Chapter Forty-Eight
Caroline didn’t sleep a wink. Once her few belongings were packed and ready to go, and she had written letters to Megan, Alanna, and Sorcha, she sat and stared out at the old tower on the hill.
She traced its outlines with her fingertip, fixed it in her memory to keep her warm and remind her of happiness in the years to come.
At dawn, she slipped out of her room to put the letters in the girls’ rooms.
She almost ran into Sophie in the hall.
She wasn’t dressed for the wedding. She was dressed for travel. Sophie let out a frightened squeak at the sight of Caroline. “Oh, Caro, you startled me!”
“Are you getting ready for the wedding so early?” Caroline asked.
Sophie lifted her chin. “I’ve decided not to marry Glenlorne. In fact, I’m leaving. If Lottie can do it, so can I.”
Caroline’s jaw dropped. “But why—” She spun at the sound of footsteps behind her, and found William creeping out of his room, dressed as well.
“Caroline!” he cried in surprise, and dropped the valise he was carrying. He whipped off his top hat and hid it behind his back. He looked at Sophie, his face flushing.
“I suppose you’ve caught us, Caroline. We’re eloping,” Sophie said. She moved to stand with William, linking her arm through his. He put his hand on hers, and she saw Lottie’s ring on Sophie’s finger.
“What?” Caroline stared at them.
“I would never have been happy here at Glenlorne. I hate the Highlands, and Alec simply doesn’t love me, and I can see now that he could never love me.
He’s honorable, and since my father left him little choice but to take me, he would have married me, despite the fact that he’s in love with someone else. ”
William’s eyes widened. “Really? Who?”
Caroline felt her face heat, but Sophie ignored William’s question.
“I couldn’t bear to be married to a man who did not adore me. William adores me, and I have discovered that I adore him too. We have much in common, while Alec and I—” She shrugged. “I think he’ll be relieved rather than distressed when he finds I’ve gone.”
“William, is this because of Lottie? Is your pride so hurt?”
“No, I can see that Lottie is quite right. We wouldn’t suit. Sophie doesn’t care a jot for adventures or long walks in the hills or views from mountaintops.”
“And William understands the importance of the perfect shade of yellow,” Sophie gushed. She came forward to squeeze Caroline’s arm. “Don’t look so stricken, Caro. I understand, I really do. I wish you only happiness, whatever happens.”
Caroline felt a sharp stab of panic and guilt. “I’m leaving, Sophie, today, with Lottie. This isn’t necessary. There’s nothing—” Sophie stopped her with a smile.
“If he’d looked at me the way he looks at you, even once—well, he didn’t, and that’s that.”
“I trust you won’t tell him!” William said. “If Glenlorne finds out I’ve stolen Sophie away, he may feel obliged to come after us and challenge me to a duel, and you know what a poor shot I’ve always been, Caro, and I’m even worse with a sword. Not that I wouldn’t fight for Sophie, of course.”
“Oh, William,” Sophie breathed, and stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
She turned and smiled at Caroline, and Caroline saw all the happiness on her face that a bride should feel.
“Do wish Glenlorne the very best when you do see him. It’s quite obvious to me that adventures only serve to show us where we truly belong.
William is where I belong. Good-bye, Caroline. ”
Caroline watched them go, stunned. Another door opened, and a small troupe of servants in Somerson livery jostled past her, bearing the boxes, trunks, and baggage they’d carried into Glenlorne Castle just one week and three days earlier.
Lottie came out of her room, and had to press herself against the wall. “Goodness, what a crush! Fortunately Mama brought only the essentials on this trip. It takes four trips to move everything she needs for the Season to from Somerson Park to the London house.” Lottie said. “Are you ready to go?”
Caroline stared across the gallery, out the window at Glenlorne Tower.
It seemed to ask the same question. She pictured Alec sitting in the chapel, waiting for his bride, pacing the stone floor before the altar as the Reverend Mr. Parfitt tapped his long fingers on the prayer book and mopped his brow.
The villagers would be awake by now, dressed in their finest, donning MacNabb kilts, sashes, and tams and heading up the glen toward the castle behind the pipers to witness their laird’s wedding.
Alec would be there when the door to the chapel opened at last, and he wouldn’t understand, would never know what happened when Sophie didn’t come. Caroline shut her eyes. It was all her fault.
“Caroline?” Lottie asked, her brow furrowing.
She should go. She should follow Lottie down the stairs and never look back. She took the first step, and stopped.
“I have to find Alec and tell him,” she said, and ran down the stairs.