Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Caroline watched helplessly as Sebastian stormed out of the house, her heart sinking with every step he took. The sound of the front door slamming echoed through the foyer, making her flinch as if struck. Tears burned in her eyes, but she blinked them back furiously, refusing to let them fall.

With leaden steps, she made her way through the house, her mind whirling with the disastrous events of the evening. How had it all gone so wrong? One moment she was attempting to mend fences with Beatrice, the next she was embroiled in yet another scandal, her reputation hanging by a thread.

She paused in the drawing room, sinking onto the sofa with a shuddering sigh. The silence of the house pressed in on her, oppressive and suffocating. She longed for Sebastian's presence. Tonight, she mused, was supposed to be so different. She wanted to tell him that—for her at least—this was no longer a marriage of pure convenience, that she had fallen irrevocably in love with him.

But he had left, driven away by anger and doubt. The memory of his anger, the accusation in his eyes, made her heart clench painfully in her chest.

"What if he believes them?" she whispered to herself, her voice small and broken in the empty room. "What if he thinks I've betrayed him, that I've been carrying on with Edward behind his back?"

The thought was like a knife to the gut, twisting cruelly. She had worked so hard to build a true partnership with Sebastian, to forge a bond of love and trust between them. But now, with a few vicious rumors and spiteful machinations, it all threatened to crumble to dust.

Caroline stood abruptly, pacing the length of the room as she fought to control the rising tide of panic within her. "I can't lose him," she said fiercely, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I won't let Edward or anyone else destroy what we have."

But even as she spoke the words, doubt crept in, insidious and corrosive. This was the second time she had been caught in a compromising position with a man, the second scandal to rock her marriage in its infancy. And while her union with Sebastian did offer some protection, some measure of respectability, it was not an impenetrable shield.

"People will talk," she muttered, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "They'll whisper and sneer, call me a harlot. And Sebastian... what if he starts to believe them? What if he thinks I've been playing him for a fool all along?"

The idea of losing her husband's trust was like a physical blow. She sank back onto the sofa, hugging a throw pillow to her chest as if it could shield her from the pain.

"I have to fix this," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I have to find a way to prove my innocence, to show Sebastian that I'm true to him and only him."

But how? With Edward's vile insinuations and Beatrice's suspicious behavior, the deck seemed stacked against her. Caroline felt like a fly caught in a web, struggling against forces beyond her control.

Absentmindedly, she reached up to touch the delicate necklace that rested against her collarbone. It was Sebastian's first gift to her as a married woman. She closed her eyes, remembering the way he had clasped it around her neck, his fingers brushing against her skin and sending shivers down her spine.

"I will wait for him," she said suddenly, her eyes snapping open. "I have to be here when he returns, to look him in the eye and tell him the truth. He has to see, to know deep in his heart, that I would never betray him."

Rising to her feet, Caroline squared her shoulders, a look of determination settling over her features. She would wait all night if she had to, would sit vigil until Sebastian walked through that door and she could lay her heart bare before him.

"Come home to me, my love," she whispered, her eyes fixed on the door. "Come home, and let me love away all your doubts. Let me show you the unshakable bond between us. Nothing and no one will ever tear us asunder."

The minutes ticked by with agonizing slowness, but Caroline held fast to her resolve. She would weather this storm, would fight with every fiber of her being to protect the precious love she had found with Sebastian.

***

The carriage rattled to a halt in front of Nathaniel's estate, the horses snorting and stamping their hooves impatiently. Sebastian alighted, his mind still swirling with the tumultuous events of the evening. He strode up the steps and into the foyer, his jaw set in a grim line.

To his relief, the partygoers had dissipated and Nathaniel was waiting for him, a concerned frown marring his usually carefree features. "Bas, what the devil happened? One minute you were here, the next you'd vanished and the rumors were flying. Rumors about your wife, about you, about Edward Pembroke…"

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair, agitation rolling off him in waves. "It's a mess, Nate. An utter, awful mess."

He followed his friend into the study, gratefully accepting the proffered glass of brandy. Nathaniel settled into the armchair across from him, his gaze probing.

"Tell me everything."

"The rumors," he let out at last, his voice broken. "It's true—or at least parts of it. Caroline… she has a number of explanations, but I found her and Pembroke alone together, her with a torn dress…"

He closed his eyes, the reminder too painful to bare. "She claims it was a misunderstanding and… I want to trust her, Nate," he said at last, his voice raw with emotion. "But seeing her with Pembroke, hearing the way he spoke of her... it drove me mad."

Nathaniel leaned forward, his expression thoughtful. "It's understandable, Bas. The man was goading you, preying on your insecurities. But you can't let him win. You can't let his poison seep into your marriage."

Sebastian looked at his friend with red-rimmed eyes. "But what if what Pembroke spoke was true? What if she loves him, what if she never… truly cared for me, and if she's wishing that she could have him? What if I am the one standing in the way of their love? What if she's been playing me for a fool this whole time?"

