The Rake's Rebellious Lady Page 22

  ‘Oh, you do not need to tell me that she is reckless,’ Marianne said. ‘It has always been the same with that pair—and Caroline as naughty as her brother.’ She looked at the gentleman standing before her, seeing the mischief in his eyes. ‘And I dare say that you are another such one, sir. You will not bamboozle me! I believe that I must not deny you, for my daughter might very well do something outrageous if I tried—but you must prove yourselves to me. There is already some scandal concerning the pair of you, and an engagement would be just the thing to nip that in the bud before it goes too far—but you must be prepared to wait until my return from Italy for the wedding.’

  ‘Thank you, ma’am, you are very generous,’ Freddie said and leaned forwards to take her hand, raising it briefly to his lips. ‘Do I have your permission to take Caroline driving now? When she returns I hope she will be wearing my ring. Do you go to the Assembly this evening?’

  ‘Yes, that was my intention.’

  ‘Then we may let it be known there, ma’am. It should help to steal the gossips’ thunder, and I shall know how to deal with anyone who dares to speak ill of my intended wife.’

  ‘Yes, that will do very well,’ Marianne said and relented as she saw the pleasure leap in his eyes. ‘Go along the pair of you!’

  ‘Thank you, dearest Mama,’ Caroline cried and flew to embrace her. ‘I knew that you could not refuse us.’

  ‘Well, I have always liked him,’ Marianne said. ‘And if he cannot control you, then I dare say no one will. But the wedding must wait—is that clearly understood?’

  ‘Yes, Mama,’ Caroline said and looked at Freddie. ‘It will take me one minute to put on my bonnet and pelisse…’

  As she hurried away to get ready, Freddie looked at his future mother-in-law. ‘You need not fear for her future, ma’am. It has taken me a long time to find a lady that I wished to make my wife. I may not have been as circumspect in the past as I might have—but all that is at an end. Caroline’s happiness will be my first concern, and I shall do everything that I deem necessary to protect her.’

  ‘Then you have my blessing, sir.’

  ‘I have received a letter informing me that Lady Stroud arrives in Bath tomorrow, ma’am,’ Freddie said. ‘She will be delighted to learn that you have consented to our engagement for I know that she liked Caroline very well.’

  ‘I shall be delighted to renew our acquaintance,’ Mrs Holbrook said. ‘And I shall call as soon as she is in residence.’

  ‘I know that Lady Stroud will be pleased to see you, ma’am.’

  On that note they parted, Freddie going into the hall as Caroline came flying down the stairs to meet him.

  * * *

  Freddie had driven out to a local beauty spot. He stopped his phaeton and told his tiger to watch the horses while they got down to walk for a few minutes.

  ‘So, my love,’ he said when they had wandered a sufficient distance from the lad’s curious gaze. ‘Are you happy?’ Caroline smiled up at him. Her heart was beating very fast and she was excited by his nearness.

  However, there was one thing she had to do before she could accept her happiness. ‘Yes, Freddie, I am happy—but there is something I must tell you. I thought Grandfather would tell you, but he did not…’

  ‘You mean the quarrel with my uncle?’

  ‘No, something more unfortunate…’ Caroline hesitated, then, ‘You may have heard of Grandfather’s third wife. He loved her very much and she was my grandmother.’

  ‘Yes, I had heard that he was very fond of her.’

  ‘Did you know that her family refused permission for the marriage and so she ran away with him?’

  ‘Yes. Someone told me recently.’

  ‘Grandmother’s brother told Grandfather that she was too delicate to have a child…he warned that she might die in the attempt.’

  ‘As she did, unfortunately,’ Freddie said. His eyes narrowed. ‘It happens sometimes and is always tragic. Are you thinking that you might have inherited her weakness?’

  ‘Grandfather fears it. I was afraid if you knew that I might not…be able to give you an heir…’

  ‘If I thought it for one moment, I should be careful not to give you a child. I must tell you at once, Caroline—you are more important to me than any child could possibly be. If we were fortunate enough to have a son, I should naturally be delighted, but if I lost you…it does not bear thinking of, my dearest.’

  ‘But surely it is important for you to have an heir—for the sake of your family?’

