Chapter Twelve

 

They reached the Bernehart Palace just a little after dawn the next morning. Caroline didn’t sleep all night, choosing to stay awake and keep watch over her sister. Requiring much needed sleep, Lord Chase dozed off at her insistence. Sophie’s injuries were beginning to get much better, and it appeared as though her arm had even healed itself. Being the only one conscious in the carriage, Caroline had a lot of time to think. She wondered how Sloane’s wounds were doing. Until she had seen him being carried down the hall, so hurt he couldn’t even speak, she hadn’t realized how deeply they had bonded in their short time together. Not even being in Luke’s presence affected her. As she peered out from behind the curtain at the rising sun, Caroline understood that what she had with Luke was childhood friendship that blossomed into a physical romance. It was fun while it lasted, but now that she was older, Sloane was what she needed. Luke would always be a boy to her, and Sloane was a man. She would be eternally grateful for Luke’s kindness and bravery, though he would never again be her lover. Smiling to herself at these thoughts, she rested her head against the back of the seat and waited patiently to arrive.

The two carriages passed through the gates of Vaughan Palace, and rolled up to the steps of the grand entrance. King Edmund and Princess Emma waited anxiously with Caroline’s parents, the Duke and Duchess. As soon as the carriages stopped, the families descended upon them.

“My God,” cried Elise, “I thought I would die from the worry. Caroline, are you all right? Sophie…Why is she laying down?”

The Princess and King were making similar exclamations about Sloane, but Caroline was so exhausted and relieved to finally be safe that she fainted dead away. She would have fallen to the ground in a painful heap if Lord Gifford, who had stepped over to assist in moving Sophie, hadn’t caught her. Elise nearly went into hysterics, and the whole party was excited and upset. Luke took Caroline from Lord Gifford and carried her all the way through the opulent home to the wing where her chambers lie. Once there, he laid her carefully on the bed, covered her with the blanket, and left the room, softly closing the door behind him.