Page 33 of For a Lady's Fiery Heart
“Caroline–” he said, his voice tinged with remorse. She waited, and he looked away.
“Well, we are in a bit of trouble,” he finally admitted. “However, it is nothing to worry you. Now that you are married and settled, I should think it will be a small matter for you to help your dear old Papa.”
Caroline crossed her arms over her chest. “How much?” she asked, sounding more abrasive than she had meant. It hurt that he had come to ask her for money. She supposed she should not be surprised. Even so, it brought back the nightmare she had had the first night she and James had spent at Pembroke. Her heart sank.
“Well, dear, the sum is not easily figured. There are many considerations to... Well, to take into consideration!” Her father was growing flustered, which put her on an even higher alert.
When he tried to evade again, she raised her voice slightly, her annoyance shining through. “How much do you need, Papa?” she asked.
He halted, closed his mouth as he had been railing, and stared at her for a long hard minute. He hung his head. “Very well, if that is all that matters to you. I would not have come, you see, but the money I accepted after the engagement was official is nearly gone and–”
Caroline’s heart fell. She held up a hand, not sure she had heard him correctly. “Wait a minute, Papa. You are saying that Lord Highclere gave you a sum after the engagement?”
He gave her a sheepish grin, trying to make light of the situation. “Yes,” he admitted.
“How much, Papa?” she asked through clenched teeth. She was not sure she wanted to know. However, on the other hand, she thought she might explode if he did not hurry up and tell her.
Her father wrung his hand and finally relented. “Five thousand pounds.”
Caroline could have fainted when she heard the sum. She shook her head, trying to clear her racing thoughts. “You mean to tell me that you have spent nearly five-thousand pounds in the last six weeks? Do you realise that most respectable families of the ton survive on that sum for ayear?”
Her father’s face fell. “Do not scold me, dear girl. I am well aware. But we are not your normal run-of-the-mill family. We are Humphries!” he declared with a flourish.
Caroline could not believe what she was hearing.
“No, Papa. We are nothing special. In fact, it is your recklessness that has dragged us from riches to rags.”
She knew it was terrible of her to throw this in his face, but she could not believe that they were right back in the situation that had forced her to give up her freedom to marry James. She would not have given that up for anything now that she knew what a kind and compassionate man he was. But it did little to alter the feelings of betrayal rising inside her.
Her father had essentially sold her as a bride to get what he wanted. It came as no surprise that he had already squandered what he had been given. His face twisted with pain. “Please, my dear Caroline. Do not be so hard with me. You know that I have a problem–”
“Yes, and you refuse to do anything to change it. I agreed to marry James to save you once, and now you are back to beg for more help?” Hot, angry tears threatened to stream down her cheeks. She turned away from her father for a moment, needing time to let her anger cool.
“Caroline, please. Allow me to explain. You see, I was told of a very good investment in the Americas. And well, you know, I could not pass it up–”
Caroline sniffed loudly, taking out her handkerchief. She held up her hand, too enraged to even look at her father. How could he do this to them? To Grace? Caroline’s worst fears were being realised. How long would it be before their father pushed Grace into a hurried marriage? How long would it be before her father bled all of their coffers dry?
“No, Papa. I will hear no more,” she said. She shook her head, moving a pace backwards. “You never told me that Lord Highclere gave you five thousand pounds in return for my hand.”
“He essentially bought Pembroke from me, not your hand–”
Caroline swung around on her heels, knowing that Pembroke was worth far more. She left her father alone on the path but doubted that he would see the error of his ways. She picked up her pace, wanting to find James. He was the only one who could offer her any semblance of comfort.
Chapter 19
As soon as Caroline left with her family, his father stormed out of the parlour. James followed him, knowing that a storm was about to break. He could tell when his father was angry, and he was undoubtedly angry now.
"Father, wait," James said, trying to catch up with his father's long strides.
"Can you believe it?" his father began to rail. "After all I have done for them, they come crawling back here only two weeks after the wedding! Unbelievable." His father hurried down the corridor toward the study. As soon as he was there, he went to the drink cart and poured himself a Scotch. He offered James one, but he refused.
"Father, slow down. Why are you so upset?" James asked. He placed his hands on his hips, trying to remain calm. He was curious, however, as to why Lord Chesterfield had come to visit. He had sensed Caroline's apprehension as soon as she had seen her father, and he wondered why.
"I know you do not like it when people show up at the door unannounced. However, this situation is a little different. Lord and Lady Chesterfield and Lady Grace are family now. The same bounds of propriety do not apply."
"I would agree if they had simply called for tea. But they came in here, expecting to be put up for an undisclosed amount of time. Do you know what a strain that is on the staff to have to prepare two guest rooms at the drop of a hat?" His father began to pace behind his desk. "And to have them come when Caroline is gone, it was a wholly unnecessary responsibility."
James could see there was more going on behind his father's anger. However, he was unsure what had taken him to the level of rage he was now in. His face was beet red, and the veins in his forehead were popping out. If he were not careful, his father would have a battle with an apoplexy of the heart. He could not risk having his father die of sudden heart failure because of Lord Chesterfield's sudden appearance.