  ‘It would please my family,’ Freddie told her. ‘But you may put such fears from your mind, Caroline. In the first place I am fairly certain that your grandmother’s illness was due to a fever she caught in childhood that weakened her heart, and, secondly, I am marrying you because you are the only woman I have ever wished to marry.’

  ‘So you would still choose me even if I could not bear a child?’

  ‘Yes, of course. I know this must play on your mind, Caroline. Bollingbrook should never have told you the story. However, we shall arrange for you to visit an excellent doctor I know once we are married. I am certain that he will put your mind at rest. If he should confirm your fears, I shall make certain that we never have a child.’

  ‘And you truly would not mind that?’

  ‘I should mind it more for your sake than my own, since I believe you might be unhappy if you could not have children—but I should try to make you happy despite it. We might in those circumstances even adopt a poor child who needs a home and family.’

  ‘Freddie…’ Caroline’s throat caught with emotion. ‘You are so good…’

  ‘I am selfish,’ he told her and took her hand. ‘I want you, Caroline, and I would move heaven and earth to get what I want.’ He raised her hand to his lips, dropping a kiss in her palm. ‘Are you content now, dearest?

  ‘Yes, Freddie. How could I not be after what you have just said to me? I must be the most fortunate of women!’

  ‘I believe I am the fortunate one, my love. I cannot wait for the day when I can claim you for myself.’

  ‘I hope Mama may be persuaded to allow us to marry as soon as she returns from Italy, but Christmas is not so very far away.’

  ‘Shall you stay with your aunt while Mrs Holbrook is away?’

  ‘Mama says she will write to her cousin, Amelia. She is a little deaf and does not entertain much, but I think I would prefer to stay with her. She lives in Yorkshire, so it may mean that we shall not often see each other.’

  ‘I have an idea that might suit us better—if it appealed to you, dearest?’

  ‘Please tell me,’ Caroline said, smiling up at him as he reached out to touch her cheek. The look in his eyes made her sigh, for she wished that they might be married almost immediately. Her heart was racing wildly, her lips anticipating his kiss. She felt that she could swoon with the delightful sensations he was arousing in her. ‘I hope it means that we do not need to be separated?’

  ‘If you would consent to be Lady Stroud’s guest at her country house, which is not much more than twenty miles from Bath, I might also visit her—and then, you know, we should be in each other’s company as often as we pleased.’

  ‘Oh, I think that is a very good suggestion. Do you think that Mama will agree?’

  ‘I think that she might listen to my godmother, don’t you?’

  ‘Oh, yes.’ Caroline laughed as she saw the mischief in his eyes. ‘You wicked thing, Freddie! You always make me laugh—and to think that I did not particularly like you when we first met. I thought you arrogant and too sure of yourself—but I like you very well now…despite your faults.’ Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she waited for him to take up the challenge, but he replied in a more serious vein.

  ‘I knew that I found you very attractive at the start,’ Freddie told her. ‘But I was determined to hold back. I was not sure that I was ready to marry anyone, but then I realised that nothing else would do.’

  ‘When did you know that you
truly loved me?’

  ‘I believe it was after the balloon accident. I realised that it could so easily have been you that was injured or killed—and it terrified me.’

  Caroline blushed. ‘I thought you were angry with me…that you had formed a disgust for my reckless behaviour, which was the cause of the trouble. For it was surely my fault that Tom was injured.’

  ‘That is ridiculous,’ Freddie said, a grim line to his mouth. ‘How could you have been to blame? I was angry that it had happened and anxious, for I did not understand why.’

  ‘It is very difficult to understand,’ Caroline said. ‘Tom and Nicolas seem to have settled on Grandfather’s illegitimate child in Jamaica, but I cannot see why it should suddenly happen now. I know that Grandfather changed his will in our favour, but surely that cannot be the cause of these attempts on our lives? How would that person be so quickly aware of the changes?’

  ‘Do you have any other ideas?’ Freddie asked. Having turned the various theories over in his mind, he had as yet been able to come to no real conclusion. Had the attacks been made on him he might have understood their cause—but why Caroline? ‘My one concern in waiting for our wedding is that this unknown assassin might try to kill you again.’ He frowned as she shook her head. ‘I know that you do not wish your mama to be upset over this business, but if you were my wife I could make certain that you were safe.’

