He had wondered if she thought at all about society’s gossip, but it was a point of conversation that he never cared to broach. There seemed no reason to reopen old wounds when he had already taken matters into his own hands, sowing seeds through friends and acquaintances by way of endless correspondence.
From the very beginning, as soon as his decision was made to take his brother’s duty onto his own shoulders, he had determined that thetonshould not, under any circumstances, believe that Dickie jilted Caroline. So, he had poured some gossip of his own into the rumor mill, insisting that his most influential friends should spread the word that it was always meant to be him.
“Itisstrange that the newspapers have not managed to arrive,” Max agreed with a sly glance at her. It was an open secret that he had been hiding them as soon as they came to the house, to keep her from seeing anything unsavory.
“But,” he added, “you have nothing to worry about. It is already all but accepted that you were supposed to meet me in that study, that we were always hopelessly in love, and that is why we married. I have seen to it personally.”
Caroline looked as if she had been stung by a bee and was trying not to cause a fuss, squirming in her seat as flickers of horror, confusion and disbelief turned in a carousel across her pretty features. “But… why would they think that?”
“As I said, I have seen to it personally,” he replied.
“But it is not true.”
He shrugged. “You would prefer them to know the truth?”
“Well, no, but?—”
“There will be some who still deem it scandalous, and may be somewhat frosty toward you, but now that we are wed, the majority will pretend there was never a scandal at all,” Max explained. “And those who stick their noses in the air have nothing better to do, so do not waste a thought on them.”
Caroline’s throat bobbed. “But why would you mention that we were in love?”
“Because people daydream as you do, Caroline. They are obsessed with the notion of romance and love, so if we smother our wedding in that saccharine story, it will be far easier for thetonto swallow.” He paused. “Of course, that will mean that we have to behave as if we more than tolerate each other. But, as it will only be for a month or so, I am sure we shall survive it.”
He had to keep reminding himself that this situation was not a permanent one, no matter how friendly the couple had become. He had his life to lead, and she had hers to begin afresh, with all the freedom accorded to her as a duchess. He would not be the one to snatch that away because he had come to appreciate the feeling of not being so alone.
It is what I promised. I will not give her any reason to call me a liar.
Besides, after their past discussion about Bessie, he had been considering getting another dog. That would be companionship aplenty for the likes of him, and once Dickie had resurfaced and things had been smoothed over, everything would go back to normal. As if he were not married at all.
“Why fabricate a story at all?” Caroline pressed. “Surely, it would be of greater worth for you if the truth was told. Society would respect you immeasurably for what you did, and Dickie would… Well, I imagine he would weather the scandal as he has weathered every other.”
Max had to laugh. “The story protects your reputation and Dickie’s. I told you once that all I was bothered about was making sure that my siblings were taken care of and, sometimes, that includes cleaning up after one of them.Continuingto clean up after one of them, I should say.”
He was about to mention that, obviously, he cared about her reputation as well, but she jumped in before he could.
“Do you think Dickie will come to see us when we are in London?” Caroline asked, absently stroking the cat whose belly was now gray with charcoal dust.
“I never dare to assume what Dickie will do in any situation,” Max replied. “Not anymore, anyway.”
“Has there been word of him from Greenfield?”
Max shook his head. “Not a peep, still.”
An odd feeling caught him in the chest. A wriggle of something he did not understand. The last time he had felt something like it, he was a boy trying to attract the attention of one of the village girls. She had, of course, been immediately besotted with Dickie,and that feeling had stuck in his chest for a week until he found another distraction.
Does she wish it was him here instead of me?
He pushed down the thought, knowing it was silly to even consider. But, perhaps, it would be of benefit if the next month could fly by as swiftly as their honeymoon, so there would be no chance of that wriggle becoming something bigger.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“I’ve never been to London,” Lila said excitedly, as she darted back and forth between the wardrobe, the chest of drawers, and wooden chests, packing whatever Caroline thought she might need for autumn and winter in the city.
Caroline looked up from the stack of books she was attempting to thin out. “It is not everything people say it is. I have never much liked it.”
She was already dreading it, in truth. Her mother had not visited London often, preferring to be at Westyork through all seasons, and Daniel was always so busy when he went to the Capital that he had rarely asked Caroline to accompany him.
On the few occasions that shehadgone to London, she had traveled with Phoebe and Olivia, and the noise and the crowds had been a mighty shock. The theater and the opera house had been wonderful, and she had adored the botanical gardens, with Matilda explaining every plant; she had marveled at thearchitecture, quite content to just stand on any given street and stare at the majesty of London’s buildings, but other than that, she had wished she was back at Westyork. In the countryside, where she felt she belonged.
