Chapter 20
CAROLINE
In a vain attempt to distract myself from worrying about what was happening between Auntie and Lord Kendrick, I tapped away at the keys of the pianoforte. I tried to play a song but couldn’t concentrate on the music.
What was he telling her? I’d felt the need to keep Henry’s actions secret from Auntie, but Kendrick wouldn’t lie to protect my brother. How upset would she be when she learned the truth?
I didn’t have to wait long before Auntie entered the room. “We need to talk.”
With a deep breath, I folded my hands in my lap and turned on the bench to face her. I looked past her, but of course Kendrick wasn’t there. She would have asked him to leave after their conversation.
Auntie’s stiff posture and the tight line of her jaw telegraphed her anger. I swallowed and stood. “About what, Auntie?”
She frowned. “Where is your brother?”
I closed my eyes briefly. Auntie did know, and there would be no avoiding her anger. Even worse was the knowledge that we’d disappointed her.
“He’s in his study.”
Hopefully without Lord Penham.
Aunt Augusta nodded and swept from the room. I hesitated, fighting the urge to flee. But Auntie had come to see me first, and that meant she expected me to follow her. She could have asked one of the servants where Henry was, but she’d said she wanted to talk to me as well.
I hurried after her and had just caught up when she stormed into Henry’s study.
My brother was seated at the desk, a frown of concentration on his face that turned into surprise as he looked up.
Unless I was mistaken, he was examining the accounting books.
He should have paid them more attention before he decided to gamble away all of his disposable income.
I tried not to think about how much he’d lost.
“I’m busy, perhaps we can speak later—”
“As you know,” Auntie said, “I’ve spoken to Viscount Kendrick. He shared some very distressing news with me.”
Henry rose to his feet. “You can’t believe anything he says.”
Auntie placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. I’ve been on the receiving end of those glares, and I was glad it was aimed at someone else right now.
“He showed me the promissory note, Henry. It was written in your hand.”
My brother stilled, and I could tell he was trying to come up with a convincing lie. But when he realized there was no way to avoid the truth, his posture deflated.
“I can’t believe you were so reckless. What could have possessed you to do such a thing?”
“It will work out—”
“You gave your sister away to settle a gambling debt! And to one of the Legendary Lords!”
Henry stiffened, and from his mutinous expression, I could tell he was going to try to bluster his way out of this. I folded my arms across my chest and waited to see what he would say.
“What I did was no different from what men do when they arrange marriages for their siblings or their daughters. All this nonsense about allowing a woman to choose—”
“She is your sister! And there is a great deal of difference between arranging an advantageous match for her and giving her to a known rogue to settle a gambling debt.”
Ignoring the slight against Kendrick, I turned to my brother. “Henry knows better than to arrange a marriage without my consent. He wouldn’t want the embarrassment of watching me refuse to say the wedding vows when prompted by the vicar.”
Henry pointed at me. “This is all your fault. If you’d just choose someone, we could all get on with our lives.” He turned to Auntie. “Kendrick is trying to get a rise out of me. He’s angry that I bested him—”
I laughed. “If you had to give him a promissory note, then it sounds like he’s the one who bested you.”
Henry ignored me. “I have the matter well in hand. You don’t need to worry.”
Auntie was holding herself dangerously still.
“I was tasked with introducing your sister to society. I promised your mother on her deathbed that I would ensure Caroline was taken care of. I thought she was being overly protective by insisting I oversee the task, that surely she’d be able to trust her son to take care of his sister.
But it seems your mother knew you’d bungle everything. ”
The color drained from Henry’s face, and I decided it was best to change the subject from our mother. “What exactly did Viscount Kendrick say?”
Auntie turned to face me. “Given the fact that everyone is talking about the unexpected attention he’s been showing you, I asked him about his intentions.”
My heart began beating faster, but I told myself it had nothing to do with Kendrick. I was simply concerned about the worry we’d caused Auntie. But I couldn’t seem to stop myself from asking, “What did he say?”
The pity in my aunt’s eyes was unmistakable. “He’s not looking for a bride.”
Auntie’s words shouldn’t have bothered me. Kendrick and I had already discussed this, so I wasn’t suffering from any illusions that he’d fall madly in love and want to marry me.
“Of course not. He’s a Legend, after all. Why would he be interested in marrying when he could have any number of women in his bed?”
Auntie’s mouth dropped open then snapped closed. “Please tell me you haven’t been one of those women.”
I wanted to scream at myself for my outburst. Somehow this conversation had turned from Henry’s wrongdoing to my own innocent actions. “Of course not. When have you known me to have my head turned by false flattery?”
Although I was fairly certain that Kendrick’s flattery hadn’t been false. Or had it?
Auntie turned back to Henry. “What are you going to do about this?”
Henry’s hands were fisted at his sides. “I have a plan.”
I scoffed. “Excuse me for not trusting you.” He winced at the word trust, which I’d used deliberately to remind him that our mother hadn’t trusted him either.
“You handed me over to another man without speaking to me first. And it wasn’t even a marriage agreement.
I am not a toy to be passed around amongst your friends and acquaintances at your whim. ”
Henry’s face was now red, and I know that our aunt’s presence was the only reason he wasn’t yelling at me now.
Auntie glanced between the two of us. Finally, after a tense silence that seemed to stretch forever, she flung her hands up. “What are we going to do? People are whispering. And when there’s no marriage announcement at the end of the season, Caroline will be ruined.”
I hesitated but then let out a long breath. I was going to have to give away my plans. “I still have my dowry.”
Henry came around the desk. “Absolutely not. You can’t be foolish enough to think he’ll marry you.”
I turned to snap at him. “You gave me to him. You have no say in what happens between the two of us now.”
Auntie placed a hand on my arm. “Perhaps we can leave London for the rest of the season. Kendrick won’t follow.”
I shook my head. “There’s no need. I’ve spoken to Lord Kendrick on this matter and we’ve reached an agreement.
” I saw the way Henry’s jaw tightened, but he wisely chose to remain silent.
“When I reach my age of majority, the dowry becomes mine. I have told Lord Kendrick that I will give him the money Henry owes him from those funds.”
Henry paced away then turned to face me again. “That money—”
“Is mine. It is supposed to go to my husband. And if I don’t marry, it will come to me.”
Auntie was watching my brother with a frown. Her gaze went to the open account books on his desk and back to him. “What have you done, Henry? Please tell me you have the money to settle your debts. Then your sister will be free from the man’s attention.”
Henry dropped into his chair. When he didn’t reply, Auntie reached for the account books.
Henry slammed the volume closed. “I have matters well in hand. I need to make a few arrangements first, then I’ll speak to Kendrick and clear up this whole mess.”
Auntie sighed. “You’d better hurry before your sister’s reputation is ruined.”
Henry snorted. “She’ll be fine. Everyone wants her. And Penham—”
“I am never going to marry Penham,” I said, refusing to let him finish that sentence.
I turned and stormed from the room. But I couldn’t help worrying about what my brother was going to do now.