Page 99 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman
His eyes remained on her as he came to meet her at the bottom of the stairs.
‘Caro.’ Drew stepped forward before Rob could reach her, and his hand cupped her elbow.
She looked at Rob, apologising silently.
‘Are we ready to leave?’ John asked.
‘We are indeed,’ Edward answered.
Drew hung on to her elbow as they walked out to the carriages and held her hand as she climbed the step, while Rob stood on the pavement behind her. At least Drew sat beside Mary and let Rob sit next to her.
Rob’s hands rested on his thighs, his palms flat and fingers spread. His leg occasionally bumped against hers as they travelled over the London cobbles. She felt the tension in his muscles.
She could not look at his face. She knew he recognised something was wrong yesterday, and he had watched her walk downstairs with a need for explanation in his eyes.
Drew spoke to him about their day at the stock market, and Mary commented. Caro remained silent and turned to look out of the window, into the blackness. It would hurt to let Rob go, but it might hurt him more if she did not walk away for now.It is only for now, she told herself. In a couple of years, when he was older, and had cut his path in life, things would be different.
When they reached the Newcombs’s house, Rob was the first to step out from the carriage. Drew climbed down next and immediately lifted a hand to take Caro’s, leaving Rob to help Mary and escort her into the house.
‘You do not need to keep me away from Rob,’ she whispered to Drew. ‘If you give me a chance to speak to him, I will tell him we should wait.’
He had no chance to reply as they were surrounded by other guests queuing to be introduced to their hosts. Rob and Mary were a dozen people ahead of them. They had not waited for them.
When Caro and Drew walked into the ballroom, Rob was joining a dance with one of his female cousins. A sharp pain pierced through her breast. He must have felt the same pain when she took Phillip’s hand and climbed into his carriage.
She had watched Rob play with the children yesterday and seen everything about him she loved.
‘Kilbride is across the room and looking this way,’ Drew stated in a low voice as she released his arm.
It did not matter; she no longer cared.
She opened her fan and looked across the room, fluttering it to cool her skin as she watched Rob dance. When the tune cameto an end, he bowed to his cousin and she hoped he would come to her.
‘Would you dance with me, Caroline?’
She turned and faced Edward. It was kind of him to ask, and she did not feel able to refuse because Albert watched. ‘Thank you.’ She accepted his hand. She did not want Albert to think she was avoiding dancing because of his presence.
She was partnered for the next three dances, Rob danced the next two then stood out for the third and spoke with Ellen.
Caro’s gaze collided with his on three occasions as she turned in the pattern of the dance.
He stood with his arms folded over his chest, in a defensive position, talking to his mother but frequently looking at Albert.
She had danced the fourth dance with his Uncle Richard, who walked back to the family group with her as the first notes of a slow waltz stretched through the room.
‘Will you dance with me?’ Rob approached her before they reached the group, his gloved hand raised, waiting for her to accept.
Love was wonderful and cruel.
Her heart had chosen this precious young man, and yet too soon.
When she was young her heart had chosen an unsuitable older man, now she had fallen for a very suitable but inappropriately young man. He had a heart that was as precious as gold, open and kind, and she would bruise it. Yet she prayed there would still be a future for them.
The rush of love she felt in his company swirled about her as she took his hand. She could not help loving him. She would love him at whatever point in his life he came back to her.
His dark-blue eyes said,I have you at last.
As he led her towards the centre of the room, her heart skipped a beat then rushed into a strong rhythm.
