She strained and tried to locate them below, but could not, which did not calm her.
With a heavy sigh, she returned to Lady Wyndham to inform her of the meals to come.
“Why are you distressed?” Lady Wyndham demanded.
Caroline thought she hid her discomfort, but apparently, she had not. “Your son is looking for my father.”
Lady Wyndham’s blonde eyebrows drew together over the light-blue eyes. “Why?”
“He wanted to tour the estate. I offered to accompany him, but he reminded me that I had to meet with Cook.” Caroline narrowed her eyes on Lady Wyndham because there was no reason why she could not plan menus herself.
“You worry too much, Caroline,” Lady Wyndham dismissed her.
Her father was no different than Lady Wyndham and if he told her one more time, “You worry too much,” Caroline would scream.
Did neither one of them realize the consequences of her and her father’s duplicity being discovered by the owner of the estate?
“Would you please ring for tea?” Lady Wyndham requested then turned her gaze to the gardens.
“Of course.” Caroline strode to the bellpull and tried not to sigh. It would do no good to force a confrontation with the older woman, because just like her father, Lady Wyndham was set in her ways.
The two were very specific in where their interests lay and had no desire to pay attention to anything they deemed tiresome.
While Lady Wyndham had that privilege, her father did not. He was paid to attend to certain details—many of which he ignored.
Lady Wyndham slowly turned to Caroline, her eyes grave. “My son needs to concern himself less with an estate that he will likely never visit again and put his mind to more serious matters.”
Was she finally beginning to accept or at least understand the difficulties of Wyndham being underfoot and would no longer bedismissive of her concerns?
“Such as finding a wife.” Was that not the reason she had claimed at the ball?
“I fear it is more serious,” Lady Wyndham admitted. “I fear that when he learns what we know about Wyndview Farm, and what you truly do for us, that he will change everything and maybe make me return to England.”
Caroline nearly sighed with relief that Lady Wyndham did understand the serious nature of their situation. “I cannot imagine he would do so,” Caroline assured her. There would be no purpose in forcing his mother to abandon her home.
“I am afraid of what will happen if Sterling askes too many pointed questions.”
Their eyes met in understanding.
“I need him distracted, even if it means sending him away.”
If he were gone, then they could all relax, and she could see to the duties that have been neglected since his arrival, even if he was gone only a few days. “Yes, but to where?”
Lady Wyndham slowly smiled. “To a place he begged to visit when he was a child.”
Chapter Eighteen
After finding Hallawayon one of the paths that separated two rows of grapevines, Sterling had followed and tried to ask questions, but Hallaway was too intent on studying nearly every bunch of grapes and occasionally taking one to taste before moving on.
“Are they ready?” one of his employees asked.
“Not yet,” Hallaway had answered.
The servant turned around and walked back to the large barn.
“When will they be?” Sterling had asked.
“Soon.”
