“He… saw me leave the ball with the baron, suspected I might be in trouble, and came along in the nick of time.” Caroline didn’t need to explain how she’d kneed her attacker in his private place. “And then… He took care of him.”
Her words left her brother silent.
Reed turned to stare out the window, and his shoulders slumped. “Huh,” he said.
“Lord Dankworth’s left the country,” she added, just in case he thought he needed to defend her honor.
“I know. Because of Maxwell Black.” Reed turned back to study her. “But that begs the question, why? Why would he do that?”
Why? Well… Caroline searched for the best response. “Because I’m his society writer. If not for my job with the paper, I would not have gone walking outside.”
“I cannot believe you did that.” He threw his arms up. “What did you intend to do? Climb a tree hoping to see the next scandal to run in the Gazette?”
Before she could answer, however, the door cracked open and Goldie’s face appeared. “Good morning, Caroline. The newspaper is absolutely fabulous today.” Closing the door behind her, she shot her husband a knowing glance, and then an apologetic one in Caroline’s direction.
“I had to tell him, Caroline. When I read what happened, I remembered that it was you who’d missed the supper dance and…”
“Mother sent for me. I would have found out eventually,” Reed finished for his wife, reaching out and taking her hand almost as though he couldn’t be in the same room without touching her. “Black really took care of Dankworth on his own?”
“As far as I know,” Caroline answered. She hadn’t asked him for any details. He’d simply told her she needn’t worry, and she trusted him. “He’s not as bad as you think,” she added.
Reed made a scoffing sound but didn’t argue. Even he had to appreciate it when a gentleman took it upon himself to protect one of his sisters.
Taking advantage of what felt like a temporary truce, Caroline turned to Goldie. “How is your mother?”
But when Goldie’s face fell, she almost wished she hadn’t asked.
“Father sent her home—to Cross Castle.”
“Because of my stupid article?”
“I’m afraid so. I suppose he was bound to find out eventually.” Goldie sighed, forcing a weak smile.
Which meant Goldie would not be able to reconcile with her mother, and Goldie’s older sister would be alone for most, if not all, of her confinement.
All because Caroline had wanted to write a good story—a story that would be noticed. And it had been, only by the wrong person. “I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t blame yourself. Ultimately, it’s my father’s fault. Nia and I betrayed him, and he’s determined to punish us for it.”
“Words are powerful, Caro,” Reed added, which she found particularly annoying because that was what she’d been trying to tell him ever since they’d been forced to move to London.
But she was the one who’d exposed that the Duchess of Crossing had spent time with her daughters—all so she would have a story to write.
“I am so sorry. I promise to be more careful in the future.”
“You won’t have to be careful, because you’re finished writing articles for Black’s gossip section.”
Caroline pursed her lips. “Mother approves.” She loved Reed with all her heart, but he needed to realize she was her own person.
“She isn’t hurting anyone by writing them,” Goldie pointed out in soothing tones, one hand rubbing her husband’s back as she tugged him off Caroline’s bed.
Caroline intentionally looked away. Because following her... activities with Max, she suspected her brother and Goldie might embark on similar ones.
And she absolutely did not want that image burned into her brain.
“That’s not the problem, Sunshine.” Reed spoke in tones he reserved exclusively for Goldie. “You know that better than anyone.”
“Right, but no one even knows it’s her. They all think the articles were written by Lady Philomena.”
