Tom didn't have time to wonder if he'd been complimented or insulted since Edward was still talking.
"Hadley's already been sniffing around again this morning. And you know that his debts are mounting by the day. He is positively desperate for a wealthy wife, so he's trying to land her, and if I end up with him as a brother-in-law I'm liable to shoot you. Or him. Or both."
"Me? How would I be at fault?"
"Because the only way that Caroline would end up leg shackled to him would be if she were caught in a compromising position with him. And that would mean that neither of us were doing our jobs. And, well, I'm hardly going to shoot myself am I?"
This was fast becoming a completely surreal conversation.
Tom's head was fuzzy and the headache was now of gargantuan proportions. But he still picked up on one salient point in Edward's speech.
"What do you mean our job? I agreed to nothing."
"But you will."
"Indeed? And what makes you so sure?"
Edward shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"I know you. And I know what you are not ready to admit to. You wouldn't see a hair on her head harmed. So you will help me."
Tom swore profusely and at great length but in the end, he agreed. How could he do otherwise?
He'd be watching her anyway. So he might as well have an excuse to.
Caroline almost let out a yelp of fright as she heard Edward and Tom move towards the door. Perhaps eavesdropping was beneath her but she didn't care. What she cared about was Tom arriving here this afternoon and instead of visiting with them all, immediately requesting a private conversation with Edward in his study.
Rebecca had gone off to the nursery with Henry so Caroline had taken the opportunity to sneak after them.
Unfortunately, the study door was so thick that she heard nothing but muffled sounds.
At one stage she had heard Tom shout something about reputations and her heart had sunk. Was he berating her for her mistake last night?
The thought made her miserable but it was probably no more than she deserved. After all, no self-respecting lady eavesdropped on her brother-in-law and his cousin, who happened to be the man she was in love with, and who was once in love with her but now hated her.
She was starting to get a headache.
However, there was no time to wallow in self-pity since Edward and Tom were clearly finished and moving toward the door.
Caroline panicked. They would see her in the hallway if she didn't move fast. Hastily she turned, intending to dart into the library or drawing room or anywhere but the hallway.
Unfortunately, in her haste she managed to tread on her dress and stumbled head first into an occasional table across from the study door. More unfortunate still, the table was host to a very large, very breakable vase.
Caroline could not break another of Edward's vases. She would never live it down. Her hip hit the table with an almighty crash and the vase wobbled precariously. As if time had slowed, Caroline watched the monstrosity, for it really was rather ugly, wobble to and fro before it finally tipped over.
She dived for it and, thankfully, caught it at the last second. Breathing a sigh of relief, she moved to lift it back into place.
Blast! It was heavier than she thought. Realising that she was emitting very unladylike snorts in her efforts to replace it, Caroline finally managed, with much sweating and grunting, to replace the vase on its table.
Sighing in relief, she turned back to find both Tom and Edward watching her with no small amount of amusement.
"Everything alright, Caroline?" asked Edward, sounding suspiciously like he was trying to hold back a laugh.
Caroline felt her cheeks flame. Rebecca would have brazened it out or laughed, but Caroline was not used to being the subject of ridicule. And she was quite sure they would know she'd only been battling with the vase because she'd been listening in on their conversation.
She felt her cheeks grow warmer still and risked a quick glance at Tom who was not even trying to hide his chuckles.
Gathering the tattered shreds of her dignity, Caroline executed a perfect curtsey to them both.
"If you'll excuse me," she muttered before turning and running as fast as she could away from them both.
The sounds of their raucous laughter followed her to her room. For goodness sake. They were so childish it beggared belief!
CHAPTER TEN
"OH, MY LADY, how could anyone resist you looking as you do?"
Caroline smiled gratefully at Sally's compliments, taking her wrap from the abigail and giving herself a final inspection in the looking glass.
A visit to Madame Barrousse, the famously blunt modiste, who remembered Caroline fondly from a previous visit thank heavens, had produced several gowns with more promised.
The large and loud Frenchwoman had taken great delight in dressing Caroline again.
"These young girls who have begged me to dress them. Mon dieu! I felt like I was being asked to dress a farmyard. But you, you are a rare jewel, fit to wear my creations."
Madame was not the most humble of mantua makers. But she was the best. And Caroline knew how lucky she was that the eccentric woman had taken a shine to her.
Tonight's creation was amongst Caroline's favourite. It was a deep silver satin that trailed behind her with a short train. The bodice was shot through with silver threaded embroidery, the same design skirting the hem. A silver ribbon tied on the empire waistline before falling to the end of the dress. The short sleeves were capped, with the same ribbon. It was simple yet striking and the colour was a perfect complement to Caroline's bright blue eyes and golden hair.
"Thank you, Sally," Caroline responded. "I am rather fond of this dress."
"Tis not the dress, my lady, but what fills it," answered Sally stoutly.
Caroline watched as Sally placed the final crystal pin in Caroline's hair then stood back to admire her handiwork. The hair had been gathered at the nape of her neck, making it long and elegant, and Sally had taken great pains to dot the carefully constructed curls with the glittering crystals Caroline had purchased just this week.
