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Caroline was returning to her parent’s house for the first time since she got married, to help Ann prepare for a ball. Part of the reason she had not gone until now, was because she was still angry with her mother. Almost three months had passed since the wedding, however, and Caroline was ready to forgive her. She did owe her for her current happiness with Alexander, after all. Bad as it was, they wouldn’t have found each other had it not been for her meddling.
Her cheeks burned as she thought of Alexander. He had made sure that she could not think of him without blushing. Almost every night, he had her crying out in pleasure. She knew from the way the maids giggled when the two of them were together, that they could hear her at night. Alexander never let her muffle her moans. Although no one had seen them gallivanting naked, they might as well because they could hear everything anyway.
“Caroline!” her little sisters’ voices yanked her out of her thoughts, and she turned to see Alice and Marjorie bursting into the drawing room where she had been waiting. It felt funny to now be a visitor in her old house.
She stood up and hugged her little sisters. “Alice! Marjorie! I have missed you so much!”
“We have missed you too, but we are not missing anything. Ann tells us how you are every time she visits you,” Marjorie said.
Caroline rubbed her sister’s cheek fondly and squeezed. “Where are mother and father?” she asked.
“They went out,” Alice said, hugging her leg. She raised her eyebrows as she played with Alice’s hair.
“When did they leave? Will they be back soon?” She had come ready to face her mother again, but it seemed she would not have to.
“They shall not be back until evening,” Marjorie answered.
“Alright, then. I should help Ann prepare for the ball,” Caroline smile.
“She said tonight might be a special night, so she needs to look better than she usually does. Then she kicked us out of her chamber because we were nothelping,” Marjorie stressed, rolling her eyes.
Caroline laughed; she was glad to see her sisters like this again. She had missed it but also knew she would not change her new situation for anything. “Well, I best go see her, then.”
Caroline walked into Ann’s room and gasped in shock. The room looked like a small explosion had gone off, with all her clothes scattered everywhere. “Ann, what is going on? I don’t think I have ever seen you this worried about a ball before.”
Ann stopped what she was doing and looked around. “It is not the ball I am worried about, sister. It is what might happen during the ball,” Ann said. “Colin and I have been talking a lot about many things, including marriage. We have gotten to know more about each other, and I am hoping he will propose tonight.”
“Did Alexander tell you anything?” she asked Caroline suddenly, moving to sit beside her. Caroline could see the hope in her eyes and was sorry to disappoint her.
“Alexander has refused to say anything on the matter, Ann. He always says it is his brother’s decision ultimately and we will find out when he is ready.” She watched her sister’s face fall just like she knew it would. “Although, whenever I broach the subject, he always smiles and jests about it. It makes me think there just might be a marriage proposal after all,” Caroline said, smiling when her sister let out an excited squeal.
“Oh, do you think so?” Ann asked excitedly. “It would make us both sisters and sisters-in-law,” Ann giggled excitedly. “Oh, Carol, I am so happy, I just might burst. I truly cannot wait for when he utters those words to me.”
Caroline smiled and wrapped her arms around her sister, “Colin is a wonderful man and if you are sure of your feelings, then I wish you happiness. If he is anything like his brother, which I believe he is, then you can be certain that he will make your happiness his priority.”
“Thank you, Carol,” Ann said emotionally.
“You are very welcome. Now let’s get you ready for the ball,” Caroline said, saying a silent prayer that everything would go smoothly.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Alexander sat in his study dealing with his accounts. For the past few weeks, he had neglected everything and focused his attention solely on his wife. Now that she was visiting her sister and he was home alone, he figured it would be a good time to work. A knock on the door broke his focus however, and Alexander looked up to find Barnaby standing by the door.
"Lady Westworth is here to see you, Master Alexander,” he said. “She said it was urgent and that you would have no problem with her coming to see you.”
Alexander remained seated as he stared at his butler, confused for a minute as to who Lady Westworth could be and what she could want from him. He felt the shock run through him as it occurred to him that it was Isabella. In his head, she had remained Isabella Levingston.
“Have her ushered into the drawing room, Barnaby.” It was surprising and worrying that she had come to visit him. He had thought their paths would only ever cross at balls or in public, if even there. He hoped that she was alright. What could be so urgent?
Alexander stood at the entrance of the drawing-room, watching Isabella as she mumbled words he could not hear. As he stared at her, he realized that although she was still beautiful, she no longer held him transfixed to a spot as she once did. Now as he stared at her, all he could picture in his mind was a different pair of blue eyes and sandy blonde hair.
He tried to think of a way to address her, now that they were both married and were no longer attached as they once were. He made up his mind to address her by her new title so they could do away with the intimacy that had once brought them together.
Alexander walked into the room, careful to leave the door open, as was proper. She still had not noticed him, so he cleared his throat, startling her out of whatever she had been thinking about.
“Lady Westworth,” Alexander said with an air of civility. He saw something flash through her eyes at the mention of her title and almost regretted not calling her by her name as he usually would, but he steeled himself and continued in the same manner. It was what was best after all. “I must confess, I did not think I would be seeing you anytime soon. How have you been?” he asked.
Alexander hoped she would tell him she had been happy and had settled into her marriage without any problems. That her husband was treating her well and that she was glad to have married him. He wished a lot in the seconds it took her to answer because as he stayed standing, looking at the woman he had once loved, all the guilt he had forgotten in the past few weeks came back in huge torrents.
