Page 60 of For a Lady's Fiery Heart
More ribald laughter echoed through the room and found its way to her ears. She was so shocked by her father-in-law's confession that she went weak in the knees. Had it all been a lie? Lord Highclere had taken advantage of her family from the beginning, and none of them had been the wiser. Caroline felt like the room was spinning, and a bout of nausea overtook her.
"You say he did not even realise what you were doing?" one of the guests asked, dumbfounded. Caroline wanted to burst into the room and yell shame on them for encouraging her father-in-law. However, she held her ground, holding her breath to hear his response.
She took a chance, peeking into the dimly lit room decorated in a masculine style. The dark green wallpaper and heavy mahogany furnishings bespoke the room's masculine focus. Smoke rose toward the ceiling from the five gentlemen standing in the centre of the room near a billiard table. Her father-in-law stood in the centre of the group with his pipe held between his teeth and a glass of some amber-coloured liquor in his other hand.
"None the wiser, I tell you. Thus I won an estate with what will soon be possessed of several well-paying tenants, a wife for my son," he lowered his voice, "and hopefully an heir to carry on the line."
More laughter met her ears. "If my son will ever get on with it," he teased in an off-colour remark.
Caroline was mortified. How could her father-in-law talk that way about her, let alone James? She was furious and stalked away from the door. Tears stung her eyes. And despite trying to hold them back, they began to stream down her cheeks, wetting the inside of her mask.
James came up to her a moment later, carrying two champagne glasses. His smile quickly faded when he saw the tears in her eyes, and he set the glasses down on one of the side tables. "Caroline? Whatever is the matter?" he asked.
Caroline sniffed and took off her mask. She turned away from him, not wanting to face the guests and have them see how upset she was. James came around and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking down at her with concern. "What happened?" he asked again.
She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze. “I just overheard your father talking with a few of his friends in the smoking room." She inhaled a shaky breath. "He admitted that he was the one who cheated my father out of the estate–and my hand–during their poker game. He was very proud of himself, in fact," she said bitterly.
James frowned. "No, that cannot be," he said.
"If you do not believe me, ask him yourself," she challenged. She did not realise how loudly she had said the last bit and was careful to lower it before she drew unwanted attention. "Why would I make something like this up, James? Just when we had worked things out?"
James seemed lost in thought for a moment, glancing toward the smoking-room door. He could no doubt hear the laughter coming from within, just as she could. She did not give him a chance to respond.
“Even after all these months of being your wife, and you do not believe me? This is unbelievable!” she exclaimed. “I do not have a place in this house, even though I am acting as the lady of the house.”
“That is not true, Caroline. How can you say that?”
She scoffed. “Even now, I am not afforded my proper title. Have you realised that? I am still addressed asLady Carolineand not Lady Hereford, as I should be.”
This seemed to give him pause. He opened his mouth, but he had no words. Caroline stared at him, hurt that he still seemed to be afraid of his father. James had gotten away with dismissing Lady Beatrice without consequence. But would he have the gumption to confront his father about this latest news?
Caroline let her hands fall to her sides in defeat.
"I do not care about titles. I care more about my father’s reputation. All I know is what I heard, James. If you choose not to believe me, then so be it. But you attained my hand through dishonesty and deceit. My father lost everything the night of that poker game. And to learn that it was because your father cheated–well, you will have to decide what the right course of action is."
James's mouth thinned until his lips were almost invisible. He furrowed his brow but said nothing. Caroline sighed heavily and threw up her hands. She then turned and walked away, leaving him alone to decide once and for all what he must do.
Chapter 35
James watched Caroline walk away, no doubt, to find solace with her sister. Anger rose up inside him. He would not allow his father to come between him and his wife again. Enough was enough.
He squared his shoulders, approached the smoking-room door, and opened the door wide. As soon as he came in, the room fell silent as the gentlemen all looked his way. His father reached toward him and waved him over to the circle. “Ahh, James! There you are. Come and have a drink with us and give your feet a rest from dancing. I am sure that Caroline will not mind,” he said.
James was livid. He did not move, his chest heaving with every breath. “No, thank you, Father,” he said through clenched teeth. His father frowned, looking confused by his biting tone.
“What is the matter, my boy? The wife giving you fits again?” he teased, looking around at the other gentlemen. He laughed, and his friends followed suit.
James stormed over to the group, pointing a finger in his father’s face. “Do not talk about my wife! You have no right!” he bellowed. The group instantly quieted.
Lord Crandel backed away, placing his empty glass on the edge of the billiard table. “Well, I think I shall rejoin the party. What say you, Sir Nicholas?” he asked one of the other gentlemen.
“No, stay. I want witnesses,” James said. The men hummed and hawed but stayed put.
His father set his glass down as well and went to put out his pipe. Every movement was done with deliberation and the brooding silence that had always made James so nervous about confronting his father. However, James would not be cowed this time. He had endured years of abuse, allowing his father to push him around. But no more.
“Well?” James asked, seething. “Caroline came to me just now and said that she overheard your boasting. Did you cheat her father out of Pembroke? And force him to give her hand in marriage in exchange for cancelling the debt he accrued at the poker game?”
His father scoffed. “Ahh, so she was eavesdropping. I should have known. All women are the same!” he said, waving his hand in front of him as if Caroline were the one who was at fault. “They are always sticking their noses where they do not belong. Meddlesome creatures, the lot of them!”
