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Ann remained mute and just burrowed into her arms, hugging her tighter. “Please talk to me, Ann. What is the matter?”
“I fought with Colin.” Ann sighed and sat up, resting her head on Caroline’s shoulder. She was torn between letting her be and prodding her to talk about what happened. She now had ties to both parties and would be seeing Colin sometime soon. She needed to be sure of what had happened so she would know how to address the situation.
Caroline chose to remain silent for a bit, to give Ann enough time to think about it before she said anything else. “Can you please tell me everything that happened? Why did you fight with Colin?” she asked.
“Yesterday at the ball, there was a rumor going around about Alexander and a Lady Isabella Westworth. People said they saw her going into your house alone, in the afternoon, and since you were with me, I knew it had to have happened during your absence. After making certain that it was your home she went into and it was not false gossip, I asked Colin if he was aware of it.” Ann paused, visibly angry as she talked about it.
“What was his response?” Caroline asked. She felt her throat close as she waited for the answer to her question. She hoped the rumors would turn out to be a lie. She had only just started to enjoy her marriage and she had begun to have feelings for Alexander. She did not know if she could bear it if it turned out to be true.
“He responded in the most unbothered manner that he had indeed seen her on her way out of your home when he arrived. I tried to ask him more to find out if he knew the reason for her visit, but he dismissed it. He told me not to bother myself with rumors and that he had something else he wanted to discuss with me. At first, I tried even harder to get more information out of him, but he would not deliver, as he continued trying to get me to listen to whatever it was he had to say.” Ann was clearly furious, and Caroline’s heart dropped.
So, Isabella had really gone to the house? Why did Alexander not tell her anything? He had seemed normal that morning. She could not help the doubt that gnawed at her, but she did her best to push it away. She decided to trust him. He had made her a promise. It did not matter what happened or the nature of their relationship, but he wouldn’t be with another woman while married to her.
“He just dismissed my worries as unimportant as if he did not care that it was my sister who was in the mix and that I was worried for you. I told him that I was not interested in whatever was so important that would make him dismiss my worries so easily as though they did not matter. We exchanged a few words in anger. Then I left him there and made my way back home,” she finished.
“Oh, Ann. I am so sorry your night did not go as expected, and even more so that it had to do with me,” she said, feeling guilty that even in her absence, she had managed to ruin her sister’s fun. “Thank you for looking out for me.”
“You should not blame yourself for what happened last night. No part of it had anything to do with you. You only recently started to enjoy your marriage, so of course, I will try my best to make sure nothing ruins it for you.” Ann hugged her sister after her declaration.
“Maybe the reason he was not bothered by it was that he already talked with Alexander, and he knew that nothing happened between them. Maybe that is why he dismissed the subject,” Caroline said. She wanted to hold on to the hope that bloomed in her chest and told her that Alexander would not do something like that to her. Not after all they had been through together.
“I do not know what to tell you, Carol. I certainly hope that is the reason he chose to ignore my queries, but I am not certain of it, and I do not want you to hope that is the reason, only to be disappointed.” Caroline listened as Ann spoke but did not have the heart to tell her that she already hoped it was not true. Ann was her younger sister, and it was Caroline’s duty to worry about her and not the other way around. She chose to change the topic instead.
“I do believe, however, that the something else he wanted to discuss with you was probably the marriage proposal. Maybe you should have listened to him. I feel terrible that you let my problems derail you from what you were looking forward to,” Caroline said.
“You need not blame yourself. I knew he wanted to propose to me, but I would rather not receive marriage offers from a man who does not believe that extramarital affairs are something to worry about or thinks they should be excused simply because his brother was the one committing them.” Ann got out of bed and paced around. “You do not need to feel sorry that I did not get the offer I wanted from a man like that. Instead, you should be happy that I found out in time, enough to avoid ending up married to him. If he could not care about something that concerns me, my own sister’s happiness, then how can I be certain that he would care for me and would not treat me in the same way after we are married.”
Caroline knew that her sister was hurting, whether she hid it or not. It was obvious that she loved Colin as much as Caroline was sure Colin loved her. She wished they had not allowed her and Alexander’s problems affect them so. She prayed there would not be lasting damages to their relationship and that they would find a way to sort it all out.
“I am sure there is a reasonable explanation for all of this, Ann. Perhaps it was all a misunderstanding.” She held her hand up to shush her sister who was about to protest. “I thank you for looking out for me, Ann. I also want you to be happy, so once you see Colin again, I need you to listen to what he has to say first, before you make your decision.”
“Fine,” Ann said, her arms crossed over her chest.
“For now, however, dress yourself and we can take a stroll.” Her sister got up, grumbling, and murmuring beneath her breath as she did as she was bid. Caroline promised herself that she would get to the bottom of the problem and ensure that her sister was happy.
She returned home determined to get answers and stormed up to Alexander’s study immediately. He looked up from his place at his desk when she came in, and the excitement in his eyes at the sight of her died down when he noticed her expression. He was at her side the next instant.
“Is something wrong? What happened?” he asked as he rubbed her shoulders. Caroline looked up at him. The worry in his eyes seemed genuine. Could he really look at her like this if he was unfaithful? She didn’t think infidelity was that simple. There was no way a man could entertain another and still put up such a face in front of his wife, was there?
“Ann fought with Colin,” she started. Alexander’s worry gave way to surprise as he stopped rubbing her shoulders.
“A fight? Why? Oh no, did he ruin the proposal?” he asked.
Caroline pulled herself away from him and wrapped her arms around her body. She needed to stand on her own as she said, “Apparently, there were rumors at the ball yesterday, that Isabella Westworth came to this house.”
Alexander’s expression was one of realization, then dread, and then panic. “Oh no, Caroline—”
“Ann said she asked Colin, and he admitted that Isabella was here, but simply brushed it aside, not caring that she was worried for me. Since Colin admitted it, I know it is true. What I would like to know is, what happened? And if nothing happened, why did you choose to conceal her visit?” Caroline asked her questions calmly. She had already defended him in front of Ann, and she wanted to believe in him.
“Caroline, I promise you that nothing happened,” Alexander said, his voice filled with desperation. “Isabella came suddenly. You can ask Barnaby. I only talked to her because she was distressed. I did not tell you because I was not sure how you would react and, well, what she came to say was that she hated her marriage and missed me. I turned her away, but I felt worried that telling you would have an adverse effect.”
Caroline watched his face carefully. He did not seem like he was lying. Things had been going so well for them lately, and she was getting to know him better. He did not seem like the type to be unfaithful.
“Alright,” she said, and Alexander looked at her, hope shining in his eyes. “I believe you, but you should have told me. I should not have had to hear it from my sister.”
“I am sorry. I will not make such a mistake again,” Alexander said, taking her hands and pulling her into a hug. “Thank you for believing me.”
Caroline wrapped her arms around him as well, returning his hug. She really hoped he would keep his promise.
