Page 79 of War of the Wedding Wagers
This seemed to calm him, but while he did not persist with his questioning, his eyes darkened and the furrow between his brows deepened.
And then a young male voice intruded, and Amelia stepped back to let in the newcomer as Henry said with clear relief, “Caroline! Here you are! I can’t tell you how relieved I am to see you! I thought—”
“Yes, I know what you thought, which is exactly what my brother thought,” added Caroline, with a baleful look at Sir Frederick, before she rushed on, “Which isn’t very flattering to me, is it? Do you truly think I would be sofoolish?”
“Would someone tell me what is going on?” Sir Frederick asked, looking between Amelia, Henry, and his sister. “Or should I take you elsewhere for a severe talking-to, Caroline, because you clearly have taken leave of any notion of propriety—”
“No, Sir Frederick, you cannot speak to her like that!” Amelia interjected, indignation welling up in her breast. “It’s because she has a good, sound head on her shoulders that no damage was done, I suspect. Isn’t that right, Caroline?”
Caroline nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand before taking a step closer to Amelia and Henry, away from her brother.
Henry put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I was going to save you, Caro. I wouldn’t have let him take you. Not while I had breath in my body.”
Cognizance seemed to dawn for Sir Frederick. Finally. “Caro really was about to elope with Mr. Greene? This time the threat was real?” Again he looked between the three of the young people before him, then added, “And no one thought to tell me? Why, I’d have had the man horsewhipped out of town if I’d known—”
“Yes, and that’s why we didn’t tell you, Sir Frederick,” began Henry before Amelia cut in, “Because if you had put up such opposition it would have been highly likely that Caroline would have jumped into the postchaise and four he had waiting by thepark gates right now and in which Henry was about to stow away so he could aid Caro as soon as she came to her senses.”
Sir Frederick blinked rapidly before his pride appeared to return. “If I had been told when I should have been told, Mr. Greene would not be waiting by the park gates in a postchaise and four.”
“And your sister would have just waited until the next opportunity to defy authority in the name of true love before she realized the extent of her greatest, un-doable mistake,” said Amelia, not hiding her exasperation. “Isn’t that right, Caroline?”
Looking like the child she so recently had been, Caroline nodded her head and her brother’s mouth dropped open.
“That’s why Amelia and I decided not to say anything to you,” said Henry. “We weren’t sure if Caro would be so foolish, but after I’d investigated and found that Greene had hired a getaway carriage from a nearby village, I had to make sure I was hidden away on it before Caro climbed in and was whisked away.” His voice grew more tender as he went on, “But it sounds like Caro came to her senses in time.”
Caroline sent a grateful look at him, then said, “But he’s there now, expecting me,” she said. “I told him I’d forgotten something I couldn’t live without and then hurried back here. And now I don’t know what to do.” She took a trembling breath. “He’s so very insistent and I did rather give him the impression that I’d sacrifice my life to be with him.”
“What?” expostulated both men. “Why did you do that?”
“Because it put him in such great humor so that he let me leave.” She took a trembling breath. “But now I don’t know what to do, for I fear he’ll never let me go.”
Sir Frederick nodded slowly as he met his sister’s frightened gaze. Then he said, “I think I know exactly how to ensure Mr. Greene leaves you alone. Henry?”
“Yes, sir?”
“I asked you earlier if you would assist me with a certain delicate matter in the library. Now that you no longer are on pressing business on account of my sister, I wonder if you would oblige me. I assure you that not only would those acting skills that were untested just now be put to good use, but both Caroline and I would be most grateful.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“Eugenia, as someonewhose ability to sniff out the nuances of delicate situations, I defer to you. Kindly tell me what skullduggery or scandals are afoot or about to be averted.”
Eugenia, who’d remained rooted to the spot as she watched Sir Frederick Weston and young Henry Ashworth head towards the library, turned at Lord Thornton’s urbane tones.
For a moment, she considered how truthful she could afford to be. A great deal hung in the balance, and the least of it was how much she could use this opportunity to impress Lord Thornton. Her whole life had centered on impressing Lord Thornton, but now she just said, “Please fetch me a lemonade while I order my thoughts and decide if—or how much—I can tell you all.”
When he returned, his curiosity clearly piqued, he said, “Sir Frederick is out of charity with Miss Fairchild. That I could not help but notice. And with his sister. What have they done?”
“What have they done?” Eugenia repeated. “Must it always be concluded that the lady is to blame? Usually it is not, and in this case it certainly is not.” She took a sip of her drink and frowned. “That disreputable rogue, Mr. Greene, is waiting to spirit Miss Caroline away, having thought she was ripe for abduction.”
“And she has run in seeking help?” He hesitated, then said, “With all due respect, the young lady certainly did signal herinterest in Mr. Greene. I thought, however, that the fact she does not come into her inheritance for three years—and that her brother would certainly not sanction a match, so offer no dowry—would have watered down Mr. Greene’s interest.”
“Mr. Greene is desperate. You’ve heard the rumors. The creditors are baying at his heels. He needs money fast and is wagering that if he were successful in eloping with Miss Caroline, then Sir Frederick would relent and release her inheritance earlier in order to make her life easier.”
“And our lovely Miss Fairchild? Why, I grow more admiring of her by the day. I admired her intelligence but, dressed to compete with the other young ladies here, I see she is a beauty.” Lord Thornton’s eyes narrowed. “But Sir Frederick is not rushing to make her his bride, is he? The Persephone hangs dangerously in the balance.”
Eugenia saw that his eyes were now twinkling. He really was charming with his salt and pepper side whiskers and his physique still trim and sprightly.
“Sir Frederick has other matters on his mind and was piqued that Miss Fairchild and Henry concocted a plan to rescue Caroline without telling him.”