The clock chimed the hour and Caroline moved to collect her fan and gloves from the dressing table.
"I shall not shame you then, Sally?" she quipped.
"As if you ever could. Mr. Crawdon's eyes will likely bulge from his head when he sees you."
Caroline whipped around in shock at her maid's words. For her part, Sally looked as shocked that the words had actually popped out.
"Oh, beg pardon my lady."
Caroline burst into a fit of giggles. Sally's horrified expression coupled with the outrageousness of the comment had sparked her amusement. She also secretly prayed that Sally was right.
For the past two weeks Tom had acted like an overbearing brother, watching her every move. Glowering at the gentlemen who asked her to dance.
But she had a brother. And an overbearing brother-in-law and she didn't need another one!
Besides, Tom acting like her brother meant he was decidedly not thinking about kissing her again, which was heart-breaking since she had thought of little else.
Casting her mind back over balls, routs, soirees and dinners, there were moments when she caught Tom looking at her and the expression in his eyes made her heart gallop and that peculiar feeling take up residence in her abdomen with increasing urgency.
But then he would catch her eye and immediately a mask would drop over his features and he would become cool, detached, and unbearably protective once again.
And he had never asked her to dance. Not once.
Well, perhaps tonight that would all change. She could make no better effort with her appearance. In fact, she had experienced a moment's panic when first putting the dress on for the cut was far less modest than she was used to.
But if one wanted to make an impact, one had to take risks. So she squared her shoulders and looked forward to the evening.
> Caroline made her way downstairs and found Rebecca and Edward awaiting her arrival.
"Caro! You look breath taking!" Rebecca exclaimed, coming forward to embrace her older sister.
"Truly, you look very beautiful," Edward agreed, bowing over her hand.
"Flatterers, both of you," Caroline quipped as they made their way into the warm summer's evening.
"I cannot wait to see Tom's reaction," Rebecca said wickedly.
"Becca!" Caroline darted a glance at Edward. It felt too strange discussing Tom with Edward sitting across from them.
"Don't worry about me, Caroline. I fully expect Tom to have an apoplexy when he sees you. He is only human after all."
Caroline felt her cheeks flush but she thrilled at his words. If even Edward thought he would not remain unmoved, there was hope for her yet.
"Do we know for sure that he will be here? He arrived back from his trip to Essex only today, did he not?" Though at the time she had tried to pretend that she was barely interested, she had listened keenly as Edward had explained that Tom was going to take care of some business in Essex, a few hours' ride from London.
"I saw him at my club this afternoon. He will be here."
Caroline tried not to look as pleased by the news as she felt.
Turning to look out the window, she was surprised to catch Rebecca looking worriedly in her direction. Lifting a questioning brow she felt even more confused by Rebecca's quick shake of her head and quick glance at Edward.
How strange. Something was bothering Rebecca, but something she did not want to discuss in front of Edward.
The carriage made slow progress through the busy London streets but eventually arrived outside the ball.
Before the ladies disembarked however, Rebecca clutched Caroline's arm to stop her.
"Edward, please do go ahead and wait for us inside. I should like to speak to my sister for a moment."
Edward looked as confused as Caroline felt but conceded without comment.
Caroline watched him mount the steps, the crowds parting as he went. She smiled a little at this. It was easy to forget sometimes how formidable he was since he acted so soft-hearted around her sister.
Rebecca reached out and suddenly grasped Caroline's hand, bringing her attention back to Rebecca.
"Caro, I—" here she hesitated, biting her lip as if unsure as to how to proceed.
"Becca, what is it?"
"Nothing. Nothing, I just — well, I want to make sure that you know what you are doing."
"Whatever do you mean?"
Rebecca sighed and leaned back, casting a watchful look at her older sister.
"When you first came here, we had planned on you having fun, being a little mischievous, a little less proper, and finding you a husband."
Caroline wasn't sure what Rebecca wanted her to say so she merely nodded and waited for Rebecca to continue.
"Whilst you have definitely loosened up a little, it seems to me that you are more concerned with what Tom thinks and does than with finding a potential husband. And as for enjoyment, well, it doesn't seem as though he's letting you have any."
Caroline stared at Rebecca, stunned into silence. What? How could she think that? It wasn't true. Of course she was still looking for potential husbands, or at least not snubbing any gentleman who showed an interest, and she had been trying to enjoy herself. It was hardly her fault that Tom seemed to have taken on the role of guard dog. She had never asked him to do so. And certainly didn't want him to.
"Rebecca, you were the one who mentioned Tom's name just now, not me."
She thought guiltily of the fact that even her maid seemed to know Caroline's sole focus had been on garnering a reaction from Tom but pushed the thought aside.
"Yes, I know. And it was thoughtless. It was once my dearest wish that you and he would marry. And I've seen the way he looks at you. But I did not realise how much your feelings were involved until I saw your expression at the mere mention of him."
