Page 50 of A Lady's Passion Knows No Distance
“And you have proof of this?”
“If I hadn’t, the King wouldn’t have knighted me,” William replied.
“Then I should like to see this proof, as well. Think of it as creating good faith between the two of us,” Lord Murphy suggested.
“When we are all back in town, I’ll have my solicitor send over the documents. I only ask that you send them back after you are done reviewing them. The King has paid me for my silence in the matter so that he may act in accordance to his own wills. I wouldn’t want any of these lords to get wind of what is coming, or they will more than likely flee the country.”
“I fully understand,” Lord Murphy said with a firm nod. The card game continued then as matters of business circulated between the three of them. It was only when a footman came to announce that dinner was ready that the game came to an end.
“Well, I suppose we have ignored the woman for long enough,” Lord Murphy said with a chuckle. He stood from the table and approached his wife, extending his arm towards her as she smiled pleasantly. William didn’t hesitate in doing the same for Caroline as they made light greetings.
“How was your discussion with Lord Murphy?” Caroline asked as they walked together towards the dining room.
“It was productive. How has your holiday been here at the coast?”
“Considering we only just arrived, quite lovely. I long to return to the beach this evening as the sun sets.”
“Then perhaps I could be of some company,” William suggested.
“I would very much enjoy that. I can only assume that your travelling companion would agree to the same thing if Miss Gwendolen wanted to go as well?”
“And if I wanted to speak with you privately?” William asked, his voice barely a whisper. Caroline’s eyes grew wide as her lips parted, the sight causing his member to stir with delight.
“I’m sure that could be arranged,” Caroline whispered back as she smiled at him.
As they entered the dining room, William sat Caroline at one side of the table and went to sit on the other with Lord Sergio. There were still rules of etiquette that he must follow, and was willing to behave himself in Lord Murphy’s presence. William knew how to bid his time and could wait for the dinner to come to a completion before asking permission to walk with Caroline down to the beach.
“English food never ceases to surprise me,” Lord Sergio said with a chuckle as the first course was served. It was a broth soup with chives that William found rather refreshing.
“What do Spaniards often eat?” Lady Murphy asked.
“I would describe Spanish food as a lot of seafood, spice, and potatoes,” Lord Sergio answered.
“Ah, how interesting. There is plenty more seafood here on the coast compared to in town,” Lord Murphy said. “You’ll be sure to share with my cook any particular requests.”
“It is not necessary, Lord Murphy. I enjoy English food very much and often look forward to the cuisine every time I am in town.”
“And how much longer do you plan to reside in England?” Miss Gwendolen spoke up. William’s heart went out to the young lady, already knowing the answer to her question.
“My ship leaves in four weeks. I must venture back to Spain to oversee my next business venture and to pay respects to my family. Unfortunately, my father grows older in years and I do not like to be away from him for very long. Already, it’s been two months,” Lord Sergio explained.
“The journey to Spain is a long one,” William commented. “I shall be sad to see you go.”
Lord Sergio chuckled before saying, “I will return before you know it. We have a business deal, after all.”
“And I’m sure there are many aspects of England that would have you returning as soon as you could,” William suggested.
“Ah, there certainly is,” Lord Sergio said, looking towards Miss Gwendolen over the rim of his wine glass as he drank the liquid slowly. William could see the blush in her cheeks and thought the two would make a good match.
Once the final course had been served and all manner of topics had been discussed, William stood from the table and asked Lord Murphy, “May I escort Miss Caroline down to the beach? I wish to speak to her concerning certain matters.”
Lord Murphy set is fork down and looked hard at William, his eyes narrowing. He then looked towards Caroline as though to gage her reaction. “I see no harm in that,” Lord Murphy said after a time. “I simply ask that you are careful on the stone stairs leading down to the water’s edge. Be mindful of the tide, as well, for it tends to sneak up on you.”
“Don’t worry, Lord Murphy. I’m quite familiar with the coming and going of the water,” William said with a smirk. Feeling confident now that he had Lord Murphy’s blessing, William rounded the table and helped Caroline to her feet before leading her back into the drawing room and out of the open doors.
“The weather is rather warm, even though the sun is setting,” Caroline commented once they were alone.
“‘Tis the best part about summer. The days and nights are equally warm, and the sun seems to stay in the sky for longer. I find it quite comforting,” William replied.
