After Julian and his steward disappeared behind the high walls of the garden, Caroline was content to slowly wander on toward the castle. She stopped every so often to look back at the lake and take in the winter wonderland that was unfolding as the snow continued to fall.
She secretly hoped that by dragging her feet, Julian might catch up with her before she reached the castle, and they could spend a little more time talking privately. Thoughts of the earl were becoming near constant in her mind. He treated her differently than other men did. Dare she hope that Julian saw beyond her looks?
She had turned from one last gaze at the snow-covered grounds when Harry unexpectedly appeared from the front door of the castle. Standing in the open, she was easy to spot. He made an immediate beeline for her. There was no escape.
“Don’t be rude. Just be firm and polite,” she muttered as he approached.
As he drew close, she saw he was red-faced and flustered. Grim determination sat on his lips. She sighed. His mood, it would appear, had not improved from last night.
“You really should not be out here alone,” he said.
Caroline pursed her lips, forcing her temper down. “I wasn’t. Julian and I took an early morning walk. He has just gone off with his steward to deal with an estate matter,” she replied.
A flash of rage crossed Harry’s face. As he huffed, a great cloud of vapor appeared from his mouth in the cold air. “That is even worse. Do you not have any regard for your reputation, or the feelings of others?”
Caroline made to step past him, but Harry seized her by the left arm. He held it tight.
“Let go, Harry. You are hurting me,” she demanded.
He shook his head violently. His grip on her arm tightened. Caroline feared he was about to have a fit.
“No! It won’t do. I have done my time. Now it is up to you to yield,” he said.
A rising sense of panic took hold of her. She punched Harry hard on the arm, repeatedly, and he finally released his grip.
“What the devil has got into you? What do mean yield? Yield to what?” she replied.
His breath was coming hard and fast, and he angrily wagged his finger at her. “I have done my time waiting for you to finish with all those other fools. But I am no longer prepared to indulge your girly whims. You will accept my proposal of marriage and then we will be done with it.”
She stared hard at him while rubbing her bruised arm. The notion, wherever it had come from, was insane. There was not a chance on earth that she would ever consider marrying Harry Menzies. She tolerated his incessant need to be near her purely for the sake of Francis. This time, however, he had gone too far.
“No, Harry. You cannot make those sorts of demands of me. This is utterly ridiculous. Now go away!” she snapped.
The Harry she thought knew would have done as she asked. The man who stood before her was suddenly a stranger. “You will marry me and that is the end of it!”
She gritted her teeth. He had run mad. “Harry, you are my brother’s best friend and because of that I have been tolerant of your idiosyncrasies over the years. But hear me now. I don’t love you. I won’t marry you. Now leave me alone!”
“But you have to marry me,” he replied.
“Why?” she asked, throwing up her hands in exasperation.
He stepped forward and stood over her. When she looked up and saw the sly smile which appeared on his lips, Caroline felt an icy chill of premonition.
“Because the day before I left London, I posted an engagement announcement in The Times,” he replied.
A punch of shock hit Caroline with such force that she staggered back. It took a moment or two for her to breathe again.
This had to be a cruel jest. No one in their right mind would try and force her to marry them. She would make his life a misery.
He put an arm around her waist and pulled her roughly to him. Caroline squirmed but Harry held her tight. “I know it was a little bold of me, but there you have it. As the Duke of Wellington put it, virtutis fortuna comes. And now I have made my claim upon you to the world.”
Betrothals were not entered into lightly, especially by women of her social standing. In the eyes of many of the matrons of the ton, she would already be considered Harry’s wife. If she tried to back out of the arrangement, her reputation would be in tatters.
“How . . . how could you do such a thing?”
“You forced my hand. After your sister married, I had assumed you would come to me and we would settle on our future. But instead of rewarding my long-suffering patience, you cruelly decided to come here and throw your hat in the ring to become Newhall’s countess,” he said.
He lowered his head and forced his lips against hers. She struggled, but he was too strong. Too determined to have his way. He placed hot, wet kisses on her cheeks and then ran his tongue down the side of her neck. “So beautiful. Oh, Caroline, you are so beautiful. I cannot wait to have you naked beneath me,” he growled.
Hot, burning anger welled up inside. She lifted her right boot, and brought it down as hard as she could on his foot.
“Oh, you bitch!” he cried, releasing her from his harsh embrace.
Caroline rounded on him. “Yes, and a bitch you won’t be marrying!”
Harry snorted. “We shall see about that. If you defy me now, Caroline, I will show you who is the master once we are married. I promise, you will yield.”
He raised a fisted hand and swung at her face. Caroline stepped to one side and avoided the blow. From his angry roar, she knew she would not be so lucky a second time.
Behind Harry, Julian reappeared from the walled garden. At the sight of him, Caroline sucked in a shuddering breath and screamed, “Julian!”
He broke into a fast run. “What on earth is going on?”
Caroline quickly moved to stand close to the safety of him. She looked back at Harry. He had not moved; his fist was still sickeningly clenched.
“Harry posted a betrothal notice in The Times. Oh Julian, all of London thinks I have agreed to marry him. When I told him no, he attacked me,” she said. The words burned in her mouth as she spoke. The pain was made worse by the look of shock and anger which appeared on Julian’s face.
“Is this true?” he said.
Harry looked from Julian to Caroline and snorted. “I didn’t attack her. I simply kissed her. In time she will learn to accept my advances, willing or not.”
Julian’s posture stiffened. Caroline sensed he was about to launch himself at Harry and do him a grave injury. When Harry made a bold step toward them, Julian held up his hand.
“Menzies, I would not take another step, because if you do, I shall put you down like a wild beast.” A deadly look glittered in Julian’s eyes. “And I will show you no mercy.”