Chapter 13 #2
Caroline drew her cloak closer about her and felt grateful that Remus was currently nestled in the crook of her arm. His warm little body threw out a surprising amount of heat. As for Romulus, he was lolling on the seat alongside Canon Petrie, batting lazily at the threads hanging from his cuffs.
Really, she did not think the housekeeper at his lodgings took much care of the old man.
If she was responsible for his laundry, she should surely have made sure his clothes were not fraying to high heaven.
It was too bad that such a genial old soul should not have someone looking out for him.
She could only hope that his nephew and his wife did a better job once he had retired.
“I’ll order more hot bricks at the next stop,” Gervaise said suddenly, interrupting her thoughts. “You’re shivering,” he added when she looked surprised.
She started to thank him, but he looked as though he had lost interest in the subject, shrugging and turning to look out of the window.
She wondered if he had taken offence as neither of the twins were giving him any attention.
She should offer Remus to him really, but she was enjoying having a cuddle with him too much to spare him.
Besides, once they reached London, Gervaise would take both kittens, and she would have none.
Even if he was still inclined to let her take one of them, she did not know if her future lodgings would allow for cat ownership in their tenants.
She sighed. No, she had better make the most of the kittens now, while she had the chance.
Canon Petrie cleared his throat and started to talk in his kindly way about some acquaintances of his who had lived in this part of the country many years ago.
Caroline listened politely, nodding and smiling as he described the family and the golden summer he had once spent with them in the halcyon days of his youth.
She was not sure at which point she realized that Gervaise was watching her, but when she glanced across at him, she found his gaze trained solely on her face.
Lifting her eyebrows, she sent a quizzical look his way.
When he did not look away, just continued to gaze steadily back at her, Caroline felt herself grow a little perturbed.
He had not stared at her like this before, she thought, shifting in her seat. When had he started to do so? And more importantly, why was he doing it now?
They reached London around six o’clock that evening, when it was starting to grow dark.
After much hand shaking and best wishes, Canon Petrie took his leave of them.
He even shook the twins’ tiny paws, further endearing himself to Caroline.
She watched him disappear into the rainy night, battered case in hand, and turned back to find Gervaise hailing a hansom cab.
He caught hold of her arm and kept a firm grip of her which surprised Caroline when he had a pile of expensive-looking luggage piled up beside them on the pavement. Someone was more likely to make off with that than her, surely?
A cab drew up and he bundled her and the cats inside, shouting the direction for his uncle’s house as he closed the door behind them. Caroline fiddled with the handle of her carpet bag which she had placed on the seat beside her. He sent an irritated look at it.
“Why don’t you put your bag down,” he suggested. “It looks heavy, and you can set it on the floor. I don’t know why you cling to it like that, in any case. If you were going to cling to something, I would have thought it would be me at this point.”
Caroline stared at him. He surely would not want her clinging to him like some sort of supplicant, she thought in bewilderment.
Still, she set the bag down all the same and soon found herself fiddling first with her cloak fastening and then her bonnet ties.
If only she had one of the kittens to distract her, but they were currently curled up asleep in Gervaise’s pockets.
She cleared her throat. “What if your uncle is away from home?” she asked, and even to her own ears, her voice sounded wobbly.
“He won’t be,” he replied dismissively. “I told you; he enjoys his home comforts too much. He rarely goes abroad at night.”
“Well, but when you knew him he was an old bachelor,” she pointed out. “His new wife might drag him all around town every night for all you know. To the theatre maybe, or the opera.”
He opened his mouth, then closed it again, considering. “I highly doubt it,” he answered after the pause.
“Well, then, what if—?”
“How about we let me worry about dealing with my uncle, hmmm? I don’t mean to boast but I am something of an expert at handling him.”
She blew out a breath and folded her hands. “Very well.”
“There’s a good girl. You must not fret, my pet,” he soothed her. “There’s no cause for concern. Even if Uncle does not take you on for his secretary…”
“Yes?” She gulped. For this was what troubled her the most. “What then?”
“I’ll take care of you, of course,” he answered in his most bored voice.
“You will? How can you though? In what capacity?” As soon as she said it out loud, she could have kicked herself. Of course he had not been in earnest. It had been a mere fillip to silence her.
“Well,” he drawled. “There’s really only one way I can set you up in a place of your own, paying all your expenses, now, isn’t there?” He paused, and Caroline stared at him uncomprehendingly.
“I don’t think I quite understand you, my lord.”
He sighed. “Are you finally going to turn squeamish on me?” he asked, shooting her a coolly assessing look. What in the world was he talking about? she wondered, gazing blankly back at him. “I could make you my mistress, of course,” he suggested, completely stealing the breath from her lungs.
“What?” she uttered faintly.
He shrugged an elegant shoulder. “Think about it before you dismiss the notion out of hand. There would be a wide range of benefits such an arrangement would offer you.”
“I—” Caroline’s jaw dropped. “You’re not serious,” she spluttered.
“Oh yes, I am. I have been seriously considering it since this morning,” he answered coolly, giving her a level look. “It turns out I’m just not ready to relinquish you just yet.”