The Viscount's Vendetta (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) (19 page)

“Matthew,” Caroline called to one of the footmen standing right outside the door.

“Yes, milady. May I get something for you?” Matthew asked. Then sensing the ire in the room, he looked from Caroline to Charles.

“Mr. Royston is leaving. Would you get his hat and coat please?” Caroline did not move from Charles’s side.

Charles didn’t speak, but the silence was more eloquent than words. When Matthew brought his coat and hat, Charles rose slowly and took them from the footman. He put them on, bowed to Caroline, and casually walked out of the room to the front door. She heard it shut quietly on his exit.

Caroline collapsed on her chair and crossed her arms. She took deep breaths to calm herself.

“Milady, are you all right?” Matthew asked.

“Yes, please ask cook to send me some hot tea and scones.” She glanced at his worried face. “I’ll be fine, thank you.”

She held her hands tightly to stop the trembling. Tears started to form on her lashes, and she bowed her head.

Whatever am I going to do? My husband abandoned me, and Charles hates me and would like to do me harm.

At that moment it all seemed hopeless. She could run away to her parents’ home, but Damon had the right to drag her back, and he would. He’d get pleasure in seeing her upset. Obviously, he cared nothing for her, or he would have returned by now.

She pulled her lace handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped her eyes. She was not a weak woman. She did not intend to give up. What had her mother said about getting more from a husband by being sweet? It was time to use any ammunition she had to win this battle.

* * * *

A party? How could she prepare for a house party of ten to fifteen people in ten days? Caroline sat at her desk in a small room at the back of the house. She had designated the room to be her private sitting area. It was where she could do her correspondence or read. Having just returned from her morning ride, her heart had lifted when she saw Damon’s letter in the morning post.

Caroline had come straight back here to have some privacy. She’d opened the letters with shaky hands. But there was not a word about how was she or anything. The message was blunt and to the point. He would be home in two days’ time from when he mailed the letter. A week after his return the house guests would start arriving.

Damon did suggest his aunt would help her with the preparations.
As if I’m not capable.
“Mrs. Parker,” Caroline called down the hall.

“Yes, milady?” Mrs. Parker peeked out of the drawing room. “How may I help you?”

“Come and join me, Mrs. Parker. I received a letter from Lord Royston. He will be returning soon. A week later, we can expect ten to fifteen guests coming for a house party. How do you suggest we prepare in the short time we have to do everything?” Caroline held her letter crumpled in a ball in her fist.

Mrs. Parker hesitated. “Let me think. We have enough rooms. I’ll have the maids dust and put fresh linen in each room. The footmen can make sure each fireplace is set and ready to be lit.”

“Do we need more help?” Caroline asked.

“We could use some help in the kitchen and in the stables for the horses. I can hire help from the village.”

“Good,” Caroline said, agreeing. “Don’t spare any expense. After lunch we’ll plan out the menus. I had better send an invitation to Lord and Lady Sommerplace and Hannah immediately, in case Lord Royston has not spoken to them yet.

“Thank you, Mrs. Parker. I’m confident we will work quite nicely together and show this lovely home off to perfection.”
And I’ll show Damon I don’t need anyone’s help to be the hostess in his home.

Caroline threw Damon’s letter down on her desk.
At least I will have something to keep me busy. There won’t be any time to brew over Charles and Damon.

* * * *

Damon arrived home to find his household in an uproar. Furniture was being dusted, rugs pulled outside and beat, and all the brass doorknobs and furniture handles polished to a high shine.

It was midmorning, and he had no idea where to find Caroline. He didn’t want to admit how anxious he was to see her.

He strolled down the hall, glancing in the rooms, hoping to find her. The small sunlight room at the end of the hall had some of her belongings scattered throughout. He had hoped to find her reading or writing letters, but the room was empty.

Damon walked in and took a deep breath. He smelled traces of her fragrance and the lightness of the room reminded him of her. He had started out when he saw his letter crumbled up in a ball on her desk.

He flushed. Evidently she was not glad to hear from him. So be it, at least he had not made a fool of himself rushing to her and sweeping her into his arms.

Damon left the room and went to change. He’d ride out and check the estate and talk with Charles. He’d see Caroline at dinner tonight. He strode upstairs to his room. His chest ached. Seeing her distain for his letter had been like a punch to his breast bone.

I will not care.
He repeated the thought many times on his way to the barn.

“His lordship has arrived, milady,” Buckley commented to Caroline when she returned from the flower gardens with her arms full of fragrant flowers. She had picked them for the many vases placed around the house and in each individual room.

Caroline’s face flushed and her heart jumped. He was home. “Where is he, Buckley?”

“He has gone out to tour the estate and talk with Mr. Royston. He informed me he would return for dinner,” Buckley said in his usual formal voice.

Caroline had noted Buckley always became more reserved and formal if he was upset. She patted his arm. “That is good. It gives me a chance to freshen up and look my best tonight.”

Holding her smile, she handed her flowers to one of the downstairs maids and slowly climbed the stairs to her room. Once inside she let her shoulders slump. This was a battle and she must keep to her plan. There wasn’t time for tears and regrets.

Caroline dressed in a new gown Damon had not seen. It was made of gold taffeta and rustled when she walked across her bedroom. The dress had small cap sleeves and a low-cut bodice. Agnes, her maid, brushed her hair and was about to braid it.

“Leave it down.” Damon spoke from the doorway to his room.

He had dressed in black with a silver vest and white shirt. He leaned casually against the doorframe, surveying Caroline with a cavalier expression. Agnes bowed and hurried out of the room.

