Chapter Four
Adelaide Saunders put down the orange wool scarf she had been examining in the woolens section of Mack and Bennet, and brushed her fingers across her daughter’s cheek. “You look tired. I didn’t think you and Francis came in that late last night. If you needed more sleep you should have cried off our shopping trip.”
Caroline shrugged. She picked up a pair of white wool gloves before deciding they were impractical and putting them back down. Sleep had not come to her the previous night.
She had hoped that a morning out shopping in central London would help clear her thoughts, but lack of sleep only made matters worse. A dull headache sat just behind her eyes.
Her half-hearted attempt to summon a smile for her mother failed, and she sighed. “I am tired, but it is not from lack of sleep. I am weary of everything at present. London can be a strain at this time of the year.”
The season was over and many families had returned to their estates in the country. Only those with business in the city, or who lived permanently in London, remained. The fewer number of guests at balls and parties did nothing to ease the almost constant sensation of being suffocated by the presence of people all around her.
“Perhaps it is your sister you are missing. I miss her too, but since she and Freddie have decided to stay on in France until next month, there is nothing to be done but await their return,” replied Adelaide.
Caroline did miss her newly married sister, Eve. The two had been at loggerheads with one another for several years and had only recently reconciled. While she wished her sister all the happiness in the world with her new husband, she secretly wished that they had been granted more time living as friends under the same roof.
“It will be good to see her again, but to be honest, that is not what troubles me,” replied Caroline.
“I can see you are unhappy and I do not like to see any of my children out of sorts. Please darling, tell me what troubles you, perhaps I can help,” said Adelaide.
Caroline considered her mother’s offer. Sharing her problem would bring relief, but she wondered if it would also open a Pandora’s box of troubles. In confiding in her mother, Caroline would need to choose her words carefully. “It’s Timothy Walters. He will not leave me be. I cannot attend any function without him trailing behind me like a small puppy. He does not seem to understand that I am not in any way romantically interested in him.”
“But for the sake of our families you have kept quiet about this until now. And since you have not been able to figure out a way to let him down without causing a fuss, you have finally decided to confide in me. Do I have the right of it?” replied Adelaide.
Caroline nodded. “Yes. Ever since Eve married, he has stepped up his efforts to woo me. Last night at the ball, we had a most unpleasant encounter which threatened to turn ugly. If another guest had not disturbed us, I fear I might have struck him.”
Her mother’s face registered first shock, then understanding of Caroline’s predicament. Timothy and his father conducted business with Caroline’s father, Charles. A public falling out would have ramifications for a number of people, and had to be avoided at all costs.
“You are going to have to tell Francis. As he is the one who regularly chaperones you to social functions, he cannot be allowed to remain in the dark over this issue. You are his sister,” replied Adelaide.
And therein lay the heart of the problem. If she was to say anything to her brother, he would chastise her for showing such scant regard for yet another young man’s heart.
She was about to tell Adelaide that it was no matter when her mother gave her a look which made her hold her tongue.
“I shall speak to Francis. I will tell him he needs to gently persuade Timothy to look elsewhere for his future bride. I won’t mention the incident last night; I will just let him know that the attentions of young Mister Walters would be better directed at someone else.” She picked up the scarf again and held it up. The light shone through its fine merino threads, and Caroline nodded her approval. The burnt orange would look perfect against her mother’s deep brown hair.
“Thank you. Hopefully both Timothy and Francis understand,” replied Caroline.
Francis sat back on the leather bench seat of the Saunders family town carriage and stared at Caroline. He was clearly not happy.
“Mama and I had an awkward and, at times, embarrassing conversation this afternoon. I thought you were more than content to have young men running around at your beck and call. Don’t tell me you are beginning to tire of your court of admirers?” he said.
Caroline sighed. Her private concerns as to Francis’s response about her behavior were showing themselves to be well-founded.
“I have never encouraged Mister Walters. I am polite and friendly to him, the same as I am with Harry. Harry seems to understand that, which is perhaps because he is your friend. But Timothy does not,” she replied.
“Harry does because he is Harry,” said Francis.
Neither Francis nor Caroline were prepared to voice the fact that Harry also carried a flame for Caroline. It was an open secret between the siblings that Harry had loved her for forever, but valued his friendship with Francis enough never to openly pursue her. And for that, Caroline was eternally grateful. She saw Harry as a kind and sweet man, but one who could never stir her soul.
Francis met her gaze. “And you have never once given Walters any sign that he had a hope in winning your heart?”
“No. I treat him exactly the same as I do all my gentlemen friends,” said Caroline.
“To be honest, Caroline, I don’t understand why any man would want to throw himself at you when you treat all your admirers so badly. Sometimes even I believe that you have become the ice queen: with no heart.”
Caroline huffed angrily. Francis was no help. If he was going to spend the evening punishing her for voicing her concerns to their mother, Caroline would much prefer to stay home. She leaned forward on the carriage bench and reached for the handle of the door.
The carriage lurched forward, causing her hand to miss the handle. She quickly sat back in her seat and glared at her brother. “If this is what you truly think of me, then why are you bothering to take me with you this evening? If you would rather not accompany me, then just say so and I shall ask the driver to turn the carriage around and take me home.”
