Chapter 1
Caroline checked herself in the mirror. She looked presentable enough to go out and interact with other people. Nobody could say that she was unable to look after herself.
If only people would actually see that and not my age. It’s just not fair.
Sighing, Caroline pushed that out of her mind. She would not ruin her good mood by thinking about how cruel people could be. Today was not about that.
Then again, she was going to be around a happy couple, which would put a dampener on her because of how loved-up the two of them would be.
She shouldn’t be so gloomy about it; Eleanor deserved happiness, and this would be a good marriage should Richard Talbot ask her to marry him. Caroline wanted her to be happy.
And yet …
“Are you well, Lady Caroline?”
Caroline caught the look of the maid in the mirror, the young woman standing behind her as she adjusted the pins holding up her mistress’ hair. Caroline managed a smile.
“I’m fine, Madeleine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You were looking a little sad for a moment.” Madeleine looked sympathetic. “Do you want to stay home today? I’m sure Lady Eleanor won’t mind if you do that.”
Caroline really wanted to stay home, but Eleanor had invited her over, and it would be rude to call off for something now. Caroline didn’t want to disappoint her friend. Sighing, she smoothed her hands down her dress.
“I’ll go and see her. It’s a lovely day, so I don’t want it to be wasted by me being indoors all day. And you know my parents will ask questions.”
“I see.” Madeleine paused. “Even so …”
“Don’t worry about me, Madeleine.” Caroline turned to the young woman and took her hands. “I can take care of things myself. And thank you for helping with my hair. I know you’ve got a lot of work to do today.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m more than happy to help.” Madeleine smiled. “It’s like the old times when you were a little girl, and I was always doing your hair. It brought back some happy memories.”
Caroline didn’t know how doing someone’s hair would bring back happy memories, but she wasn’t about to break the maid’s good mood. It was not her parents’ fault that they barely had anything for the servants, and the family had had to downsize their household staff.
Things had not been good lately, so they had to make cuts somewhere.
Caroline hated that their small fortune was significantly diminished due to stupid choices, but there wasn’t anything they could do about it.
They had to hold their heads up and smile, which was easier said than done when everyone knew about it. And add to that her father’s health …
Caroline didn’t want her mood to lower again. Not when it was such a beautiful day outside. She squeezed Madeleine’s hands and headed towards the door.
“You’d better go and get on with what Baxter told you to do today. I don’t want you getting into trouble for being behind.”
“You let me worry about Baxter.” Madeleine straightened up. “He wouldn’t dare get upset with me.”
Caroline didn’t doubt that. From how the butler had been looking at the maid, it was clear that something was in the air. And that it was mutual.
God, even the servants were flirting with love, while Caroline …
Stop it. There’s no point wallowing in self-pity. Focus on something else.
Even when the something else is enough to lower my mood?
Caroline headed downstairs and went into the morning room. Her parents were there, settled in their favourite chairs by the window, which had the sunlight streaming in. At this time of day, it was perfect to trap the warmth from the sun, and the view when the weather was beautiful.
Caroline had spent several hours sitting in the window seat as a little girl, marvelling at the scenery before her. Hertfordshire was just a lovely county. She couldn’t think about living anywhere else.
Although, the way things had gone for her, it would be her permanent residence.
Lady Gabrielle Fairfax looked up from her book and smiled as her daughter approached.
“Are you off today, Caroline? You’re looking lovely.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Caroline kissed her mother’s head. “I’m going to see Eleanor. She wanted to see me today.”
“She told us all this at breakfast, Gabrielle,” Sir Geoffrey reminded his wife, frowning at her from his own book. “Have you forgotten already?”
“Oh. Of course.” Gabrielle’s face went a little red. “I just … I was so wrapped up in my book …”
“It’s fine, Mother,” Caroline assured her, squeezing her shoulder before giving her father a sharp look. “You don’t need to apologise.”
Although it was beginning to show that her mother’s mind was slipping a little.
She had been saying that it was fine, and she was distracted, but she was still struggling to remember the simplest things.
It had been like this for the last couple of years.
