Page 44 of A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance
“It won’t be necessary, Mr Winston. I’m simply going to walk down the street to do a bit of shopping, is all,” William explained.
“Very well, sir. I look forward to your return home.” William nodded to the man as he departed, allowing the butler to close the door behind him.
Even now, it was hard to get used to the idea of servants serving him. Having been in the service industry for so long, it was almost surreal. And though he had the wealth for his own carriage, horses, and footmen, he rarely utilized them because he still felt capable of taking care of the majority of his own needs.
William walked down the sidewalk, another beautiful day gracing the town. The sun was making its way higher into the sky, the heat of the summer apparent in the air. He wore a muslin shirt and an emerald-coloured vest, hoping the muslin would help him stay cool throughout the day. It was the type of day he’d want to spend with Caroline, escorting her through the park so they could enjoy the greenery together.
So many things had changed for William in such a short amount of time. He was finally in a position to be suitable for Caroline, with his latest fame and fortune. And now that she wasn’t committed to Lord Canton, he could easily begin courting her. Lord Murphy seemed to be a reasonable enough guardian, and William hoped that he could persuade the Earl to give William his blessing.
As he made it to the street that was lined with shops and businesses, William slowed his pace. He looked inside each window, wondering if he could find something that would pique Caroline’s interest and show that he still cared very much about her.
As he continued on, he stopped inside a bookstore and began to browse the selection. William was determined to find the most perfect gift for Caroline. It had to be something that would lift her spirits and encourage her to continue enjoying life. Furthermore, it had to reflect his unchanging love for her.
Eventually, he came across a book he had not seen before and started to thumb through the pages. It seemed like an easy enough read, a fictional novel about romance and social stigmas. The more William read through the book, the more he realized he enjoyed the author’s humour and wit and decided it would be perfect for Caroline. He purchased two copies so he could read it as well and have something to discuss with her when they would meet again.
After paying for the two books, William made his way farther down the street, trying to spot anything else that might interest Caroline. As he came to a china shop, a small figurine in the window caught his attention. He bent down and looked through the windowpane, eyeing the small figure. It would be perfect. With a smile on his lips, William quickly entered the shop to acquire it, making sure it was wrapped and packaged securely so he could have it delivered to Caroline.
With his items in hand, William made his way home, satisfied he’d made the right decisions. Once he returned to his townhouse, he took the time to show his father and Grendel what he’d selected, then he acquired his quill and ink to inscribe a short massage in the book for Caroline. Then, he gave the gifts over to Mr Winston, asking for them to be delivered to Caroline right away.
“Certainly, Sir Roberts. They shall be neatly wrapped and then I’ll send Mathews to deliver them,” Mr Winston said with a smile curling his lips. William thanked the man before retiring to the sitting room, intent on reading the new novel.
~*~
For days, Caroline had been beside herself with her emotions. She rose each morning wondering what she should do with herself. She felt no need to do anything and instead focused on the things that she needed to do regardless of how she felt.
She dressed each day in a black gown, attended meals with the Murphys, and had even met with her father’s solicitor to review documents and make decisions for the small fortune she’d inherited through her dowry.
But even though she was accomplishing all that was required of her, Caroline still didn’t know what she should be doing about her future. She’d officially posted that her engagement with Lord Canton had been dissolved. Therefore, she had avoided social situations in hopes of riding out the storm of gossip that no doubt followed her announcement. She figured that she could grieve for a small period of time before society would actually expect her to start appearing once more. And with the summer being in full swing, not many lords were hosting gatherings, as it was too warm to really be around a large group of people.
“We should plan a trip to the coast,” Gwendolen said one afternoon as they gathered in the sitting room to talk of different happenings in town. “It would be cooler by the sea and we could swim when the days became too hot to sit around.”
“I wouldn’t mind taking a short trip to our coastal estate,” Lady Murphy added.
“I don’t see anything that would keep us in town. Miss Caroline, what do you think about the idea?”
“I believe it would be nice to have a change of scenery. It may be more relaxing on the coast compared to remaining in town,” Caroline agreed. The idea actually seemed to bring some life back into her. She’d be away from society and perhaps could feel more like herself.
“Then it is settled. I shall speak to the staff about the journey and make the arrangements as soon as possible. You ladies should make sure you have everything you might need for the trip. We shall stay for at least a month,” Lord Murphy decided.
Gwendolen clapped her hands excitedly and looked to Caroline with glee in her eyes. Caroline couldn’t help but smile, thinking it was a grand idea.
“Come, Caroline. Let us review our wardrobe for the trip,” Gwendolen suggested as she stood, extending her hand towards Caroline.
“Certainly,” Caroline replied as she stood from her chair and followed after Gwendolen, her handing resting lightly in her friend’s. She felt such warmth in the other girl’s fingertips that she pondered how cold she must feel. Even in the hottest days of summer, she couldn’t seem to stay warm enough.
“We must make certain plans if we are truly going to enjoy this trip,” Gwendolen said in a soft voice as they took the stairs to the bedchambers on the second floor. Caroline giggled, wondering what her friend was up to.
“What plans do you have in mind?” Caroline asked as Gwendolen led them to her bedchamber.
“Well, the way I see it, we are two eligible young ladies with plenty of time on our hands. Wouldn’t it be so delightful if we spent time with our beaus, as well?”
“Though I know you pine after Lord Sergio, I have no such intentions towards a man.”
“Certainly that cannot be the case,” Gwendolen said, letting go of Caroline’s hand and turning towards her. “I have my own ideas of why you broke off your engagement with Lord Canton.”
“Come now, Gwendolen. It’s not good to speculate.”
“Yes, it is—it’s so much fun,” she countered with a chuckle, moving towards her wardrobe and pulling open the doors to start rummaging through her many gowns. “Now, if I had to guess why you broke off your engagement, it would be more than just the fact that Lord Canton is an odious man. I would presume that you have intentions towards another.”
