Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

C aroline ate supper alone that night.

Esther, as old as she was, was weary from a day of travelling and elected to go to bed early.

Isabella, from what Caroline was told, having not met the girl yet, was being punished and made to stay in her room until the morning.

And His Grace… well, quite frankly, Caroline was not certain where His Grace took supper that evening and was more than happy for it. Supper with just the two of them… somehow, she sensed that might not be the best idea.

She still could not believe what had happened earlier. The way he had held her. They way he had growled at her as he towered above her as a means to frighten and intimidate. And the way that he had leaned in and bitten her ear, likely because he wanted to scare her, but also…

Eating alone, just thinking about it, her body shuddered, and she felt herself run hot. Not from fear, of course. Instead, the heat that built inside of her was an entirely alien sensation to her. One she had never felt before. But one that she did not need explained because it was obvious what had brought it about.

What was wrong with her? Why was she feeling this way? She hated the Duke. She despised him. Rude. Mean. A bully is what he was. The last person she should have wanted anything to do with. And yet he was so big and strong and powerful . So handsome and commanding and impossible to look away from. So long as Esther was about, Caroline was certain she could control herself, but if the two were left alone again, she did not want to think of what might happen.

The next morning, before breakfast was to be taken, Caroline decided to take a small walk around the grounds. Partly, she wished to get some fresh air and acquaint herself with her new home. And partly, she did not wish to be sitting in the dining room alone should His Grace enter. So, it was best to give it some time until everyone had come down.

She walked along the drive and then down the side of the house, taking in the sheer size of the estate, for it was even bigger than Esther's and the one she had grown up on as a little girl. From there, she made her way toward the back garden and in the direction of the stables. Not much of a rider, she liked horses and thought to take a look.

The carriage she and Esther had come in was parked beside the stables, and while, at first, it sat still and silent, nothing untoward or strange about it, on a second inspection, Caroline could not help but notice something… strange.

The carriage was rocking slightly, but the inside was empty, for she could see through the windows. Caroline narrowed her eyes as she studied it, a smile working its way over her lips when she came to notice what was causing the carriage to rock.

Ever so casually, Caroline strolled down the steps and toward the carriage. When she reached it, she leaned against the back, arms folded as if she was simply there to relax. The carriage now sat perfectly still and for good reason.

"How is the view from up there?" Caroline asked, pitching her voice up so that it would carry.

There was no response, save for a shocked gasp, the sound of someone shuffling on the carriage's roof, and then perfect stillness.

"I suspect it is quite something," Caroline continued pleasantly. "Is there room for one more? Or are adults not allowed?"

She turned around and looked up at the carriage roof, waiting patiently as she sensed that it might take a moment for her audience to appear. And sure enough, like a frightened mouse, a tiny head soon poked itself over the edge to see who had spoken.

"You… you want to join me?" she asked nervously.

"If that is all right with you?" Caroline replied. "I confess, I am not much for climbing, but surely you can teach me a thing or two?"

The little girl's brow furrowed as she considered. No doubt she was trying to discern if this was some sort of trick, but Caroline smiled honestly, making sure to appear as innocent as possible. This, eventually, had the little girl beaming.

"All right!" she squeaked. "And it is not so hard as you might think. You see there—" She shuffled forward and pointed at a foothold right by where Caroline was standing. "Use that to boost yourself up."

"But what do I hang on to?"

"This." The little girl indicated the railing of the carriage. "It is more than strong enough to hold your weight. All you need do is lift yourself up and trust the roof not to cave in," she giggled.

Caroline's eyes flashed with menace as she did what the little girl instructed. One foot on the foothold, she reached up and grabbed onto the railing. A deep breath as she readied herself, and then she pulled with all her strength, launching her body into the air so that she just about flew over the railing and landed on the carriage's roof on her knees.

"Oooof!" Caroline grunted as she fell forward.

"You did it!" the little girl clapped excitedly.

"Somehow, I doubt that I was as graceful as you were."

She giggled again as she sat herself cross-legged. "You did look a little clumsy, but that's all right. Nobody saw."

"You did!"

"I won't tell anyone…" Her grin was mischievous. "I swear."

Caroline narrowed her eyes at the little girl. "Promise?"

"Of course!"

There could be no doubt as to who this little girl was. Even if she had not been expecting it, Caroline could see that she was of the same stock as His Grace. The same dark hair. The same dark blue eyes. The same square face although the little girl's features were softer. Twelve years old was Caroline's guess, and full of life based on the way that her eyes lit up and the smile that crossed her lips.

As to what she was doing out here? Likely, hiding from her father. Not that Caroline could blame her.

"I take it that you are Isabella?" Caroline asked as she crossed her legs on the roof and steadied. It was not as solid a ground as she might have liked, but it would do.

"I am." Isabella beamed. "And who are you?" She frowned as she looked Caroline over… only for that frown to turn into a tremendous smile. "Oh, I know! Father has hired you, yes? You're to be my new governess?"

"Guess again," Caroline laughed, taken by how energetic this little girl was. She might have looked like the Duke, but she could not be further from him.

Isabella scrunched her face as she considered. "Oh! Oh! I know!" She clapped her hands together. "You are Grandmother's companion, yes? She told me of you."

"Good guess!" Caroline clapped her hands along. "I am Miss Dowding, but you may call me Caroline."

"Caroline!" She could not have looked happier. "It is so nice to meet you. Grandmother was telling me all about you."

