by Rose Gordon
“Whatever you want.” He waved his hand dismissively. They could call it the Magna Carta for all he cared. Hopefully after today his “experiment” would be over.
She kicked him with the toe of her slipper. “Would you please pay this some mind? The next meeting is a week from Thursday.”
“All right,” he agreed testily.
“Good. Now, why don’t we go over my ideas,” she suggested.
He scrubbed his face with his hands. “I can’t read in the carriage. It makes me sick.”
“Really?”
“Really. How about we talk about it later? We’re almost there anyway.”
“But we just left,” she protested.
He smiled. “I know. We’re not going to Watson Estate today.”
Caroline frantically shoved her papers back into her reticule. “Where are we?”
“In the carriage.”
She rolled her beautiful blue eyes. “You’re quite the jester today, aren’t you?”
“I try.” He stretched his legs out and put his arms along the back of the squabs.
Nettie smiled at him and he winked at her.
Ten minutes passed and a big, grey brick house came into view. The main part of the house used to be a castle. It even had the slim windows archers used to stand in to fire their arrows at the intruders.
“Where are we?” Caroline breathed, staring out the window in awe.
“Rockhurst. This is where Andrew and Brooke, Lord and Lady Townson, live.”
“We’re going to see them today?” she squealed, her eyes as big as tea saucers.
He nodded. “Sorry. It couldn’t be helped. But not to fear, there will be others here, too.”
Her fingers tightened on the strap of her reticule as the carriage came to a stop. “Could you take me home, please?” Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
Alex got out of his seat and held the door shut when the coachman tried to open it, telling him to wait a minute. Sinking to his haunches in front of Caroline, he took her hands in his. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t meet them,” she said, her eyes blinking rapidly and her hands as cold as ice.
“Why not?” he demanded softly. “They’re not going to hurt you, I promise.”
She didn’t even crack a smile. “I know that.”
“Then what’s the problem?” he asked, flummoxed. His family could be a bit much at times, but they were nothing to be afraid of. Well, at one time, one or two of them might have been, but that was mainly rumor.
“I just can’t meet them,” she said, her voice uneven.
“But they want to meet you. Brooke insisted I bring you here today. And Uncle John, Aunt Carolina, Liberty, and Paul all came here right after church to see you. Madison and Benjamin have traveled since yesterday to meet you.” When her eyes nearly popped out, Alex realized he’d said too much. “The point is, they’re harmless and they came today because they wanted to meet you.”
“Alex, you don’t understand. I won’t fit with them. They’re titled and proper. I’m not. I’m a poor relation to an earl who’s been packed off in the country for the past thirteen years. I can’t even do a proper curtsy.” Her lower lip quivered and she broke eye contact. “They’ll know instantly I don’t fit with them and the whole afternoon will be awkward. Please, take me home.”
“You’re not going home,” he said firmly. “Not until you spend the afternoon with me. Caro, your fears are unwarranted. Those eight adults in there are the most socially unfit lot I’ve ever met. You included.” He snorted. “Only one of them has ever given a hang about their reputation, and to the enormous relief of us all, that is no longer the case. Look at me. You’ll fit in just fine. You won’t be expected to do a curtsy or call anyone ‘my lord’ or ‘Your Grace’. Nobody in that house cares about such things. You could break wind at the table and nobody would care.”
She swatted at his shoulder. “Stop. You’re exaggerating.”
“No. I’m not.” He brought her hands to his mouth and kissed each knuckle. “Just come in with me. If, after you meet them, you feel out of place, I’ll take you home.”
“All right,” she agreed.
Before she could change her mind, he swung the door open and jumped down. She took his hand and descended from the carriage, then stood back while he helped Nettie down. “Rather glib, I’d say,” Nettie whispered in his ear as she passed by him.
He smiled at her before offering Caroline his arm.
Stevens, the butler, met them at the door and directed them to the drawing room.
