wonderful! Liam
O’Donovan has asked to court you!”
“Yes, Lizzie.”
“Do you realize
how many young ladies would like Liam O’Donovan to court them? He’s not
anything like his brother. Won’t sleep with any of the servant girls.”
“Elizabeth!” Uncle Edward interrupted.
“Yes, Father?”
“That is
inappropriate talk, especially standing in front of church.”
“Yes, Father.”
“My dear,
Caroline,” Uncle began. “You are a beautiful young lady. I have noticed how
Liam looks at you, so I was not surprised at his request.”
Uncle continued.
“Perhaps you underestimate your own beauty, my dear. ‘Tis a rare commodity to
be in the presence of such a beautiful woman with no pretentiousness.”
Caroline blushed.
Uncle Edward paused.
“I should perhaps
take some of that back, Caroline. I have been meaning to discuss with you the
manner in which you spoke to Liam’s brother.” He hesitated and looked directly
at her.
“You cannot speak
to him in such a manner,” he hesitated, then whispered, “and slapping him on
the face. I recognize that he can be a very callous and self-centered young
man, but we do a lot of business with the O’Donovans and we need to keep our
relationship civil.”
“That may be
impossible, Uncle. How can one be civil to someone like that?”
“You must give me
your promise, Caroline, that you shall never again show discourteousness to
David.”
“Very well.”
Caroline glanced at the steeple of the church. She was going to need God’s
help to keep that promise to her uncle.
Chapter 6
Caroline waited at
her window and watched for Liam, who was scheduled to leave his horse at their
stable and travel with Uncle, Elizabeth, Patsie and herself to the Centennial
Exhibition.
The previous
week, with the assistance of several women from the church, she had found a
group of nuns in a convent in Cheltenham who agreed to take care of Selly for
the rest of her confinement.
“Miss Caroline,
sure an’ will ye be a comin’ down?” Patsie said through the closed door.
“Yes, Patsie. I’m
watching for Liam to ride up. I shall be down momentarily.”
Always punctual,
Liam rode up and tied his horse to the back hitching post. On cue, he glanced
at Caroline’s window and waved. Her mouth curved into a smile, then she backed
away from the window.
As she walked by
her vanity, she studied herself in the mirror. Her complexion looked healthier
since she moved here. Patsie’s cooking was delicious and Caroline loved the fresh
air of her uncle’s estate. She found it difficult to believe that it had been
two months and that her beloved father had been dead for nearly seven months.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she studied her gown, a light blue-gray
patterned cotton dress. She fixed her hat in position with some pins, her
trembling hands causing one pin to poke her in the head. “Caroline Martin, if
you don’t calm down, Liam is going to think you’re a dolt.”
She stepped back
and studied herself from different angles. She had to admit that she was
becoming accustomed to wearing a corset and, despite its rigidity, agreed that
it made her figure look more feminine. “Yes, Mr. O’Donovan, I do believe that
you shall find me agreeable today,” she said, “if I can stop the dreaded
shaking of my hands.” She pulled on her gloves and, hurrying down the large
staircase, she could see across the front hallway that Uncle, her cousin,
Patsie and Liam were standing on the porch beyond the door.
She stopped at
the bottom of the steps and walked slowly toward the group. When Liam glanced
at her, his face brightened, then he tipped his hat. She returned a smile.
“There you are,
my dear. We are ready to leave. Ben will take us in the large open carriage
to the Exhibition.” Uncle Edward hesitated as he walked to the buggy.
“Liam, if you
don’t mind, you and I will sit on this side and, Caroline and
O’Donovan has asked to court you!”
“Yes, Lizzie.”
“Do you realize
how many young ladies would like Liam O’Donovan to court them? He’s not
anything like his brother. Won’t sleep with any of the servant girls.”
“Elizabeth!” Uncle Edward interrupted.
“Yes, Father?”
“That is
inappropriate talk, especially standing in front of church.”
“Yes, Father.”
“My dear,
Caroline,” Uncle began. “You are a beautiful young lady. I have noticed how
Liam looks at you, so I was not surprised at his request.”
Uncle continued.
“Perhaps you underestimate your own beauty, my dear. ‘Tis a rare commodity to
be in the presence of such a beautiful woman with no pretentiousness.”
Caroline blushed.
Uncle Edward paused.
“I should perhaps
take some of that back, Caroline. I have been meaning to discuss with you the
manner in which you spoke to Liam’s brother.” He hesitated and looked directly
at her.
“You cannot speak
to him in such a manner,” he hesitated, then whispered, “and slapping him on
the face. I recognize that he can be a very callous and self-centered young
man, but we do a lot of business with the O’Donovans and we need to keep our
relationship civil.”
“That may be
impossible, Uncle. How can one be civil to someone like that?”
“You must give me
your promise, Caroline, that you shall never again show discourteousness to
David.”
“Very well.”
Caroline glanced at the steeple of the church. She was going to need God’s
help to keep that promise to her uncle.
Chapter 6
Caroline waited at
her window and watched for Liam, who was scheduled to leave his horse at their
stable and travel with Uncle, Elizabeth, Patsie and herself to the Centennial
Exhibition.
The previous
week, with the assistance of several women from the church, she had found a
group of nuns in a convent in Cheltenham who agreed to take care of Selly for
the rest of her confinement.
“Miss Caroline,
sure an’ will ye be a comin’ down?” Patsie said through the closed door.
“Yes, Patsie. I’m
watching for Liam to ride up. I shall be down momentarily.”
Always punctual,
Liam rode up and tied his horse to the back hitching post. On cue, he glanced
at Caroline’s window and waved. Her mouth curved into a smile, then she backed
away from the window.
As she walked by
her vanity, she studied herself in the mirror. Her complexion looked healthier
since she moved here. Patsie’s cooking was delicious and Caroline loved the fresh
air of her uncle’s estate. She found it difficult to believe that it had been
two months and that her beloved father had been dead for nearly seven months.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she studied her gown, a light blue-gray
patterned cotton dress. She fixed her hat in position with some pins, her
trembling hands causing one pin to poke her in the head. “Caroline Martin, if
you don’t calm down, Liam is going to think you’re a dolt.”
She stepped back
and studied herself from different angles. She had to admit that she was
becoming accustomed to wearing a corset and, despite its rigidity, agreed that
it made her figure look more feminine. “Yes, Mr. O’Donovan, I do believe that
you shall find me agreeable today,” she said, “if I can stop the dreaded
shaking of my hands.” She pulled on her gloves and, hurrying down the large
staircase, she could see across the front hallway that Uncle, her cousin,
Patsie and Liam were standing on the porch beyond the door.
She stopped at
the bottom of the steps and walked slowly toward the group. When Liam glanced
at her, his face brightened, then he tipped his hat. She returned a smile.
“There you are,
my dear. We are ready to leave. Ben will take us in the large open carriage
to the Exhibition.” Uncle Edward hesitated as he walked to the buggy.
“Liam, if you
don’t mind, you and I will sit on this side and, Caroline and
Similar Books
