Caroline spent the next morning in a daze. Part of it was that she couldn’t stop reliving the night with Castillo. She’d never imagined that such pleasure could be had with a man. Between all the whispers and giggles of the women of her acquaintance, she’d assumed that it could be pleasant, but Castillo’s touch had been so much more than that. And the connection between them went far deeper than pleasure. He touched her and it felt like she was rediscovering a part of herself she’d lost, or maybe never even known about. He looked into her eyes and saw who she was, not who he wanted her to be.
Nothing had changed overnight. She was still going back to Boston and he was still searching for Derringer, so her brooding was quite pointless, but she couldn’t seem to snap herself out of it. Castillo and Hunter had already left when she came down for breakfast that morning. Mr. Jameson had said they had some business in town to attend to, and she could only assume that meant Derringer. In addition to brooding, that meant she was worrying about him, too. That worry was a perfect reminder of why they’d never work out together. She’d end up hurt in the end.
“Caro?” Aunt Prudie stood in the doorway of the parlor, a frown on her face. “Are you all right?”
Caroline had been staring off into the cold fireplace, a book forgotten on her lap. “Yes, of course. Why do you ask?”
“You didn’t hear the bell? Your mother is arriving.”
The housekeeper had taken to ringing a bell located near the front door whenever new guests had been spotted coming down the long driveway. Since the parlor was located just off the front hallway, Caroline should’ve heard it. She would’ve heard it had she not been lost in thoughts of Castillo. “Oh, I suppose I wasn’t paying attention.”
“Is this about Castillo Jameson? When you said this morning that you’d both decided it best not to continue your flirtation, I wasn’t happy but agreed. He doesn’t live in Boston, so I’m not certain how that would’ve turned out.” Aunt Prudie walked over and put her hand on Caroline’s shoulder. “But you seem sad, dear. Did he mean more to you than you let on?”
Lying to her aunt had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done. When she answered she tried to stay as close to the truth as possible. “He does mean something to me. It’s strange because I’ve only known him for such a short time, and yet I feel as if I do know him. But I also know we don’t have a future.” She was coming to realize that what she felt for him was on the cusp of being so much deeper than she let on. She feared that if she blinked she might fall right into those feelings…especially after last night.
Aunt Prudie clucked her tongue and cupped Caroline’s cheek. “I’m sorry, dear. I like him, too. I think sometimes we just have to have faith that everything works out as it’s meant to be.”
Caroline nodded, though she wasn’t entirely sure how she was supposed to find comfort in the fact that she and Castillo weren’t meant to be. The front door opened and people could be heard coming inside. It was probably for the best. She’d have spent the day moping and pretending to read if left to her own devices. Placing her book on the table beside the chair, she plastered on a smile and followed Aunt Prudie into the foyer.
“Caroline!” Her mother squealed and rushed over to pull her into an embrace. A familiar rose scent met her nose as Caroline hugged her. When her mother pulled back, her smile was so radiant and full of love and happiness that Caroline immediately felt awful for the uncharitable thoughts she’d been having about her mother. Perhaps after a chat they’d be able to come to an agreement about school. Perhaps if she simply agreed to marry within the next year. But even that compromise made her stomach churn.
“Hello, mother, how was your trip?”
“Wonderful, darling. I can’t wait to tell you all the things we did in New York. The shopping was marvelous. I bought you some things and I’ll show you as soon as our bags are brought in.” Then she turned to Aunt Prudie. “Prudence, it’s lovely to see you.”
As her aunt and mother spoke, Mr. Jameson made his way into the foyer. Emmy was upstairs undergoing a final dress fitting, so probably wouldn’t be down for a while.
Isabelle, Hunter’s mother and Mr. Jameson’s estranged wife, swept in behind Caroline’s mother. Her blonde hair was streaked with strands of silver, swept up elegantly onto the crown of her head and topped with a black velvet hat that matched her traveling dress. Caroline walked forward and greeted her. The woman responded with a very cold and bland, “Good afternoon, Caroline. Lovely to see you.” Her gaze lit on Aunt Prudie before moving back to her estranged husband. “Wilhelmina!”
Willy stepped out of the shadow of the stairs where she’d stood unobtrusively observing the gathering. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Jameson. It’s good to have you back.”
“Have our bags unloaded and I’d like a bath immediately. The dust out here is insufferable.” Walking toward the stairs, she paused at her husband. “Where is my son?”
“Good to see you, Isabelle.” He smiled at her, glossing over her rudeness. “Hunter’s in town. An urgent business matter, but he should be home for supper.”
“I see you’ve yet to teach him any manners. I’ll be in my room until supper. Tell him I look forward to meeting his bride.” She didn’t wait for a reply as she swept up the stairs, saying a brisk word to Caroline’s father as she marched past him.
Mr. Jameson appeared to be unmoved by his wife’s demeanor. He kept a slight smile on his face as he called to her back, “I certainly will.”
