Chapter 9 #2
David rolled his eyes. Hadleigh didn’t think about anything except work. He wondered if the man actually knew how to sleep.
“Off you go. Get some rest.” He nodded at Henrietta, who was sitting by the fire. “You, too, Henrietta. It’s getting late.”
Sighing, his sister got to her feet.
“I suppose I can’t persuade you to let me stay up for a little longer?” she asked.
“It’s getting close to eleven. If you don’t go to sleep now, you’ll be sleeping the day away tomorrow.”
“I won’t!”
“What were you doing today? Of course, you will.” David winked at her and jerked his head towards the door. “Off you go.”
Henrietta pouted and looked at Joseph, who was lounging in another chair with his feet up on an ottoman. David’s friend simply shrugged.
“Don’t look at me. I’m not about to argue with a duke.”
Sighing, Henrietta went over to David and leaned over to kiss his head.
“Fine. Goodnight, brother.”
“Goodnight.”
David was sure his sister muttered something under her breath, but he ignored it.
Henrietta knew he was right. He just wished that she would remain mature all the time instead of arguing back when she wanted to do something he was able to do, but she couldn’t.
She kept forgetting that she wasn’t quite old enough.
He had no idea how his father had coped being a parent to two girls. There were times when he was struggling as an older brother.
Henrietta left the room, giving Joseph a nod on the way past, with Hadleigh following her out and closing the door behind them. Joseph took a healthy sip of his brandy.
“She’s really growing up, isn’t she? It doesn’t seem that long ago that she was barely coming up to our waists and wearing ribbons in her hair.”
“Don’t remind her of that. She won’t be too impressed that you recall an image of her that makes her shudder.”
Joseph laughed.
“Yes, she’s growing up. She’s going to snag a handsome young man in no time once you introduce her to Society.”
David didn’t want to think about that. He knew he would struggle to keep himself objective and end up being overprotective towards Henrietta, something she would not appreciate at all.
At least he had a few years to brace himself for it, although David had a feeling he wouldn’t be completely ready to let go.
“Anyway, did you manage to talk to Caroline?” Joseph asked. “You said at the ball that you would be having dinner with her last night about why she didn’t join us.”
“I did speak to her.”
“And what did she say? I would have gone to ask her myself, but if you were going anyway, I thought I would leave it to you.”
David shook his head.
“You’re really lazy when you want to be, Joseph. Do you know that?”
“Of course I do.” Joseph beamed and raised his glass. “But you love me, anyway.”
“There are days when I really wonder about that.” David crossed his legs at the ankles. “And I did speak to Caroline. I asked her about the ball, and she said she had never been invited.”
“Really?”
“That’s what she told me. I told her about the ball, but Caroline had no idea what I was talking about.”
Joseph groaned.
“I had a feeling something had happened like that, but I didn’t want to believe it. I don’t understand why anyone would not invite someone because they weren’t married. There were plenty of unmarried men at the ball, including us.”
“A man’s marital status doesn’t matter so much as a woman’s does. Caroline’s well into her twenties now, and everyone sees her as an old maid.”
“Old maid?” Joseph snorted. “She’s pretty stunning for an old maid.”
David didn’t respond, but the thought that Joseph had noticed that Caroline was beautiful and had commented on it didn’t sit well with him. He looked at his glass and watched the brandy sloshing gently against the sides.
“I know there are rules everyone has to follow when you’re part of a social standing, but it turns everyone into snobs.
It’s like the rules are taken literally.
It doesn’t matter how beautiful Caroline Fairfax is; if she hasn’t got any money, she’s reduced to the level of a servant.
In everyone’s eyes, there’s no point in her being around. ”
“So you think she’s beautiful as well.” Joseph chuckled.
“In all that, that’s the only part you heard?”
“I heard you, David. And I agree with you. It’s not fair, but the rules are there for a reason.
” Joseph sipped his drink. “I spend time with Caroline, and she says she’s fine with her position, but I know she’s stressed from trying to keep her family estate going.
And it’s all on her shoulders now that her parents aren’t able to keep up.
I have offered to help her by giving her a loan, but Caroline refused. She didn’t want to be in debt to me.”
David wasn’t surprised by that. He wouldn’t be comfortable accepting help like that himself and Caroline was too proud to ask for help financially. She would want to do it her way, or it wasn’t happening. The woman was far too independent in a time when women had to be subservient to men.
That was probably another reason why she was still unmarried. She couldn’t find someone who didn’t want to mould her into someone she wasn’t. She would want her future husband to accept her as she was.
David had to respect that. Even if it was compromising her opportunities.
“Well, we may not have to worry about that for the foreseeable future.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve hired her as a governess.”
Joseph blinked. He sat up.
“I beg your pardon? What did you say?”
“Caroline’s going to be Henrietta and Gwen’s governess. She’s going to start on Monday and move in tomorrow morning.”
“What … you … you hired her?” Joseph looked confused. “What are you doing? Why would you hire her like that? Don’t you think she has any pride?”
