Her Sudden Groom (Groom Series, BOOK 1) Page 4

  “What did you ask of her?” Caroline asked cautiously, casting an apologetic look at Nettie.

  Olivia pointed to an array of feathers lying on her vanity table. “She will not put them in my hair,” she said with a pout.

  Caroline’s eyes went back to Nettie, who was slowly nodding. Swallowing, Caroline didn’t know who to ask what.

  Emma cleared her throat. “The problem seems to be Olivia has asked Nettie to put all the feathers in her hair.”

  “And what is wrong with that?” Olivia demanded, stomping her foot and glaring at Emma.

  Emma bit her lip and turned her head. Poor girl probably didn’t want to tell the truth, which was putting seven feathers in one’s hair at one time was a bit much. Three, maybe four, that were coordinated with each other and the colors of her gown would look nice. However, Olivia had laid out every color of the rainbow (in order naturally) and expected Nettie to put them all in her hair for her.

  “Perhaps a compromise,” Caroline suggested, knowing full well she’d be ignored.

  “A compromise!” Olivia’s shout instantly disproved Caroline’s “being ignored” thought. “I am Lady Olivia Sinclair, daughter to the fifteenth Earl of Sinclair, sister to the sixteenth. She—” she pointed a fat finger toward Nettie— “is a lowly servant. Therefore, I get to tell her what to do and when to do it. Now put those blasted feathers in my hair. Now!”

  Nettie moved to walk across the room, and Caroline touched her arm to stay her. “She will not. She is also my lady’s maid, and I require her services just now. You’ve monopolized her time enough today. It’s my turn. Come, Nettie.”

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Olivia snapped, stomping her foot with so much force the floorboard groaned. “We may share a lady’s maid. We may even share a last name. However, you do not outrank me, Caroline. I am Lady Olivia. If it were not for my family, you would be sleeping in a brothel tonight.”

  Caroline’s heart raced. Every time she got on Olivia’s bad side, Olivia insisted on reminding her of her past.

  “No need to be nasty,” Emma said, taking her place at Caroline’s side. “Yes, it was the generosity of your father that allowed Caroline to stay. But he also gave her his name. Which, though she doesn’t share the same courtesy title as you, in the eyes the law, she’s the daughter of an earl, making her your equal.”

  “But you’re not,” Olivia returned with a sneer.

  “That’s enough.” Caroline walked over and looped her arm through Emma’s. Emma may not be offended by Olivia’s remark, but if they stayed in the room much longer, Olivia would find something offensive to say. That was a fact that could be counted on, just as sure as the sun rose each day. “Let’s go,” she said to both Emma and Nettie.

  “But who will do my hair?” Olivia whined, latching onto Nettie’s arm.

  “You will,” Caroline answered, jerking the fabric of Nettie’s dress from Olivia’s fingers. “I need her assistance.”

  Olivia’s lower lip shot out and her eye brows snapped down. “That’s not fair!” She punctuated her last word by stomping her stocking-clad foot on the hard floor yet again, cracking the floorboard this time. “You don’t have a betrothed to impress like I do.”

  Caroline forced herself to hold her tongue and keep walking, not giving in to the temptation to turn around to say something unkind.

  “You may go, Nettie,” Caroline murmured as soon as they were safely away from Olivia’s room.

  “Thank you.” Nettie scurried off.

  “How do you tolerate her?” Emma asked as they walked down the hall to the staircase.

  Caroline shrugged. “I’ve lived with her nearly fourteen years, I’ve gotten used to her, I guess,” she lied. Nobody with their brain still fully intact could become accustomed to such behavior, but when a person has no other choice they learn to make do.

  Caroline nearly asked Emma the same question before snapping her mouth shut. Emma’s personal life wasn’t her business. Emma was six-and-twenty, never married, and hated going to London for the Season. Caroline suspected that was because Emma’s sister, Louise, was there, and so was Louise’s depraved husband.