Caroline sighed as she shared a knowing glance with Aunt Prudie. She genuinely regretted that Emmy would have to endure such a woman for a mother-in-law, and thanked her stars that she’d only have to spend a few days in the woman’s presence. She couldn’t understand how her mother could be friends with such a cold woman, but Kathleen Hartford was a social butterfly and had never had trouble making friends with anyone.
“Samuel!” Her mother held her arms out as she hurried to the foot of the stairs to greet her husband.
Caroline’s father smiled broadly and picked up his pace down the stairs until he pulled her into his arms. “Kathleen. I missed you.” The sight was so joyfully intimate that Caroline had to look away. She’d always hoped to have that in a marriage, but now she realized how naive she’d been.
“Hello, Miss Hartford.” The masculine voice came from the open front door. Caroline turned to see a tall man step into the foyer. He was lean, handsome in a cultured sort of way, with light brown hair and eyes, and he was vaguely familiar. She searched her mind for some memory of him. Perhaps they’d met at a function of some sort. He smiled at her, and it was a very knowing smile. His gaze was direct and shrewd.
“Caroline.” Her mother’s voice drew her attention. The woman beamed at her as she crossed the foyer to stand next to her, Caroline’s father behind her.
He was smiling, obviously thrilled to have his wife in his arms, but when he saw the man standing in the doorway, the smile fell from his face. “Kathleen, we shouldn’t—”
Her mother turned and patted his cheek. “Nonsense, Samuel, now is perfect.” Then she turned back to the young man. “Caroline, this is Grant Miller. Don’t you remember meeting him last year at the Christmas gala?” Without even giving Caroline time to respond, she hurried on. “I invited him to come out with us, and he said he’d never been to Helena and thought it sounded like a wonderful idea.”
Caroline vaguely remembered the man from some event. If she recalled correctly, his father had donated a generous amount to the hospital. She didn’t know what that had to do with anything or why he’d want to come all the way to Helena for the wedding of someone he didn’t even know. None of that made any sense. When she realized that no one was saying anything, Caroline cleared her throat and offered her hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Miller.” He took her hand and gave a very courtly little bow over it as he returned her greeting.
“Oh, Kathleen.” Aunt Prudie’s voice was so low, Caroline might’ve thought she’d imagined the words had her mother not acknowledged them with a wave of her hand and a shake of her head. It caused the first crack in the mental barrier Caroline had somehow managed to keep in place this whole time, while her stomach churned on the knowledge that something was happening. Even then, even with the proof of her mother’s deception standing there and staring her down, Caroline couldn’t quite bring herself to believe what was happening.
“I had a long talk with Grant’s parents back in Boston, and we’ve agreed that you both would make such a lovely couple.”
“Mother…” Caroline couldn’t quite get her mind around what she wanted to say. Her entire body went cold and prickly, and then she felt numb.
“Well, Mrs. Hartford.” The man smiled and dipped his head in the perfect semblance of modesty, but his eyes weren’t timid at all as they settled back on Caroline. “I think Caroline and I should get to know one another before we settle on calling us a lovely couple.”
Caroline clasped her hands before her so hard she was sure her fingers were turning red. Her own mother had invited this man all the way across the country to court her. It was the most outlandish thing she’d ever heard. “I’m not clear on what’s going on here,” she began, though she was pretty certain that she knew. “Mr. Miller is here to court me?”
Her mother laughed and linked her arm with one of Caroline’s. “It’s a little more than that. Why don’t we have some tea while we discuss it? Prudie? Could you arrange some tea and refreshments for us in—” They came to a stop in the front parlor where Caroline had so recently been daydreaming about Castillo. “This should do nicely. Have it brought in here, Prudie dear.”
Aunt Prudie squeezed her arm just before she hurried off to see to the tea. Before Caroline knew it, she was sliding down to sit on the settee while her father took the chair she’d vacated. Grant Miller was, mercifully, absent. Whether he’d stayed in the foyer or had been ushered off to some other part of the house, she didn’t know nor did she care. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“Caroline—” her father began, but her mother cut him off.
“Caroline, we feel—”
“Kathleen.” Her father’s sharp tone drew them both up short. He rarely spoke in any way that wasn’t calm and measured. When it was clear her mother would cede him the floor, he began again. “Caroline, as I explained to you, and as your mother’s letter explained, we feel that you need to be married soon before the opportunity seems less…attractive to some suitors. I, personally, feel that any man who would eschew your hand after your education, doesn’t deserve it, but we live in the world in which we live.” He shrugged as if he couldn’t comprehend that world. “Your girlhood friends are all married now, or at least engaged.”
“But, father, you specifically told me that you supported me going—”
“Yes, yes. I do support you going to medical school. I’ve made it my mission to find you a husband who also approves. Grant and I spoke before I left Boston, and he approves of your going. He actually spoke very highly of you and your pursuits.”
“As do I,” her mother put in. “I’m very proud of you for being accepted, Caroline. Very proud. But we have to be realistic. This is your future.”
“What are you saying? I am being realistic. I can be a physician. That is my future.”
“Of course you can,” her mother was quick to reassure her. “But eventually you’ll want a family. You won’t want to continue being a physician then, will you?”
