Once he was gone, Caroline flung herself onto her bed and cried until exhaustion overtook her.
Chapter Forty-Six
Sterling packed hisbelongings and had them delivered to the entry then asked that someone take him to the ship.
He had not slept last night but stood at his window and at times watched Caroline’s window.
Her lights burned until the early morning hours before they were extinguished.
Did guilt keep her awake or fear?
He wanted to believe that she loved him, but she had not been honest and deceived him. How could he trust anything that she said?
Had it been something personal or private, he likely would not have minded. But the secrets she held affected the entirety of Wyndview Farm. In fact, every employee, including his mother, kept the truth from him—their loyalty to Caroline.
That he could not forgive, nor could he trust her, no matter how much he had fallen in love with her.
It had to be love, otherwise his heart would not ache with such intensity.
“You are leaving?” his mother asked as she came down the stairs.
“I have the information I came for and it is time.”
“What of Caroline?”
“What of her?”
“I hadthought…”
“It matters not.”
“She did not lie to you,” his mother insisted, just as Caroline had.
“She deceived me, which is the same.”
“It is not. She had her reasons.”
“She wanted to protect her father.”
“And her daughter,” his mother reminded. “Caroline would do anything for her daughter.”
“Even lie to me.”
“Any mother would deceive to protect their child to see that they were safe and secure.”
Sterling arched an eyebrow and stared at his mother.
“I will admit that given Avery was only eleven that I should have returned, and it is a decision I will always regret. But he had four older brothers and your father. He was not left alone in the world to fend for himself.”
“Neither is Livia.”
“Her father was dead and all she has is her mother. She had not known her uncle until he arrived here and her grandfather only cared about grapes and has little to do with her. Livia’s survival, having a home and food and her happiness rested on Caroline’s shoulders alone. She would do anything to protect her.”
“No matter who she angered or betrayed?”
“Yes.”
“That is the answer I needed to hear.” He picked up his valise and started for the door.