"Grandmother?" Caroline asked.

"Oh, well, she is my great-grandmother, yes. But she has asked that I call her as such." A shrug. "I do not know why, But she did tell me that the two of you are staying here for at least a month!"

"At least."

"Oh!" She took Caroline's hands. "Let's be friends. Can we? Be friends. I would like that so much."

"I don't see why not," Caroline laughed, feeling a sense of kinship with this little girl because her energy was intoxicating. Again, it was hard to believe that she was the Duke's daughter. "And in the interest of friendship…" Caroline pretended to get low as she cast a glance about them. "I must ask what it is you are doing out here. Something tells me that if your father found out…" She raised an eyebrow at the little girl.

The little girl grinned wickedly. "I am supposed to be getting ready for breakfast."

"And you decided to climb on the roof of the carriage instead?" Caroline laughed.

"I wasn't going to…" She then sighed. "… and I do not mean to be so disobedient, but when father came to see me this morning, I thought he might apologize for sending me to bed last night without supper."

Caroline had to stop herself from snorting, for she did not think His Grace was the type to apologize for anything. "And did he?"

"He wanted me to apologize!" she cried. "Can you believe it! I refused, so he left me to think about what I had done and…" She grimaced. "Here I am."

"So…" Caroline considered as she glanced about, "my feeling is that as of this moment, your father is looking for you? Probably up a tree somewhere."

Isabella's nose curled. "Oh. I have no doubt that he is, but he can keep looking for all I care. I hate him."

Caroline leaned back. "Oh, surely you do not mean that."

"I do!" she said again. Caroline raised an eyebrow at Isabella, and the poor little thing bowed her head as if in shame. "I do not hate him," she admitted, sounding embarrassed with herself. "I love him, I do. Just sometimes… he makes it so hard! It is as if he wants me to hate him."

"I promise you that he does not."

"Then why does he treat me like… like I am a prisoner! I am not a child anymore, yet he insists on making me feel like one. I cannot even go outside without his permission. He won't let me have any fun!"

"I do not know your father so well," Caroline began carefully as she considered what to say. A part of her agreed with Isabella's assessment, for it did seem as if he was a tad harsh on her. But at the same time, Caroline could not help but remember what the Duke had said earlier, understanding well enough where he was coming from, for she was of the ton, also, and knew the pressure it brought. "But as I am to understand it, he is simply worried about you."

"Worried?" she scoffed. "He wants to control me."

"He wants you to be happy," she corrected. "Remember, it is not so easy to be a single father, and he has seen what this world does to little girls…and young women," she added bitterly. "My feeling is that everything he does, he does because he wants the best for you. He is just a little…" She smirked. "… hard around the edges."

She could not believe that she was defending the Duke. And that she meant what she said! As cold and callous and awful as the man was, there was no doubt that he loved his daughter. A thought which warmed Caroline because that was something she had never gotten from her own father. Love.

"I'll say," Isabella sighed. "Did you know that he has fired ten governesses in the past two years. Ten! Some of them I did not care for, but some I did! And does he care? Does he even think of how it makes me feel?"

"I suspect that is all he thinks about."

She grimaced. "I know that what you say is the truth, I just wish… Why is he so mean to them? Did you know that some of them did not even need firing? They simply left because they could not stand to be around him. It is at a point now that it does not matter who he hires next as I know they will be gone soon."

"Have you tried saying this to your father?"

"Of course!"

"With a level voice?" Caroline laughed softly. "I find that soft conversation is often a perfect replacement for shouting. And something about your father tells me he does not like being shouted at."

She winced. "Well… no. I guess I have not."

"That is all right." Caroline reached forward and took Isabella's hands. "I am sure the next one he hires will be here to stay. And if not…" She winked. "Perhaps next time we can find somewhere higher to climb? Somewhere even your father cannot find you."

Isabella's blue eyes lit up excitedly. "All right! Although…" She squeezed Caroline's hands back. "… I wish you were the governess my father had hired."

She laughed at that. "Me too, Isabella."

"Isabella!" the Duke's voice cried out from around the side of the house. "Isabella! I am not playing with you!"

"Oh!" Her eyes widened with fear. "Oh no!"

"Quicky!" Caroline jumped to her knees. "If we hurry, we can have you back in your room before he finds you. And then when he does, I will attest that you were there the whole time."

"You will?"

"Of course. But only if we hurry," she said with a wink.

Isabella's grin was wicked, and then, as if she was part monkey, she spun about and swung herself down from the roof of the carriage. For Caroline, it took a little longer as she was forced to scramble and clutch at the railing as she slowly lowered herself.

But soon, the two were on their feet on firm ground, and then, Caroline taking Isabella by the hand, they hurried across the drive and back inside the house.

"Where is your room?" Caroline asked.

"Up the stairs—no!" She pulled Caroline back as she made to lead her toward the main staircase. "There is another way around the back. Quickly!" Holding Caroline by the hand, Isabella led them.

The two giggled as they hurried, for this felt like an adventure, fraught with danger as the evil duke chased them. But with any adventure, there is always the chance it will end in tragedy as so taken were the girls with their little game that they rounded the corner without looking, only to come upon the wicked duke.

Isabella was quick to see him, releasing Caroline's hand and sidestepping her father so as not to charge right into his burly frame. But Caroline, not quite so nimble on her feet, could barely slow herself down, feet tripping, arms flailing, body tumbling at pace, and crashing right into the arms of His Grace.