our
agreement,” he responded.
“And if I do not?” Carol stopped dancing,
leaving Montfort poised on one foot in the middle of a step. For a
split second his face was like a thundercloud and she almost
expected him to hurl a destructive bolt of lightning at her. Then,
inexplicably, he smiled at her. Catching both of her hands in his,
he raised her fingers to his lips. The onlookers must have thought
he was greatly amused by something she had just said and was
saluting her wit. But when he spoke it was through clenched teeth
and in a voice so low that Carol could just barely hear his
words.
“I do not know what game you think you are
playing, Caroline, but I will not allow you to create a spectacle
to feed the gossips.”
“If you don’t like the way I am behaving,
then cancel the engagement,” Carol retorted.
“I will not cry off,” he said, still smiling
that beautiful, blazing, false smile and speaking in a way that
would suggest to those watching them that he was now whispering
words of tender love. “Nor will I allow you to cry off. We
made a bargain, Caroline, and you will keep it. All of it”
Of course she could not break off someone
else’s engagement. What she was doing could put Lady Caroline into
an unhappy situation after Carol departed to her own time and after
Lady Caroline was married to this man. Carol did not know much
about the marriage laws of that period of history, but she
suspected that a husband would have control of his wife’s person
and her fortune—and he could probably control every minute of her
daily activities, too. For Lady Caroline’s sake, Carol would have
to be more careful. But she wasn’t going to knuckle under
completely.
“I find I am a bit faint from all the
excitement,” Carol said. “If I could just have a few minutes alone
to collect my thoughts, I am sure I will feel much more like
myself. I think I will go to the library.”
“Make your curtsy, madam, and I will take you
there.” Montfort bowed gracefully and Carol, in response to his
action, made a dancing-school curtsy.
As he led her off the ballroom floor the
musicians struck up a new tune. There were other men who crowded
around Carol to beg for dances with her, but Montfort made her
excuses before Carol could say anything for herself. Their progress
out or the ballroom was followed by the knowing looks of the
guests. A few elderly ladies whispered behind their fans.
“Is it quite proper for you to close the
door?” Carol asked when she and Montfort were alone in the library.
“Shouldn’t I have a chaperone? Aunt Augusta, perhaps?” she added
hopefully.
“I shall claim the right of a betrothed
husband and say I want to have you to myself for a short time,”
Montfort responded. With the door closed, he approached her with
the tread of a man determined to dominate their meeting. “Now,
Caroline, I want you to understand that I will not allow you to go
back on your word to me.”
“I have never in my life gone back on my
word, any more than my father ever did,” Carol told him. “I am
insulted that you might think I would.”
“I am glad to hear you say so,” Montfort told
her. “There are some men who believe a woman has no sense of honor.
I am not among them, and I will expect honorable behavior from my
wife.”
“Montfort, are you marrying Lady Caro—I mean,
are you marrying me for my money?”
“Hardly, since my fortune is so much greater
than yours.” He looked at her as if he was trying to decipher all
her secrets. “You have known about my fortune for most of your
life. Why do you ask about it now? Caroline, you are not at all
like yourself tonight.”
“That is certainly true,” Carol said.
Relieved by his claim to wealth, she continued in a more agreeable
way. “I am sorry. I spoke without thinking.”
“Tell me what is wrong and I will try to
help.”
“If I did, you really would think I’m mad.”
Responding to the slight softening she detected in his
agreement,” he responded.
“And if I do not?” Carol stopped dancing,
leaving Montfort poised on one foot in the middle of a step. For a
split second his face was like a thundercloud and she almost
expected him to hurl a destructive bolt of lightning at her. Then,
inexplicably, he smiled at her. Catching both of her hands in his,
he raised her fingers to his lips. The onlookers must have thought
he was greatly amused by something she had just said and was
saluting her wit. But when he spoke it was through clenched teeth
and in a voice so low that Carol could just barely hear his
words.
“I do not know what game you think you are
playing, Caroline, but I will not allow you to create a spectacle
to feed the gossips.”
“If you don’t like the way I am behaving,
then cancel the engagement,” Carol retorted.
“I will not cry off,” he said, still smiling
that beautiful, blazing, false smile and speaking in a way that
would suggest to those watching them that he was now whispering
words of tender love. “Nor will I allow you to cry off. We
made a bargain, Caroline, and you will keep it. All of it”
Of course she could not break off someone
else’s engagement. What she was doing could put Lady Caroline into
an unhappy situation after Carol departed to her own time and after
Lady Caroline was married to this man. Carol did not know much
about the marriage laws of that period of history, but she
suspected that a husband would have control of his wife’s person
and her fortune—and he could probably control every minute of her
daily activities, too. For Lady Caroline’s sake, Carol would have
to be more careful. But she wasn’t going to knuckle under
completely.
“I find I am a bit faint from all the
excitement,” Carol said. “If I could just have a few minutes alone
to collect my thoughts, I am sure I will feel much more like
myself. I think I will go to the library.”
“Make your curtsy, madam, and I will take you
there.” Montfort bowed gracefully and Carol, in response to his
action, made a dancing-school curtsy.
As he led her off the ballroom floor the
musicians struck up a new tune. There were other men who crowded
around Carol to beg for dances with her, but Montfort made her
excuses before Carol could say anything for herself. Their progress
out or the ballroom was followed by the knowing looks of the
guests. A few elderly ladies whispered behind their fans.
“Is it quite proper for you to close the
door?” Carol asked when she and Montfort were alone in the library.
“Shouldn’t I have a chaperone? Aunt Augusta, perhaps?” she added
hopefully.
“I shall claim the right of a betrothed
husband and say I want to have you to myself for a short time,”
Montfort responded. With the door closed, he approached her with
the tread of a man determined to dominate their meeting. “Now,
Caroline, I want you to understand that I will not allow you to go
back on your word to me.”
“I have never in my life gone back on my
word, any more than my father ever did,” Carol told him. “I am
insulted that you might think I would.”
“I am glad to hear you say so,” Montfort told
her. “There are some men who believe a woman has no sense of honor.
I am not among them, and I will expect honorable behavior from my
wife.”
“Montfort, are you marrying Lady Caro—I mean,
are you marrying me for my money?”
“Hardly, since my fortune is so much greater
than yours.” He looked at her as if he was trying to decipher all
her secrets. “You have known about my fortune for most of your
life. Why do you ask about it now? Caroline, you are not at all
like yourself tonight.”
“That is certainly true,” Carol said.
Relieved by his claim to wealth, she continued in a more agreeable
way. “I am sorry. I spoke without thinking.”
“Tell me what is wrong and I will try to
help.”
“If I did, you really would think I’m mad.”
Responding to the slight softening she detected in his
Similar Books