At the ripe old age of fifty, it was a little disconcerting.
Caroline didn’t like seeing her mother’s mental agility slipping and her father getting grumpier as a result.
Another reason for her to feel like a failure for not finding a husband. She wouldn’t be able to properly look after her parents should things get worse.
“Anyway, Baxter and Madeleine are in the house, so you know you can call for them. I won’t be long, I promise.”
Sir Geoffrey smiled at her and accepted the kiss on his head.
“Don’t worry about hurrying back. We’ve got a lot to do today, so we’re going to be nicely occupied for some time.”
Caroline didn’t doubt that. Even with their reduced mobility, her parents found many things to do. She admired that they could still go on like they were and not be too encumbered by things. For everything happening between them, they were tough.
“Even so, I’ll return soon.” Caroline headed towards the door. “Just keep yourselves out of trouble, alright?”
Sir Geoffrey snorted.
“Us, get into trouble? Would we do that?”
Caroline laughed. He didn’t want her to answer that.
Taking her hat from the cloakroom – it was too warm for a coat – she headed outside and down the drive.
It was only a short walk to Eleanor’s estate further down the hill.
The walk back would be a little tough in this warm weather with the slope, but it was worth it.
Caroline was content with it, even if she would be a little red-faced and sweaty once she met her friend.
Eleanor always said she would get her carriage to come and collect her, but Caroline didn’t want to put her out. Besides, she wasn’t infirm; she could walk. And on a day like this, who wanted to waste it by being inside a hot and stuffy carriage?
As Caroline left her family estate and started along the road, she wondered how things would go.
Eleanor was always warm and inviting and knowing that her twenty-year-old friend lived not too far away made it a good reason to get out of the house; Caroline liked having a reason for her walks and enjoyed talking to many people on her travels.
The people who lived in their little village were willing to stop and talk to anyone, no matter who they were.
Not like the stuffy, snobbish people of the ton.
They saw status and wealth, and that made a decision for them.
Caroline had been dealing with it for some time, which was incredibly frustrating.
All she wanted to do was interact with others and be sociable; talking to people felt refreshing and satisfying.
But now she was five-and-twenty and still unmarried, which meant she was considered unworthy of people’s attention.
While it wasn’t something everyone did, she did notice how others would give her a wide berth, almost like she was carrying the plague.
It was embarrassing that she was at this age and didn’t have a husband or one in the wings waiting for her.
She wasn’t considered ideal. And that hurt. A lot.
At least Eleanor wasn’t like that. She was younger, warm, and vivacious, just what members of the ton wanted.
And she knew when to be quiet when she was supposed to, something Caroline had never been able to do.
She had no idea why she struggled with this, but interjecting with quips and comments that she thought were amusing didn’t seem to go down well with anyone.
If only she could keep her mouth closed at the right times and listen. Caroline thought that she could, but it was easier said than done. Nobody in her family cared, and her closest friends were fine with it, but further than that …
It was probably no surprise that she couldn’t find a husband. No man wanted a wife who didn’t know when to be quiet.
Caroline scoffed at herself. That was not fair on her. She could behave in mixed company, yet everyone tried to find a flaw in her. It drove her insane, trying to match everyone else whenever she was out. What was wrong with being herself? How was that a crime to Society?
She was going to put herself in a lower mood if she kept thinking like this, and Caroline didn’t want to go to Eleanor’s home with a dark cloud hanging over her head.
Taking a deep breath, Caroline straightened up and squared her shoulders.
She would not have anyone comment on her mood and say that she needed a husband.
Why did people think things could be fixed by getting a spouse?
#
When David woke, it took him a few moments to remember which room he was in. He stared at the ceiling, waiting for clarity to set in and remind himself where he was.
At his childhood home in Hertfordshire, having spent the night here as the new Duke of Bayntree.
It still didn’t seem real. It had been three weeks since his father had been buried alongside his wife, David’s mother, and the title didn’t feel right.
David was very aware that he was the one who would inherit the title, but he never thought it would happen at this point.
His father had been so fit and healthy, and there wasn’t any indication that he was going to pass away.