Caroline (30 page)

Leaning over, the man helped Caro onto the seat beside him, and though she glanced longingly at the closed coach behind them, she was wary of asking too much. As the horses trotted around to start up the street, the man told Caro in a voice that lacked his desired sternness, "This had better be on the level, young lady! You'll be in trouble if you're having me on!"

Caro closed her eyes, relief flooding her with an intensity bordering on pain.

"No," she sighed, "I'm not having you on, sir. And I'll see that you are well paid for the help you've given me. Just hurry, please!"

* * *

Alec stretched his long, muscular limbs lazily in the sunlight as he forced himself to come awake. His lashes flickered briefly as he blinked against the bright light that poured through his parted bedhangings, and with a groan he rolled away from it, burying his face in the pillow.

Vaguely, he was conscious of a commotion in the hallway which seemed to be nearing his door, and winced when it burst open.

"What the devil?" he complained, lifting his head just enough to see the doorway. Caro stood there, Pierre behind her, and they were both suddenly speechless. Irritably, Alec propped himself on an elbow, demanding, "What is going on here? Kindly explain yourselves so I can go back to sleep!"

Pierre backed away, pulling the door closed while Caro came to life, scrambling up on the bed. If Alec was startled by her extremely disheveled appearance, he did not show it, merely dropping back against the deep pillows as he eyed her with a mixture of apprehension and amusement.

"Oh, Alec," Caro exclaimed, "the most awful thing has happened to me!"

"Worse than that ball last night?" he inquired blandly.

"Be silent!" she cried. "This is important! I was accosted on the street this morning by the most horrid lizard of a man. He said he was going to take me with him and marry me!"

"You can't be serious—" Alec's brows drew together darkly.

"I am! I am!" she nearly screamed, and he reached out to take her fluttering hands. "The worst part is that he
knows
me, —from before. And—and, I know
him."

"What? Are you saying that your memory is back?"

"Only a little—but I recognized him immediately—he was horribly familiar. Do you remember my saying that the man at Wallingham's barn reminded me of someone? It is this hideous person! His eyes... !" She shuddered. "He was in a nightmare I had... and today, I knew what his voice was going to sound like before he even spoke! What is so frustrating is that I cannot remember more than that. I do not know his name, or who he is, or what my past connection with him was. I simply
knew
him, the way I did Molly that day we found her in the woods."

"You say he was trying to abduct you?"

"Yes! He held on to me with a grip that felt like a steel trap. He said that this time nothing would thwart his plans."

Alec's eyes sharpened, as he said, "I must say, that sounds ominous. But, how in God's name did you get away from him? And how did you get here? And what were you doing out alone to begin with?"

"I am not a child!" Caro cried passionately, trying unsuccessfully to wrench her hands away. "I am an adult and can come and go as I please!"

"Certainly!" he shot back. "At the risk of getting kidnapped by the first man that you meet! Use that fine mind of yours, Caro."

"I did! I got away, didn't I? And I'm here now, aren't I? I let him think I was weakening under his irresistible charm and then I pulled away and pushed him down really hard. I never knew I was so strong! You should have seen me run, Alec! I'll vow that everyone thought I had lost my senses—"

"A suspicion I have fostered for quite some time," he murmured. Caro ignored him.

"Luckily, I found a carriage with a driver who consented to bring me to Belle Maison, so here I am. And now, you must help me!"

He swung his long brown legs over the side of the bed and Caro blushed, averting her eyes at the sight of his naked body in the sunlight. Pulling on the buff breeches from his uniform, he began to shave and Caro could tell from his expression that he was thinking.

"I'll tell you what," he conceded at last. "Stay here and breakfast with me. We can discuss this matter then. Now, kindly ask Pierre to come in here. I don't wish to attempt any more of this hysterical conversation until I get some coffee."

