Page 21 of A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance
The two young ladies giggled together for a moment before Gwendolen actually let her be. As Caroline readied for her bath, she thought about her friend and her good intentions. But even though Gwendolen was convinced that she could save Caroline from this loveless marriage, Caroline was certain her fate had been sealed the night William let her go. And without a single letter from him since, she had stopped rereading his last note to give herself any sort of hope. If he truly did love her, then why hadn’t he written to her at all?
After a refreshingly hot bath, Caroline felt more revived than she had before arriving in town. And when she was dressed once more, her skin feeling as fresh as the new gown Gwendolen had gifted her upon arriving at her townhouse, she made her way from the bedchamber towards the sitting room on the first floor. There, Caroline found Gwendolen sitting by the window as she read a letter.
“My dearest friend,” Gwendolen said excitedly as she realized that Caroline had entered the room. “I’ve been going through the post while I waited for you and have received many letters from our good friends. They all speak about Sir Roberts, yet no one seems to know anything about him.”
“How mysterious,” Caroline said as she came and sat upon a chair near Gwendolen. The townhouse was very stylishly designed, yet simple. The pale blue carpets felt plush underneath her feet, and the few items of furniture were a light oak colour with striped white and blue patterns. A large crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling and was one of the few luxurious pieces in the room.
“I do hope this gentleman will attend the masquerade tomorrow evening,” Gwendolen said excitedly, drawing Caroline’s attention back to her.
“And why is that, my dear? Even if he did attend, how would you know who he is? Everyone shall be masked till midnight,” Caroline stated with a chuckle. “It will be hard to gain his attention.”
“With the right gown and mask, it won’t be hard to draw men’s attention. We’ve both been successful in doing so before.”
Caroline agreed, but after discovering that Lord Canton had discouraged any eligible gentleman from seriously pursuing her, she felt less confident in her abilities to seduce.
“I think we should be off if we are going to make it to the seamstress today. I’m still exhausted from our travels, but I wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity, either,” Caroline said.
“Yes, you are right, my dear. Let me just put my letters away and let Mr Denton know that we’ll require the carriage. My parents are resting, but we’ll be sure to be back before dinner,” Gwendolen said as she rose.
“Who shall be our escort then, if your mother won’t be joining us?” Caroline asked, feeling a little uncomfortable about the idea of them going out by themselves.
“Caroline, you are soon to be married. You might as well by my escort. And we are only going to the seamstress, after all. It’s not like we are attending a ball without Mother present to watch over us like a hen does her chicks.” Caroline laughed freely then at Gwendolen’s impression of a chicken chasing her babies around the sitting room.
“Fine, be gone with you before I laugh myself to death. We must be hasty for I promised my parents I would behave till their arrival in town.”
“Tis the reason I suggest attending the masquerade tomorrow night. I believe you, my dear Caroline, need to learn to live life to the fullest when you have the chance.” Gwendolen pointed her finger at Caroline then before leaving the sitting room to hurry after her butler.
Caroline took a deep breath, glad that her dear friend could make her laugh so. In a way, she envied Gwendolen. The girl was such a free spirit who rarely gave any thought about consequences. She simply lived her life and enjoyed it to the fullest. Caroline wondered if she would ever be able to do such a thing.
Once the carriage was once more prepared, Gwendolen and Caroline left together, talking excitedly about the manner of dress they would wear and what sorts of masks they wanted to find. They weren’t certain that they would have a large selection since the masquerade was tomorrow, but they were hopeful to find something suitable for the both of them.
Caroline watched the scenery pass by the carriage window as they travelled through town. There were certain things she liked about the large neighbourhood, from the bustling people to the possibilities around every corner. She felt like the town always felt so alive, with so many people living closely to one another. Sometimes she wondered if it was possible to run into William in a place like London. After all, he had to have gone somewhere after leaving the countryside.
“Caroline, did you hear me?” Gwendolen asked, catching Caroline’s attention.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked if you thought horns would be a little too much. I thought going as a ham would be a nice idea.”
“I would have to see them on you first,” Caroline admitted. “We can try on different masks until we are tired of the sport.”
“I like that idea. However, what were you thinking of just then? You seemed so deep in thought and almost had a look of yearning upon your face.”
Caroline smiled, knowing that she’d been caught thinking about William once more. “I was just thinking of an old memory is all,” she explained.
“Are you going to tell me about it?” she asked.
Caroline shook her head. “Some things are best left in the past, I’ve discovered.”
“Well, you know I’m always ears. I wouldn’t tell a soul.”
“I know, Gwendolen. I just see no point in it, is all.”
Caroline was thankful when the carriage came to a stop because she knew it was finally time to turn their attention over dresses, fabrics, ribbons, and masks. As the footman came to open up the carriage door, Gwendolen stepped down first with Caroline quickly behind her.
The sidewalks were busy, and Caroline was anxious to get inside the dress shop for some reassurance. But as she followed closely behind Gwendolen, she thought she saw someone familiar. She stopped for a second to try to get a better look at the man, and when he stopped to cross the road, turning slightly to where she could see his profile, Caroline’s heart stilled.
There, perhaps ten feet away from her, stood William. She was sure it had to be him. His hair was much shorter than what she remembered, but his face was the same. His blue eyes shone brightly in the afternoon sun, and she began to take several steps towards him, desperate to confirm it was him. But before she could make it through the busy sidewalk towards him, he was already crossing the road, running to avoid colliding with a carriage or a horseman. It left Caroline standing on that side of the road, trying to follow him with her eyes.
