“Surely you do not want to spend the rest of your life alone?”
Rebecca bit her lower lip. Warmth spread through her body as she remembered Wicke’s touch. There was no way to set her mind at ease where he was concerned. Wicke asked for the impossible. But he would not know that. For her to consider Wicke, she had to consider giving up her establishment.
“That is exactly what I thought I would do,” Rebecca answered honestly.
“Stuff and nonsense. Can you honestly, beyond the shadow of a doubt, say you do not care for Wicke?”
“I care for him as a . . .” Rebecca shut her eyes against the image of him kissing her in her most private place. She could not finish her sentence.
“Brother?”
No.
Maybe.
No.
She could feel the eyes of Wicke’s sketch boring into her back, challenging her.
Caroline rubbed her belly. “You know, Rebecca, if you wish to remain unattached all your life, that is all well and good, but I must implore you to consider one thing.”
“And what would that be?”
“That ten years from now, when you look on your life, on this day, you find that you regret nothing.”
“That I remained unattached?”
“That you do not regret a life lived without Wicke, a man who seems to adore you. That you do not regret walking away from the life you could have together.” She smiled down at her belly. “Children.”
Rebecca’s gaze dropped to Caroline’s rounded stomach and something inside her stalled. “What if I have a different path for my life in mind?”
“A different path? You mean like becoming a companion or governess?”
“A businesswoman.”
She had surprised Caroline once again.
“You wish totrade?” Notes of shock hung in the air between them.
“Not all business is in trade.”
“I am afraid to ask.”
“Would that not be a worthy pursuit in place of matrimony?” Rebecca pressed.
“I suppose, but I am more open-minded than most. It would surely be a scandalous pursuit. Nevertheless, no business can speak to the delights of marriage.”
Rebecca wished she did not know what her sister-in-law was referring to but Wicke had made certain she did. Infuriatingly enough, now that Rebecca had a taste of that sweet ecstasy, she wanted more.
“Wicke aside, I must ask, what about Langley? Did I mistake your feelings?”
Rebecca sighed. “I am not in love with Langley. I was infatuated with him as a little girl, yes, but that is all.” She shrugged then. “And I might have used him to construct the perfect man in my mind, and the object of my fantasies, but you know how I am. I am no good in crowds and far worse when attention falls upon me. I have not one marriage proposal to my name and had resigned myself to spinsterhood. Now Wicke has gone and befuddled me. I am so confused.”
“As well you should be. The man is slower than a turtle creeping across a lawn. I have half a mind to box his ears.”
“He only believed what you did, that I was in love with Langley. He did not wish to interfere with my feelings. The honor of a gentleman, and all that, I imagine.” Rebecca shook her head. Men could be so dense at times.
“Well, he certainly took his honor to heart.”
