Jack turned to Andrew. “This is your fault for meddling. How could you let him play with her feelings?”
Andrew stood. “I thought he was in love with her. His affection seemed obvious.”
“Obviously false!” Jack roared.
Caroline shook her head. “No, he does l-love me. That’s why it’s all so h-horrible.”
“I’m going to kill him!” Jack started past her toward the door.
She grabbed his arm. “Don’t do that, p-please.” She sniffled.
Jack stared down at her for a long moment, then sighed. He enveloped her in his embrace, and Caroline let loose, crying out all her pain against her brother’s broad shoulder.
Chapter 44
Cage pulled his horse to a stop at the gates to Taitlands Park. Fear sat like a stone in his gut. Fear that Grace wouldn’t be here. Fear that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life by leaving Caroline. Fear that all the ghosts of this place would overwhelm him if he crossed its border and rode home.
Taking a deep breath, he nudged his horse forward. The park looked the same. Mature aspens shaded the long lane that led to the manor. The park opened up as he approached the circular drive. To the right, a gleaming lake lay at the far end of the manicured lawns. To the left, the massive stables dominated the landscape. Taitlands had once housed the very finest horses in the south of England. His grandfather had brought home the best horses from his travels across the Arabian Peninsula and bred award-winning stallions. Cage’s father never had the same passion for horses. He sold most of the horse stock for coin to invest in his financial interests, mostly shipping ventures to India and beyond.
Cage dismounted and stared up at the house. The red brick manor stood three stories tall. The tall windows which previously, at the master’s instance, always gleamed in the sun now looked dull with grime. But the white limestone trim around them still made for a pretty façade. The shrubbery along the front of the house was overgrown. These little details would have set the old earl into spasms of anger. But it didn’t surprise Cage, as he had only left a skeleton staff, headed by Mrs. Greer, to run the place. Not yet ready to cross the threshold into the house, he turned left to lead Sullivan up to the stable.
About a hundred yards ahead, he spotted Grace and William standing at the paddock fence. They stood elbow to elbow, their backs to him, looking at horses grazing on the far side. William pointed at something, and Grace turned toward him, her smileso bright Cage could feel its warmth from where he stood. Then William reached out and gently stroked his fingers down her cheek.
What the hell?Cage stood motionless as he watched the intimate exchange. Then Grace glanced up and spotted him. She gave a small wave. She and William started walking toward him. Cage shook off his surprise and met them halfway.
Grace smiled. “I wondered if you’d figure out where I went.”
“Caroline was the one who figured it out.”
William nodded. “She is a clever one.” He glanced briefly over at Grace. “Here, let me take Sullivan for you, my lord. I’ll get him rubbed down and settled.” He took hold of Sullivan’s reins.
Cage unlatched his leather carryall from behind the saddle and let William lead the horse to the stable.
“Have you been in to see Mrs. Greer?”
Cage shook his head. “I’ve just arrived.” He swung the bag’s strap over one shoulder.
“Walk with me in the garden?” she asked.
Cage offered her his arm. Grace stepped forward, slid her hand through the crook of his elbow, and they headed down the slope. “Have you been inside?” he asked.
“Yes, we arrived yesterday afternoon. I couldn’t possibly avoid Mrs. Greer. She almost swooned when she saw me, the dear thing.” She squeezed his arm. “It’s not as bad as you’d think. The house feels tranquil. It’s like all the terrible tension left with him.”
They walked past the house to the back gardens. Cage tossed his bag onto the low stone wall that separated the upper terrace from the long shallow pools of the lower terraces. They stepped down shallow stone stairs to walk alongside the pools in companionable silence, their boots crunching in the pea gravel. At the end of the third one, Grace nodded to a stone bench. “Let’s sit.”
“Grace, why did you come back here?”
“When we traveled to Stoneleigh earlier in the week, we passed right by the front gates. I couldn’t stop wondering if there was anything left of my mother here or if he had rid himself of all her things.”
He could see how important it would be to Grace. She had left with him that day six years ago without taking a single item from the house.
“The more guests that arrived at Stoneleigh for Caroline’s birthday, the more anxious I became. I asked William if he would bring me here.” She turned to face him. “Cage, I think I’m ready to explain what happened with Harlow.”
His breath caught. Was he ready to hear what happened? He nodded. “I’m ready to listen.”
“Phineas Harlow came to town as a traveling salesman for a wholesale draper. He sold the most beautiful fabric at the monthly fair in town. We talked and flirted for months. Then one day, Mr. Smethwick sat me down and told me he had received news that you had been killed in battle.” Her brow furrowed, and her lips pursed. “Although, thinking back, he never actually showed this missive. I was too distraught even to ask to see it. He said without the income, they couldn’t possibly board me anymore. That he would have to send me back to my father.”
“I panicked. All week I tried to think of what to do, where I could go. The same crushing loneliness I felt when my mother died lay atop me each night. That Saturday, I went to the fair to see Harlow. He listened to me, and then to my surprise, he proposed. Said all the sweet words I needed to hear. Told me I was not alone, that we would go to London, get married, and set up our own shop.” She sighed deeply and was silent for several long moments.