“She was the one who started the conversation first.”
“I don’t …”
David explained what Caroline planned to do to earn money for her family and how they discussed her taking a position with him. He already had the paperwork ready for Caroline to look over and agree to when she arrived in the morning.
And both of his sisters were eager for that to happen; Gwen simply delighted that she was going to have someone pay attention to her rather than going back to her lessons, while Henrietta was glad she could find someone to talk to about her favourite subjects.
David could understand that part; talking to a ten-year-old about complicated topics could only go so far, and Henrietta was far brighter than David ever could be.
Caroline was intelligent. She would be able to keep up.
Joseph sat back, his expression saying he wasn’t sure what to say.
“Now that I wasn’t expecting.”
“Even with her pride, Caroline knows what she needs to do. And at least she’s managed to get a position; when you don’t have any experience, it’s hard to find anyone willing to take you on.”
“Even the experienced governesses had to start somewhere.”
“Exactly. I’m willing to give her a chance. I was meaning to look for the governess Father sent away before he died. He said something about her dishonesty, but I didn't know what he meant.”
“That sounds like a story worth finding out about.”
David laughed.
“Only because you love the gossip. I swear you’re worse than the ladies going around talking about supposed scandals.”
“Of course. It’s interesting, and you get to think up mad scenarios.”
“Which could end up getting out and people getting into trouble.”
Joseph sighed.
“That is, unfortunately, one of the things that will happen. But the speculations are fun.”
David didn’t know about that. It was definitely something that would end up putting people in a position they couldn’t get out of because others were sensationalising something completely innocent. He tried to avoid it; it just gave him a headache trying to figure out the truth.
“Anyway, she’s going to be working for me, and I can help make sure that her family has money coming in. Did you know that they had to sell all but two bookcases in their library to get some money?”
Joseph’s mouth fell open.
“What? They really did that?”
“Haven’t you been to her house lately?”
“No, I meet her at Eleanor’s house or at mine. She says that the house isn’t in a condition to have guests.” Joseph arched an eyebrow. “Although she allowed you to visit for dinner. Things must have changed.”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but they’ve sold almost all their books, and the library itself is locked. Caroline was rather embarrassed by it.”
“I’m not surprised. Her family wasreally proud of their book collection.” Joseph frowned. “Their situation really is dire if they had to do that. I wish she had talked to Eleanor or me. We would have helped her.”
“Well, now she’s doing something about it, and I’m just glad I can help.”
“Even if it’s a rather unusual situation? It’s not often that a woman in Society is hired as a governess.”
“Are you sure about that? I’m sure it’s happened before.”
“Maybe it has, but you’re hiring a childhood friend to work for you. I’d say that was unusual.”
David had to agree with that. He sipped his brandy, the liquid burning his throat on the way down.
“At least I would know that she’s got money coming in, and it should help her family’s estate. They need it. I’m shocked that it’s got this far.”
“When you’re sick, and the workers take advantage of good nature, it doesn’t take much for things to go wrong when you need it.”
Joseph was right about that. David suspected that some of Sir Geoffrey’s labourers had decided to swindle him out of money, and it was pretty much gone by the time Sir Geoffrey found out about it.
Then again, they didn’t really know the circumstances and thinking what could have gone wrong was just going to end up with David twisting himself in knots. Caroline didn’t need that.
“Are you sure there’s not another reason why you’re doing this?” Joseph asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m beginning to think you have an ulterior motive here, David. After all, you were pretty upset that Caroline wasn’t at the ball and spent most of your evening looking for her. I’m surprised you actually talked to anyone else.”
David frowned at him.
“I don’t know what you’re implying, Joseph. Why don’t you stop stepping around it and speak properly?”
“I think you know what I’m implying. You don’t need me to tell you.”
David suspected that he did. Joseph thought there was an attraction between them, and it left David momentarily speechless.
Could that be the reason his heart skipped a beat or two around Caroline or why he was constantly seeking her out?
He couldn’t think of any other reason why this would be the case.
But that wasn’t right. He wasn’t attracted to Caroline. He just wanted to be around an old friend. He shook his head at his friend.
“Don’t suggest something so daft, Joseph. I’m just helping a friend out.”
“And not because you have feelings for her?”
“Feelings?”
Joseph held up his free hand.
“I haven’t seen you two together since you returned, but I’ve seen how you reacted when you were seeking her out. And I saw how your expression softened and eyes lit up every time Caroline was mentioned tonight.” Joseph winked. “I’d say you were very nearly smitten by the beautiful woman.”
David felt his face getting warm. He glared at Joseph.
“That’s not the case.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Of course I am!”
Joseph smirked, giving David another wink as he raised his glass to his mouth.
“Fine. Keep telling yourself that. Let me know when you really are convinced about it.”
David growled, slumping back in his chair. Joseph was such a pain. He was letting all the gossip he loved to lap up get to his head. Nothing was going on between him and Caroline. It was just a friend helping out someone in need.
That was it, wasn’t it?