His eyes widened before he grumbled, “The servants, where else?”
“I do not believe you. You are the reason those men approached me in the first place, aren’t you? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, sir.”
“Didn’t they offer you a grand some of money?”
So that was why he was here. The money. Caroline wasn’t even going to dignify his question with a response. “You need to leave.”
“It’sChristmas, Caroline,” he lamented pitifully. “Family should be together.”
“We have never spent Christmas together before. We are certainly not you’re your family. Now leave, before I have the servants toss you out.”
Heavens, she had completely forgotten about Christmas!
“What has Lonsdale told you? You can’t stay in his house Caroline. It’s simply not done! Go gather your sisters. You are all coming home with me.”
“Your home or our home?” she couldn’t help but ask.
A look of shame crossed his face. “You know I set you up in a separate house for your own good. Did I not provide for you?”
Caroline showed no mercy. “You have not sent this month’s allowance yet.”
“I am in bit if a strap, I admit, but—”
“I do not want to hear it,” Caroline interrupted. “You should find yourself a wife, sir. Sire an heir. I fear your shallow pursuits will one day be the death of you.”
The baron’s face paled. “Let us not speak of such things now. Go and retrieve your sisters. I shall escort you home.”
“Caroline is not going anywhere,” a deep voice cut through the air. “Neither are Kate and Clair.”
Caroline froze. She glanced over her shoulder to find Lonsdale heading toward them in urgent strides. Impeccably dressed, not a hair out of place, he took hold of all her senses. Even rigid with fury, face hard as stone, he was still the most dashing man Caroline had set eyes on. Dashinganddangerous. A lethal combination to a woman’s heart. Her heart.
“Lonsdale! How dare you kidnap my daughters?” The baron paused, then went on to shout, “And how dare you be on such familiar terms with them!”
Caroline sighed. “The viscount didnotkidnap us.” He had merely taken possession of every bare thread of reason she had tried hard to preserve.
“You were invited to leave, Digby,” Lonsdale growled.
“I will not leave without my daughters!”
A sudden sense of foreboding enveloped Caroline. “What have you done, sir?”
“Me? I haven’t done anything!” He eyes couldn’t meet hers as he stammered on, “Well, I, that is, you are of a marriageable age. . .”
“What did you do?” Caroline asked, a dark suspicion forming in her heart.
“In fact, I’ve already arranged a marriage for Caroline. A wealthy fellow. Good stock.”
Caroline inhaled sharply.
No.
“Unarranged it,” Lonsdale’s steel voice whipped at Digby.
“Why?” Digby demanded. “This matter is none of your business, Lonsdale!”
“Everything about Caroline is by business.” She suddenly found her view blocked by a large back. “I know about your dealings with my uncle, Digby. If you press this matter on Caroline, I will see you rot in prison.”
“So that is how you are keeping my daughters here? I will not be threatened by you, Lonsdale! They are coming home with me.”