Caroline stood and faced him. “It is good to have you home, my lord.”

“So formal? Damon will do. I see you are as lovely as I remembered.” He walked further into the room.

She wanted to go to him and put her arms around his neck and lean into his hard body, but she couldn’t get her feet to move. If only he showed one true sign of being glad to see her.

“I’ve brought you a small gift. It will go well with that gown.” He came close and pulled a jewelry box out of his coat.

Caroline opened it and gasped. A necklace of fine gold threads lay on the white satin lining of the box. She pulled it out. It was made like a mesh collar with a large ruby dangling from the center at the bottom.

“Here, let me help.” Damon took the necklace, and moving her hair aside, he fastened it. It wrapped around her neck and shoulders, the ruby dropping just above her breasts.

“And one other gift.” He pulled out a smaller box from his other pocket. Inside were two matching bracelets made of the same gold mesh with a ruby on the tiny gold lock that fastened the bracelets to her wrists.

Caroline breathed in his musky cologne when he bent his head to secure each bracelet.

“There, now you are officially bound to me. You are mine to command and enjoy.” His hard tone warned her something was amiss.

“I don’t know what you mean, Damon.”

“I think you do. You will do as I say and follow the instructions of whomever I leave in charge. Charles has told me of your visit to Atelstone Hall and of your outrageously impolite behavior toward him.”

“Ah, I thought he might wait a day before filling your head with his venom. Charles hates me and wants me gone,” Caroline said.

“Nonsense, you are being overly dramatic. He will be waiting downstairs for us. You are to apologize to him and accept his authority whenever I am away.” Damon’s eyes were flint hard.

Caroline took a deep breath, trying to control the anger flowing through her and the fear. Charles was already making a wedge between them, causing the divide to ever widen.

“I cannot do that, Damon. I realize you do not believe me, but I fear Charles is not a good person and actually may be a very dangerous man. I will not place my safety in his hands.”

Damon reached out and shook her. “You will do as I say.”

Caroline wretched herself out of his hands and tore off the necklace and bracelets, breaking the fine gold chains.

“Here, I don’t want anything from you. You can beat me or keep me in my room and starve me. I will not apologize or share my home with that man.”

Damon stood struck dumb by her venomous protest. He turned and went out the door. She heard his steps going down the staircase.

Caroline ripped off her gown and put on her white nightgown and robe. She put out all the candles but one and curled up in her chair by the fire.

What could she do? How could she save herself and possibly her husband from the danger she sensed all around them? Was she being hysterical or losing her mind?

* * * *

Damon joined Charles in the lounge. He poured a whiskey for both of them. “My wife will not be joining us tonight, Charles.”

“I hope she is well?” Charles asked politely.

“I think she’s been working too hard on this house party. My fault, really. I only gave her a few days’ notice, but the house looks lovely, and we’ll be ready for our guests to start arriving at the end of next week. Shall we eat?” Damon put his drained glass down and motioned for Charles to go into the dining room. Damon glanced briefly up the stairs as he passed on his way into dinner. The house was unusually silent.

Even the servants seemed subdued tonight, and Buckley actually frowned at him. Damn the woman, she had apparently become quite entrenched in his home in a short time.

Damon called one of the footmen over to his chair. “Please ask Mrs. Parker to send a tray upstairs to Lady Royston.”

Charles frowned at Damon. “She seems a bit willful to me. I’ve always thought a firm hand and letting a woman go without dinner a few nights makes them more cooperative.”

Damon’s surprised expression stopped any further speech.

Charles picked up his fork and cut into his beef. “Of course, your lady is a very fine woman, and I’ve never had the chance to associate myself with women like her.”

Damon noticed Charles watching for his reaction. Something about Charles’s demeanor tonight was unsettling. Damon shook his head. No, it was all that nonsense Caroline had put into his head earlier.

“Charles, let’s arrange a hunting party for the house guests. The morning after they arrive would be best.” Damon smiled reassuringly at his cousin.

“Don’t worry. I’ll arrange everything.”

“Good. I’m sure Lady Royston can manage some entertainment for the ladies.” Damon ate his meal, and there was no further discussion regarding Caroline.

* * * *

Caroline raised her head at the knock on her door. Had Damon returned? No, Agnes pushed the bedroom door open, carrying a large dinner tray.

“Milord asked Mrs. Parker to send your dinner to you, milady. Is there anything else you might require?” Agnes asked.

“No, this looks delicious, but I’m not very hungry. Leave it, and I’ll try to eat the soup.”

Agnes turned to go, but then she bent down, picking up the discarded jewelry. “Oh, milady, ’tis beautiful, but the gold thread has broken.”

“Please put it in my drawer, and if you would like the gold gown, you are welcome to it.” Caroline pointed out the gown lying across the chair by her dresser.

“Oh, milady, are you sure? I never thought to have anything so fine.” Agnes picked up the gown, and ran her hand across the shiny fabric. Her eyes glowed with pleasure.

“You are quite welcome, Agnes. Please thank Mrs. Parker for this good meal.”

Agnes nodded and, holding the gown close to her, hurried out of the room. Caroline remembered how hopeful she had felt when she dressed this evening. She must not forget she was nothing to him. From this point on, she would be his hostess and keep his house in order, and definitely not allow herself to dream of more.

Pushing the tray away, she blew out the candle. Curled up on her bed, tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Her life had changed miserably.

* * * *

Much later Damon slipped into Caroline’s room. A strip of moonlight lightened the darkness. He walked softly across the carpet to her bed. She lay curled up like a small child. Moonlight fell across her face and he saw traces of tears on her cheeks.