  Twelve years ago, Louise had been betrothed to Marcus. Shortly following his accident, Louise broke the contract and married a gentleman slicker than mud. This gentleman was a duke and had more money than the bank of England. But more than wealth and privilege, he detested Emma. Probably because Emma had tried to discourage Louise from jilting Marcus for him. That, or because Emma had refused his amorous advances. Caroline didn’t know which tale was the truth, nor did she feel it was her place to ask. All she cared about was that Emma continued to be a friend and practically an older sister to Caroline these past almost fourteen years.

  Caroline would be lying if she didn’t admit she’d always wondered why Emma continued to come around, though. It seemed odd that she would, considering what her sister had done to Marcus. However, Emma had no one else besides Louise, and dealing with Olivia’s black moods and the contempt Marcus held for her sister was probably a small price to pay for not being lonely.

  For a time Caroline entertained the idea that perhaps Emma had romantic designs on Marcus, but she found no proof to back that up. And like all good scientists, Caroline refused to believe anything that lacked the proof to back up the theory. Therefore, she’d concluded Emma was lonely and enjoyed Caroline’s company.

  The door to the drawing room door was open a crack. Together Caroline and Emma went in, and Caroline’s manners instantly flew out the window as soon as her eyes landed on Alex.

  The gentleman sitting (yes, sitting) in the chair by the fire was the Alex Banks she’d met in London at the Society of Biological Matters four years ago. His cravat was askew. He had ink stains on his sleeves and fingers. His brown, slightly longer than fashionable hair was pulled in every which direction. His spectacles were pushed to the top of his nose but were slightly tilted to the right. Most would think he looked unfit to be out of his private bedchamber. But to her, he looked positively handsome—in a disheveled sort of way.

  “Have you been working on the experiment?” she asked bluntly, taking a seat on the settee across from him.

  His eyes went wide for a second. “Yes.” His voice held a slight edge.

  “Good. I’d hate to do all the work.” Caroline made herself more comfortable.

  Alex glanced to Marcus who was sitting in the far corner in such a way the dim light only shone on half his face. “You won’t. I promise.” One side of his lips tipped up.

  Emma came and sat next to Caroline, reminding her she’d forgotten to do the introductions. “Alex, may I introduce you to Emma Green? She’s a close friend of mine. Emma, this is Mr. Alex Banks, Olivia’s intended.”

  A strangled, choking noise came from Alex’s throat, giving her the strangest impulse to go smack him on the back. It wouldn’t be appropriate for her to touch him, though, so she looked to Marcus for intervention. Marcus, however, wouldn’t meet her eye. His face was slightly pink and his scarred lips appeared to be having trouble saying clamped closed. By Caroline’s guess, she’d say, he was trying to hold his composure. She frowned. What was wrong with him? Not Alex, but Marcus. Why did he find it so amusing his guest was choking to death? Good gracious. It was official, Marcus was cracked.

  “Perhaps you should help him,” Emma murmured to Caroline.

  Meeting Emma’s green eyes, Caroline saw something she’d never seen before and couldn’t place. She tore her gaze away and padded over to Alex’s side. “Are you all right?” She bit her lip and debated if she would be of more help to him by patting his back or yanking his cravat completely off.

  “I’m all right,” he wheezed, holding up a hand. “Just a slight coughing fit.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Quite.”

  Caroline resumed her seat next to Emma. “I thought he was going to die there for a minute,” she mumbled.

  “Wouldn’t you want to if you were Olivia’s inte
nded?” Emma asked. “I know I would.”

  A tiny fit of insuppressible giggles overtook Caroline and Emma grinned.

  “Ladies,” Marcus warned.

  “Sorry,” they murmured in unison.

  Caroline composed herself the best she could, which was one extremely difficult task.

  She looked back to Marcus, who was slouched in his chair with his leg propped out. He’d been dealt a tough hand. At seventeen, he’d endured a disfiguring accident which had changed his entire life. His left leg had been broken so badly it had never healed properly, causing him to limp. His once handsome face was now covered in scars, the left side slightly worse than the right. She’d never actually been told what happened to cause his injuries, nor did she know the extent of them. The scars on his face and neck disappeared under his cravat. She’d often wondered if they existed under his clothes because his hands were also scarred, but once again it wasn’t her place to ask.

