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“Please, permit me to be your escort, Lady Ann. It would be a long and lonely journey and I would like to keep you company,” Colin said, a charming smile playing on his lips as he looked at her.
“Oh, thank you, but it is not a long journey and I do not want to put you out of your way,” she said.
“I do insist on escorting you home, Lady Ann, if only for my peace of mind,” he replied, not daunted by her rebuff.
“I suppose it will make my travel home more interesting, thank you,” Ann said. She hugged her sister goodbye, whispering something in her ear that caused her to smile. Alexander squinted at the exchange, wishing he knew what had been passed between them.
Caroline and Alexander watched as Ann and Colin took their leave, chatting and laughing as they did, unknowingly taking the warmth in the room with them.
After making sure that the two were completely out of earshot and would not be returning, Alexander turned to his wife and said, “It was not enough that your family set me up to marry you, do they now have their sights set on my brother too?”
“Excuse me?” he spotted the shocked look on her face and was astonished at how good an actress she was. Her family had been so easy to figure out, but even now when her plans had been found out, she still acted so innocently that he would have doubted himself if he had not been a victim of her act.
“Cease the pretense,wife,” Alexander said, making her flinch.
“You may think that because I was easily entrapped, it shall be so with my brother, but I will not let it happen. Do you hear me? I will never let you and your family use my brother,” he warned.
….
“I did no such thing. I have no intention of trapping your brother, and I believe my sister can find a good husband without resorting to such measures,” Caroline responded angrily. She was so shocked that her anger was more exasperation.
“Like you were able to find one?” Alexander replied. She recoiled at his words and gave him a look, showing how gravely offended she was. Caroline could see the regret in his eyes as soon as the words left his mouth, but she hardened herself, not letting her resolve shake.
“You may choose to believe what you wish about me, but I will not let you speak about my sister in such a manner. You will mind your words, sir,” she said. “Did you ever stop to consider that we had no way of knowing he would be here today? Or do you think I read minds now, too?
“I could not have planned this even if I wanted to. It is not as if you notify me of your plans or whereabouts beforehand. You constantly leave the house without telling me where you are headed or when you will be back, yet you deem it fit to accuse me of inventing ideas and plots out of thin air. How could I have known when you were returning or whom you would be returning with?” Caroline paused to draw in a breath. Alexander had the grace to look ashamed as her words were true, but the stubborn look in his eyes did not leave. He always had a way of getting her so riled up.
“Who knows what you spend all that time you are out for this house doing. It will not surprise me to know that you are running into the arms of another woman, falling into her bed,” she ranted on, feeling frustrated by the situation.
“I beg you to mind your words, madam,” Alexander said, his eyes narrowing in response to her accusations. He looked positively incensed, as though her words were a tarnish on his name just by her uttering them.
“Why should I mind my words? You have been doling out accusations and yet you find it hard to take them when directed at you?” Caroline stopped her pacing and stared straight into his eyes, “It would not be the first time you had relations with a woman you were not supposed to, after all. I need not remind you that it is what landed us in this situation.” She headed in the direction of her room, leaving him looking dumbfounded.
As the days went by, she had gotten used to eating breakfast alone since Alexander always woke early. So, she was not surprised to find that he left the house that morning without a word. She was used to a loving atmosphere with people to talk to however, so since she was lonely, she had sent for Ann to come and visit her.
If she had known that this was how things would end up, she would have gone to her family house instead. Colin and Ann had truly conntected. She could see it in the way they looked at each other. What she did not understand was how Alexander could see such a wonderful interaction and conclude that she was trying to trap his brother.
And to think I thought we were making some progress today.
CHAPTERELEVEN
Aweek had passed since Alexander’s accusations, and Caroline had not spoken to him since. This time, he was not talking to her either. Colin had not visited again, and neither had her sister, but from the letters her sister had sent, the two were keeping in touch. She was happy for her. Colin seemed like a pleasant man, unlike the one she had ended up with.
She sighed and pushed the bad thoughts out of her mind. She had asked Mrs. Beagle to send craftsmen to the house with options so she could make plans for redecorating. It was not that the house was not good, because it was. However, it was plain, and it was her job to put some personality into it. In the brief moment when they had been on somewhat good terms, Alexander had said that she could do as she liked.
Perhaps if she decorated it, she would feel more like it was her home. She hated walking around the stark white walls and feeling like she lived in a ghost house. She had made her decision the day before and had gone to bed early because she knew it would be a lot of work. The busyness of the room accosted her senses as she pushed open the doors to the drawing room. It reminded her of her wedding preparations all over again.
There were so many different merchants in the room. Each person had brought samples of their wares. From small pieces of curtain fabric, to sketches of furniture, to dresses. Mrs. Beagle was the one organizing them, having the merchants who sold the same thing standing in one line. She had to look through what each craftsman had to offer, pick who she would work with, and then go into every room and decide with them what she wanted for the rooms.
All eyes turned to her when she opened the doors, and the chattering went quiet. Mrs. Beagle hurried over to her. “Welcome, my Lady, a lot more of them came than expected.”
“It certainly seems that way,” Caroline said, stepping into the room. Everyone was giving her huge smiles as they hoped they would be one of the people she ended up buying from. She leaned toward Mrs. Beagle. “Have the cook bake some biscuits so everyone can take a small bag home.”
Even though she could not buy from everyone, she could at least give them something for their time, even if it was desserts. Mrs. Beagle seemed to understand her intentions and hurried off.
The process was long, but Caroline made sure to choose the best of everything that was available within their means. Since she had studied up on the family, she knew how much money Alexander had. It was more than most Barons could boast of, but that didn’t mean she would splurge. She made sure to stay within their means, while also choosing quality that showed they were well-to-do, even among their peers.
Mrs. Beagle was beaming so brightly that one would think she was the one whose house was being decorated. It was not like she could ask Alexander though, so it was nice to know that at least someone liked her choices.
