The Wicked Governess (Blackhaven Brides Book 6)(50)
The blood roared in Javan’s ears. No! The single word crashed through his head but remained unspoken, for Caroline was staring at Richard in shock.
“This isn’t how we intended it to come out,” Richard said glibly, “but Javan has just given us his blessing in this somewhat unconventional setting, so you might as well know now as tomorrow.”
This was insane. He couldn’t marry Caroline… But she suddenly grasped Richard’s arm and at last the suspicion fell into place that such an engagement was not unplanned. His earlier remarks had been sarcastic, teasing… Richard was charming, undamaged, and the wealthy heir to a baronetcy. Javan was…less.
Somehow, he managed a bow. “Goodnight,” he said and pushed his way out of the room, leaving Caroline being embraced by Lady Tamar and Mrs. Grant and Maria all at once.
Only fury kept the pain at bay.
Chapter Fourteen
In consideration of the unexpected guests, breakfast the following morning was to be served in the dining room. After washing and dressing, Caroline woke the girls and left them to dress in their own time. Her plan was to eat breakfast alone and escape for a long, head-clearing walk before she was required to speak to anyone about anything that mattered.
However, in this she was foiled at the outset, for as soon as she reached the staircase, Richard Benedict strode out of the library and beckoned her inside. Being still furious with him, she hesitated before finally deciding to clear up this silly mess as soon as possible. With dignity, she followed him into the library, without closing the door.
“Don’t look so fierce, Miss Grey. You should be happy on your betrothal day.”
“I am not,” she uttered, “betrothed. At the very least I insist on being consulted before the fact!”
“Well, I’d no time to ask you, and if I had, you would only have refused.”
“And yet here we are, with everyone believing us to be engaged!”
“Including Javan.”
Especially Javan. Pain racked her, like a dagger in the heart. How dared he believe it when she had only just kissed him? How dared he?
“Don’t you see that this is the point, Miss Grey?” Richard urged.
“If there is a point, it is far too obscure for me.”
“No one wishes you to be ruined.”
“I would not have been ruined,” she exclaimed. “Lady Serena would never believe ill of me—”
“Not even after you were accused of a similar indiscretion with her own brother?”
Stricken, she stared at him.
Richard threw up his hands. “You may be right,” he allowed. “But I could not take the chance. I waited for Javan to get in first, but he didn’t.”
The dagger in her heart twisted. “No,” she agreed. “He didn’t.”
“And if he had, you would be thinking he did it merely from honor.”
“It would have been the truth.”
“Rubbish. It was not honor in his heart when he was kissing you in this very room last night.”
She flushed to the roots of her hair. “He was confused, waking from dreams to find himself in a place he—”
“Yes, yes,” Richard interrupted. “Miss Grey, if my cousin is not forced out of it, he will carry on believing he does not deserve happiness. It is your business and mine to show him he does.”
She stared at him. “By us marrying each other? How much, exactly, does he want me out of his hair?”
“Don’t be obtuse, Miss Grey, it does not suit you. Look, anyone can see Javan is in love with you. Except Javan, of course, who will have rationalized it so he can wallow a bit longer in the safety of his superior misery.”
“That is hardly fair,” she said coldly. “Or true!”
“The love is true,” he insisted. “The rest may be exaggerated by my own frustration. The point is, he married Louisa in haste, encouraged by her parents and his own family, and he repented almost immediately. For good reason. He is determined never to make such a mistake again, particularly not when there is Rosa to consider. He needs a push to win you. I thought last night’s discovery might do it, but he drew back at the last moment, so now we must resort to inspiring jealousy.”
Caroline closed her mouth. “You are insane.”
“I promise you it will work. He is already mad as fire.”
She sank onto the window seat. “No, this is wrong,” she said anxiously. “You cannot push people or their emotions about in this way. But more than that, I will not have Rosa believing I will leave her!”
This, clearly, was something Richard had not thought of. Though he quickly overcame the objection. “Never mind. Just tell her we’ll live here for the foreseeable future.”
She regarded him with fascination. “You have an answer for everything. But the truth is, whatever good you imagine you are achieving, you are doing ill by your cousin and by me. I will not spoil things with this dishonesty, and I will not deign to try this manipulation—”
“Now don’t relapse into righteous indignation,” Richard commanded. “Comfort yourself that you will never have to marry me and trust me. I’ve known Javan since I was born. It’s harsh, but he does need a kindly kick. At the very least, you must not make me out a liar, so let us maintain the fiction for today at least.”