“Let’s go,” Caroline said to William. Alice’s hand firmly in her grasp, she led the way down the stairs and out to the front of the store. They emerged onto the street and quickly crossed to the waiting carriage.
William had been silent up until now. He helped Alice inside. Then he turned to Caroline to offer his assistance, and he said, “You’ve done a good thing today, miss. Anytime you need my help with your errands, you let me know.”
Chapter 7
Caroline stood dutifully next to her mother, half-listening as Lady Gilchrest and Lady Holden spoke about Lydia's marriage prospects, Lady Holden’s youngest and last remaining unmarried daughter.
“Do you know that James Dresden has been cut off by his uncle? Apparently, the young man has bought one too many a…” Lady Holden gave a glance in Caroline’s direction, then coughed into her hand delicately. “…a phaeton. Lord Butte said he simply won’t have his only heir squandering the family fortune on such devilry before he even inherits the title.”
Caroline’s mother nodded sagely, but Caroline noticed her eyes widened slightly at the news. “What is happening to young men these days? There’s another off your list then, Bea.”
Lady Holden sighed and nodded.
Caroline turned to look out at the room, rolling her eyes. If her mother didn’t think she knew what James Dresden was really spending his money on, she was sorely mistaken. She didn’t survive four seasons without overhearing some very choice gossip. And her adventure several days ago to rescue Alice had certainly opened her eyes to exactly the kind of entertainment men sought out. Really! If they weren’t wasting their money at the gaming table, they were trying to break their necks racing down Rotten Row or frequenting brothels to slake their lusty natures. She crossed her arms as she scanned the room. Where were Elizabeth and Danielle, or Lucy? She needed her friends to distract her from her foul mood.
Unfortunately, what she saw across the room was Lucius Gaylord and his group of friends. His crowd was exactly the type of scoundrels she had learned long ago to avoid. Standing in their midst was Lord Wrotham. His attention fastened onLavinia Tolbert, or rather, on her ample cleavage. She threw her head back and laughed up at him.
Caroline loathed Lady Tolbert. She narrowed her eyes as she watched Lord Wrotham lean in and flick at one of Lavinia’s long gold earrings. The way he looked at her could melt an ice sculpture in a snowstorm. Then he took his fingertip and ran it down the lady’s neck to the edge of her low-cut gown. Caroline’s mouth fell open. She glanced around, trying to see if anyone else had noticed such indecent behavior.
“Caroline, there you are. I wondered if you were here tonight.” Lucy Ashgrove appeared in her line of view, blocking the vile Lord Wrotham.
“Lucy, I’m so glad to see you.” She grasped her friend’s hands and kissed her on the cheek. “I am in an awful mood this evening. How will I make it through all the small talk at dinner?”
Lucy was Emma’s sister and one of Caroline’s very best friends. Her blonde hair was piled in ringlets atop her head, and she wore a gown of pale spring green that complimented her porcelain complexion. Lucy gave her a sympathetic look.
“You are the queen of polite dinner conversation. You could entertain your dinner partners in your sleep.”
“I would like to abdicate my crown then. I am just not in the mood to be witty.” She glanced over Lucy’s shoulder to see what Lord Wrotham was doing now. But he had already left Gaylord’s group. Wait, where was Miss Tolbert?
“Caroline, what are you frowning at?” Lucy turned to look over her shoulder in the direction of Caroline’s gaze. She wrinkled her nose.
“Why are men so vile?” Caroline huffed. She was sure Wrotham had disappeared with evil Lavinia to do God knows what.
“Oh, that sort of bad mood,” Lucy replied. She turned to Caroline’s mother, who was still deep in conversation next to them. “Your Grace, do you mind if I steal Caroline for a bit?”
At her mother’s distracted nod, Lucy took hold of Caroline’s elbow and steered them to stroll around the edge of the room.
“Who is the target of your ire tonight?”
“Oh, it doesn’t matter. Just someone I thought was a decent fellow until I saw him flirting with Lavinia Tolbert.”
“Now I must know who.”
Caroline felt silly already for caring about the behavior of a man she hardly knew. Luckily, they came upon her other two friends Elizabeth Barry and Danielle Brecourt.
“Ladies, I wondered if you would be here tonight.” She gave each of her friends a kiss on the cheek.
Danielle immediately imparted her latest on dit. “Did you hear that James Dresden got his funds cut off? How will he survive until his uncle finally keels over?”
“Perhaps with no money, he won’t be able to continue with such a desolate lifestyle.” Caroline pursed her lips together. He was precisely the kind of man that kept Elsie Gwyn in business.
“I heard from my older sister that his uncle didn’t approve of him spending so much money with,” Danielle raised her fan and whispered, “ladies of ill repute.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Really Danielle, it’s not like we can be overheard here in this corner. Besides, prostitutes are a fact of life. There are probably one or two here tonight. I’ll bet several of these old codgers have their mistresses with them.” She brushed an imaginary hair from the sleeve of her dress.
“Elizabeth, how can you be so blasé? Wouldn’t you be upset if your George were the kind of man to visit brothels?” Caroline pushed back against her friend’s attitude.
“He would never,” her friend stuttered.
