Chapter 10 #2
“No, not today. I would like to settle in first.” Caroline glanced at David. “Why don’t you show me where I will be sleeping? This place is a maze, and I’m sure I’m going to get lost on my own.”
David was about to say that she would be able to find her room without any problems – she had been inside the house so many times – but a glance from Caroline had him staying quiet. Gwen nodded and took her hand from David’s.
“Alright. You’re going to be right by the nursery. It’s a pretty big room.”
“Then you definitely need to show it to me.”
They left the room, David trying not to watch them as Caroline walked down the hall with Gwen beside her. There was something about her walk that drew his eye. How could someone walk like that and make it look so effortless?
A cough had David turned; Henrietta was looking at him with a pointed expression. Realising that he had been caught, David cleared his throat.
“Did you want something, Henrietta?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“Don’t be crude.”
Henrietta smiled. She joined him at the door.
“Will Gwen be alright? She was inconsolable earlier.”
“I think she’ll be fine. Caroline will be able to distract her enough for her to cheer up. She’s good like that.”
“Was she like that when you were children?”
“Pretty much. She was the one who tried to keep us in order, the one we talked to if we were upset, and somehow Caroline knew how to make things better for us.”
“Like what?”
David laughed.
“It’s best that I don’t tell you. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, anyway.”
“You’re a pain, David.”
“I know.”
David left his sister and went into the study, sighing when he saw the ledger on the desk. His estate manager had brought it in, something he had to do today. He kept putting off this task for a long time, reviewing the accounts.
According to what he had been told, it was doing well and healthy enough, but David needed to be sure. He did have a few other estates, including the one he had just moved from, that needed to be kept an eye on, so he had to keep on top of it.
He would have to go and visit them just to make sure things were running as they should. David wasn’t sure if he was looking forward to this.
Sitting heavily at his desk, David stared at the book. God, that was going to take a while to look through. Hopefully, his mathematical abilities would be up to it.
“David?”
David looked up and blinked. Caroline was sticking her head around the door.
“I thought you were looking after Gwen.”
“She showed me to her room and then got distracted playing with that huge doll house, so I thought I’d leave her to it.” Caroline stepped into the room. “Are you alright? You were sitting there with a faraway look on your face.”
“Was I?”
How long had he been sitting there staring at the ledger? David couldn’t believe he had let things slip away. Clearing his throat, he sat up and shifted in his chair.
“I’ve just got a lot of work to do, that’s all. And I’m not looking forward to it.”
“Do you want any help with it?”
“How good is your mathematical ability?”
Caroline winced.
“Maybe not. That was always my weakest subject.”
“And I’ve just hired you to teach my children.”
“I … I’ll pretend I didn’t just say that.”
David smiled.
“I won’t hold it against you. Besides, Henrietta is really good with numbers, so I think she’ll be the one teaching you.”
“I hope so.” Caroline crossed the room. “Thank you for giving me this opportunity, David. I do appreciate it.”
“I said that I would help you if I could, and I’m glad I could.” David regarded her thoughtfully. “Do you have any regrets about doing this?”
“No, not really.” Caroline looked towards the window. “I’m still worried about my parents. I know they’re looked after, but I’m still concerned.”
David could understand that. Caroline adored her parents, and it was clear they were everything to her. Being away from them for more than a few hours had to be difficult for her.
“They’ll be fine. And if anything happens, you can be reached easily. If you need, I’ll have a carriage ready for you as soon as you need it.”
“Really?”
“Providing I’m at the estate, that is. I might not be here for a few days shortly.”
Caroline frowned.
“Oh? Any reason why not?”
“I need to go around my other estates and ensure that things are working as they should.”
“Other estates?” Caroline’s eyebrows shot up. “You have more than the two that I know of?”
“Unfortunately.” David rubbed his fingers over his eyes. “This one, the one we moved to after Mother’s death, one down in Brighton, another in Cornwall, and all the way up on one of the lakes in the Lake District.”
God, that sounded like far too many, even for a duke. It was making David’s head hurt even more just thinking about what he needed to do to ensure things were not falling apart. Caroline’s mouth had fallen open.
“You … that many?Five estates?”
“One was my grandfather’s holiday home, and the other two came from my maternal grandfather. Father took all of them on when they got married.”
“Have you been to all of them?”
“No. I wasn’t aware until Father died that they existed. He maintained them from a distance, but we didn’t go on holiday to them.” David sighed. “He said that it brought back too many memories that he didn’t want to remember.”
He didn’t need to explain any further; Caroline would know what he was talking about.
From her expression, she did understand what he meant.
His father had blocked himself from having memories of his wife.
He chose not to have anything to remind himself of her close, including places they had been to.
David was surprised that he hadn’t sent all his children away; after all, Henrietta looked exactly like her mother when she was younger, and Gwen was the reason their mother passed away. David didn’t blame her for that, but there were times when he wondered if their father did blame Gwen.
That was too much for a little girl to handle.
“When are you going?” Caroline asked. “Will you need to leave soon?”
“I’m going to be leaving in the next day or two. I’ll travel down to Brighton, stay for a few days, and then come back again.” David shrugged. “I’d take everyone with me, but it might be better if I went alone. For all I know, I could be taking my sisters to a shack.”
Caroline smiled.
“I’m sure that’s not the case. I can look after the girls until you get home.”
“Henrietta doesn’t need much looking after, but Gwen …” David paused. “I’m worried about her. After that last outburst …”
“You don’t need to worry about her. Gwen is going to be fine.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Caroline nodded.
“I’m sure. You can trust me.”
David knew that. But after the sudden outburst of tears earlier, he couldn’t help worrying about his youngest sister.