Despite his earlier insistence that it would be impossible to know someone well enough to determine if he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, it had happened. He had fallen in love with Caroline and he wanted to be with her whether it was here or in England, or both as often as they managed to sail between the two.
Once they were again headed back to Wyndview Farm, they spoke little. In fact, they were all exhausted from the climb. Kaya and Malikhad fallen asleep, as well as Caroline, who had drifted off, her arm cradling her head on the side of the wagon while Sterling was coming to accept that he had fallen in love when he thought it was something that he would be denied.
He also wasn’t certain what to do with such information.
Did he tell her?
What if she rejected him? What if she only saw him as a temporary lover, and that was all she wanted? Then what would he do?
It was likely best to just wait before he told her. The harvest would begin tomorrow and instead of confessing his heart, he would do his best to make her fall in love with him too.
He still wondered why his mother kept sending him away, and he had a new question. Why did she always insist that Caroline accompany him?
He had been under the impression that his mother was going to try and arrange a match for her with a local gentleman or military man? Did she now want to play matchmaker for him and Caroline?
Was it her plan that Sterling decide to never leave and forget about the earldom and leave Damian to manage Trade Wynd in his absence? Or did she expect him to take Caroline with him, which included her daughter Livia?
Or maybe her sending him off was for reasons he did not understand, which meant that he needed to ask her directly because Sterling knew she was up to something, he just didn’t know what. Therefore, as soon as they arrived back at Wyndview Farm, he jumped out of the wagon and strode into the house, leaving everyone behind and went in search of his mother who he knew would be in the lavender sitting room.
“What are you about, Mother?”
“Whatever do you mean?” she asked innocently.
“Almost from the moment I arrived, you have been sending me places. First, I had to accompany you and Mrs. Sutcliffe to a ball. Thenyou sent me to Stellenbosch, also with Mrs. Sutcliffe.”
“It was for Kaya and Malik,” she insisted.
He would wager that they had been used as an excuse.
“When we returned, you suggested that Mrs. Sutcliffe and I visit Boulder Beach and then today, you sent us to Table Mountain. My question is, where do you plan to send me tomorrow and will you insist that Mrs. Sutcliffe accompany me?”
“Her presence is a convenience because she knows the area better than you and if I am to be honest, I worry about Caroline.”
Some of his irritation slipped away. “Why?”
“She has taken on more responsibility than you could possibly know. Wyndview Farm is her home and nothing is more important to her, except for her daughter.”
“Wyndview Farm is her father’s responsibility,” Sterling reminded his mother. Caroline’s father was the estate manager, not her.
“I think she fears that she might be asked to leave if she has not created a position where she is needed. I also think she needs a purpose. She was rather lost when she arrived.”
“If she is so devoted to Wyndview Farm, how did you convince her to leave so often?”
His mother’s cheeks started to turn pink.
“When I questioned Mrs. Sutcliffe, she gave me the impression that she knew what you were about.”
His mother gasped. “Caroline would not dare betray my confidence.”
“Aha! You do have an ulterior motive.”
“What did Caroline tell you, dear?” she asked calmly as she folded her hands onto her lap.
“Nothing. What are you about, Mother?”
His mother drew in a deep sigh. “I worry about you as well, Sterling.”
“Why? I am perfectly content.”
