“I thought so. Don’t try and tell me you and Newhall were compelled by some sudden urge to go for a lakeside stroll in the early hours of the morning. From the state of your attire, I would say you have only recently tumbled out of bed and not had the services of your maid. I won’t be so crass as to ask whose bed it was,” he added.
Caroline knew when she was bested. If she pushed James, he would, as her male relative, be quite within his rights to press Julian for an explanation of the events of the previous night. Julian, being an honorable man, would have made an immediate offer of marriage to Caroline.
They owed it to their combined future to undertake a proper courtship. For all of London society to see that the union of the Earl of Newhall and Miss Caroline Saunders was indeed a love match.
She consoled herself that by returning home today, she could see what had transpired with the Harry situation before Julian made his first visit to see her father.
“Alright, we leave today, but if you say one word of having seen Julian and I together this morning, I shall tell your father that you abandoned your duty to me in order to go off into the wilderness and paint with your friends,” she replied.
James rose from his chair and came to Caroline’s side. He bent down and brushed a hand gently on her cheek. His manner was still and solemn. “I had no idea that Timothy Walters had proposed to you. Smith mentioned it because Walters would not shut up about making the journey over here to see you. I now understand why you behaved so oddly with him when the two of you met at the market,” he said.
Caroline shrugged. “I didn’t want to tell you because, like Francis with Harry, Timothy Walters is your friend. I did tell Mister Walters that I was not for him, but he ignored both my words and wishes and spoke to my father.”
“Yes, well, I made it very clear that he was to stay away from Newhall Castle while you were a guest here. Though from the look of it, that might need to become a permanent ban. Have you and Newhall reached an understanding?”
“No and yes. No, we are not engaged, but yes, we are going to see where a period of courting takes us. Julian will speak with Papa once he can make arrangements to come to London. After that, we shall see.”
James resumed his seat. “Good. While I would hate to stand in the way of true love, Caro, I need to hurry back to London. Time away has given me some perspective about my future, and I need to speak to my father as a matter of urgency. If you go and pack your things now, I shall make sure I give Newhall a proper farewell over a glass or two of his best French brandy.”
Caroline admitted defeat and headed upstairs. As she climbed the long staircase, she wondered how soon it would be before she stood once more within the ancient walls of Newhall Castle—when she would finally be its mistress.
