Her Sudden Groom (5 page)

Closing his eyes tighter, he tried to dredge up pictures of last year’s left over debutantes. But not
one image came to his mind. Instead, he could only picture Caroline. And not just because she was sitting next to him just now. He remembered the blue dress she’d worn the first time they’d met when she attended that
Society
meeting some four years ago and how it had matched her beautiful blue eyes perfectly.

Now that he thought about it, not a thing about her had changed. From the raven hair pinned in an elaborate coif that showcased its length and beautiful curls, to her alabaster skin that covered her dainty facial features, she was exactly as he remembered. When he’d first met her, he’d struggled, much like he did now, to stay attentive to his task. Her mere presence was far too distracting.

“
You could ask Olivia,” Caroline said, shocking him to the core and putting an abrupt end to his pleasant thoughts. There was absolutely no way he was going to ask Lady Olivia to marry him.

“
I don’t think so,” he said smoothly, trying to blink the image of Lady Olivia out of his mind.

“
Probably just as well. She might drive all the members to leave. Then you’ll be worse off than you are now.”

“
Exactly so,” he agreed, relaxing. She’d been talking about for membership into the
Society
, not for marriage. He needed to relax or he was going to give himself away. Furthermore, even for membership there was no way Lady Olivia’s name was ever going to join the roster.

Caroline laughed lightly, drawing his attention back to her. She was a pretty young lady, he had to admit. Why Marcus had left them alone together was beyond his comprehension. “I’ve written a treatise and you’ve written four words,” she said with a slight shake of her head.

“
Sorry, I’m not quite finished.” He hoped they could leave it at that.

“
It’s fine. Hmm, what about your cousins?”

He almost choked at her suggestion. His three cousins, Brooke, Madison, and Liberty hadn’t a speck of interest, neither did their husbands. “Not interested, I’m afraid.”

“
Write them down,” she said, tapping his paper with the end of her quill. “You’re assuming they’re not interested. You must ask to know for sure.”

No, he was fairly certain those six were not interested in marriage to him. But to appease her once again, he wrote their names down.

“
That’s a start.” She tucked a long, curly tendril of dark hair behind her right ear. “You’ve got nine names. However, you
think
six will not join. Which means you need to come up with more names.”

He wanted to groan. Of course he needed to come up with more names. Out of the nine he’d listed only two could be considered potential brides. And that potential hung by a thread. He’d never been good with the fairer sex. Never. They were either put off by his scientific interest, cowed by his intelligence, or were dismissive of him in general before even meeting him. On the few occasions he’d
tried
to become acquainted with a young lady, it had never ended well. For some reason he couldn’t explain or fathom, he was awful with unspoken responses. He had no idea how to read facial expressions or interpret “unspoken or implied messages” as his mother referred to it. Quite simply, if a person didn’t come out and say it, he had no idea what they wanted.

With gentlemen he could use the
old friend routine
. He’d call them old fellow or chum, or try to talk to them using ridiculous words or phrases. It had always worked for him at school and in Society. It made him more acceptable, it seemed. But he couldn’t talk that way to females. He couldn’t call them old fellow, or chums. Nor could he use simple language with them. It just didn’t work that way.

“
It’s almost time for dinner,” Caroline told him. “Stay after and we’ll work on this some more.”

He was about to tell her he couldn’t when a light knocking sound came from the door. “Dinner’s almost ready,” Marcus boomed.

“
Thank you, Marcus,” Caroline said breathlessly as she picked up the stack of heavy tomes she’d knocked to the floor. “We’ll be out in a minute. I’ve finished, but Alex hasn’t.”

“
What?” Marcus roared. He opened the door a crack. “Caroline, out. Alex, don’t even think about leaving. I need to speak to you. I’ll be coming in that room in two minutes.”

Alex and Caroline exchanged looks. Alex had shared a room with Marcus at Eton for almost five years. During those five years, he’d never once heard Marcus raise his voice. Something was off.

Caroline put the books down and quietly left.

Exactly one hundred twenty seconds after his declaration, Marcus reentered the room. “I did
not
give you permission to seduce her,” he hissed.

Alex crossed his arms. “I didn’t.”

Marcus clenched his jaw. “Then what
did
you do?”

“
We worked on science. See?” He went over and grabbed the stack of papers Caroline had abandoned in her hurry to depart the room.

Marcus blinked, then groaned and tossed the papers on the settee. “So you did,” he said dully, scrubbing his face with his hands. “Why?”

Now Alex blinked at him. “Because you suggested to her I could use her help with an experiment. Which, by the way, was more difficult to work on with her in the room.”

Leaning against the back of a chair for support, Marcus stared at him. “Do not tell me you told her.”

“
I didn’t. I told her I needed to increase membership of the
Society of Biological Matters
.”

Marcus shook his head. “Of the two of you, I don’t know who is the more obtuse.”

“
Her,” Alex said automatically. “She actually believed it and worked on ways to recruit people. I, on the other hand, came up with a list of names of possible brides.” He gave his list to Marcus.

