Page 59 of An Icy Christmas Engagement
“There are a lot of things Lady York would be against but that has not stopped you. Your writing, for one.”
“Oh but you and I know that she would throw the large fit known to man if she were to ever find out. I do not think I will ever be able to live it down. I will be Robert Winters for all my life, I’m sure.”
“A sad reality for us women,” Louisa sighed. “I wish it were different. Do you think Lord Colenhurst would have the same view?”
Caroline honestly couldn’t tell. She wanted to think Cedric was progressive but the lack of certainty brought doubt.
“Let us hope he does not,” she said at last.
“Either way, I’m sure everything will work out. Now, aren’t you forgetting something?”
Caroline straightened, frowning at Louisa in confusion. Louisa sighed and jerked her head at Caroline’s desk. When Caroline still didn’t get the gist, she said, “You have a meeting with your publisher?”
“Yes, you’re right!” Caroline exclaimed as she flew to her feet. She snatched up her portfolio and began stuffing the papers inside. “I will have to sneak by Mother before she continues hounding me about last night. Goodness, she is quite determined.”
“It is like looking in a mirror, is it not?” Louisa drawled, smiling. “Don’t worry. I shall distract her while you sneak out.”
“Have I ever told you that I love you?”
“It is not me you should be telling,” Louisa laughed, but Caroline could only blush. She couldn’t imagine telling Cedric about her feelings when she had hardly come to terms with it herself.
Caroline said nothing, making her way to the door. As soon as she stepped into the hallway, she noticed her mother making her way towards her. Caroline quickly slipped back inside before Elizabeth spotted her.
“She’s already on her way to me,” she whispered frantically to Louisa.
Louisa nodded in determination, making her way by her. Caroline watched as she slipped out of the room and gasped. “Lady York, goodness, I have been looking all over for you!”
“For me?” Caroline heard her mother say. “But I was just downstairs with you.”
“Yes, well, perhaps not all over,” Louisa laughed airily. “But I have been wanting to speak with you again. I was just searching Caroline’s room, you see, to find out if she has been hiding something from us.”
“Oh, is Caroline not there? I was on my way to speak to her.”
“She’s not. I do not know where she is. Perhaps she went for a walk. You know how she can never keep herself still.” Caroline crept closer to the door, listening to Louisa’s voice grow fainter. “Come, let us go to the drawing room so that we may gossip about her in comfort.”
Caroline bit her lip to keep in her laughter. She made sure she couldn’t hear anything else before she poked her head outside. The coast was clear so she hurried out, going the opposite direction Louisa and Elizabeth had gone. She kept her eyes peeled and ears perked as she quickly made her way out of the house.
She didn’t relax until she was out on the street, fighting the bitter cold with her meager coat. That only brought Cedric back toher mind and a surge of heat to her cheeks when she recalled the first time he’d given her his coat. She knew she should return them and couldn’t understand why she wanted to hold on to them so badly. They were entirely too large to be of any real use to her and yet…
She wanted to see him. As she continued walking, hardly aware of her surroundings since it was a route she was used to traversing, Caroline wondered if it would be completely crazy for her to try and find his business place again. Surely he would be spending most of his time there?
She dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. Yes, it would be insane. There was no doubt about that.
Arriving at Mr. Holloway’s establishment did not bring as much apprehension as it usually did. She’d been writing a lot lately, nearing the conclusion of her novel, and she was confident that it was quality work. When Mr. Holloway confirmed that and had very little revisions for her to make, it only proved her point.
As she left, she felt a little more motivated to write and decided to do exactly that when she returned home. The Twelfth Night was not far off, after all, and she still had a lot more to do.
She heard a carriage coming up from behind her, the speed at which it was going making the wheels rattle loudly. She drifted further away from the street without thinking much of it.
Suddenly, the carriage hurtled past so close that it sent muddy water all over her shoes and skirt. Caroline sprang back in alarm. The carriage didn’t stop, racing into the fog rolling in from the distance. But a face poked out the window…and she could have sworn she caught the end of a smile.
Caroline could only stand there in shock. Somehow, that felt intentional. But surely not? Why would anyone go out of their way to douse her in muddy water? As far as she knew, she had not angered anyone so why would they?
She straightened and checked to make sure her portfolio hadn’t gotten any water on it. Thankfully, none of it passed her thighs so the portfolio remained untouched. Squaring her shoulders, she continued, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone might be out to harm her.
***
Cedric was a cold mask of fury as he stared at Mr. Thatcher. The silence was dense and heavy. Harrison stood in the corner of the office, arms crossed, looking equally angry at what had just been said.