Pierre was waiting discreetly at the end of the hall, and after speaking to him, Caro proceeded downstairs. Even though it was nearly noon, hot breakfast dishes were being assembled on the dining-room table, their fragrant aromas stimulating Caro's appetite. Being back at Belle Maison had an amazingly relaxing effect on her, and, in spite of everything, she felt an irrepressible glow of happiness. Sitting down in the sunny dining room, she began to lift the covers off the dishes, helping herself to a few samples while she waited. A maid beamed at her as she brought steaming coffee which Caro sipped gratefully.

Far off down the drive a speck appeared, surrounded by a cloud of dust. Caro was soon able to distinguish a horse and rider, and felt immediate panic at the splotch of royal blue showing beneath the man's billowing cape. Backing away from the table, she stood frozen until she could make out his face, then she ran on weak legs up the stairs to Alec's room. Throwing open the door, she ignored Pierre's startled expression and sped into Alec's arms.

"What now?" he inquired a trifle incredulously, patting her head. "Were you attacked by an egg?"

"He's here! He's here! He just rode up outside!"

"Who? You surely can't mean your lizard friend—"

"Yes!" She was pulling frantically at his neatly pressed coat sleeves.

"Lizard?" Pierre asked irresistibly. Alec smiled at him over Caro's head. "That's right," he said cheerfully. "And just for the record, I have long been classified as a toad. A tiresome toad, at that!"

"Alec!" Caro cried, "this is no time for jokes! The man is an evil, gruesome creature and I am afraid!"

His arms tightened around her. "There is no reason for hysteria. I suggest that you compose yourself and put a little trust in me. Come along now, and I shall take care of everything."

Alec put a supporting arm around her waist as they walked down the hall. In low tones of amusement he admonished her, "Really, Caro, I never thought to see you quake so with terror before a mere man! After all of my own attempts to intimidate you failed so dismally, I was convinced that you were possessed of great courage. Where is all that hellfire that you used to attack me with at every opportunity?"

His light chiding strengthened her, and she felt a powerful desire to make him proud of her. The butler met them at the foot of the stairs, informing Alec that a Mr. Pilquebinder was waiting in the rear parlor. As they passed a looking glass, Caro saw her reflection and stopped in horror.

"Alec," she whispered, "I look terrible!"

He grinned. "At the risk of appearing rude, I fear I must agree."

The worst part was her hair, which tumbled over her head in every direction, windblown and snarled. Her muslin dress was bedraggled and soiled from her run through Philadelphia and the open-air drive to Belle Maison.

"Perhaps he won't want you now," Alec teased, and Caro laughed in spite of herself. Her smile died, however, when a shadow fell across the hallway and Mr. Pilquebinder appeared. Alec's face remained impassive as he regarded the unpleasant little man who stood before them.

"How do you do? Why don't we go inside?"

Caro was amazed at the courteous tone of Alec's voice, but Pilquebinder did not return his smile. In fact, when he looked at Alec his eyes were ablaze with hatred.

"I have a few things to say to you," he began, but as Alec led Caro past him, the man had no choice but to follow them into the parlor. Alec and Caro sat down on a green velvet settee, leaving a wingback chair vacant for Pilquebinder. Caro was pleasantly surprised to feel Alec drape a protective arm around her shoulders as he leaned back with studied casualness.

"May I ask who you are, sir, and the nature of your business here?"

The other man, who was squirming nervously, jumped to his feet and began to pace.

"My name is Ezra Pilquebinder, Mr. Beauvisage, and I have come to claim my betrothed. I must request that you relinquish her into my care immediately!"

Caro opened her mouth in horror, but Alec merely smiled coolly as he replied, "I am afraid that is quite out of the question, Mr. Pilquebinder, for this woman is my wife."

Fortunately, Caro was already looking shocked, so her reaction to Alec's words was not apparent to Mr. Pilquebinder. He, however, turned bright red, and his pale eyes glittered eerily.

"Your
wife
!" He paused, attempting to compose himself. "I do not believe that. No, no, it is impossible."

"Hardly," Alec returned blandly, while idly caressing Caro's shoulder.