Nathaniel's eyes flashed with indignation. "Stop right there, Sebastian. I won't hear you speak of Caroline that way. That woman adores you, anyone with eyes can see it."

He leaned forward and looked at Sebastian kindly. "I've seen the way she looks at you, the way she lights up in your presence. That kind of love, that kind of devotion... it's not something that can be feigned."

Sebastian felt a rush of hope at his friend's words. "You… you think she loves me?"

"I do," Nathaniel said quickly, his expression earnest. "I can see it radiating from her and despite your insistence that this was a marriage of convenience, I am quite certain that you love her just as much."

"I… I love her," Sebastian admitted now, his voice quiet—as though he too realized for the first time the extent of his feelings for Caroline. Nathaniel grinned, but then a thought seemed to occur to him then, and he frowned slightly. "You know, now that I think on it... I saw something a bit odd the other day. I had gone to have tea with Beatrice, and I was surprised to see Pembroke leaving her house."

Sebastian's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. "Pembroke was with Beatrice? Again?"

Nathaniel shrugged. "Yes… and considering all the drama between you, Caroline, and Pembroke... it struck me as odd that they'd be associating with each other."

A cold suspicion began to form in the pit of Sebastian's stomach. Could it be possible? Could Beatrice and Pembroke be working together somehow, conspiring to drive a wedge between him and Caroline?

He stood abruptly, his mind racing. "I need to get home. I need to talk to Caroline, to apologize and to tell her about this."

Nathaniel nodded, understanding in his eyes. "Go. And Bas... don't let pride or fear come between you two. You've got something rare and precious. Fight for it. And if you doubt… show her that she is yours."

He winked mischievously and with a final, grateful nod, Sebastian hurried from the room, his heart pounding with a newfound sense of purpose and determination.

***

Caroline sat in the drawing room, her eyes red-rimmed and her heart heavy. She had changed out of her ruined gown and into a simple dressing robe, but she couldn't bring herself to retire to her bedchamber. Not when things were so unsettled between her and Sebastian.

The sound of the front door opening and closing made her tense, her breath catching in her throat. A moment later, Sebastian appeared in the doorway, his expression a mask of concerned contrition.

"Caroline," he said softly, crossing the room to kneel before her. "I'm so sorry, my love. I was a fool, a damned jealous fool. Can you ever forgive me?"

Tears sprang to her eyes at his words, at the raw sincerity in his gaze. "Oh, Sebastian," she whispered, reaching out to cup his cheek. "Of course I forgive you. I know how it must have looked, finding me with Edward like that. But I swear to you, on my life, I have never been unfaithful. Not in deed, not in thought, not for a single moment."

He turned his head, pressing a fervent kiss to her palm. "I know. I know, and I'm sorry I ever doubted you. It's just... the thought of losing you, of you choosing him over me... it drove me mad."

Caroline slid from her chair to kneel with him, her arms coming around his neck as she drew him close. "You will never lose me, Sebastian. I am yours, wholly and completely. There is no one else for me, not now, not ever."

"I love you," Sebastian muttered as they clung to each other, his entire body heating up at the feel of her closeness. Caroline pressed her body to his desperately, running her hands through his hair and over his neck, attempting to commit every inch of him to her memory.

"I love you too, Sebastian," she muttered back before offering him her lips in a feverish kiss. When at last they parted, Sebastian helped her to her feet, leading her to the sofa.

"There's something else," he said, his brow furrowed. "Something Nathaniel told me. He said he saw Pembroke leaving Beatrice's house the other day."

Caroline's eyes widened, shock and confusion writ large across her features. "Beatrice and Edward? But why? What could they possibly have to discuss? They were never really friends."

Sebastian's jaw tightened, a hard glint in his eye. "I don't know. But I intend to find out. It's too much of a coincidence, them associating with each other just as all this scandal erupts around us."

Caroline was quiet for a moment, her mind whirling with the implications. Suddenly, a series of memories clicked into place and she paled, tears forming in her eyes.

"Beatrice's behavior tonight," she said slowly, realization dawning. "How she kept me away from the party, from you. How she disappeared just before Edward confronted me. What if... what if she planned it all? What if she and Edward are working together to tear us apart?"

Sebastian's expression darkened, his hands clenching into fists. "If that's true, if they've conspired to hurt you, to hurt us... I'll make them regret the day they were born."

Tears formed in her eyes and she shook her head, unable to believe it. "Could she really hate me that much?"

Her voice was small and vulnerable, and she choked back a sob, shaking her head. Sebastian shook his head and drew her into his arms once more, his lips finding hers in a searing kiss. "I love you, Caroline. And I know that this is not easy, but you are not alone."

Despite the heartache and betrayal that coursed through Caroline, she smiled against his mouth, her heart swelling with love and gratitude. "I love you too—no matter what."

She took his hand in her own as she led him up the stairs—intent on showing him just how high the flame of her love burned for him.