Chapter Thirty-Seven
Sterling stepped out onto the Terrace and took a deep breath and intent on finding Hallaway for instructions for tomorrow when he noted Caroline’s daughter, Livia, standing near the gardens.
As she was the most important person in Caroline’s life, and Caroline was important to him, it would be remiss of him to not come to know Livia better, but as he took a step forward Sterling realized that she was not simply standing there, but she was as still as a statute, which was very odd for a five-year-old.
And it was only then that he noted what she was facing and his blood ran cold—a cobra, risen from the garden, its hood spread and ready to strike.
Sterling did not dare approach or he may be seen as an aggressor. Instead, he held his place and hoped that he did not startle Livia when he spoke, though she likely heard him exit the house and hoped that whoever was behind her would come to her rescue.
“You are doing well, Livia,” he said only loud enough for her to hear and kept his tone gentle and calm. “Now I want you to do as I say. Do not answer me. Do not nod your head. Just do exactly what I tell you.”
He took a deep breath and hoped that the lessons from his childhood and what he had been told to do in this situation held true.
“With your left foot slowly step back.”
Olivia did exactly what he said.
“Now very slowly step back with your right foot.”
Again, she did as he said.
“Very good. Now your left foot again.”
She followed his instructions slowly and carefully each time he told her to move. Sterling’s heart pounded against his chest as fear rose that the cobra would strike before she was far enough away.
He repeated his instructions, but her steps were smaller than his and it took twice as long as it would have taken him. Anxiety and fear filled his being. Livia would not survive if she was bitten, and Caroline would not survive losing her daughter.
The door opened behind him and he feared that it was Caroline and when she realized what her daughter faced that she’d panic. She hoped she would remember to remain calm until Livia was safe.
“You are doing very well, Livia. Now, slowly step back again.”
He kept calling instructions for her to step because she did not do so on her own. Whenever he paused, she remained still.
She trusted him and Sterling could not fail her.
“Another step, Livia.”
And, just as she did, the cobra disappeared into the foliage, likely putting as much distance as possible between it and the humans.
“You are safe now. It is gone.” At his words, the child turned and ran to him, tears streaming down her face. Sterling bent down to catch her as tiny arms wrapped around his neck as she sobbed on his shoulder.
A warmth that he had never experienced swept through him, replacing the terror that had risen when he saw the cobra.
Sterling had never comforted a child before and acted on instinct by holding her close and patting her back. Only then did he notice Caroline beside him, frightfully pale, tears in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for saving my daughter.”
It was not necessary to thank him because anyone would have done exactly what he had if they had come across Livia. He just happened to be the first person who saw her.
*
It took some time but Livia finally fell asleep. Caroline could only hope that she did not have nightmares and that because she was a child, might forget this incident.
Caroline had praised her over and over for being brave and remembering the lessons she had been told and even though her daughter calmed, Caroline’s hands still shook.
It had taken everything in her being not to run to her daughter or call out.
Instincts to save Livia were in opposition to what needed to be done in that situation.
Instead, she stood helpless while Sterling gently called out instructions and Livia slowly obeyed.
Caroline was certain that she did not breathe until Livia was in Sterling’s arms.
Thank goodness it had been Sterling who came across Livia because Caroline was not so certain she wouldn’t have panicked and thus put her daughter in worse danger, just as Lady Wyndham had feared when she kept telling Caroline to be calm.
She wanted to thank him again, but the later it grew, and when he didn’t come, Caroline assumed that he would not.
Therefore, she started to prepare for bed when there was a quiet tap on her door.
When she opened, she found a concerned Sterling on her doorstep but he was looking behind her as if he anticipated to find someone else there.
“How is Livia?” he finally asked.
“She is finally asleep.” Caroline stepped back and opened the door further so that he could enter.
“I hope that she does not suffer nightmares.”
“I fear that may be me,” she responded honestly. “Thank you. I do not know what…”
“It did not,” he cut her off.
“We have told her what to do since she was a…” Caroline offered a dry chuckle. “I was going to say child, which she still is, but one never knows if a child truly listens or even remembers.”
“She listened,” he reminded her. “She also followed instructions.”
This had been the most terrifying day of her life.
Sterling reached out and took her hands in his. “You are trembling.”
She had been since she’d stepped out on the terrace and saw her five-year-old daughter slowly backing away from a cobra and had been unable to help her.
“Do you have brandy? If not, I can return to the house and bring some back.”
“We do,” she murmured, pulling away and going to the sideboard in the dining room to retrieve a bottle and two glasses. When she returned, Sterling took them from her and poured.
“Thank you,” she offered when he handed her a glass.
She took a sip and closed her eyes and welcomed the burn down the back of her throat then warmth in her stomach before she looked at Sterling.
“I wish you would have told me what my mother was about.”
Caroline sank down onto the bed, thankful to have something else to think about. “To tell you the truth, I did not know what to do. When she asked me to assist, I did not know you, but I knew your mother and she asked it of me.”
He stared at her not saying anything and she waited to see if he was angry with her even though he had not been upset with his mother.
“I understand,” he finally said. “At least you did not lie to me when I asked.”
“I did not tell you anything,” she reminded him. There was much that she wasn’t telling him.
“No. You held my mother’s confidence, which I respect, but you let me know that my suspicions were correct when you could have lied to me.”
Her stomach tightened. Did he believe an omission was the same as a lie?
“It has been a difficult position,” she answered honestly. “Except, I think that after Stellenbosch, I went along not so much because she asked, but because I wanted to share those adventures with you.” She gazed into his blue eyes so that he would know she was sincere.
“That is good to know,” he chuckled. “There is still something that my mother said that concerns me.”
Her stomach tightened, because Caroline was certain that she already knew or maybe it was because of her guilty conscious.
“When my mother said that you took on more responsibility than I can possibly know, what did she mean?”
Caroline stood and strolled to the window. “It is her opinion, that is all. I simply do my part in being of assistance where I can be.”
“Companion, sometimes gardener, secretary, and housekeeper?”
Caroline shrugged, not really answering because she could not look him in the eye and lie.
“Has the brandy helped relax you?” he asked.
“Yes,” she answered quietly. “Though, I do believe that it will take time before the terror is truly gone.”
He came up from behind and placed his arms around her and kissed her cheek. “Would you like for me to stay with you tonight?”
She did, if only for the comfort of his arms, but feared that her daughter might suffer a nightmare and come to her bed and Caroline did not want Livia to discover Sterling there. First, she did not want to have to explain and second, she couldn’t have her daughter telling anyone.
“It is probably best if you leave,” she finally said. “There will be an early start tomorrow and I may go above and watch over Livia.”
“I understand.” Sterling kissed her cheek again and then walked to the door “Sleep well, Caroline, I will see you tomorrow.” Then he was gone.
Caroline watched as Sterling crossed the terrace then returned the brandy to her office and washed the glasses so that her father did not ask questions.
There was so much more to Sterling than being an arrogant earl, unyielding owner of vineyards, and an incredible lover. He was strong, yet vulnerable, and a man who had saved her daughter.
He was also her friend and she would miss him terribly when he was gone.
But, most of all, she was in love with him, even more so after he had remained calm to save her daughter.