“
No, Alex.” Marcus scanned the parchment. “I think ‘Most Obtuse Man Who Ever Lived’ is the title you came into the moment you entered into the world.”

“
What’s that to mean?” Alex tugged on his annoying cravat.

Marcus shrugged. “You’re far more obtuse than she is. Why are half these names of men?”

“
Just look past those,” Alex said testily. “Oh, and my cousins, too. I had to put them on the list because Caroline thought I was compiling a list of possible
Society
members.”

“
I hope that’s why Lady Almay’s name also made the list,” Marcus mused.

With a sigh, Alex ran his hand through his hair and gave it a tug before letting go. “It is,” he bit off. “But her two daughters are possibilities.”

“
Lady Lucinda and Lady Ca—C something?” A smile tugged on Marcus’ scarred lips.

“
Yes. Lady Almay’s other daughter.”

“
Ah,” Marcus said, nodding in understanding. “I believe her name is Christina, but a recluse like me might be wrong.”

Alex grinned. Now he knew her name.

“
Alex,” Marcus started again, “the reason I believe you to be the more obtuse of the two of you—and of everyone in England at that—is because you sat in this room for more than an hour and only came up with two names.” He limped over to the secretary, grabbed Caroline’s abandoned quill, and wrote something on Alex’s paper. “As for me, it took less than ten seconds to come up with the perfect person. Someone you didn’t even have on your list.” He handed the paper back to Alex and walked from the room.

Not wanting to appear too impatient, Alex waited until he was sure Marcus was down the hall before looking at the list. After he read it, he blinked and read over the paper again.

Andrew

Lady Almay

Lady Lucinda Almay

Lady Cmmmtmmm Almay

Brooke

Benjamin

Madison

Paul

Liberty

Caroline Sinclair

Chapter 4

Caroline nearly flew up the stairs. She had no idea why Marcus was so upset. She’d have to puzzle it out later. For now, she needed to contend with Olivia, who was caterwauling so loud Caroline could hear her from where she stood at the bottom of the stairs.

“
What’s happening in here?” Caroline demanded as she swung open the heavy oak door to Olivia’s room.

“
She
is useless,” Olivia screamed, pointing at Nettie, her maid.

Pity for Nettie quickly built in Caroline’s heart. “What’s wrong?” she asked of no one in particular.

“
She has absolutely no fashion sense. And she won’t do as I’ve instructed, besides,” Olivia said, raising her chin a notch.

Caroline looked over to Nettie. The maid was white as chalk. Next to her sat Emma Green, a longtime family friend. Emma, who had golden blonde hair and green eyes, was nonchalantly scratching her nose, a signal they’d made up to tell the other one when Olivia was lying.

“
What did you ask of her?” Caroline asked cautiously, casting an apologetic look at Nettie.

Olivia pointed to an array of feathers lying on her vanity table. “She will not put them in my hair,” she said with a pout.

Caroline’s eyes went back to Nettie, who was slowly nodding. Swallowing, Caroline didn’t know who to ask what.

Emma cleared her throat. “The problem seems to be Olivia has asked Nettie to put
all
the feathers in her hair.”

“
And what is wrong with that?” Olivia demanded, stomping her foot and glaring at Emma.

Emma bit her lip and turned her head. Poor girl probably didn’t want to tell the truth, which was putting seven feathers in one’s hair at one time was a bit much. Three, maybe four, that were coordinated with each other and the colors of her gown would look nice. However, Olivia had laid out every color of the rainbow (in order naturally) and expected Nettie to put them all in her hair for her.

“
Perhaps a compromise,” Caroline suggested, knowing full well she’d be ignored.

“
A
compromise!
” Olivia’s shout instantly disproved Caroline’s “being ignored” thought. “I am Lady Olivia Sinclair, daughter to the fifteenth Earl of Sinclair, sister to the sixteenth. She—” she pointed a fat finger toward Nettie— “is a lowly servant. Therefore, I get to tell her what to do and when to do it. Now put those blasted feathers in my hair. Now!”

Nettie moved to walk across the room, and Caroline touched her arm to stay her. “She will not. She is also my lady’s maid, and I require her services just now. You’ve monopolized her time enough today. It’s my turn. Come, Nettie.”

“
Oh, no you don’t,” Olivia snapped, stomping her foot with so much force the floorboard groaned. “We may share a lady’s maid. We may even share a last name. However, you do not outrank me,
Caroline
. I am
Lady
Olivia. If it were not for my family, you would be sleeping in a brothel tonight.”

Caroline’s heart raced. Every time she got on Olivia’s bad side, Olivia insisted on reminding her of her past.

“
No need to be nasty,” Emma said, taking her place at Caroline’s side. “Yes, it was the generosity of your father that allowed Caroline to stay. But he also gave her his name. Which, though she doesn’t share the same courtesy title as you, in the eyes the law, she’s the daughter of an earl, making her your equal.”