Page 35 of A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance
“I’ll look into the matter. If it is true, it will be in the papers soon enough,” William reasoned. All his planning seemed to have become undone with this news. For the longest time, they all looked around the room, unable to really say anything. Grendel was the one that eventually rose first and collected her plate, still used to taking care of herself.
“If this is true, William, then Caroline is really going to need a friend to rely on,” she said as she came over to him and rested a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“You are right,” William said with a nod. “As soon as the papers confirm it, I shall go to her straight away. I have no knowledge if she even has any other family members.”
“Then she’ll need you now more than ever,” Grendel added before leaving the room.
Despite the sullen news, William forced himself to eat something. After months of eating the same old rations, William always tried to eat a good helping at every meal. And since his cook had gone to the trouble to fix him something to eat, he wasn’t going to let it go to waste. Though the amount was small, he at least had something solid on his stomach.
“It’s hard to obtain Caroline’s hand in marriage when I have no one to ask permission of it,” William said after a while, looking to his father for some sort of advice. His father nodded as he looked at William.
“However, if she can now speak for herself, then she will be able to have a lot more say in the matter,” his father replied. “This may very well be a blessing in disguise.”
“She’s already been through so much lost, Father. It hurts to know she will be in agony over the sudden loss of her parents.”
“Then do as Grendel says. You must go to her soon and comfort her. She may be currently engaged, but you are still her very good friend.”
William nodded once more, knowing he could still be there for Caroline. Even if they didn’t end up together, he would always be there for her, as long as she requested it of him.
~*~
Caroline thought that the rain fit her mood perfectly. She stood in the sitting room, watching the rain wash down the windowpane. She’d been unable to sleep after the dinner party with William last night.
The kiss they had shared was filled with so much love and passion that now she felt foolish for becoming so angry with him. Her heart was hurt, and she was desperate for some sort of relief. And with her marriage scheduled for the end of summer, she suspected that her grief would only continue to grow once she was forced to be by Lord Canton’s side at all times.
A soft knocking on the door caused Caroline to turn away from the window. Her lips parted as she gasped at the sight of Lord Canton standing in the doorway. He was soaked through and through, raindrops falling from his coal black hair. From where he stood, he was starting to form a puddle on the carpet.
“I came as soon as I heard the news,” he said, trying to wipe the water from his face.
“And what news is that?” she asked, completely perplexed by his current state. He looked as though he’d been running in the rain for hours.
“Has no one told you, Caroline?” he asked, his voice soft.
“Just have out with it, Lord Canton. I am no mood to deal with you today,” Caroline said, her temper getting the best of her.
“Caroline, please. You must sit down. I have the most dreadful news for you,” Lord Canton said, gesturing towards a nearby chair. His voice was so calm and gentle that she was curious to know whatever news he had for her.
Reluctantly, she sat down in the chair. Then, Lord Canton came and knelt before her, a strong odour coming from his body that made Caroline’s nose crinkle in reaction.
“Caroline, I just received word from one of my road scouts. A report has come into town concerning a terrible carriage accident. The carriage has been identified as belonging to your father, from the Earl’s crest on the side of the vehicle. Both of their bodies were recovered from the tangled mess, yet they did not survive, Caroline. I am so terribly sorry.”
As Lord Canton finished his speech, Caroline stared at him for several long minutes. She tried to understand what he was saying while rationalizing the truth of it all. Her parents couldn’t possibly be dead… after all, they should be arriving to town by the afternoon. Was this some sort of joke? What was Lord Canton planning to do by causing her so much pain?
“I don’t believe you,” was all that Caroline thought to say after a while. “This simply cannot be true.”
“I know this is terrible news, my dear. But you must believe me, for your own sake,” Lord Canton said as he reached out and rested a wet hand on hers. She recoiled from him, wanting him as far away from her as possible for coming to her and telling her such lies.
“Out with you. I don’t want to see you ever again,” Caroline spat as she quickly stood and walked to the other side of the room.
“Easy now, Caroline. I am not the villain here. I am only the messenger. Be reasonable,” he said, his voice calm and soothing as he spoke slowly and clearly.
“This is not possible,” she said, turning to face him as her voice grew louder. “My parents will be arriving this afternoon, and when they get here, I shall tell my father the horrible lie you have conjured up. Then, I will have suitable reasons to break our engagement.”
Lord Canton took a few steps towards her, his hands out in front of him as though he was trying to calm a horse. “Caroline, I am not lying to you. You must believe me and accept this reality,” he said.
“I told you that I don’t ever want to see you again. You must be gone now,” she said in return, practically yelling.
Lord Murphy came hurrying into the room then, his eyes growing wide at Lord Canton’s current state and the angry look on Caroline’s face. “What is going on here?” he asked.
