Page 11 of An Icy Christmas Engagement
“Ah, I forgot how busy you’ve always been, Cedric,” Simon said with a nod. “Back to work then?”
Lord Colenhurst’s response to that was only stony silence. Simon chuckled.
“It was good seeing you, Cedric. We should get together, like old times.”
“That will not be happening.”
He laughed again. At this point, Caroline was convinced he enjoyed being in danger. “We shall see.”
With that, there was a knock from within and then the carriage pulled off. Caroline didn’t take her eyes off the earl as he watched it rumble away. The tension seeped away, leaving an uncomfortable silence in its stead. She wanted to break the quiet, but what could she say?
Lord Colenhurst cleared his throat and suddenly turned to face her. Caroline straightened.
“If you would excuse me,” he mumbled and didn’t give her a chance to respond before he turned and walked away, his long legs quickly putting distance between them.
Caroline could only stare after him. Now there was no denying why he had been dubbed the Ice Earl, especially after that interaction. But, as he went out of sight, her mind could not let go of the man who had scolded her for being clumsy then jested about it right after. She couldn’t believe that all three men were one and the same.
Chapter Five
The meeting with Mr. Holloway went as dismally as she’d expected it to be. Caroline would have felt far worse about it had it not been for her interesting encounter before the meeting, the memory of the Earl of Colenhurst lingering in her mind an hour later. As she hurried back to Louisa’s townhouse, her excitement mounted with every step. Louisa would love hearing all about it.
Her steps slowed as she neared. There was a carriage outside the gate, unmarked. Louisa was not one to entertain guests so who could that be?
Her curiosity mounted when she neared and spotted the coachman tending to the horses. He tipped his hat at her in recognition and Caroline did so in return, even though she didn’t have a clue who this man was.
Something washed over her the moment she made it onto the porch. Something told her that she was not about to like what she saw on the other end of the door.
Bracing herself, Caroline entered.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. She strained her ears for the sound of voices. If Louisa did have a visitor then she should be able to hear them in the main drawing room. But there was nothing but Caroline’s breathing.
And then, just when she relaxed, a familiar figure came from the other side of the staircase. Caroline’s heart plummeted to the floor.
“Caroline! Goodness, my dear, where have you been all afternoon? I have been in a state of anxious anticipation for ages.”
A heavy-set woman made her way over to Caroline in quick steps, pulling Caroline into a hug. In her surprise, Caroline remembered to embrace her back. Otherwise, she was sure to be scolded about it later.
The woman pulled away and Caroline found herself staring into her older self. Only this woman’s brown-green eyes were filled with a mixture of relief and anger. She kept her hands on Caroline’s shoulders, shaking her slightly.
“Do you know how worried I was about you? Especially when I learned that you went out without a carriage. Which meant you walked! Do you know how dangerous London can be, Caroline?”
“Oh, there’s no need to worry any longer, Lady York.” Louisa’s calming, slightly amused voice sounded from behind. She approached with a serene smile on her face. “Caroline is here now, safe and sound.”
“Yes, but she should have known better. I was in a state of great distress!”
Louisa shot Caroline a glance. Caroline would have looked back at her if she wasn’t still completely shocked by this turn of events.
Not for one second had she considered that her mother would come toher.
She should have known, of course. Lady Elizabeth York was nothing if not a worrier. Caroline should have known that when she sent word that she would not be able to make it in time for Christmas, her mother would have conjured up some insane reason for it.
Louisa came to her side, nudging her lightly with her elbow. Caroline blinked. “Mother,” she quickly said. “What a pleasure it is to see you. What is the purpose of your visit?”
“What is the purpose?” Elizabeth echoed incredulously. “I am here to see you, of course. Imagine my surprise when my one and only daughter tells me she will not come to see me for Christmas.”
“I did not say I would not come to see you,” Caroline said as patiently as she could. “I said I would not be able to come in the time we originally planned.”
“It is one and the same, is it not?” When Caroline didn’t answer right away, Elizabeth looked at Louisa. “Is it not?”