  ‘I promise you that I shall be careful,’ Caroline said. ‘I think I must be quite safe staying with Lady Stroud in the country.’

  ‘Yes, perhaps. I own I think you will be safer there than in London.’ He reached out, drawing her into his arms and bending his head to kiss her. His mouth took possession of hers in a hungry yet tender kiss that made her weak with longing. ‘I confess that I shall find the next few weeks very trying, my love.’ He smiled at her, tracing the line of her cheek and laying his finger for one moment at the pulse spot at the base of her throat. ‘I have never wanted anyone this much, Caroline. I do not know how you managed it, little minx, but you have wound yourself about my heart and it beats only for you.’

  ‘Oh, Freddie,’ Caroline said, feeling that she wanted to melt into him, to become a part of him. ‘I do so wish that Mama would consent to a wedding before she leaves, but I know that she will not.’

  ‘Then I must be content to wait,’ Freddie said, ‘which means that we should go now, for I am tempted to sweep you up in my carriage and run away with you to Gretna Green.’

  Caroline laughed, her eyes bright with mischief. ‘Oh, yes, Freddie! I should love that of all things. What an adventure that would be—to be married over the anvil and be together always.’

  ‘I dare say you would regret it afterwards and long for all the trimmings of a big wedding?’

  ‘No, I do not think so,’ Caroline said. ‘We should be able to give a dance and dinners for our friends whenever we felt like it—and, in truth, I do not care so very much for the constant round of society. It is well enough to invite one’s true friends, but I was happy enough to go down to Grandfather’s estate.’

  ‘But you would not truly wish to elope?’

  ‘Yes, I should like to…but it would hurt Mama, and we have promised that we shall wait,’ Caroline said. ‘So I suppose that we must.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose we must,’ Freddie said and laughed. ‘Besides, I wish to let the world see how much I love and honour my bride, so we shall restrain our impatience. Hold out your left hand, my love.’

  Caroline did as she was bid and he took a small pouch from his coat pocket, extracting a beautiful square emerald surrounded by diamonds and set on a gold band, which he slipped on to her third finger.

  ‘Oh, Freddie,’ she said. ‘It is so beautiful. Thank you very much.’

  ‘I am glad that you like it,’ he said. ‘There are many items of family jewellery residing in the bank, which I shall give you when we are married—but this ring has never belonged to anyone else. I commissioned it for you before I left London.’

  Caroline tipped her head to one side, challenging him. ‘Were you so certain that I would say yes?’

  ‘I hoped that you would,’ he said. ‘But had you refused, I should not have given up, Caroline. When I want something, I am not to be denied—and I want you for my wife.’

  Caroline lifted her face for his kiss, melting into his arms once more, feeling the wave of desire she was beginning to expect whenever he touched her. She let her hands move up the back of his neck, spreading out into his hair and holding his head as he would have moved away. Her body was demanding so much more, and she felt bereft when Freddie broke free, holding her from him.

  ‘If we continue like this, I shall not be able to keep my word to Mrs Holbrook,’ he said. ‘Come, Caroline, we must return to the carriage. Your mother will be anxious if we are gone too long.’

  * * *

  Caroline knew that the news of her engagement had gone round the ballroom like wildfire. She suspected that it had already been talked of, and, as soon as she walked into the room with her mother and Sir Freddie, it had been noted that she was wearing a ring on her left hand.

  She had imagined that she would not know anyone, but soon discovered that several of her acquaintances had come down to Bath. The Season in London had passed its height, and some of the older ladies had decided to visit the spa for their health after so much junketing around in London.

  Lady Stroud was evidently delighted. She nodded with approval as Freddie brought his fiancée to her. ‘Kiss me, my dear,’ she said, offering her cheek. ‘Yes, it will do very well, Freddie. I am pleased that you have at last decided to oblige your family. I shall enjoy having you both to stay with me for a few weeks before the wedding.’

