Page 36 of The Ice Queen
And knowing that she and Julian had had several public spats, it didn’t take a great leap of the imagination for Caroline to wonder if the countess had decided to throw her attendance at the house party in as an added slight. To Caroline’s mind, the countess had pressed a little too keenly for her to attend. And her apology over the incident with the boat on the Serpentine had lacked sincerity.
With Julian’s event now looking a complete failure, the obvious question raised its head. What were she and the others to do?
“I expect we shall have to return to London,” said Francis.
Caroline was not surprised at her brother’s words. He had taken on handling a significant amount of the family import business over the past year and was fast making a name for himself as an astute businessman. Time spent away from the city was not something he did lightly.
“For myself, I would like to stay. I am not in a London frame of mind at present. Newhall and I have already discussed me making a short trip up to Burton-on-Trent to see some old school chums,” said James.
Caroline could have hugged her cousin there and then, especially when she saw the look of annoyance on Francis’s face.
Francis turned to her. “There is something you should know”.
She nodded. “You mean that I was not on Julian or Lady Margaret’s initial guest list? That it was his mother who made the decision to invite me? I think I have got some of the measure of the countess, and my presence here was her way of vexing Julian.”
James huffed in obvious disgust at the revelation. “I can leave and go onto Burton by myself. If you take me through to the inn at Ashby, I can make my own way north from there.”
Francis stood silently looking at Caroline. He was an odd creature. At times quite distant, but at others, like now, she sensed he could read her mind. He was waiting for her to make her declaration of intent.
“I want to stay,” she said.
If pressed, she could have concocted a number of sensible reasons for wanting to remain at Newhall Castle. For a start, it would be rude to simply abandon Julian at this point. He needed his friends, however newly acquired, to stand by him.
Secondly, for herself, she did not wish to return to London. If she did leave Newhall Castle, then she too would head north, to the Strathmore family seat in Scotland.
The truth of her reason for wishing to stay was something less clear in her mind. For the first time in her life, it was her heart which was speaking loudly. She had been at Newhall Castle for only a matter of days, yet it had already gotten under her skin.
“I just think it would be terribly unkind of us to simply pack up and leave Julian alone at this time. I am also holding out hope that other guests do arrive, and if they do, they will feel more comfortable in knowing that we are already here,” she added.
Francis raised an eyebrow, but nodded. “Alright, we stay. Let it not be said that the Saunders or Radleys ever abandon a friend in his hour of need.”
