Lady Wyndham chuckled again. “He is not here. He has…he had matters to attend to in town.”
The way Lady Wyndham hesitation made Caroline wonder if there wasn’t something she was hiding. Then again, the reason for Elliot being gone could be as simple as it was not something a child would understand. Not that it mattered anyway because she was certain his absence had nothing to do with Sterling since he had sailed away yesterday.
With that thought, her heart painfully contracted and she looked way and blinked as tears stung her eyes.
How could she love someone so deeply, without even realizing how much until he was gone?
Oh, life was easier when one did not love.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Sterling sank downas far as he could, wishing the hipbath was large enough that the hot water could reach his shoulders. As it was, his knees were bent as far as his legs would allow and he wasn’t at all comfortable, so he pulled himself up so that his back was supported and the water only reaching as far as his waist.
Elliot stirred Dover’s Powder into a glass of water then handed it to Sterling. He forced himself to drink it despite the bitterness and hoped that it worked quickly to relieve the pounding in his head.
“Eat this” Elliot held out a slice of bread. “It could help settle your stomach.”
Sterling took the offering but it only made him thirsty again. “Could you refill the water?”
Elliot did as asked and Sterling alternated between eating the bread and drinking the water as his steaming bath began to cool and some of the pain began to ease from his neck and shoulders.
When he couldn’t eat anymore, he set both glass and bread aside, leaned back and closed his eyes.
“Coffee?” Elliot asked.
That was exactly what he needed. “How did you know?” Sterling asked without opening his eyes.
“I have been in the same condition and likely a lot more often than you.”
Elliot had been the one to enjoy life to the fullest until he sailed toMaderia, as their father had insisted before he died. Though, he supposed his brother may still be enjoying ale, wine, and every variety of women God had created. It wasn’t as if such vices were only limited to England.
Sterling leaned forward and washed his hair and body with the soap provided, then rose and wrapped himself in a towel, tucking the end at his waist.
With a sigh he turned to face Elliot who had made himself quite comfortable on his bed, pillows stacked behind his head and back, half sitting, booted feet crossed at the ankles, and his arms crossed over his middle wearing a devil-may-care grin that Sterling was certain his brother had been born with.
“What?” Sterling demanded.
“I am simply enjoying my eldest brother’s loss of control for possibly the first time in your life.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Sterling grumbled.
“You were always the most like Father: disciplined, serious, never one to step out of line, and certainly never drank to excess because you had duties that you must attend to, yet, I found you bloody drunk last night.” He grinned again. “Care to tell me why?”
“No, I do not.” Sterling grabbed a pair of trousers.
“Then tell me about… what was her name? Ah, yes, Caroline.”
Sterling glared at his brother. First, he hated Elliot’s description of his personality. Or maybe he hated that his brother was correct. Second, he did not want to discuss Caroline.
“Why are you here?” Sterling countered instead of answering.
“I decided visit Mother.”
“You could have visited Southampton if you wanted to travel.”
“Yes, you have our brothers whereas I am without family as is Mother. Of course, I never even considered that you might be visiting as well and was rather shocked to realize that the ship I saw in the harbor, that I had assumed was here to collect barrels of wine, hadactually delivered you. Of course, I did not know that until I spoke with the captain and learned that you would soon depart so I hurried to Wyndview Farm only to find out that you had left.”
Sterling frowned. Had Elliot arrived after he had left the ship that led to him getting drunk? He must have since the captain only knew he left the ship, not where he had gone and likely assumed he’d returned to Wyndview Farm.