Caroline had never thought about how having children would impact her profession. She assumed there’d be challenges, but she’d never thought about giving up being a physician. “Well, yes, yes, I think I will want to continue.” This wasn’t some passing fancy that she’d abandon to move on to something else.
Her mother frowned, but didn’t interrupt as her father took over. “As I said, I’ve spoken with Grant and he’s an upstanding young man. His father owns a foundry and invests in several downtown buildings. They’re an old family.”
“Are you…were you holding meetings with suitors to find one who’d take me?” A wave of nausea churned through her belly.
“No, of course not.” Her father frowned and darted a glance at her mother. “I did speak with a couple of gentlemen who’d expressed interest in the past in coming to call. Though I have to agree with your mother and say that I received fewer inquiries once your plans became known. And that’s no reflection on you. I fully support your decision. However, it did bring to my attention the particular challenges you might face in the future when it came time to marry. I confess that I hadn’t bothered to concern myself with the prospect of your marriage until your mother brought the question to my attention.”
Her mother nodded in agreement. “You know how your father tends to leave the day-to-day thinking to us sensible folk while he goes off into one of his books.” Then she leaned forward and took Caroline’s hand. “Please understand that we do not take this decision lightly. We only have your best interest at heart. We’ve spoken to Grant at length, and we do very much feel that he’ll be the best option as a husband for you.”
The very idea that they’d think she’d entertain the notion of marrying this stranger was perplexing. Her heart pounded so hard she could barely hear anything over the roar in her ears. “And if I don’t like him?”
Her father sat back in his chair, but her mother only smiled. “Please don’t be unreasonable, darling. Give him a chance. I’m certain you’ll find that you quite like him.”
“What if I don’t?”
Finally, her mother’s smile cracked a little. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. We’ve made a good match for you.”
Caroline could hardly believe her ears. They were behaving as if this was normal. “I won’t commit to this engagement. I have not chosen him. I don’t even know him. We’re not in the Middle Ages. People don’t just marry off their children.” Yet, even as she said it, she knew that it happened all the time. Maybe not quite as straightforwardly as this, but she knew many women who’d had their suitors selected for them.
Her parents merely looked at each other.
Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Am I not to attend medical school unless I marry him?” The words echoed in her mind as the room stayed silent. Neither of them wanted to admit that they’d backed her into a corner. Had they thought she’d just allow them to do this to her?
“Miss Hartford? Caroline?” Grant Miller walked into the room as if unsure of his welcome. “If I could have a word with you, I think I could clear up a little of the confusion. You see, I approached your father months ago. After I met you, I was quite enamored with you and I knew that you had barely noticed me. You were too busy chatting with donors and making speeches to notice your admirers.”
He gave a small smile that softened his features and made him appear very young, almost likable if she’d been inclined to view him as anything other than a threat. “I heard every word of your speech that night and I highly admire your passion for the hospital and your chosen profession. If it sets your mind at ease, I support your ambition and would proudly call you my wife, as well as my physician.”
He smiled and it did seem genuine. “I apologize for the ambush. Your mother thought it would be fun to surprise you, and I can see now that we were wrong. I’d hoped that my coming here would be a symbol of my dedication. If I’ve overstepped my bounds, then I humbly apologize.”
Caroline stood, rubbing her wet palms down the skirt of her gown. If what he said was true, then he was caught in the middle of this awful scheme her parents had arranged just as she was. She couldn’t fault him for that. Knowing her mother, she’d probably played up Caroline’s enthusiasm to him a bit too much. “Thank you for your apology. I believe my parents are a little overzealous in their ambitions. I hope you don’t think I’m being rude, but they caught me off guard.”
“I completely understand. I’ll go and leave you to talk with your parents.” He turned to go, looking rather dejected, making her feel terrible.
“You don’t have to go, Mr. Miller.”
He smiled back at her. “I don’t want to be a bother. I have a room in town, a very nice room, actually. I’d never have believed Helena had anything to rival Boston, but the Baroness is one of the nicest hotels I’ve seen.”
“Please stay. At least for refreshments. I’ll go see what’s keeping Aunt Prudie.” Caroline forced the same smile she used at the fund-raisers and left to go find her aunt. Inside she was seething and very aware that her parents had backed her into a corner. She refused to marry a man they had arranged for her, but she was already starting to wonder how she could get out of it. They very literally held the purse strings to her future. If they refused to allow her to attend medical school—and refused to pay her tuition—then she really had no choice.
As she moved into the hallway and left the parlor behind, thoughts of Castillo began to intrude. The very idea of touching some man who wasn’t him was repulsive. What would he say when he came back tonight to find this had happened? What if he didn’t care? She closed her eyes and came to a stop in the privacy of the little alcove beneath the stairs.
He wouldn’t care…would he? Despite what had happened between them last night, her being forced to marry someone else wasn’t his problem. And why should it be? He could do absolutely nothing about it.
Her heart pounded in her chest so hard she thought that it might try to leap out. Closing her eyes, she was afraid that she’d just fallen over the edge into the deeper feelings for Castillo that she’d been so afraid of.