Her Sudden Groom (25 page)

Caroline looked at the three sisters and hoped they could see in her eyes just how thankful she was to them for exposing themselves to ridicule for her. Nobody had ever stood up for her like this before and their willingness touched her deeply.

“
It’s amazing you three doxies were able to snag husbands,” Olivia said bitterly. “And two of rank.”

“
That’s because we’re just as depraved,” Andrew informed her jovially. “I once signed an agreement to accept payment to ruin an innocent girl without offering marriage.”

“
And I’m the one who was going to pay him,” Benjamin remarked, coming to stand behind his wife.

Olivia’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. Then she brought out her fan. After three tries, she successfully snapped it open and fanned herself so fast one would think a light breeze was blowing through.

“
Don’t leave me out,” the vicar said. “As I like to remind my wife from time to time, I may be a man of God, but I’m still a man. And believe it or not, I’ve had more than one scandal that would curl your stockings attached to my name.” He twisted his lips. “I’m not really sure which is the worst, so I’ll let you decide—”

“
There is no need, Mr. Grimes,” Olivia snapped. “This whole family is depraved.” She narrowed her eyes on John and Carolina. “I don’t even want to know the story behind your marriage.”

“
That’s good, because it’s not up for discussion,” John said tightly, garnering a little nudge from his wife as her face grew pink.

Olivia blew out a deep, foul-smelling breath and looked at each of them with a disgusted scowl before her gaze fell to Alex, who looked as proud as could be of his scandalous family. Suddenly, Olivia’s face transformed and she carelessly flicked her hand in the air in front of her. “Alex, darling,” she said in a voice so sweet it could give someone a toothache, “I forgive you.”

“
Pardon?” he asked, his face completely blank.

“
I know you cannot help who your relations are—” she cast Caroline a look that told her just what she thought of
her
relation— “but I’ll not count it as a point against. They’re only cousins, after all.”

“
Excuse me?”

She huffed. “Alex, I’m telling you I’m willing to overlook this nuisance.” Her face scrunched as she said the word. “I know you’re not like them. You’re a good and decent gentleman who doesn’t have a scandalous bone in his body. I know that. I will grow to turn a blind eye to your family in time. Now, let’s plan this wedding of ours, shall we?”

Alex stared blankly at her for a minute before flickering a glance to Caroline. Caroline’s throat went dry and the blood roared in her ears. He didn’t know Olivia like she did. He didn’t know how insincere she was being just now in order to get what she wanted. But Caroline knew, and all she could do was stand paralyzed while she waited for Alex’s response.

“
Lady Olivia, I’m sorry to hear that you dislike my family so much,” he said quietly, solemnly.

“
Yes, well, that can be overlooked,” she said, batting her lashes at him.

“
Is that so? Well, it’s not really of any import, because you see, I’m just like them.”

She slapped him on the shoulder flirtatiously. “Don’t be silly. You’ve never done anything scandalous.”

Alex’s response to her accusation wasn’t what Caroline expected. Quite frankly, it wasn’t what
anyone
expected. He squared his shoulders and, without so much as a blink, blurted, “A few years ago, I went to a nitrous oxide party and stripped off my clothes in front of all the other guests.” The grim smile he wore after he said those unbelievable words slipped when the entire group erupted in laughter.

“
Of all the lies you could have told, that was the worst, my beloved,” Olivia crooned after her laughter died. She brought her hands to his chest to smooth his lapels and fix his twisted cravat.

He encircled her wrists and pulled her hands away from his body. He looked over at Caroline. “I don’t have to defend or explain myself to you. But if you do not believe my story, ask Marcus. He was there, too.” Even though his words were for Olivia, his eyes had been locked with Caroline’s and she saw the truth in his eyes. A truth that no words alone could expose.

Where? When? Why?
She wanted to ask all those questions and more, but instead she just smiled at him. He’d chosen her. For as odd a confession as that had been, it proved he’d chosen her, and the knowledge made her heart soar.

Olivia’s face twisted in disgust. “Apparently Caroline was correct when she said there was more to you than I originally thought. Unfortunately for you, it’s not something I’d care to further explore. If you decide to come to your senses, I shall be waiting at Ridge Water to hear your words of apology, and
if
they’re good enough, I might consider forgiving you and going through with the wedding.” She turned to Caroline. “Come, Caroline, let’s go home. I suppose I’ll forgive you, even if you are the daughter of a whore and addict.”

Caroline sucked in a breath, perhaps from the shock of Olivia’s comment, but most likely due to the loud clap of thunder overhead.

“
Come, girls, let’s go in before the rain starts,” Alex’s aunt murmured, pulling on the elbows of her two pregnant daughters.

Reluctantly, the three sisters followed their mother inside, leaving Caroline, Olivia and all the gentlemen outside.

“
I agree,” Olivia said. “We need to go before the rain starts, Caroline.”

“
No,” Caroline countered firmly. “You go. I’m an invited guest.” She glanced up to Andrew and waited for him to nod his agreement. “As such, I intend to stay.”

