Her mother took in a deep breath, her chest rising and falling before she spoke again. “Caroline, Lord Warick has asked me to marry him. And I am considering saying yes.”
Caroline choked on her biscuit. She coughed to clear the crumbs from her throat. Her mother shoved a cup of tea into her hands, and Caroline took a large sip. “Aren’t you too old to get married again?” she blurted out.
“Caroline!”
“I’m sorry, Mother. That was rude.” Shocked to her bones, she leaned forward to set down her cup and saucer on the table. Her mother marrying Lord Warrick? She knew that he had been a good friend to both her father and mother for years. And that he and her mother had enjoyed a special friendship for years. But marriage?
“First of all, I am fifty-two. Hardly ready for the infirmary. Second, I never thought I would love someone else after your father. Warrick was your father’s best friend. He and I mourned his death together, and over the years, we have become very close. Life moves on, sometimes rather unexpectedly. And truth be told, he asked me to marry him five years ago, but I told him I needed to have all my chicks settled before I would even consider it.” A small smile turned up the corners of lips. “He has been very patient.”
Caroline knew how much her mother and father had loved each other. Her father had been the center of their world, and Caroline missed his larger-than-life presence. He had been gruff and stern, especially with her brothers. But the duke hada soft spot for his womenfolk. Caroline used to sneak into his study while he worked or discussed business with his steward. He would pick her up, settle her against his broad chest, and continue on like it was perfectly normal to conduct business with a small girl in his lap.
She studied the smile on her mother’s face, and the happiness that shone in her eyes. “Well, beyond my initial surprise, I am happy for you. Lord Warrick is kind and quite handsome for an older gentleman. I have always liked him.”
Her mother’s lips twitched again. “Thank you for your support. Now, you, of course, are welcome to live in our new household. But Andrew and Emma have assured me you are welcome to stay here with them.”
Another wave of surprise rolled through Caroline. Of course, her mother and Lord Warrick would have their own home. But did she want to leave Gilchrest House to live with two newlyweds?
“I think perhaps I will stay here. This is home for me.”
“Or you could choose a gentleman at last and have your own household.” Her mother chided gently. “Listen, my dear. I know why you don’t want to marry. After being kidnapped by that despicable Valentine, I can’t blame you for being scared to choose. I also know you fancied yourself in love with Valentine and that he did not turn out to be the man you thought he was. But your fear of making the wrong choice has frozen you into making no choice at all.”
Her mother’s words hit their mark. Not surprising, as she knew Caroline better than anyone else. How did one make sure that they were choosing a husband wisely? She had fallen for Valentine’s smooth words of affection and rushed headlong into love. And look how that had turned out. Your husband owned all that you had, your money, your body, and your children in a marriage. Choosing wisely was paramount.
“Mother, you know most of those men simply want my dowry.”
“That may be true, but it does not make them bad men. It makes them smart men.”
Caroline sighed and slumped down in her chair. This was not the first conversation she’d had with her mother about getting married. But now she knew why her mother had been anxious to march her down the aisle. Helen Langdon wanted to move forward with her own life, and Caroline was her last loose thread.
Yes, she had not met a man yet that would tempt her to give up her freedom to become someone’s wife. But what would she do with her life? Her thoughts flitted to Alice. It had felt good to help. To be trusted with something important. To find out, she had more nerve than she thought possible. Caroline took another sip of tea.
“Caroline, I beg you to consider Lord Devonshire’s proposal. He could make a good match. Perhaps you will find over time that you care for each other. That’s how it was with your father and me. When I married him at eighteen, I knew just the facts about him, but he turned out to be so much more than just a list of qualifications.”
Guilt and her mother’s expectations sat like a rock in the pit of her stomach. A good daughter would listen to her mother. But she would not choose Devonshire. “Mother, beyond seeking me out for a dance at the Jacobson ball, he has shown little interest in me. I doubt he would make anything but a very cold and distant husband.”
Her mother reached across to squeeze Caroline’s hand. “Well, perhaps we can create some opportunity for the two of you to get to know each other better. Just consider him, all right?”
Caroline nodded. “Yes, Mother.”
Chapter 11
Later that night, Caroline exited the house from the kitchens. Confident that her dark blue muslin gown would blend into the shadows, she hurried across the lawns to the mews. William waited for her next to a plain black carriage.
“Thank you, William, for accompanying me tonight. We are headed to St. Martins Lane in Covent Gardens. I want you to pull up about halfway down the street. I won’t be leaving the carriage tonight, just observing the scene. Your job will be to watch out for trouble. Understand?”
“Yes, ma’am. Don’t you worry, I won’t let anyone get near the carriage.” William nodded and turned to open the carriage door.
Caroline was relieved that her bodyguard wasn’t inclined to be curious. She stepped into the dim interior of the carriage, and they were off. Traveling through the streets of London at night always made her feel like an interloper. Something about the dark streets caused her to shiver. She usually kept the curtains closed when they traveled back and forth to parties or the opera. Each time the carriage door opened, it was to the bright torch-lit venues to which she was so familiar. Tonight she gazed out the window. From now on, she must be brave; she would no longer shut out what happened in the night. She wanted to shine a light on a problem, and that couldn’t be accomplished by keeping her curtains shut.
The carriage drove past Hyde Park, through her neighborhood’s wide streets, then headed south on Bond Street to Piccadilly. Stylish townhomes replaced the grand homes of Mayfair as they traveled east. Then the streets narrowed as they headed toward their destination. The cheerful glow of lights from The Theatre Royal showed how many people were out to have fun this Saturday night. Caroline craned her neck to stare at the throngs as the carriage made a turn to the right. Streetlampslit the narrow street, and Caroline observed a mix of houses and small businesses.
Even at the late hour of the night, a fair amount of people walked up and down the street. Some with purpose, heads down, these folks strode toward their destination. Perhaps home to a warm bed at the end of a long workday. Some people strolled along, in pairs or as a small group. Talking and laughing, they were out to find a good time. The carriage pulled to a stop, rocking as William climbed down from the box.
He opened the door halfway and peered in at her. “You sure this is the street, miss?” He glanced around with a frown. “This here is nothing but taverns and closed up shops.”
She glanced down the street. She was sure. Mrs. Kelly’s house of ill repute was number two St. Martins Ln. The house was down about halfway, its number illuminated by the streetlamp. Light spilled from around closed curtains in all the windows. The front door was painted a vibrant blue. Two doors down was a lively tavern named the Red Lion. Music spilled out through the open front door; a lovely soprano voice sang to the accompaniment of a fiddle.
“Yes, William, this is where we will stay. I have some interest in the comings and goings of number two. It’s purported to be a bawdy house.” William’s eyebrows shot up. “Let’s just see who is frequenting the place, shall we?”