  Following his accident and broken betrothal, he’d become a recluse due to the jests and snide remarks that surrounded his accident and the ghastly aftereffects. And now he had to act as guardian to two young girls, one of whom was extremely difficult to get along with. But that was where Marcus was different. Better even. He and Olivia had never been particularly close, but he’d always done his best where she was concerned.

  When they’d lost their mother a few years earlier, Marcus had endured Olivia’s obnoxious caterwauling with nary an unkind word. He’d let her cry on his shoulder and had wiped away more tears than any person should be exposed to. Then last year, Uncle Joseph, the former Lord Sinclair, died and Olivia had turned into a Bedlamite once again. The screaming. The crying. The fits of anger. The sheer madness of it all was more than Caroline could handle. But not Marcus. As the dutiful older brother he was, he’d once again tolerated all of it.

  He’d once told Caroline he may not understand Olivia, but she was his sister and that created a bond that couldn’t be broken no matter what Olivia did. Not to say he didn’t get annoyed with her. He did. Quite often actually. On more than one occasion, Caroline had seen Marcus blister Olivia’s ears for being selfish or cruel. He’d also meted out punishments for her. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to take hold with her, and her nasty personality didn’t change.

  “Is she ever coming?” Marcus said abruptly, jarring Caroline from her musings.

  “She was undecided about her wardrobe last I saw her,” Caroline told him.

  Beside her, Emma shook her head and bent down to fix her slipper. “What is this experiment you’re working on, Mr. Banks?”

  “It’s not an experiment really,” he said. “Caroline has agreed to help me work on increasing the membership of an organization I’m president of.”

  Emma nodded. “Oh, that’s nice. I think I hear Olivia.”

  “Good.” Marcus shifted his weight in his chair.

  Olivia made her grand limping and groaning entrance a moment later, rendering everyone speechless. “Good evening,” she whispered hoarsely.

  Caroline stared at her cousin unblinkingly. She’d put on a gown that could only be likened to the color of a lime’s peel. On top of her head, she’d attached all seven of those feathers she’d had set out on her vanity. She’d used something to color her lips and cheeks an unusual shade of red that clashed with her red hair. Around her neck, she wore at least a dozen necklaces, some pearls, some just a simple gold chain, and others were strings of gaudy diamonds or emeralds.

  Caroline swallowed. It would be rude not to pay Olivia some sort of compliment on her attire for the evening, she just needed to find something compliment first. Caroline let her gaze slip lower, praying she’d find something she could compliment. A large opal butterfly brooch caught her attention. That’s what she’d compliment. She cleared her throat and paused. Was it just her, or was that brooch too heavy for that dress. She blinked. No. It wasn’t just her. If the fact she was able to glimpse the top half of Olivia’s left areola meant anything, then that brooch was indeed too heavy for that dress. Pity. That would have been the perfect thing to compliment. Of course she couldn’t now, because then everyone’s eyes would take in Olivia’s ample bosom, areola and all.

  She tore her eyes away and swallowed uncomfortably. It would probably be best to just glance at the slippers on Olivia’s feet, which were probably Caroline’s anyway, and say they looked nice. Dropping her gaze to the floor, Caroline gasped. “What happened?” She stared at her cousin’s foot, dumbfounded. Olivia’s foot was wrapped with enough strips of linen to make a bed sheet.

  Olivia raised her foot. “I seem to have broken the ball of my foot,” she said with a pout.

  “I bet it was all that stomping she did upstairs,” Emma whispered.

  Caroline nodded. She couldn’t do anything else. She couldn’t form a single coherent response to Emma, nor could she pull her eyes away from giant, over-exaggerated bandage on Olivia’s foot. She was in awe. Was Olivia looking for sympathy? If she was, she wasn’t getting it from Caroline.

  Caroline stiffly turned back toward Alex. She just had to see the look on his face.

  ***

  It had been nearly two years since Alex had last seen Lady Olivia, and there was no doubt about it, people change. She’d changed. She must have gained at least three stone since he’d last seen her. Her dress’s fabric was a color he’d never seen on a person before, and adorning her hair he’d swear were feathers the color of the rainbow. He blinked. Surely he’d been wrong. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. No, he’d not been mistaken. Clear as day, the rainbow sat right upon the top of her head.

