By mid-morning the following day, Julian had begun to worry. The weather had improved somewhat during the night and the road had been cleared of the damaged Strathmore travel coach. Yet no other carriages or coaches had arrived at Newhall Castle.
He was headed back toward the castle proper when Francis Saunders came out from the stables.
He wore a pensive look on his face. “A word, if you wouldn’t mind, Newhall? Something is a little out of sorts. It’s a delicate matter, so I would appreciate a light touch, if you would indulge me?”
“Yes?” replied Julian.
Francis scratched his head, then looked back toward the stables. He was clearly ill at ease. “I spoke to the stable hands this morning and they couldn’t find which stall had been reserved for our horses. I thought to check on them this morning and I pressed your head stableman for the list of where all the horses and carriages were to be housed.”
Julian quietly formulated a polite response that would not have Francis Saunders take offence on behalf of his sister. “Ah yes, we seem to have had a slight mix-up with the invitations. Lady Margaret confessed to me last night that she and my mother had somehow managed to get the guest list out of kilter. A little embarrassing, but no harm done.”
“I see. So, what you are telling me is that we were not expected. Do I have the right of it?” replied Francis.
Julian puffed out his cheeks. If he got his response wrong, the whole week-long party could end before it began. The other guests would surely hear about it. “As I said, my mother and Lady Margaret missed some names off the final list. You and the others are of course part of the house party. I am looking forward to your company over the duration of your stay.”
Francis looked at the ground, managing to find a small stone to kick around. When he finally met Julian’s gaze, he showed no emotion. “Thank you, Newhall, I appreciate your discretion. Let us agree that we say nothing of this to Caroline. Considering how the two of you have behaved toward one another, she was genuinely surprised to receive the invitation from your mother. My sister has been under some strain of late, and we undertook this trip in order to give her a respite. It would not help her in that regard if she was to discover that she was not on your list.”
Julian nodded, relieved that Francis Saunders was an understanding man. For all Caroline’s faults, she did not deserve to be shamed in public. It would not do for her to be leaving the estate as the other guests arrived.
“Good morning. I hope you managed to get some sleep last night.”
Caroline had just reached the bottom of the main castle staircase and was pleased to see Lord Newhall as he stepped in the front door. She had had time in which to consider how she should approach him. A thank you was first on her list, followed by an apology.
She nodded. “Yes, a maid brought up a second large glass of whisky in the early hours and after that, I didn’t know a thing until I woke a little while ago.”
His gaze fell to her heavily bandaged hand.
She held it up. “You did a marvelous job in repairing it. Mind you, it still aches like the world, but the bleeding has stopped.”
“Have you eaten?” he asked.
“I will go and seek some breakfast shortly, but I wanted to find you first. I must thank you for ministering to me last night. I made an awful mess of the tiles in the castle front entrance and then had the audacity to pass out on them. So please, accept my heartfelt gratitude for being such a generous host,” she said. A small smile came to her lips as she saw Lord Newhall look away. It was comforting to see that he too felt ill at ease. These were the first kind words to one another they had ever exchanged.
“It was my pleasure. I hope that when the hand heals you regain full function of it. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that it will not scar. My stitches are, at best, that of a battle surgeon,” he replied.
She sucked in a deep breath and readied herself to make a formal apology for the way she had treated him in the past.
James appeared, and Caroline took a step back. Her apology would have to wait until she could secure another private conversation with Lord Newhall.
“I say, Newhall, your cook is a godsend. I miss hearty country cooking so much. My father is always having to entertain dignitaries at Fulham Palace and so the fare at our table is very rich. With the amount of cream laden food, I eat, I expect to have gout, like my father, before I am forty. It might be called the king’s disease, but bishops are not immune.” He reached out and, taking Caroline gently by the arm, looked down at her heavily bandaged hand. “And how are you, dear cousin? Did you get some sleep? You gave that large hot toddy a swift taking so I hope it brought you rest. Not like the last time you found yourself tucking into the whisky, eh?”
Caroline softly chuckled and turned to Lord Newhall. “James, here, is being a little naughty. When I was ten, I found our uncle Ewan’s whisky barrel in the Strathmore Castle kitchens. I helped myself to a number of glasses. Suffice to say, I was rather ill.”
