He had never been one for promenades, and yet he found himself enjoying it far more than he’d expected. As they strolled through Hyde Park, her hand resting lightly on his arm, he couldn't help but marvel at the easy conversation that flowed between them.
“Oh, look at that lovely patch of wildflowers,” Caroline exclaimed, pointing to a burst of color amidst the greenery. “Aren't they exquisite?”
“Indeed,” Sebastian agreed, though his gaze was more focused on the way the sunlight brought out the golden threads in her hair. “Though not nearly as exquisite as the company.”
Caroline ducked her head, a becoming blush staining her cheeks. “Flatterer,” she accused, but there was no mistaking the pleased smile tugging at her lips.
“It is not flattery if it is true,” Sebastian said, then flashed her a smile. “I am proud to have married you, Caroline. You… you are everything a man could wish for in a wife. On the inside and outside.”
Caroline looked up at him, her cheeks slightly tinted and a warm look in her eyes. “I am proud to have you as a husband too,” she muttered, a beautiful smile settling about her face.
As they continued their walk, Sebastian found himself regaling her with tales of his and Nathaniel's misadventures, just to hear her laugh. The sound was quickly becoming one of his favorite things, bright and uninhibited.
“You didn't!” she gasped, her eyes sparkling with mirth as he recounted a particularly embarrassing incident involving a bottle of purloined brandy and a ill-advised wager.
“I'm afraid I did,” he confirmed with a rueful grin. “Though in my defense, I was but a lad of sixteen at the time. Not yet in possession of the wisdom and restraint of my advanced years.”
This drew another peal of laughter from her, and she shook her head in amused disbelief. “The vaunted Lord Casterbridge, brought low by a dare and a bit too much liquid courage. Who would have thought?”
The teasing note in her voice warmed him, even as her casual use of his title served as a reminder of the newness of their relationship. There was still so much to learn about each other, so many layers to uncover.
But as the days passed and they fell into a comfortable routine of shared meals and quiet evenings spent in companionable pursuits, Sebastian found himself looking forward to each new discovery.
One afternoon, as they sat across from each other in the library, engrossed in their respective books, he glanced up to find her watching him, a pensive expression on her face.
“What is it?” he asked, setting his volume aside. “You look like you've stumbled upon a particularly perplexing passage.”
Caroline's lips quirked, and she shook her head. “It's nothing, really. I was just wondering... Do you ever feel like this is all a bit surreal? You and I, here, like this?”
Sebastian's brow furrowed, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“What do you mean?”
She gestured vaguely around the room, encompassing the both of them with a sweep of her hand. “Just... everything. If you had told me a few months ago that I'd be sitting here, in this house, with you as my husband, I would have thought you'd gone mad.”
A rueful smile tugged at Sebastian's mouth. “I suppose I can understand that. Our path to matrimony was hardly a conventional one.”
“No,” Caroline agreed, her expression thoughtful. “But I'm finding that the reality is not nearly as daunting as I once feared. In fact, it's rather... pleasant.”
Something warm unfurled in Sebastian's chest at her words, and he reached across the space between them to take her hand in his. “I'm glad you feel that way, Caroline. Because I'm finding myself quite enjoying this unconventional path we're on.”
Her fingers tightened around his, and she met his gaze, her blue eyes soft and earnest. “As am I, Sebastian. Truly.”
In that moment, sitting there with her hand in his and the golden afternoon light slanting across the polished floorboards, Sebastian felt a sense of rightness, of inevitability. Whatever twists and turns had brought them to this point, whatever obstacles might yet lie ahead, he knew one thing with a bone-deep certainty—he was exactly where he was meant to be.
***
Caroline took a deep breath as she waited for Edward to arrive, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She had spent the last few days in a whirlwind of emotion, her growing feelings for Sebastian warring with the lingering guilt and confusion over her friendship with Edward. But as she sat there, steeling herself for the conversation to come, she knew with a sudden, crystalline clarity what she needed to do.
The sound of the doorbell drew her from her thoughts, and she rose to greet Edward as he was shown into the parlor. He smiled warmly at the sight of her, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his eyes, as if he sensed the seriousness of her demeanor.
“Caroline,” he greeted, bowing his head in greeting when she stepped away from his attempt at a chaste kiss. “Thank you for inviting me. Your message sounded rather urgent—is everything alright?”
She gestured for him to take a seat, waiting until he was settled before speaking. “Edward... I asked you here today because I feel we need to talk. About us, and our friendship.”
His brow furrowed, and he leaned forward, concern etched into his features. “What about it? I thought we'd resolved things, found a way to move forward.”
Caroline sighed, her fingers twisting in the folds of her skirt. “I thought so too. But the truth is, Edward, I don't think we have. And I'm not sure we can, not in the way we used to.”