Olivia clamped her plump hand on Caroline’s upper arm. “Let’s go before my hair gets wet.”

“
Let go of me.” Caroline tried to yank her arm from Olivia’s grip. “You’re hurting me.”

“
Let go of her. Now,” Alex said sharply.

Olivia’s fingers tightened their grip. “Make me.”

Without breaking eye contact with Olivia, Alex asked, “Would someone please go ask her coachman to bring the carriage up to the house?”

“
Not me,” Andrew answered immediately. “There’s not a chance I’m leaving now.”

“
Me neither,” the duke inserted just as soon as Andrew’s last word had escaped.

Alex’s uncle shook head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“
Well, I’m not going to leave this fiasco in-the-making, either,” the vicar added, interest evident in his sparkling his green eyes.

“
Then flip a coin,” Alex bit off.

“
Excellent idea,” Andrew agreed. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a silver coin.

The four proceeded to act like schoolboys and have a series of coin tosses that resulted in the duke being pronounced the loser. “I’ll be right back, nobody move or say anything while I’m gone,” Benjamin warned before scampering away in search of the coachman.

The five minutes he was gone seemed to last forever as the six of them who remained stood silent.

Equal parts relief and nervous excitement coursed through Caroline as Olivia’s carriage came into view, the duke grinning as he rode up on the coachman’s bench. The coach stopped by the house where the drive ended, about two hundred yards away from where they were standing. Before the brake was set, the duke was down and practically running over to rejoin the group.

“
Very good,” Alex said, still holding Olivia’s daring gaze.

With no word of warning, Alex reached over, grabbed Olivia’s hand, and yanked it off Caroline’s arm. Not letting go of her wrist, he raised it in the air and wrapped her arm around his neck. He put his free arm around her midsection, hoisted her into the air, and slung her over his shoulder. Without a hint of strain or discomfort, Alex walked in the direction of the carriage. Everyone stayed close at his heels, watching in keen interest as he carried a kicking and screaming Olivia atop his shoulder to the carriage.

Thankfully the coachman had had enough foresight to open the door to the carriage. Alex only had to pull her off his shoulder, toss her up inside, and swiftly close the door. With a quick flick of his wrist, he locked the door from the outside and called to the coachman to drive on, heedless to Olivia’s banging on the glass and demanding he let her out.

The coach was only about ten yards down the drive when Alex turned around. “Is everyone ready to go inside?” he asked as if nothing had happened.

“
Are you all right?” Andrew asked, concern filling his face and his voice.

“
Why wouldn’t I be?”

“
Because you just hoisted something at least fifteen stones over your shoulder and carried it more than two hundred yards,” the duke retorted, a newfound admiration for Alex shining in his eyes.

“
Actually, the physician said she’s seventeen stones,” Caroline blurted before she realized what she’d said and to whom.

“
When there’s that much mass, it’s hard to tell a difference,” Alex said with a flick of the wrist.

She blushed and flashed him a grateful smiled. He’d only said that to make her feel better about what she’d just publicly revealed about her cousin. She looked at the four other gentlemen standing by Alex. They all shared that same gleam of admiration for Alex. She nearly laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

“
Are you sure you’re not hurt?” Paul asked, his unblinking green eyes wide behind his spectacles.

“
I’m sure. Now let’s go inside before we get wet.”

Caroline held her palm out and caught half a dozen raindrops almost instantly. She’d been so absorbed by the excitement of Alex’s dispatching of Olivia she hadn’t noticed it was raining.

Alex held his arm out for her and they followed the other four men, who, like little boys, insisted on telling each other the story from their point of view of the events.

“
You can tell me if you’re hurt,” Caroline whispered to Alex.

“
I’m not.” He brushed a kiss on her temple.

She chose to believe him and let the matter drop.

“
Caro?” Alex pulled her to a stop once they were inside the house. “If you need a few minutes of privacy, I’ll wait.”

She shook her head. Why would he think she required a moment of privacy?

“
Very well.” He tugged her into a little dark area hidden in the shadows. His arms snaked around her and pulled her up against his chest. “Caro,” he said raggedly, tracing her shoulder blades with his fingertips. “I wanted to talk to you about something. Something important.”

Caroline blinked at him. His brown eyes looked more intense than she’d ever seen them. Why did she get the impression he didn’t merely want to talk about something as trivial as the membership to
the
Society of Biological Matters
? “Yes?”

Alex swallowed hard, and for some reason, his nervousness caused a jolt of excitement to shoot through Caroline. Just what did he have to say? “Caro, will you—”

“
Hurry up, you two,” Andrew called down the hall. “Mother has taken it into her head we need to dance.”

Andrew’s footsteps were coming closer and Alex released her. “We’re coming,” he called to his friend.

The very brief moment had passed. Caroline followed Alex’s lead down the hall to the drawing room.

As soon as she entered the room her eyes fell on a woman with silver-streaked black hair who was enthusiastically playing the pianoforte. Even if Andrew had not referred to her as “Mother” in the hall, Caroline would have known instantly who she was. Their looks were not identical by any means, but what they did have in common made it obvious they were mother and son.