She couldn’t. She couldn’t betray her sister. Even now, when her sister had left her alone with this mess to clean up. She had to safeguard Prudence and keep her from any harm.
She watched the duke carefully. Ifhestarted telling secrets, it would be a different story. If he decided to reveal that the two of them had met before, she would have no secrets that required safeguarding, and then shewouldbe able to reveal what she knew about him.
He must have realized that was the case, because although his eyes widened briefly upon seeing her so that she knew he had recognized her, he turned away quickly, saying nothing.
He focused his attention instead on Caroline’s father. “Baron Highgate. Always a pleasure to see you and your family.”
“The pleasure is mine, Your Grace,” Caroline’s father said. “And I believe you are meeting some of us for the first time. Everyone, this is His Grace the Duke of Mowbray. Your Grace, you already know my wife, Lady Highgate. And this is my niece, Lady Bridget, and my daughter, Lady Caroline.”
“Ah.” The duke inclined his head. “Lady Bridget, how lovely to make your acquaintance. And Lady Caroline…” He lingered for a moment, looking at her. “It’s a lovelydressyou’re wearing today,” he said at last, his tone pointed.
Caroline stared.
She knew exactly what he was doing, of course. It couldn’t be any more apparent, the way he was referencing the first time they had met. She was shocked that he had the audacity to stand there and do that right in front of her family. But perhaps she shouldn’t have been. He had already shown himself to have staggering audacity.
Was he going to give her away after all?
No, she didn’t think he would. That comment had been made for her benefit, not for the rest of the family’s—he was trying to make sure she knew she had been recognized. Well, if that was what he wanted, he had it. She knew well enough. What she didn’t know was what the result of her moment of indiscretion would be.
Now the duke was looking around. “And where is Lady Prudence?” he asked. “I came here today hoping to see my bride-to-be, but she doesn’t seem to be among you.”
“She—well, no, she isn’t here today,” Caroline’s father said.
The duke’s face darkened. “What do you mean, she isn’t here? Where is she, then? We’re to be married tomorrow, after all. There are preparations that must be made, or doesn’t she take that seriously?”
“I—well—we think she may have gone to her aunt,” Caroline’s father managed.
The duke’s jaw clenched. “To heraunt?”
“My daughter is very young, Your Grace. She is understandably nervous at the prospect of marriage. We’ve sent a letter to my sister in hopes of discovering her whereabouts and bringing her back, and in the meantime?—”
“In the meantime, you sent this one to the tavern to keep an eye on me, I suppose? Is that what you were really doing there?”He whirled on Caroline. “Speak! What kind of trickery are you trying to pull?”
“I don’t understand,” Caroline’s father interjected. “What’s all this about the tavern?”
“Don’t play dumb. You know your daughter here was at the tavern last night in the garb of a common boy, watching me—I’m sure you sent her there yourself. This one a spy and the other one missing? I should never have gotten involved in this family’s affairs.”
“Caroline, what is he talking about?” her father demanded, whirling on her.
But Caroline couldn’t manage to respond. All her attention was currently reserved for the duke, who had betrayed her after all.
“And what of you?” she demanded. “You hurl accusations at me, but what wereyoudoing in that tavern mere nights before your wedding to my sister?”
“So, youwerethere to spy on me,” the duke said triumphantly.
“Of course I wasn’t. Not everything in the world is about you,Your Grace, although I suppose you must have grown used to the idea that it is. I suppose it’s been a very long time since you encountered anyone who did anything that wasn’t about you.”
“Caroline, for heaven’s sake—we’re in enough trouble,” her father snapped.
The duke folded his arms across his chest. “I came here to claim a bride, and now you’re telling me she’s run away,” he said darkly. “This is a humiliation I won’t bear, Highgate. Something will have to be done.” He lifted his eyebrows and waited.
He’s waiting for Father to think of a solution, Caroline realized. For the first time since this mess had started—while she still didn’t agree with it—she understood why her parents had been more concerned about a blow to their reputation caused by her sister’s running away. It was going to be a serious problem for the whole family, and she didn’t know how they were going to solve it.
And then she heard her own name and began to pay attention to the conversation once more.
“Caroline is not promised in marriage to anyone,” her father was saying. “I know you came here hoping to marry Prudence, but in light of this—situation, I’m more than happy to offer my other daughter. Caroline is the elder of the two, so no one would question it too much. They would believe readily enough that we simply changed our minds about who you were to marry. And as you can see, she’s every bit as lovely as her sister.”
Caroline thought this was stretching things a bit. Prudence was the most beautiful of the three sisters. It had always seemed obvious to her that Prudence would have the least trouble of any of them in finding a husband. But it was also true that she wasn’thorrible to look at. With her slender frame, soft brown hair, and hazel eyes, she could imagine a gentleman finding her attractive enough to marry.
