25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

C aroline led Alicia to the refreshment table, at the center of which stood a large punchbowl, gaudily decorated with gold cherubs holding jugs, through which the punch could be poured through an open vessel above. The whole thing was decorated with trailing foliage and flowers, and Caroline made a show of pouring a glass full into the top, and watching it flow back into the bowl.

“Isn’t it pretty?” she said, before taking a ladle of punch and pouring it into a cup.

Alicia smiled. She thought it was gaudy and ostentatious – just like Caroline herself.

“I’m sure it is, yes,” she replied, as Caroline did the same for her, too.

“Come along, we’ll step out onto the terrace, Alicia,” Caroline said, leading the way through the throng.

Alicia was confused. Caroline was being even nicer than usual, even as there was no doubting the thinly veiled threat beneath her exterior.

“Aren’t you making your announcement soon?” Alicia asked, but when they had stepped out onto the terrace, out of ear shot of the guests gathered by the doors, Caroline turned on Alicia angrily.

“I’ve been very patient, Alicia. But he’s mine. Not yours. It’s me Ernest wants to marry. Not you. Dancing with him won’t change it. Do you understand me?” she snarled.

Her mask was gone, the veneer of friendliness replaced by the look of a woman spurned. Alicia was taken aback.

“Caroline, I…” Alicia began, but Caroline interrupted her, tossing her punch glass over the terrace, where it smashed on the flagstones below.

“You’ve tried to undermine me at every turn, Alicia. I know your game. But it won’t work. He loves me, not you,” she hissed, bringing her face close to Alicia’s, her features contorted in anger.

This was the real Caroline – not the one presented to the ton, not the one she wanted society to see. This was the scheming, devious, self-interested woman who had seen Alicia as a threat from the first moment she had set eyes on her. Now, she crowed at the prospect of victory, the announcement of her betrothal to Ernest the last of her victories. She had won, or so she believed.

“I know who he loves, Caroline,” Alicia replied, and Caroline glared at her angrily.

“Yes…he loves me, not you,” she cried, but Alicia shook her head.

“He loves the children, Caroline. He loves the poor and those in need. That’s who he loves. He certainly doesn’t love you. Not at all. You’ve made his life a misery, with your constant demands and expectations. You’ve blackmailed him into marriage and maneuvered your way into a position of power through manipulation and scheming,” Alicia replied.

She did not raise her voice, even as her words turned Caroline’s face red with anger.

“You’re finished – you’ll have nothing to do with the school, with the charitable work, with anything. You won’t ever see Ernest again. I’ll make sure of that,” Caroline exclaimed.

Alicia shrugged. Shaking her head, and turning away from Caroline, who seized her by the shoulder. But Alicia pushed her away – she would not be cowed by Caroline Pickering, and now she could only hope Ernest had had the sense to listen to Isobel and what she had to say…

***

“ A nd that’s the truth, Ernest. You’ve got to believe me. It was all there – the plans, the intention. We heard it from the foreman himself. He told us as much. They’ll turn Covinghold into a gentleman’s club and turn the children out onto the street. Don’t you think a man who makes money from the suffering of the plantations is capable of that?” Isobel said.

Ernest was in shock. His sister had explained to him what she and Alicia had discovered. It was extraordinary, and it changed everything. If Covinghold could only be inherited on the promise of its being used for charitable purposes, then the viscount was merely using Ernest as a means to an end. There would be no school – whether Ernest married Caroline Pickering or not. The thought was extraordinary, and Ernest realized he was no longer bound by duty to marry the viscount’s daughter, not when the promise of the money for the school would not be forthcoming. For a moment, Ernest did not know what to do, but it was Isobel who urged him to act.

“The school…” he stammered, and she nodded.

“We’ve got to find a different way. But the Duke of Lancaster could help us, couldn’t he? Isn’t the dower house available – the Count and Countess of Morecambe have given up the lease. They’re going back to Bath. It would make the perfect school,” she said,

Ernest was overwhelmed by his sister’s extraordinary revelation. He shook his head, hardly able to comprehend it, even as he knew he had to act. They were standing in a corner of the ballroom, and now the viscount was making arrangements for the announcement. Footmen had brought in a small box, covering it with a red silk cloth, and now the viscount stood on it, calling the room to order.

“My lords, ladies, and gentlemen,” he called out, and Ernest saw Caroline and Alicia coming in from the terrace.

“You’ve got to act, Ernest. You’ve got to do something,” Isobel hissed, and Ernest nodded.

A firm resolve now came over him, replacing his initial shock with the determination to put a stop to all of this, even as the viscount raised his hands for silence.

“Please, I pray your attention,” he called out, and several people clapped their hands, bringing the ballroom to silence.

With a final glance at his sister, Ernest strode forward, catching the viscount’s eye as he did so.

“I need to talk to you,” he said, and Caroline’s father looked at him in surprise.

“What do you mean?” he whispered, as Caroline came to stand next to them.

“Father? Aren’t you going to make the announcement? Everyone’s dying to hear,” she said, glancing at Alicia, who was standing amongst the crowd of guests.

“It’s very important I do so,” Ernest said, with a firmness in his voice.

The viscount signaled to the musicians to play, and the expectant crowd now looked confused.

“What is it, Ernest? I want to make the announcement now,” the viscount said, as Ernest led him to a corner of the room.

Taking a deep breath, Ernest relayed everything his sister had told him – about Covinghold, about the plans for the gentleman’s club, about everything the viscount had done to undermine him and humiliate him.

“I refuse to find myself under your control, sir,” Ernest said, and the viscount stared at him in astonishment.

“But I…what are you saying?” he demanded, his face flushed with anger.

Ernest smiled.