"I demand proof!"

"Certainly, sir. I do hope you won't mind waiting while I send a man into town to procure the necessary documents from my attorney. If you will excuse us, my wife and I would like to indulge in some long-overdue breakfast. Make yourself comfortable."

Pilquebinder was spluttering with rage as Alec helped Caro up and escorted her out of the room. When they were out of hearing range, she looked up at him incredulously.

"Why did you say that?" she whispered heatedly.
"What
are you going to do?"

Before Alec could answer, they both looked toward the front parlor. A high-pitched hissing came from inside, and when they looked around the threshold, they beheld Grandmere peering out from the confines of a closet.

"What in God's name are you up to now?" Alec demanded.

"Come here to me, you two. I have the answer to your problem."

"You've been eavesdropping, Grandmere? God, I had almost forgotten that that whispering closet existed!"

"Of course it exists, and it extends into the wall of the south parlor as well. It's fortunate for you that I am so curious!"

"Sneaky might be a more apt description," Alec replied drily.

"Not at all
, mon fils.
I was simply coming through the passage from my house when I heard all the commotion. Can you blame me for taking an interest in my grandson's welfare?"

"Will you kindly get on with it? What is this master plan of yours?"

Grandmere let him help her out of the whispering closet, but did not move any farther. Beckoning to them to come closer, she whispered:

"but in truth it will be addressed to the nearest cleric. You can come through the underground passage, meet him in my house, and be married before that odious man is any wiser. Do you not agree that it is the only course, Sacha?"
Eh bien.
You can pretend to be sending a message to your attorney,

He paused, eyes twinkling as he pretended to consider her words. Caro's heart constricted nervously as she watched him.

A small half-smile played at his lips when he finally replied, "I fear that I am caught at last. You two go ahead while I give the letter to Pierre."

Caro's thoughts were frantically jumbled as she followed Grandmere down into the musty tunnel that connected the two dwellings.

"This is not right!" she whispered at length. "He does not want to marry me! He will hate me!"

"Nonsense,
ma petite.
It is what he wants, even if he is too stubborn to admit it. Do you think I would be a part of this if I were not certain it was destined? Our M'sieur Pilquebinder may be more of a friend than you realize, for he has become the perfect catalyst to bring Alec to this inevitable event. Ah—here we are."

Caro still looked worried, and as Grandmere opened the panel that shielded the tunnel from her sitting room, she reached out to clasp her hand.

"Do not worry. Trust me."

"But—" Caro blurted, "I understood that there was another woman in Alec's past—during the war—and..."

"Pooh!" Grandmere spat the word, declaring, "Forget about her." Instantly, the subject was dropped and she was crisply cheerful. "Now
,
we must endeavor to transform you into a bride!"

The memory of her reflection in the hall brought an expression of horror to Caro's face.

"Grandmere, I am a fright! What shall we do?"

The old woman competently took charge, leading Caro into her bedchamber and going to work. In minutes the wilted dress was off and Caro was washing with steaming, scented water. Grandmere took the pins out of her tangled hair, brushing it until it curled lustrously down her back. There was a noise in the parlor, followed by Alec's voice assuring them that it was he. Caro sat on the bed, clad only in her thin chemise, while Grandmere excused herself mysteriously.

She viewed herself in the looking glass, her eyes alive with anxious excitement and her cheeks flushed. "Well," she mused, ruefully regarding the soiled dress which lay nearby, "I couldn't have picked a worse day to ride up front with the coachman!"

At that moment, Grandmere reappeared, wreathed in smiles as she held up a gown for Caro's inspection. Fashioned of rich white satin, now warmed with age to a candlelight hue, the dress was of the outdated Watteau style of 1725. Beautiful pearls and diamonds were encrusted around the petticoat and up the edges of the loose overdress. The neckline plunged low, ending in a profusion of jewels which were intended to draw attention away from the wearer's décolletage. Caro drew in her breath.