All these years later, she still felt nauseous at the memory of her mother holding her hair while she knelt in the snow and cast up the contents of her stomach. The resultant hangover was a lesson she did not ever wish to repeat. The previous night had been the first time she had touched whisky since that dreadful day.
“Oh dear, that must have been terrible for such a young girl. I hope everyone else has forgotten about it,” replied Lord Newhall.
She softly laughed. “You clearly don’t know my family. I give his grace a bottle of whisky every Christmas in penance for my crime. He and everyone else enjoy a hearty laugh at my expense when he offers me a glass, and I shudder as I decline.”
Julian stood staring at Caroline, unsure of what to say next. Could it be that the famed Ice Queen actually had a sense of humor? A feather could have knocked him down at the notion.
“I’m sorry, Newhall; we tend to be a tad less formal around family members. For a moment, I forgot we were guests. We do promise to behave when everyone else arrives. Speaking of which, I have not seen any other carriages yet. When are you expecting everyone to be here?” said James.
“Sometime today,” replied Julian.
It was odd no other guests had yet arrived. He consoled himself with the likely explanation that his other guests had stayed overnight at either Leicester or one of the other villages en route. Travelling at night was a dangerous occupation, let alone in a snow storm. Julian had instructed his steward to send riders out to check that no one else had been caught in the storm of the previous night.
“Well I shall go and have a quick word with Francis, and let him know you are up and about, Caroline. He went off earlier to check on the coach driver and Master Cook. I had better call in and give them my best regards as well,” said James.
Caroline and Julian were left alone. The uneasy air settled between them once more.
Caroline cleared her throat. “I feel I owe you an apology.”
For the second time in a matter of minutes, Julian found himself wrong footed by Caroline. First, she had thanked him, now she was offering an apology.
“Lord Newhall, I was rude to you the night we first met. I was angry, but you were trying to be a gentleman and resolve an argument. I was then rude to you a second time at the ball. You were right to treat me the way you did. I apologize for my behavior toward you,” she said.
He knew he should have felt a sense of satisfaction over having managed to secure an apology from Caroline, but instead he felt regret. There was a spark about her which disappeared the instant she became formal with him. That spark had intrigued him.
“And I owe you two apologies. One for your foot, which I deliberately stepped on. And two, for my disgraceful behavior at the Serpentine. I could have and should have saved you from falling. To my utter disgust, I did not. I am deeply ashamed of myself and offer you my unreserved apology,” he replied.
They stood in silence for a time, neither looking at the other. Finally, Julian mustered up the courage to offer a way forward. “If you are agreeable, then let us put our past behind us. I hope you and the others enjoy your stay here at Newhall Castle. We have many activities and entertainments planned; I am sure you will find something that appeals to you.”
He was genuine in his wishes for Caroline to enjoy herself. She would not be someone he would ever consider as a candidate for his future bride, but still there was something about her he found appealing.
She was truly a beauty. Her blond hair verily shone in the morning light. His gaze settled briefly on the bodice of her deep-blue gown. She wore her clothes a little tighter than other women, which he secretly liked. His gaze was afforded an easy and appreciative show of the outline of her ample breasts and slender waist.
He swallowed as he fought the unexpected attraction to the woman he was supposed to thoroughly dislike.
“So, Lord Newhall, we shall attempt to be friends?” she replied.
He smiled. “Yes, but only if you call me, Julian.”
The smile she gave him in return lit up her whole face. Her emerald-green eyes sparkled with warmth and humor. Julian was certain that in that instant his heart missed a beat.
“Very well. In the spirit of friendship, I would also ask that you call me Caroline. Friends are permitted those small indulgences,” she replied.
Julian stood in the front entrance of the castle after Caroline left to follow James and enquire as to the health of the injured servant. That simple act, coupled with her apology, had him wondering what other surprises she would spring on him over the next week.
The Caroline who had arrived on his doorstep in the middle of a storm was not the same woman who had berated him at a ball a matter of days ago. And her family certainly did not treat her with anything other than familial warmth and concern. Francis and James had both dashed upstairs upon hearing that Caroline had been injured.
He shook his head, refusing the tempting thought that he had figured her all wrong. “Don’t be a fool, Newhall. This is how these women get you to do their bidding. A soft batting of the eyelids, a simple smile, and then they have you,” he muttered.
He would choose his countess from the other ladies present at the house party. Caroline Saunders would not figure in the decision of his future life partner. He would not make the same mistake his father had.