“I’m saying call off the engagement, or I’ll expose your scheme and ruin you. You won’t be trusted from here to London, and you’ll soon find any business dealings you have will melt away. I don’t want anything to do with you, or your daughter,” Ernest said, and the viscount spluttered angrily.

“You…you can’t do that. What about the schools? It’s my money that’s paying for them,” he exclaimed, and Ernest nodded.

“Yes, and I’m sure we’ll manage on the very generous donation you’ll announce this evening – to keep my silence,” he replied.

Knowing there was no danger from his past, now Alicia knew the truth about the gambling, there was nothing the viscount could say to threaten Ernest into changing his mind. The viscount’s face turned purple with rage, but there was nothing he could do but agree, as now he returned to the makeshift platform, where Caroline was waiting expectantly.

“Where have you been?” she hissed, her face fixed in a forced smile as her father mounted the platform.

“We had some business to discuss,” Ernest replied, glancing up at the viscount, who was ashen faced.

“Well, hurry up, won’t you?” Caroline said, as the room fell silent once again.

Ernest glanced at Alicia. She was now standing next to Lily, who was still sitting on the large divan she had occupied for much of the evening. Dusk was falling, and the footmen had lit candles around the room, bathing the faces of the guests in a shadowy light. As his gaze fell on Alicia, Ernest smiled, imagining what could now be between them, even as there were still so many difficulties ahead…

“My lords, ladies, and gentlemen. I want…to thank you for coming here tonight. We celebrate a very happy occasion – the inauguration of a school for blind children, and…though we don’t yet have a place for the school to reside permanently, we…” he began, but Caroline interrupted him.

“We do, F ather,” she replied, but the viscount shook his head.

“No, there’s been a change of plan. Covinghold isn’t suitable. It’s…not…well…instead, I plan to make a substantial donation to the school fund and allow Lord Crawshaw to use the money as he sees fit. I wanted to announce the fact personally, and state my intention to withdraw from the project, once the schools are properly established. I’m sure a new venue can be hastily found, and the doors of the school opened to those in need, forth haste,” he said.

Muted applause rang out around the room, and there were whispers amongst the crowd. Caroline’s face was a picture. She was livid with anger, her hands trembling, and she looked across at Ernest, apoplectic with rage.

“The announcement, Father,” she hissed, but her father shook his head.

“Now isn’t the time for it, Caroline. We’ll talk about it later,” he said, climbing down from the platform and signaling for the musicians to play.

Tears rolled down Caroline’s cheeks, and she stomped her feet angrily, her fists clenched, as she raged at her father, striking him on the breast.

“You can’t do this. What do you mean by it? We’re betrothed,” she exclaimed, but her father shook his head.

“I’m calling it off, Caroline. It’s for the best. You’ll see,” the viscount said, taking her by the arm and leading her firmly away.

Fans fluttered and whispered speculations could be heard around the ballroom.

“But it was all so certain,” one woman said, and Ernest looked across at Alicia, who had a look of the utmost relief on her face.

Wasting no time, he hurried over to her, but as he approached her, the Duke of Lancaster, Ralph Oakley, stepped in front of him.

“Don’t worry about the school – Lily had already suggested to me I should do something to help. You can have the dower house for a peppercorn rent. I’ll see to it in the coming days. I’m sure it would be suitable,” he said, and Ernest breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s very kind of you, your Grace,” he said, but the duke waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s not kind, Ernest – I’ve been sorely lacking in my support for the school. I could’ve done a great deal more. Anyway. There we are. I’ll make the arrangements,” he said, and Ernest thanked him profusely.

As the duke turned to talk again to Ernest’s father, Ernest hurried over to Alicia. She was standing on her own, waiting for him, as he approached, she smiled.

“You discovered the truth, then?” she asked, and Ernest nodded.

“I couldn’t believe it. It all seemed so extraordinary. But…it was true. You did it, Alicia. You saved the school…you saved me, too,” he said, and she smiled at him.

“You were about to make a terrible mistake. She had you in her power. She had us all in her power. But…it’s over now, isn’t it?” she said, and Ernest nodded.

He felt such tenderness towards her, such gratitude at what she had done for him, and now he reached out to take her hand in his.

“I’m sorry, Alicia. I’m sorry for everything,” he said, but Alicia shook her head.

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. It’s in the past now. It’s forgotten. She doesn’t have a hold on you now,” Alicia replied, and Ernest smiled at her.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Had it not been for the company they were in, he might have thrown his arms around her and embraced her. His feelings for her were growing stronger by the moment. He loved her, and now there was no holding back…

“Ernest…I don’t know what happens now. But we’ve got the school to open, the soup kitchen to run, the clothes to distribute. We can do so much good. I don’t want any of this to detract from that,” Alicia said, and Ernest shook his head.

“It won’t do. I promise. We’re going to be given the dower house by the Duke of Lancaster. We can open the school there. It’s perfect. And the viscount promised us his continued support – he can’t renege on that, not when we know so much about his plans for Covinghold. But Alicia, I need to ask you something…maybe it’s not the right time, but…I can’t hold back,” Ernest said, and now he dropped to one knee, as Alicia stared down at him in surprise.

“Ernest, I…” she stammered, but he shook his head.

“Please, Alicia – there’s nothing to stop us now. I love you. I can’t hold back the words. I’ve loved you since the moment I realized what sort of woman you are. From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew. You’re nothing like other women. You’re the only woman in all the world I could imagine being my wife. Won’t you say yes to that?” he asked, gazing up at her imploringly.

Alicia gazed down at him, their hands clasped together, and she smiled, nodding, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I will,” she said, and at that moment, a cry came from the divan, and turning, Ernest saw Maximilian staring at Lily in horror – her waters had broken.