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She pushed up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I am so glad to see you,” she said, meaning it with all her heart. Luke had been such a strength for her those first few awful months. She wasn’t sure what she would have done without him. He’d made all the arrangements for Staveley, and he’d traveled with her and the children back to Westmorland. He’d made sure she hadn’t stopped livingherself.
“Trying to flatter me when I know for a fact you were penning a letter toRobert, of all people, asking for advice?” He winked at her before his usual devil-may-care expression settled on his face. “You dowoundme.”
“Indeed?” She couldn’t help but laugh. “When was the last timeyouwere responsible for a sixteen-year-oldgirl?”
“When was the last time Robert was?” he countered. “He had you married off at fifteen. You’ve survivedthatyear with Rachel, I’m certain you can survive sixteenaswell.”
Except that for all of Rachel’s fifteenth year, the lot of them were in mourning in Benton Park. Her daughter had been too devastated to act out or rebel. But Caroline didn’t feel like saying that. She didn’t want to think about the last year, not tonight, not if she didn’t have to. “I think perhaps you think I’m more capable thanIam.”
Her brother did laugh then. “Morecapable? Sweetheart, there’s nothing you can’t do. You’ve proven that to me and all of London for more than a dozen years. I challenge you to find one person in this room who isn’t in aweofyou.”
Caroline squeezed Luke’s hand. “Idoadoreyou.”
“The feeling, my dear little sister, ismutual.”
The smile Juliet cast her warmed Caroline’s heart. She was so lucky to havethemboth.
“Now,” Luke continued, “I understand tonight we are playing matchmaker for Peasemore and some chit. Tell me I have a roletoplay.”
A role to play? A laugh escaped Caroline. “Weare not doing anything, Lucas. Juliet and I are playing matchmaker. And you are doingsomethingelse.”
Her brother playfully rolled his eyes. “Gentlemen are just as capable of making matches,I’msure.”
“Gentlemen are usually the onesrunningfrom matches,” his wife said, glancing out at the sea of people on the dancefloor.
“I only ran a little,” Luke complained. “And I saw the error in my ways,didn’tI?”
“You are ridiculous,” Juliet accused good-naturedly. “Now go mingle with someone, I want to speak to Carolinealone.”
“You were with her all day,” Luke returned. “Besides, I don’t knowanyonehere.”
His wife laughed. “Yes, you need an entirely better class of friends, Luke. Do gomakesome.”
He grumbled slightly, but the adoration in his eyes as he pressed a kiss to Juliet’s brow belied his complaints. As soon as Luke left their side, Caroline linked her arm with her sister-in-law’s and glanced across the ballroom where Juliet’s gaze was firmly fixed. There, surrounded by quite a number of girls, was their quarry, the Earl ofPeasemore.
“I hardly think he needs any help from us, at all,” Juliet saidquietly.
No, he truly didn’t. But... “Perhaps he doesn’t trust his ownjudgment?”
Her sister-in-law scoffed at that. “The man is one of the most arrogant I’ve ever encountered, which is saying something. And I am quite certain he believes his own judgment to be the very best in the world. So I highly doubt that’s itatall.”
“Perhaps,” Caroline conceded, as she still wasn’t entirely certain why the earl thought he needed her assistance. But since he’d asked, she hated to turn him away. He had, after all, come to her aid on more than one occasion in the last sennight or so. “There is some kindness in him though, Juliet. He found Emma’s cat that had gone missing, didn’t even complain about the scratches Fluff scarred him with, and the other day he even rescued me from LordHaversham.”
And then Juliet turned her head and pinned Caroline with a most serious expression. “After watching the two of you today, I find it hard to believe you needed to be rescued fromtheman.”
Yes, well…a lot had changed since the other day. Hadn’t it? Or perhaps it had not. Or perhaps they were just going back to the friendship they’d had years ago before Marc ruined everything that fateful night at Vauxhall. “We’refriends…now.That’sall.”
Juliet’s brown eyes narrowed slightly as though she was thinking something and unsure whether or not to say it. Finally, she breathed out a breath. “You’re playing matchmaker for Peasemore, but what about you, Caroline? Don’t you deserve a worthy matchyourself?”
The image of a very naked Marc flashed in Caroline’s mind and her cheeks stung a bit. “I think I’m past thoseyears.”
“Ha!” Juliet shook her head. “You are young and vibrant. And any intelligent fellow would fall on his own sword to have even the tiniest chancewithyou.”
“I do believe you may bepartial.”
“I am that.” Her sister-in-law squeezed Caroline’s hand. “But I am also too honest to do anything up brown. Isn’t theresomeoneyou think you mightfancy?”
She was afraid she did more than fancy Marc, but she wasn’t ready to admit that. She might never be ready to admit that. “I’m not sure. Though, in all honesty, Ihavebeen having thoughts aboutsomeone,but…”
