That was exactly what Caroline was afraid of.
The next afternoon Alexander Woodward, the seventh Duke of Woodborough, was seated in the drawing room of Olivia Fairchild. Although he was usually put off by society matrons who were only interested in getting him to marry their daughters, Alex found himself liking Olivia right away. He admired her honesty and warmth, as well as her no-nonsense approach to his calling upon her granddaughter. She was not at all intimidated by the fact that he was a duke, as most people were. After all the polite questions about his family, their health, and his health, Olivia finally asked the question to which he knew she really wanted the answer.
“So is it true that the Maxwell girl turned you down?” Olivia watched him carefully, her blue eyes peering at him.
Alex answered with caution, aware that a gentleman must never disparage a lady in any manner. “It seems that way.”
Olivia harrumphed skeptically. “I don’t believe you. There is no way that spoiled little thing would have refused your proposal. You saw right through her plans, because you’re intelligent. You weren’t going to be railroaded into that marriage. And you are only saying that she turned you down to save her face.” She smiled approvingly at him, satisfied with her analysis of the situation.
Maintaining a poker face, Alex stated calmly, “Madame, I don’t know to what you are referring.”
“A gentleman! I like that. You’re much better off without her, young man. Madeline Maxwell, as pretty as she is, is spoiled, selfish, and vain. She would have made your life miserable.” She nodded her head in approval of his actions.
Alex only smiled at her. “You are a very wise woman, Lady Fairchild.”
She grinned at his compliment and smoothed her silvery hair with her hand. “Now to the point,” Olivia said, her tone more serious. “What are your intentions with my Caroline?”
Alex sat quietly for a moment, unsure of what to say. Then he uttered quite clearly, “I want to marry her.”
The words came from his mouth, yet he couldn’t believe that he had said them aloud. He didn’t even know what he was doing there getting grilled by the elderly countess, except that he could not help himself. Unable to stop thinking about Caroline, he didn’t even stay the night at Lily’s as he usually did. Restless and preoccupied with thoughts of their rather passionate encounter, he spent the next day finding out everything he could about her. Gaining knowledge of her unusual background, he laughed to himself as he heard some descriptions of her as being “a bluestocking” or a “trifle odd” and knew that Caroline would be pleased to learn that her little plan was working quite well after just one night. He remembered her on the balcony with the silvery moonlight spilling all around her, making her hair shimmer and her white satin gown glisten. She looked like a pensive little angel. She had been beautiful, witty, and surprisingly intelligent. He called on her today because he simply had to see her again. To see if she was truly as wonderful as he remembered her to be when he held her in his arms.
Marriage had not entered his mind. Well, not quite, anyway.
Now that he had said it aloud, marrying Caroline Armstrong seemed most appealing. Although he had only met her once, he sensed something about her that set her apart from the other women he knew. She was different, special somehow, and he was drawn to her. He had the oddest sensation that she belonged to him. Odder still was the feeling that she knew it as well. There was definitely something between them that night. They conversed easily enough and laughed together. He had also never had such a strong physical reaction to a woman before. However, he could not tell her grandmother that.
“Why do you want to marry her?” Olivia asked, full of curiosity. “You’ve only just met her.”
“Upon meeting her at the ball, I found Caroline to be a very intelligent, charming, and beautiful young lady. I enjoyed her company immensely,” he managed to say after a long silence. “I also have to marry. It is my duty as the Duke of Woodborough.”
“Hmmm…” Olivia pondered this, again watching him with her sharp eyes. “So you want her to be your duchess?”
“Is that so surprising to you?”
“Frankly, yes,” she said with candor. “Caroline and her sister, Emma, were not raised as ladies.” She paused before stating, “I am sure you’ve heard about the terrible scandal concerning my daughter, Katherine.”
Alex could sense that this was a painful subject for her, but he shook his head slightly, encouraging her to explain. Of course, he had heard the rumors but had never really paid much attention to the infamous story of Katherine Fairchild before; now he wanted to learn the truth about Caroline’s family from its most reliable source.
Olivia gave him a look, as if trying to make up her mind about him, and then she began resolutely. “When Katherine was seventeen she was engaged to be married to Lord Montgomery, a handsome young man from a fine family, whom we had chosen for her. We did not know that she had already fallen in love with Richard Armstrong. Richard had been our son Kit’s tutor. Richard was poor but from a decent enough family in Kent. My husband, Edward, and I tried to reason with Katherine, but she was young and foolish. One night the two of them simply ran off together. Their elopement caused such a dreadful scandal that Edward disowned her, cutting her off from the family completely. That was a terrible time for us.” Olivia paused to dab her teary eyes with a lace handkerchief and continued with a slight sniffle. “So Katherine and Richard settled in the country, where he taught at the university in Shrewsbury, and they lived very simply. Katherine died of consumption many years ago, but it was not until Richard himself died last October that I was finally able to meet my granddaughters and bring them to live with me. Richard had been very ill, and Caroline had been supporting the family, working at the university. She was about to take a position as a governess when I arrived on their doorstep. Obviously the girls were not raised to be a part of our society, although I must say they were very well educated. They have only recently learned the finer points of proper etiquette for their coming-out. It could be quite daunting for Caroline to fill the role of duchess.” Olivia glanced at him meaningfully.
“That means nothing to me. Caroline is different from any other lady of my acquaintance, and that is why I find her so attractive. She is bright and witty and versed in many languages. I have no doubt that she is more than capable of learning anything she needs to learn to be a duchess. Her background is irrelevant.” Alex paused to add, “I also think that she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
Olivia was speechless, yet beaming with pride at his praise of Caroline.
“Do I have your permission to call upon her, Lady Fairchild?” Alex asked.
“Why yes, of course. Now I will have her come down to see you.”
“Would you allow me a moment of privacy with her, Lady Fairchild?” He knew it was improper, but he also knew that she was impressed with him.
She gave him a long look as she summed him up. “Your intentions are quite honorable, and I would not mind having you for a grandson-in-law,” she stated with a grin. “I will allow it this one time.”
A few moments later, Caroline came to the drawing room alone. She stood hesitantly in the doorway, and Alex suppressed the urge to laugh. Despite her attempt to appear otherwise, she was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her pale skin was flawless, her cheeks suffused lightly with color; her golden hair was pulled tightly back from her face and topped with a severe black mobcap; and her deep green eyes were almost hidden behind the thick, dark spectacles that perched absurdly on the tip of her little nose. Dressed in a dull black gown that had to be at least two decades behind the current fashion, with wide sleeves and a loosely fitted bodice that seemed to swallow her petite body completely, she looked ridiculous. Still, desire flickered within him at the mere sight of her, fueled by the memory of her in his arms. He extended his hand to her.
“I’m