The Viscount's Vendetta (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) (24 page)

I will win this battle.

* * * *

Carriages began arriving early. Caroline greeted their first guests, Lord Edward Sylvester and his wife, Lady Katherine. Caroline noticed Katherine’s pale face. She asked Mrs. Parker to put Lord and Lady Sylvester in a downstairs room.

“Thank you, Lady Royston. I hope it is not inconvenient for you to make the change. I do appreciate not having to go up and down stairs right now.” Katherine Sylvester blushed.

“It’s not a problem. You are increasing?” Caroling asked softly.

Katherine nodded and ducked her head. “Edward said we must refuse the invitation. He is so worried about me, but I have been looking forward to getting out one more time before I am confined to our estate.”

“I understand, and I would have been very disappointed if you had not been able to attend. Our husbands are having a long conversation. Shall I walk with you to your room?”

“Please do.”

Mrs. Parker had placed the Sylvesters in a back bedroom off the rose garden. A slight breeze blew the curtain inward and brought with it the fragrance of the flowers.

“I have looked forward to knowing you better, Lady Royston. Our husbands have been friends since school. I hope we can also be friends,” Katherine said.

Caroline admired Lady Katherine’s gentle manners. She had kind, brown eyes, and golden-brown hair. Caroline thought briefly of her mother and knew Katherine Sylvester was a role model of how her parents would have liked Caroline to behave. Why had she not followed her mother’s guidance? There was nothing unpleasant about this lady.

“I hope I have not been too forward in asking for your friendship?” Katherine Sylvester looked anxious.

Caroline realized she had been staring at her and had not replied. She hastened to reassure her. “It is I who must ask you to forgive my poor manners. You reminded me of someone. I was trying to remember who. Please call me Caroline. If we are to be friends, we mustn’t be so formal.”

Katherine smiled, relieved. “I think I must rest for a few hours, or Edward will fuss.” She chuckled. “He is worse than my mother, but then he remembers Damon’s mother, and how she died in childbirth.”

Caroline sat on the bed beside Katherine. “Are you afraid?”

Katherine’s brown eyes darkened. “Most of the time, no. The main difficulty is I don’t know what to expect. All the older ladies love to share the most horrible stories with you.”

“Remember,” Caroline whispered to her. “They are old ladies and they survived.”

Katherine laughed. “I had not thought of that, thank you so much.”

Edward Sylvester walked in, filling the room with warmth and strength. He was tall and broader then Damon. His light-blue eyes twinkled with good humor. “It is good to hear my wife laughing. She has been too much with her mother and her old cronies. I hesitated about us coming at this time, but I see already it is good. You are good for her spirits, my lady,” he said to Caroline.

“I am looking forward to this weekend. We will get to know each other better. But I will leave you now, so you can rest from your journey. Dinner is at eight, but please stroll about the house and gardens, wherever and whenever you wish.” Caroline slipped out of the room and found Damon waiting outside the door.

“I was going to join you, but I gathered they were ready to rest. Hannah is looking for you, and I think Mrs. Parker has some concerns about a room change.” Damon smiled. He lifted her hand and brushed his lips across her fingers. Before she could respond, he turned and sauntered off.

Caroline watched him until he turned a corner and was out of sight. His kiss had surprised and pleased her, and the gentle expression on his face gave her hope his regard toward her was changing.

“There you are, Lady Royston. I need to check with you about the room change upstairs.” Mrs. Parker pulled Caroline along with her up the steps. Caroline tried to concentrate on what Mrs. Parker was saying. She forced herself to give her attention to the conversation.

After appeasing Mrs. Parker about the change, Caroline started back down the stairs. Hannah was at the front door greeting more guests. She stepped back from the doorway to allow a red-haired woman and the man with her to enter.

“Lady Ferrier.” Caroline whispered the name and stopped her descent for a second. She watched as Damon came out of a room down the hall. Seeing the lady and her brother, he hurried to greet them. He bowed to Lady Ferrier, briefly touching her hand, and then turned to greet her brother.

Caroline slowly descended the stairs. She joined Damon in the vestibule. He watched her closely as she greeted the new guests. He hadn’t told her he’d invited Marguerite and her brother. There was a pounding in Caroline’s ears and for a brief moment her vision clouded. Her hands clenched and she breathed deeply, trying to calm her anger. Of course, he would know she wouldn’t want Lady Ferrier at her first house party, or any party she gave for that matter. Thankfully, Hannah sensed her problem and stepped forward, offering to show them to their rooms.

Caroline was relieved to see another carriage coming up the drive and excused herself to go down the front steps and greet the next guests. As the carriage got closer, Caroline grew more excited, it was Sara and Joan.

She flew to the open door of the carriage, and Sara and Joan fell out into her arms. “It is so good to see you two.” Caroline looked at them through the tears in her eyes. “I have missed you.”

“We have so much news and were not able to sleep last night with excitement. Your home is beautiful,” Sara said, looking up the steps to the entrance.

Joan walked around the two and viewed the large house and across the parkland. “It is peaceful. I like it.”

Caroline scoffed. “It may look peaceful, but there are deep undercurrents.”

Joan’s eyebrow raised in question. “Really? I will be anxious to hear all about your undercurrents.”

“Now you are accusing me of melodrama. I know that tone, Joan. You see yourself as the steady rock between your two romantic friends. I can’t wait to see the day when something or someone disturbs your calm,” Caroline said teasingly as she put her arms around her friends and directed them inside.

To Caroline’s relief, Marguerite and her brother were not still in the hall. “I’ll take you two up to your room. You can freshen up and join us downstairs when you are ready.”

“But you must stay with us for a good gossip,” Sara protested as Caroline went to leave their room.

