Page 46 of Awakening a Lord's Desires
Penelope smiled a little, but the rage was still clear as ever etched into her face. “You think that you can say what you will, but I am your stepmother, and my power lies over you until you are wed.” She began to pour her tea as if she hadn’t a care in the world. “That is the way of things, my dear, and so you may pout and stomp your feet about the matter, but at the end of things, it will happen. You and Max will be wed.”
Caroline could feel a scream bubbling in her throat. She did want to rage and to stomp her feet and to beg of her father why he had chosen such a woman to act as a mother to her. For she had never been a mother any day of Caroline’s life, and she was certainly not acting as a mother now.
She looked at Max, who was carelessly sipping his tea, and when he locked eyes with Caroline, he smiled.
The insufferable man!
Lifting her chin, she stared down at Penelope. “Think what you will,” she replied stiffly. “I will be going upstairs to retire until the ball this evening.”
“By the end of the day, you will certainly have come around to my point of view,” Penelope said in a sickly-sweet tone, and Caroline left without saying anything in reply.
But in her mind, she whispered, No I certainly will not.
Chapter 46
On their way to the ball that evening, Caroline felt dried out from all the crying she’d done that afternoon. Crying did not solve any of her problems, but it helped to loosen the ache in her chest that had settled there since her father’s near-collapse and had not moved away.
I am to marry Max.
The thought repeated itself in her mind as she sat in the carriage, listening to the sounds of the wheels on the dirt road, heading towards the ball. It was to be hosted by one of the lesser-known families in the area who lived on the outer edge of Kent, but it was always one of the finer affairs. Normally, Caroline would have been excited, but that night, she was in agony.
Penelope did have power over her while her father was ill, and she could do very little to fight against her. But I cannot marry that buffoon. He is the last man in the world that I could marry.
She saw a quick glimpse of her life if she did marry Max, and it was full of sorrow. He would take control of the money and spend it to his heart’s content, not caring about her and her needs. They would become destitute, maybe even forced into debtor’s prison, and she would be cursing Penelope all the way.
The carriage stopped, and she nearly leapt out into the darkness to race up the steps to the ball. Penelope did not stop her, and she didn’t care. She wanted away from the both of them as fast as her legs could carry her. Once inside, she quickly sought out Matilda and Alexander talking together, close to a set of candles.
Making her excuses to acquaintances, she passed by them with as much tenseness as she could until she stood before the pair of them and let out a large breath.
“I must speak with you both.”
They turned to her at the same time, and for a moment, she regretted that she had to interrupt their intimate tête-à-tête.
“Are you all right, Caroline?” Matilda asked, her happy expression fading when she saw Caroline’s eyes. “You look pale.”
“You will understand why when I tell you what is to happen. Or rather what Penelope wishes to happen.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Alexander asked.
“You know that my father is ill, and he has taken a turn for the worse.” She put a hand to her chest to try to catch her breath.
Matilda reached out a hand to clasp her other one. “Caroline, I’m so sorry.”
Caroline nodded. “And he has spoken to me about what he would like to do when he passes. He wants to leave everything to me.”
They both looked surprised, and she continued. “And because of that, Penelope has now decided, and she is claiming that my father agrees, that I am to marry Max.”
Matilda gasped and put a hand over her mouth, turning to see if anyone had heard her. Caroline didn’t care about that; in fact, she would rather like the world to know of Penelope’s ridiculous plan. For it was ridiculous, and she hoped that her friends agreed.
“That’s preposterous,” Alexander said. “Because of the inheritance, no doubt.”
His brow was knit with fury, and she was grateful to him.
“Yes. At least that is what I think. There is no other conceivable reason why it should be. Please, what can I do? I cannot marry that man, but I know she will try to force me to.”
“No, you will not marry him, Caroline.” Matilda’s eyes went wide. “We will help you, won’t we, Alexander?”
“Yes, of course.” He grinned down at her. “We will do anything we can.”
