Chapter Thirty-Five
Sterling’s mouth hadgone dry when Caroline stepped into the sitting room wearing old, worn trousers and a loose cotton shirt. No wonder women wore skirts. If they went about dressed in this manner, it would be impossible for men to accomplish anything because they would be too busy lusting after them.
He should probably not follow her on the trail because he would spend too much time watching her perfect bum and would be in an uncomfortable state by the time they reached the top.
His mother picked up the leather satchel. “Perhaps Livia would like to draw if you are not going to.”
It was almost as if his fingers tingled with the very idea of grasping a pencil again. He had enjoyed it in his youth, but duty had forced him to set it aside. However, there was no reason why he could not take pleasure in it while he was here, and when he sailed home. Once he was back in England, he could set it aside again.
“No, I will keep it.”
He lifted the satchel and flung the strap over his shoulder so that it crossed his body instead of dragging down his arm. It had always been too big for him when he was younger. Now it was perfect.
They set out, the four of them in the back of the wagon, each person carried a satchel that held what they would need when they arrived at the top such as a loaf of bread, wine, cups, dried meats, cheeses, and fruits. He had added heavier items to his and Malik’ssatchels while Caroline’s and Kaya’s satchels held the lighter picnic necessities.
The driver would remain at the base of the mountain with the wagon and horses while they hiked up.
He knew that his mother had once again found an excuse to send him from the house, but he no longer minded since he was able to spend the day with Caroline, the surprising delight he discovered at Wyndview Farm who was right in front of him, walking stick in hand, satchel at her side, hiking up the mountain with her perfectly rounded bum pulling at the fabric of her trousers.
Maybe that was what he should sketch once they arrived at the top, though it was a sight that Sterling doubted he would ever forget.
*
Caroline had forgottenhow difficult the climb could be but once she gazed out and across Table Bay and down the Cape Peninsula, she was awed and quickly forgot that she had been out of breath and perspiring by the time they reached the top.
Sterling came to stand beside her.
“It is beautiful, is it not?”
“Spectacular,” he agreed, then took a deep breath.
“Are you thirsty, Lord Wyndview?” Kaya called.
Caroline turned to see that the servants were setting out the picnic for them to enjoy.
The climb had been just as difficult for those two, but given Sterling was an earl, he might not invite them to sit.
“As I am certain you are,” he responded as he walked to where the blanket had been spread out.
“Join me, Mrs. Sutcliffe,” he called.
Caroline wandered over and settled on the blanket. It was good to rest her legs.
“Malik, Kaya.” He gestured to areas of the blanket not yet occupied. “We could all use with a rest and I am certain you are as famished as I am.”
The newlywed couple shared a look of uncertainty before they slowly walked forward and dropped to their knees.
The food they had brought was arranged in the middle and while Caroline first poured water for everyone, Sterling opened the bottle of wine.
“When I told the other stable hands where we were going, they insisted that the climb was impossible and that we would turn around and return to Wyndview Farm,” Malik told them.
“Difficult, yes. Impossible, no.”
Caroline had heard the same before she, her father, and William had made the climb not long after they had first arrived. He had also hired a guide to bring them to the top.
After they had finished eating, Kaya and Malik wandered off and Sterling took the sketchbook out of his satchel and settled upon a boulder and began drawing.
Caroline was the one who gathered the food and returned the remains to the various satchels and then settled on the blanket and looked out to enjoy the fabulous view and waited for Sterling to be done sketching and for Malik and Kaya to…whatever they were doing since they had wandered a little further away. She hoped that they were careful and did not get too close to the edge.