  Caroline was congratulated on her engagement by almost everyone she met, though one or two of the ladies looked at her askance. Nicolas told her that rumours of the race were circulating, but the news of her engagement had overtaken it, and most of the younger set found it a huge jest and were applauding her courage. It would, of course, have been very different had she not become engaged to Freddie, and Caroline was a little chastened as she realised that she might have been in serious trouble.

  However, no one actually cut her, and she enjoyed the evening more than any similar affair that had preceded it, for she was able to dance with Freddie as often as she liked. She did dance with one or two other gentlemen out of politeness, but her true happiness came from being with Freddie.

  George Bellingham came to them as soon as he arrived, congratulating Freddie and wishing Caroline happy. He had taken a house in Bath for a few weeks, and Julia and her mother had come down to stay with him.

  ‘It is a great pleasure to me to see you settled, Freddie,’ he said. ‘And I am happy that you have a good man to care for you, Miss Holbrook. Freddie is the best of good fellows and we shall all get on famously.’

  ‘Thank you so much, sir,’ Caroline said. ‘You are very kind.’

  George looked at his friend. ‘There was something I wished to discuss with you, Freddie. It will do tomorrow, if you will call at my lodgings?’

  ‘A little matter of business?’ Freddie said, amused. ‘I assure you I fully intend to settle my debt, George.’

  ‘Oh, you mean the chestnuts?’ George said and frowned. ‘No, this is rather more urgent, Freddie—but it will keep for tomorrow.’

  Freddie nodded, sensing that George had something of importance to impart—something that he did not wish Caroline to hear.

  ‘Yes, of course. At about ten?’

  ‘Excellent,’ George said. ‘Caroline, you will give me the pleasure of this dance, I hope?’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ she said and gave him her hand. She looked up at him as he led her into the dance. ‘You and Freddie are very good friends, are you not?’

  ‘The best,’ he agreed. ‘I have long wished to see him happy, Caroline—and I believe he is at last.’

  Caroline enjoyed her dance with him, and when he returned her to Freddie, t
hey talked for a while before he left. She looked at Freddie curiously when they were alone.

  ‘What do you suppose is so important?’

  ‘I have no idea,’ Freddie said. ‘Do not tease yourself over it, my love. I dare say George wants my advice on some horses that he wishes to purchase.’

  Caroline thought that he was being a little uncommunicative, but was too happy to press for more information. If it was a matter of business, it was unlikely to concern her.

  * * *

  ‘What I have to say concerns Farringdon,’ George said when they met the next morning at his lodgings. ‘I happened to dine at the same inn as him on the way down here. He was looking most odd—not at all his usual self. And that evening he became quite drunk and abusive. He said some rather unpleasant things concerning you, Freddie.’

  ‘Such as?’ Freddie raised his brows.

  ‘He practically accused you of cheating him out of his fortune.’

  ‘Rubbish! No one would believe him. He is a careless gambler, reckless—and I have always been meticulous in matters of play.’

  ‘You are perfectly right, Freddie, that was not what worried me. He seemed to be so bitter, to hate you so much. He was muttering in his cups, threatening you. Of course it was all nonsense, but I felt that you should be aware.’

  ‘Thank you, George. What was the nature of his threats?’

  ‘He said something like…he will discover what it feels like to lose everything he cares for. Clearly he was drunk, but I did not care to hear him speak so bitterly of you. I believe he means you some harm, my friend. Can it be merely a matter of his gambling debts—or have you done something more to make him hate you?’

  ‘Nothing I can think of…’ Freddie frowned.

  ‘It may be the loss of his horses,’ George said thoughtfully. ‘He was very proud of both his chestnuts and the greys. He cannot enjoy seeing you driving them.’

  ‘I do not fear Farringdon. He is a fool and might have cut his losses had he been honest. I told you that I was prepared to forgive the debt if he was straight with me, but he lied—told me that he had no debts on his estate and that he would pay in full. I had my agent investigate and he discovered that hardly anything was left. Farringdon knew that when he sat down to play. He knew that his notes were worthless. I did not wish to be lumbered with a failing estate and would gladly have returned it had there been anything to return. As it was, I took his greys in settlement of the debt and as far as I am concerned that was an end to it.’