Caroline wanted to deny it but found that she couldn't.
"I realise now that I was foolish to think of him as a match for you. Father would never permit it."
The truth of her words slashed painfully at Caroline's heart. Somehow, she had forgotten her father's demands for a titled son-in-law.
"And Tom is dead set against marriage in any case."
"What? How do you know that?"
"He said as much to Edward. A shame really. He is quite a catch."
Caroline didn't answer. She suspected Rebecca was trying to bait her. The calculated gleam in Rebecca's eyes as she watched Caroline's reaction confirmed as much. So Caroline stayed mutinously quiet.
"My point, dearest, is that I do not want you to waste your Season so occupied with Tom that you lose the chance to make a happy match for herself. We can't forget what ancient fate awaits you if you leave London still single. And truth be told, you are hardly being scandalous at all. In fact, since your unfortunate run in with that horrid Lord Stanley, you've been positively proper."
Rebecca sounded disgusted by this fact, her face a picture in disappointment.
Caroline felt her temper flare.
"It is not for want of trying, Rebecca. But between your husband and his domineering cousin I haven't had a chance to do anything improper. They watch my every move and scare away anyone who isn't thoroughly boring."
Rebecca sighed in consternation.
"Yes, I've noticed. Well, we shall just have to do something about that shan't we?"
"How?"
"Why, distraction of course. For some reason, Tom is terrified of his attraction to you—"
"Rebecca, I don't think—"
"He is," Rebecca continued stoutly, "so one look at you in that gown and he'll either be completely unable to resist, in which case you shall have your scandal since he's an utter rake, or he'll avoid you like the plague, in which case you shall be free to seek your scandal elsewhere."
Rebecca grinned in triumph and Caroline studiously ignored the fact that she had no interest in seeking it with anyone else.
"And what of Edward?" she asked now.
Rebecca's smile was enough to put Caroline to blush.
"Leave him to me. I can distract him until his eyes cross."
The sisters shared a conspiratorial wink before joining Edward in the foyer of the large mansion. The poor man had no idea what was in store.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE BALLROOM WAS everything it should have been — packed to capacity, well lit, and filled with the sounds of music and laughter.
They had arrived late enough to have missed the first few dances, but not so late that it was rude.
Caroline was once again oblivious to the attention she was receiving.
Much as she wanted to prove Rebecca wrong and show that she was interested in other men her eyes, as if of their own volition, sought Tom out as soon as she entered the room.
Her search appeared to be in vain since she could not see him. Trying to dampen her disappointment, Caroline made to move toward the edge of the dancing, content to watch for a while before her card began to fill.
Then she glanced up and there he was.
Caroline was reminded painfully of Rebecca's engagement ball. He had walked toward her then much as he was doing now.
And her heart called out to him now just as it did then. Probably more so. For now she knew the desolate agony of living without him.
He stopped before her and bowed but did not speak. Caroline curtsied but did not speak. There seemed, once again, to be a bubble around them that nothing could infiltrate. It was just a man and a woman and a little piece of magic.
"Ah, there you are."
Edward's voice sounded behind them causing Caroline to jump and Tom to swear none too gently.
"A pleasure to see you too," Edward said dryly.
Tom ignored him, turning instead to kiss Rebecca's cheek and compliment her on how well she looked. And she did look well. In fact, she looke
d utterly enchanting as usual.
A fact which had not escaped her husband's notice, judging by the gleam in his eye.
Whilst Tom and Edward began to discuss whatever it was they were wont to talk about, Rebecca pulled Caroline away slightly.
"I shall keep Edward occupied for as long as I can, but standing here with Tom is not going to gain you any chances for mischief is it?"
"I only just got here Becca," Caroline reminded her.
"True. So go and enjoy yourself."
"Lady Caroline."
Tom's voice sent delicious shivers down her spine as it always did.
Caroline turned to look at him.
He was staring at her in that intense way that made her want to do things no lady of breeding should be thinking about.
"Would you care to dance?"
Caroline gaped at him. Had he really just asked her to dance? Her heart was already dancing at the prospect.
Caroline spared a quick glance to Rebecca, who was frowning in disapproval, before turning back to Tom with a smile.
"I would love to."
Tom took Caroline's hand and led her toward the middle of the room. It was either that or drag her outside and ruin her for any other man.
What the hell was Edward doing letting her come out like that? She looked entirely too beautiful for her own good.
He had seen the way the young pups had salivated the second she'd walked in the room. And much as he'd like to, he couldn't beat them all to a pulp. It would be rather frowned upon in good Society to knock half the guests unconscious.
The heat of her skin seared him even through their respective gloves. Her scent overwhelmed him again. And her beauty took his breath away, just as it always did.
He had done his best over the past weeks to remain at a polite distance. Watching that she did not get herself into more trouble. Because Edward was right. He couldn't help himself.
He had, unbeknownst to Caroline, had words with several gentlemen who did not do the term 'gentleman' justice, about their interest in her and had watched with grim satisfaction as they'd scampered off.
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