Page 42 of A Royal Kiss & Tell
“Because it wasn’tyou, Caroline. If you ask me, you are far more suited to such a match than she.”
Well, that was obviously true. But Eliza deserved it far more than Caroline ever would. She smiled and shrugged lightly. “Fate has a way of putting us in the right place.”
“Doesn’t it,” Katherine said slyly. “Speaking of the great hands of fate...what of Prince Leopold? Did you catch his eye?”
Priscilla and Felicity tittered.
“Oh, I’m certain I did,” Caroline said nonchalantly, feeling a slight flush in her cheeks, remembering how intent his eyes had been on her at Leadenhall. She’d actually felt a spark of excitement standing there in the midst of all that meat. “Frankly, I found him rather tedious.”
“Really!”Katherine put down her teacup. “I fully expected you’d come back with tales of his slavish devotion to you.”
“Why ever would you think that?”
“Well...because you said so, darling,” Priscilla said gently. “Remember? You said he was quite taken with you and you fretted that you’d have to fend him off when there were so many other gentlemen with whom to acquaint yourself while in Helenamar.”
The flush in Caroline’s cheeks was heating her skin. Sometimes, she wastooconfident. She did indeed recall saying something very much like that one evening after one too many glasses of wine. “I never said I’d have tofend him off,”she scoffed.
“You did,” Felicity said. “You even demonstrated pushing him away,” she said, and pretended to push something away at chest height. “You clearly thought he’d be a bother.”
Caroline wished for something to fan herself. Perhaps she could claim to have a touch of the fever yet. But it was pointless—she did have a tendency to boast. Beck said she was filled with her own sense of grandeur. And it was true that before she’d sailed to Alucia, she’d been extraordinarily confident that the prince would be attracted to her. But he wasn’t the least attracted to her and now she couldn’t help but wonder if she was losing her charm. She was six and twenty, creeping toward the age of spinsterhood, and that handsome prince was more attracted to her maid than her.
“Whathappened?” Katherine asked with far too much joy to suit Caroline.
“I thought him tedious, that’s all. And besides, his formal engagement to a Weslorian heiress will be announced by the end of summer. It’s been arranged.”
All three ladies stopped tittering and stared at her.“Really?”Felicity asked, incredulous. “Arranged? But...but I’ve heard he’s been in London sowing his oats.”
“Of course he is sowing his oats,” Priscilla scoffed. “Everyone is working to gain an introduction. And he’s far from home—he can do what he likes.”
“But...he and Mr. Frame called on abrotheljust this week!” Felicity whispered loudly. “Iheard that he took the woman with him.”
Caroline jerked her gaze to Felicity. “I beg your pardon, he did what?”
“Took her,” Felicity said. “He left the establishment with the...woman.”
“Took herwhere?” Katherine asked.
“You know,” Felicity said, her face turning red. “To his...castle, or what have you.”
Caroline felt a sour twist in her belly. She thought him a rake, but that was despicable. “Are youcertain, Felicity? You don’t suppose you misheard?”
“Yes, I’m certain! Mr. Frame’s sister is a dear friend of mine, and she told me. She had quite a row with her brother about it, which threatens to ruin all of Christmas.”
“We are months away from Christmas,” Katherine pointed out.
“That’s how bad their row was.”
Katherine looked at Caroline.
Caroline wouldn’t give her the least bit of disappointment. “Well, I’m not terribly surprised. He’s a prince, and it goes without saying that he’ll soon be engaged, no matter his conduct. But if it were me, I’d not wantmydaughter anywhere near him.”
“Not your daughter, but perhaps you?” Katherine asked with a devious laugh.
“After the brothels and maids? Certainly not!” Caroline said primly.
“The maids! What maids?” Priscilla exclaimed as she took the lid off the box and pulled out the pattern Caroline had made.
She hadn’t meant to say that. She hadn’t meant to tellallthe man’s secrets, particularly as it related to her house. She stood up and walked across the room to join Priscilla. “I’ve heard rumors that he has, from time to time, taken up with a housemaid here and there, that’s all.”
