Page 10 of A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance
Without looking into his eyes and donning her mask of emotionlessness, she followed after her parents towards the dining room, wishing there was some way to avoid what was likely about to happen.
Chapter 6
William tried his best to rid his hands of the shaking that didn’t seem to want to stop. Once he’d returned to the manor from his and Caroline’s secret meeting place, he discovered that all the servants were eagerly talking about this evening.
Cook was whipping up a fancy white cake with chocolate filling; the footmen were all making sure one another was finely dressed and didn’t have any smudges on their clothes. And as soon as William had taken the time to change into his uniform, he finally overheard what the commotion was all about.
“Do you think that Miss Caroline will say yes?” one of the maids whispered excitedly as he passed through the main room for the servants. William stopped dead in his tracks, moving aside to let someone else pass while he listened in on the women’s conversation.
“I don’t think she has a choice in the matter. Ladies of that status must accept a proposal from someone of equal status. She would be certainly mad to deny such a man as Lord Canton.”
“I just have a feeling that Miss Caroline doesn’t really like the man. After all, they haven’t really courted nor spent much time together.”
“Again, my dear. You must remember that people of status do things differently. It’s more about business than it ever will be about love.”
William went on his way then, knowing he needed to help accommodate the requests of Lady Goldman. With flowers to arrange and display, there wasn’t much time for him to ponder what he’d just overheard. His heart pounded in his chest, even though his fingers worked slowly to help arrange the flowers. He couldn’t bear the idea of Caroline marrying another, though he had no plan of his own to secure her hand.
“William. Start working on the candles. The madam wants all the footmen present and to bearing the iron candle holders,” Mr Westley said, tugging on William’s coat sleeve to help him focus on the next task. He always appreciated the older man looking out for him, especially when he knew how ill William’s father was.
After a while, William became focused on his work as he pushed from his mind the impending feeling of doom in his chest when he discovered that Lord Canton planned to propose during the course of the dinner. Hence, Cook had prepared a fine feast and reserved dessert for after the proposal.
Normally, William would have been excited at the idea of perhaps enjoying a slice of cake after the dinner party, but tonight he was filled with nervous feelings all throughout his body. He knew that Caroline loved him but wasn’t sure what her response to Lord Canton would be. William knew that she should accept, that he was actually capable of caring for her properly. Yet he wasn’t sure if he could accept such a broken heart if she did so.
Before he knew it, William was being led away with the other footmen as the dinner portion of the night began. He’d been requested to help serve the meal as normal, but tonight he feared making a mistake. He was so nervous that he wondered how upset Lord and Lady Goldman would become if he gave his prized position up to another.
As the guests were settled in the dining room and the first course was prepared, William got in line with the other footmen and tried to remember his duty and responsibility to not only the Earl, but his father. He mustn’t make a mistake as he picked up the bowl of cold soup and made his way to the dining room.
As William stepped into the room with the others, his heart was pounding so hard that he could hear it in his ears. With each step, he felt like he was about to faint. By some miracle, he managed to serve the guest he’d been assigned to, and as he spent down towards the table to place the bowl in front of the gentleman, his eyes sought Caroline’s. And for a moment, they looked at one another even as he straightened his body. It was that one look that gave William the strength to keep moving.
“William, are you feeling well?” Marcus asked as he rushed up the hallway to reach William and gasp his elbow.
“Yes, why do you ask?” William replied as they all made their way back to the serving room.
“You look like you’re about to beat a man bloody. Your face is all red and you have this crazed look in your eyes,” Marcus said, causing William to stop in his progress to the serving room and really look at his friend.
“Do you think anyone else noticed?” William asked, now worried about his appearance. He knew that the reason he had this position was because of his good looks, and he didn’t want to lose it simply because he let his emotions get the better of him.
“I pray no one did. At least, no one has said anything to me. But you need to pull yourself together. I don’t know what’s going on or how your father has been faring lately, but don’t do anything foolish.” Marcus patted his shoulder and then rushed off to join the others.
William used the few minutes he had to take several deep breaths before heading where he needed to go. He wasn’t sure what he’d do when the proposal actually happened, but he realized he needed to keep his composure if he was going to keep his job. William reminded himself just how much his father was depending on him and, with that thought in mind, he focused on his work.
~*~
If I just tell my mother I’m not feeling well and that I’ll be returning to my bedchamber, then Lord Canton won’t have an opportunity to propose, Caroline thought as she ate her food. She’d remained rather quiet throughout the dinner, speaking once or twice to the young lady at her side. Lord Canton had been seated across from her, no doubt to have better command of the room. And though he often smiled at her, she was thankful that he didn’t try to engage her in conversation across the table.
Caroline was thinking of all sorts of different ways to avoid Lord Canton’s proposal and was about to lean over towards her mother to give her excuse when Lord Canton stood from the table. A wave of fear crashed down on Caroline as she watched him stand, the room becoming quiet as all eyes glanced between him and Caroline. She tried to breathe, to keep herself from stiffening up so much. And it was only when her mother patted her leg underneath the table that Caroline seemed to remember how to properly breathe.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this moment to express my growing fondness for Miss Caroline these past many weeks. My dear, you are such a wonderful creature and would be so pleased if you’d except my hand in marriage,” Lord Canton said, extending his hand towards her across the table as though to offer himself to her.
The room grew so quiet that she was afraid everyone could hear her heart thumping hard against her chest.
Slowly, Caroline pushed back her chair and stood, her mother reclaiming her hand in her lap. She faced Lord Canton without a single expression on her face, wanting to make it perfectly clearly her intentions.
“Lord Canton, I am grateful for your offer and your words of endearment. Though you have a great fondness for me, I don’t feel the same for you. Our time together has been rather sparse and infrequent. Therefore, I don’t have an opinion of you as of yet. I cannot accept your offer at this time,” Caroline said, her voice void of either joy or anger.
The room filled with all sorts of whispers as she curtsied to Lord Canton. As she looked back up at him, he seemed shocked and surprised by her refusal of him, and she even watched as he exchanged a look with her father. Knowing she couldn’t bear to remain and try to eat any food while the dinner guests gossiped around her, she stepped away from the table and quickly made her way out of the room, only causing the guests to speak even louder.
Once the door was closed behind her, Caroline walked at a very fast pace towards the stairs. She even picked up the hem of her gown so she could move faster, afraid someone would try to come after her. But as she reached the base of the stairs without either of her parents trying to come to her and speak reason, she let out the air she was holding in her lungs as she quickly made her way up the stairs and towards her bedchamber.
