “What did I miss, my boy?”

  John made a subtle gesture toward his mother and then to Caroline, to which Lord Hopkins let out a hearty laugh.

  Caroline simply grinned up at her father. “We have been at it again, Papa.”

  John tilted his head and squinted one eye at Caroline. “Perhaps you should tell her you are only teasing.”

  Caroline shook her head vigorously. “That would ruin everything.”

  Lady Hopkins eventually made her way back to the three of them and offered sweetly, “Caroline, I have thought of just the thing! You remember Christopher from Endlesgate? We shall invite him and his family for an extended stay! I am sure you and he would get along nicely. He has, after all, a handsome fortune and is not bad to look at either! I shall write to Ruby and have you married by Christmas, my dear. You will see that all is not lost.”

  Caroline turned to John, shaking her head in disbelief. “You see, she shall never give up.”

  A

  CHAPTER 36

  Thomas arrived at the Hopkins’ home to find that nearly all the staff had been sent to Whitefield Hall already, except for a butler and one maid. Thomas stood in the front foyer, filled with apprehension, when Lord Hopkins walked by. The baron backed up upon seeing Thomas and gave a friendly gesture.

  “Mr. Clark, what a pleasure.”