“I’m afraid I can’t. All our guests aren’t here yet. I must greet them. I hope your room is satisfactory.” Caroline glanced around the large room she had assigned them. “I thought the two of you would prefer to share a room.”

“It’s lovely. Sara and I have shared rooms before and had no problems,” Joan answered reassuringly.

Caroline smiled, gave them another quick hug, and hurried to her husband’s study.

Damon sat at his desk, writing. He looked up as she entered. “I thought you would come looking for me.”

“Why did you not tell me to expect Marguerite and her brother?” Caroline stepped further into the room.

“Because I knew this would be your attitude,” he stated bluntly.

“My attitude? You bring an old flame to our house, and I am not expected to be upset?”

Damon stood and towered over his desk. “I will invite who I want, whenever I want. This is my home, and you are my wife. You will obey me, and be pleasant to all of our visitors.”

“Go to hell!” The words slipped out. Caroline put her hand to her mouth. She had overheard her father use that term once years ago and never realized she had stored it away for future use.

Damon came around his desk and grabbed her arms, pulling her against him. “What did you say?” he asked, anger evident in his eyes.

“You heard me.” Caroline pulled free of his grip and rubbed her arms. She lowered her head and studied the dark green carpet, waiting for his response. She put her hands behind her to hide their trembling.

“Your parents have much to answer for regarding your manners. Obviously they did not raise you as the lady you were presented to be.”

“My mother tried,” Caroline said grudgingly. “Why should women not be allowed to express powerful feelings? Men don’t hold back.”

“They do in front of ladies,” Damon protested.

Caroline flung her head back and stared at him defiantly. “You aren’t a gentleman. You married me for revenge and you didn’t care whether I was a lady or not. You got what you wanted. Since you feel so lowly of my father, why would you expect any better from his daughter?”

Damon walked back around and sat down. “Go, before I forget myself and turn you over my knee. I have never hit a woman before, but you make it very tempting.”

She hurried out and passed Charles in the hall by the door. When she saw his smirk, she knew he had overheard their conversation.

Straightening her spine, she nodded coolly in his direction and continued on her way to the large lounge. She would have a cup of tea and regain her control. Several guests were yet to come.

After Rook and his sister arrived, Caroline started up the stairs to her room, thinking all the out-of-town guests were here. It was time to change for dinner.

“Madame.” The deep male voice came from the entranceway. “You must be Lady Royston.”

Looking down the stairs, Caroline saw a slim, tall man standing inside the vestibule. Buckley arrived to greet him, just as Caroline started back down the stairs. She held out her hand to the strange man.

“I don’t believe we have met, sir.” Caroline looked up into dark-brown eyes. His golden-blond hair was thick and slightly longer than the fashion. He was dressed in black breeches and a white shirt with a black and silver vest and a black coat. In his right hand he held a walking stick with a curved gold handle.

He bowed deeply. “Forgive me, Lady Royston. I am Randolph Haddon, the Marquis of Milbrough. Perhaps your husband has mentioned that we were in school together.”

“No.” Caroline shook her head. “He did not, but several of his other school mates are here. Viscount Roland Stinson and Lord Edward Sylvester.”

“It will be quite like old home week,” the marquis said, still standing at the door.

“Please come in. How did you know me, Lord Milbrough?” she asked, puzzled.

A slight smile crossed his face. “Rook gave an excellent description when he came by my estate last week, at Damon’s direction, to invite me to your house party. But now I see I am unexpected, and I do not wish to put you out.”

“Not at all. We are…”

Caroline turned to see what had caught the marquis’s attention. Sara and Joan were coming down the steps. Joan’s face was flushed, her eyes staring at the new guest.

Caroline looked at the marquis again and found his eyes were intently studying Joan. “Lord Milbrough, may I have Buckley show you to your room?”

“Yes.” He turned his eyes to her. “If you are sure I am not imposing.”

“Not at all. Buckley, take his Lordship to the end room upstairs.” Caroline breathed a sigh of relief, remembering she had saved the largest room for just such an emergency.

Damon had given Mrs. Parker numbers and some names, but obviously not all. Apparently, besides not mentioning Lady Ferrier, he had kept the marquis as a surprise.

Sara and Joan curtsied to the marquis as he passed them on the stairs. “Who is he?” Sara asked when he was out of sight.

“Some friend of Damon’s. Damon forgot to mention he had been invited.” Caroline spoke testily. “I don’t mind, but I would like to have been prepared.” Caroline glanced at Joan.

“He seemed interested in you, dear Joan. Perhaps you have met your nemesis. A strong man to storm your guarded heart,” she teased.

“Don’t be silly, Caroline. I, like you, have too much to lose if I marry. I will wait for you to tell me you don’t regret the loss of control of your money and your freedom, and then I might consider marriage.”

Caroline linked her arms with her two friends and walked with them into the sitting room. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that at this time. It is terribly difficult to seem less of a person after marriage.” Caroline’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked her eyes, trying to keep her friends from seeing her distress.

“I must change for dinner. I was headed in that direction when our last guest arrived. I shall return shortly.” Caroline hugged her friends and sped up the stairs before she had another interruption.

Agnes helped Caroline into her green gown with the silver sparkles covering the bodice and sleeves. Her shawl was a thin, darker green material with the same glittering sparkles covering it. Agnes arranged her hair up and threaded a matching green ribbon through her curls. She wore the thin gold chain with the tiny ruby heart around her neck. It had been a present from her maternal grandmother.

Her grandmamma had given her the necklace a few days before she died. Caroline touched it briefly. “Be with me tonight, Grandmamma,” she whispered. It was time for her to make her appearance. She had just pulled on her gloves when the connecting door to Damon’s room opened.

“I see you are ready. Madame Charmaine did a very good job in designing your wardrobe. You appear very regal.”