  His mouth was hanging open and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it. She must have seen it too, because she hobbled over to him, moving in a way that made her left breast pop out of her bodice. She giggled and quickly tucked her nipple back in, then continued hobbling toward him, the feathers on her head bobbing wildly with each step.

  She placed her fingers on the underside of his unhinged jaw and with more force than necessary, pushed it shut, creating a loud noise as his teeth painfully snapped together. “I know I’m stunning. No need to catch a fly admiring me though.” She shifted in a way that made her other breast make an unwanted appearance.

  As soon as she released his jaw it fell open again.

  She smiled and batted her eyelashes at him as she pulled her bodice back up.

  He tried not to grimace as he willed his mind to forget the image that the impromptu visit from her breasts had left in his mind. But his efforts were futile.

  “Olivia,” Marcus snapped. “Make sure you keep those things in your gown for the rest of the evening, please. Nobody in this room wishes to see them again.”

  Lady Olivia licked her lips and winked at Alex. “I’ll try.”

  “You had better do more than try,” Marcus said, stealing the words straight from Alex’s mind. “If you need more fabric for your dress, perhaps you can borrow some from your foot.”

  Caroline and Miss Green snickered, drawing Alex’s attention. How was it possible Caroline and Lady Olivia were related? He shook off the thought. That didn’t matter one iota. What did matter was he would do absolutely anything to marry Caroline instead of Lady Olivia.

  “I can’t,” Lady Olivia whined, catching Alex’s attention once again.

  “Right.” Marcus nodded. “Because you broke the ball of your foot.”

  “Do you doubt me, Marcus?”

  “Yes.”

  Alex sat still. Very, very still. If he recalled correctly, Lady Olivia had a terribly foul temper. He was afraid he was about to witness it firsthand.

  Marcus sighed. “Olivia, I’ve never heard of such a thing before. Do you require me to send for the physician? Mayhap he can just saw off your foot so this won’t happen again.”

  “No!” She turned and batted her eyelashes in Alex’s direction for a few seconds. “What I meant to say is, no. I’ll just prop it up for a few days in my room, and Caroline can wait on me
.”

  Alex could have sworn he heard some teeth grinding but couldn’t tell if the sound was coming from Caroline or Marcus.

  “That will not be happening,” Marcus said tightly. “She’s not your maid.”

  “Perhaps a visit to Bath, then,” Lady Olivia suggested.

  “Very well. A trip to Bath it is,” her brother agreed. “But for now, a trip to the dining room.”

  Alex took to his feet, ready to be done with this blasted meal. He’d much rather eat next to Caroline, but since he was legally betrothed to Lady Olivia, he’d likely be subjected to sitting next to her for the next hour. He blew out a breath and carelessly righted his left cuff.

  “Oh, Olivia.” Marcus’ words halted her pathetic limp mid-step. “Why don’t I escort you down to dinner?”

  “Why?” Lady Olivia’s shrill voice made Alex wince.

  “I think our gait is better suited.”

  Alex smiled at his friend’s jest. At least Marcus was able to make light his injuries and their lasting results. Alex didn’t know if his own attitude would be the same.

  “But I’d prefer to sit with Alex.” She resumed her limp.

  “Caroline will be eating with Alex,” Marcus said firmly. “They have some science experiment to work on together.”

  Lady Olivia screwed up her face in a most unflattering way. “Must the two of you spoil a good meal in that manner?”

  “Afraid so,” Alex answered, feeling not a pang of regret at his words.

  “Fine,” she said, sneering. “You two are the dullest dullards I’ve ever met. Enjoy your boring science talk.”

  Caroline cracked a smile. “We will.”

  Alex offered Caroline his arm and glanced at Miss Green. She lacked an escort. He looked back to Caroline. She was staring at him most oddly. He had no idea what she was trying to convey and still didn’t know if he should offer to escort Miss Green or not.

  Alex remained still, debating what to do about Miss Green when Marcus’ smooth voice cut in. “Emma, if you don’t mind walking with a couple of cripples, I’d be honored to escort you to dinner.”