“Smile, Caro,” he whispered as they walked in.
“Alex,” Andrew called. “It’s about time you got here. Brooke claims she’s gutfounded.”
Laughter rippled through the room, and Alex grinned.
“If your pocket watch is broken, I hear the duke knows someone who can fix it,” Paul said, winking at his wife.
He waved them off. “My watch is in working order and if I know Brooke, she’s not gutfounded. She’s probably been snacking on chocolate.” He flashed a smile at Brooke who had her hands spread open to show she hid no chocolate. “Anyway, Brooke will have to wait a moment longer. I’d like to introduce you all to Caroline.” He turned to a rigid, overwhelmed Caroline. “Caro, you remember Andrew, Earl of Townson—” he pointed to Andrew— “next to him is his breeding wife, Brooke. Over by the pianoforte arguing over who gets to hold the baby is Paul, he’s a vicar, and his wife Liberty. She teaches illiterate bastards to read in her spare time.” He paused and waited until the snickers stopped. “Sitting over on the settee is Madison. She’s also expecting a baby this summer. Next to her is her husband, Benjamin. You probably know him best by his ducal title, Gateway.”
“It’s nice to meet you all,” Caroline said, glancing at all of them tentatively.
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Benjamin said. “And just so you know, even though your family connection does not recommend you, we shall all look past that flaw and either love you or hate you for your own personality.”
His wife smacked him in the chest. “Ignore him. What my notoriously tactless and extremely rude husband means to say is, we’ve all had our differences with your cousin, but none of us will hold that against you.”
“Exactly,” the duke agreed. “She said it much better.”
“I always do.” Madison flashed him a smile.
“Well, I for one think your relation to Lady Olivia is a point in your favor,” Paul said, smiling grandly. “If not for her pulling Liberty and Alex through the ice while skating on the Thames last year, I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t have married Liberty.”
Liberty rolled her eyes and Caroline gasped. “You went in, too?” Caroline whispered.
Alex nodded. “It’s not a day I like to recall, but yes. I went in, too. In all fairness to your cousin though, the reason I fell in was because the ice cracked further while I was trying to help Liberty out. Lady Olivia had already been escorted out of the vicinity.”
“Good gracious,” Caroline muttered. “How did the two of you get out?”
“Benjamin,” Liberty and Alex said in unison.
“He graciously pulled us both out,” Liberty continued. “He took me to my home, and since I was unconscious, I’m not really sure what happened to Alex.”
Alex waved a hand. “It’s not important.” The duke had been kind enough to help Alex that day. The details were unimportant.
“Have you all had some sort of unpleasant encounter with Olivia?” Caroline’s voice was nearly inaudible.
Nobody moved to answer. “Yes,” Alex said at last. “Nobody has experienced her the way you have. But yes, they all know what she’s like.”
“I’m so sorry,” Caroline rushed to say. “I hope nobody has been driven to nightmares.”
Brooke snorted at her jest. “Nobody as much as Andrew,” she said, nudging her husband with her elbow. “Tell her.”
“No,” her husband said, shaking his head. �
�I don’t think she’d like to hear any more disparaging stories about her cousin.”
This time Caroline snorted. “I assure you, the things I’ve experienced at her hands are far worse than anything you could possibly tell me.” She forced a weak smile and took a nervous breath. “But that matters naught. I would like to apologize to all of you for anything she may have done or said that was offensive.”
“Apology unaccepted,” Brooke said. “Her sins are not for you to apologize or pay penance for.”
“Thank you,” Caroline said.
Just then the butler came into the room and announced luncheon.
Andrew and Brooke walked out first, leading the way. Following them was Paul and Liberty. Liberty stopped a moment and handed Michael, her two month old son, to Nurse.
“Caroline, may I have a minute with you?” Madison said before Alex could walk her out the door.
“Of course.” Caroline glanced at Alex with an unreadable look.
He smiled, hoping to reassure her. “We’ll wait in the hall,” he said to no one in particular as he and Benjamin walked to the hall.
“Do you think you’ll marry her?” Benjamin asked when it was clear the ladies weren’t right behind them.
“I plan to,” Alex admitted.
The duke nodded. “She seems nice. A bit shy, but nice.”
“Wouldn’t you be?” Alex countered in Caroline’s defense. “She’s never met anyone here before and she has that awful brand of her cousin to overcome.”
“I know,” Benjamin allowed.
A moment of silence passed. “What do you suppose they’re talking about in there?” Alex asked.
The duke shrugged. “I have no idea. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from having a wife, it’s one can never truly know what to expect.”
Alex eyed him quizzically. What on earth was the man talking about?
Benjamin shrugged again. “Just wait. You’ll know what I’m talking about soon enough.”
Alex shook his head. For as long as he’d known the duke, the man had always gone out of his way to speak cryptically, not to mention, he was almost always concocting some ridiculous scheme. Best to just nod in agreement and hope the ladies came out soon.
“They actually waited,” Caroline said, emerging from the room a few minutes later.
“Of course we did,” the duke said jovially. He offered his arm to his wife. “Duchess?”
Madison took his arm and they walked down the hall, Alex and Caroline tagging behind.
Walking into the dining room with Caroline perched on his arm, Alex had never been so close to bursting with pride.
“Did you four get lost?” Andrew asked, looking up from the paper he held in his hand.
“No,” Alex countered, noting his aunt and uncle had joined them now. “We just prefer our own company to yours.”
“And I can see why,” Uncle John said, glancing at Caroline.
“Caroline, this is my Uncle John and his wife Carolina,” he said, gesturing to his aunt and uncle.
“Did you both just arrive?” Caroline asked, smiling.
Uncle John smiled broadly. “No. We were visiting Nathan.”
“Nathan?” she echoed.
“The grandson we don’t have to fight to hold,” Aunt Carolina explained, squinting her eyes in Paul and Liberty’s direction.
“We let you hold him,” Liberty countered.
Uncle John snorted. “Yes, you do. As soon as a foul odor starts emanating from the region of his waist.”
Paul shrugged. “Are you complaining?”
“No,” Aunt Carolina put in hastily.
“And here I thought Alex and Caroline were the most intelligent two in the room,” the duke remarked.
Paul smiled. “Academically speaking, they probably are. Well, except for one academic.” He glanced down to his wife. “There’s one academic I’d say Liberty has them beat at.”
“Paul, if you’d like to ride home inside the carriage this afternoon, I’d suggest you stop talking right now,” his wife said, pretending to scowl at him.
Her husband laughed and ran his hand over her shoulders.
Taking their seats to eat, several conversations started at once. Alex, however, was not part of any of them. Instead, he was content to shamelessly stare at the beautiful lady who sat next to him.
“Alex, after we eat do you think we could discuss our project?” Caroline asked between bites of roasted chicken.
He wanted to groan. “No.”
“But you promised,” she protested. “The day I came to your estate, you said we’d talk for a half an hour about it. We never did.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” he said. “Another time.”
She frowned. “Why not today? After we eat we’ll just go find a private place for a half an hour.”
“No.” He shook his head. “If we disappear for half an hour someone will suspect something improper is happening.”
She almost choked on her food. “No, they won’t.”
“Yes, they will. You do realize three of the four married couples in this room married due to some scandal related to an inappropriate situation.”
Her brows drew together. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. But we’ll go find a quiet place after we eat.”
“No,” he repeated firmly. “I’ll not have people thinking I’m debauching you in my closest friend’s home.”
She snorted. “Nobody will think that. Madison even said I could parade naked in front of you, and as long as I was talking about science you wouldn’t even notice.”
“Madison doesn’t know everything,” he muttered, glancing down the table at his cousin. “Is that what the two of you talked about in there?”
“Yes.” She blushed. “Now are you satisfied nobody will think you’re debauching me?”
He ignored her. “Would you care to test your newfound theory, Caro?” He brushed her upper arm with his knuckles.
Her eyes lit up at the same time something of his went up. “Absolutely.”
He groaned. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
“What has you so tense over there, Alex?” Andrew called to him with a grin.
“Membership to the Society of Biological Matters,” he said quickly.
“That would make me tense, too,” Andrew remarked.
“Would you, or anyone else, like to join?” Caroline asked, oblivious to Andrew’s cleverly worded jest. “We’re campaigning to increase membership.”
Andrew groaned. “Will a bank note do?”
“It would help. But your physical presence is what we’re looking for.” She flashed him her best smile.
“When is it? And what do I have to do?” Andrew asked through clenched teeth.
“Just come,” Caroline said, tucking a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. “The meetings are held the third Thursday of the month.”
Andrew ground his teeth. “For how long?”
“Membership depends on you,” she said, glancing at everyone as if they were all champing at the bit to join. “You don’t have to come to every meeting, and when you’re no longer interested, you may completely stop.”
Andrew nodded once. “How long do the meetings last?”
“Three to four hours, I believe,” she said primly.
Alex bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep his smile in check. The grimace on Andrew’s face was beyond price. “Don’t worry, Andrew. A bank note will do nicely. I’d say a thousand pounds will go a long way to help us campaign for new members.”
“Done.”
“Tell me,” the duke broke in from down the table. “At these lengthy meetings, would you say one is able to glean enough interesting scientific tidbits to entertain their friends for a while?”
“Of course,” Caroline said, beaming. “I’d say—”
“Caro, stop,” Alex said quietly. “He’s scheming.”
She frowned. “He wants to join.”
“No, he doesn’t. Non
e of them do. Especially him. Look at his wife. She’s elbowed him three times since he started talking.”
“You’re mighty perceptive today, Mr. Banks,” she said smartly.
He shrugged. “I’ve known him since we were thirteen. He rarely doesn’t have ulterior motives. He’s got a reason for asking you those questions. Madison elbowing him only confirms it.”
She sighed. “He’s right, isn’t he?” she asked loud enough for everyone to hear.
“If he told you nobody in this room has a true interest in joining your Matters of Biology Society or whatever it is, then yes, he’s right,” Uncle John informed her with a shudder.
A fetching pink stained her cheeks and she turned back to her food.
“Don’t fret about it,” Alex murmured to Caroline. He looked around to make sure everyone was done with their meal, then caught Aunt Carolina’s eye and winked.
Aunt Carolina jumped out of her seat faster than a bullet leaving a gun. “Would anyone be interested in playing a game?”
Murmurs and groans soon followed.
Ignoring them, Aunt Carolina looked down at Andrew and winked. “Charades, perhaps?”
“No,” Andrew said, scowling. “Charades has been banned from this house.”
Madison and Liberty looked like they were about to burst with laughter while both trying to imitate Andrew’s scowl.
“But I do have the equipment for bowls,” Andrew added, freezing Liberty’s mirth on the spot.
“Absolutely not,” Paul said tersely, shaking his head.
Andrew grinned. “Are you sure? I believe I have enough balls that we’ll not have to bowl in teams.”
Several snickers followed his remark, most notably not from Liberty or Paul. “I hear hiding and waiting to be sought out is a personal favorite nursery game among a few in this family,” Paul suggested helpfully, succeeding in deflecting the attention off of him and his wife.
“No,” Aunt Carolina said, shaking her head. “This house is too big. Nobody will ever be found.”
“Exactly,” Benjamin muttered. “All right. What about snapdragon?”
His wife rolled her eyes. “Benjamin, if your idea of an afternoon of fun is to light a bowl of brandy on fire and try to pull out a little button with your bare fingers, then suit yourself. But you’ll have no competition.”