“Good morning!”
Carolyn turned her head to see her mother sailing into the room, her face lit with a warm expression and such evident contentment on her face that Carolyn could not help but smile. Clearly last evening’s ball had gone very well indeed, despite the fact that Lady Hamilton now had to admit that Carolyn’s choice of both gown and conversation had brought her more success than before. Whilst Carolyn herself had not enjoyed the ball very much last evening, for her thoughts had been entirely centered on Lord Franks and what she had heard about this ‘League’, she had nonetheless done her utmost to behave just as her mother expected. She had danced almost every dance, had spoken well to any gentleman who approached her and had even made a few more acquaintances thanks to the company of Lady Callander, who had also been present. It had been a successful evening, even if Carolyn had not found much enjoyment from it.
“Did you see that you have received a bouquet of flowers?” Lady Hamilton asked, coming across to Carolyn and smiling brightly at her. “A very large bouquet indeed!”
Carolyn frowned. “No, I have not,” she answered, quietly, looking across at her brother only to see that his face was entirely hidden from sight by his newspaper. “When did they arrive?”
“Only a short time ago,” Lady Hamilton answered, with a wave of her hand. “I have had them sent to the dining room. There was a note there also, but I have left it for you to read at your leisure.”
“I thank you,” Carolyn answered, unable to keep her smile at her mother’s exuberance hidden away. “I am glad that you feel a little better about things now, Mama.” She looked into her mother’s face, seeing that there was no anger, no regret nor frustration left there now. Instead, there was just a small sense of contentment and perhaps, a little regret that she had not allowed Carolyn to do such a thing before.
“I am glad that you have made this Season more of a success already,” Lady Hamilton answered, putting her hand over Carolyn’s. “We have only been here a fortnight and already, you have had more dances than ever before!”
“And Lord Franks is to call on me this afternoon,” Carolyn reminded her mother, suddenly finding it difficult to keep her smile fixed to her face, given just how anxious she was about such a meeting. “I thought we might take a walk together. Would you wish to join us?” She held her mother’s gaze, silently praying that her mother would refuse, so that she might be granted a silent and entirely disinterested maid to join her, but her mother immediately looked quite delighted at the idea.
“I should very much like to join you,” she said, with a swift smile. “The park, mayhap?” She laughed, her eyes twinkling and clearly entirely unaware of Carolyn’s immediate disappointment. “That way, I can remain out of your path whilst ensuring that propriety is still maintained.”
A little relieved at this, Carolyn managed a small smile. “I thank you, Mama,” she said, feeling a little glad that they had managed to find a contentment between them, an understanding and almost a camaraderie that had not been there before. Picking up her plate, she turned back to the table, set it down at her place and reached to pour the tea. Her mother did the same only a few minutes later, silencing reigning for some minutes until Lord Hamilton lowered his newspaper.
“Hamilton!”
Lady Hamilton’s screech was immediate.
“Whatever did you do to your face?”
Carolyn watched with interest as her brother’s face heightened with color. “Mama, there is nothing for you to concern yourself with,” he said, with as much dignity as he could muster. “I have had a slight accident, that is all.”
“But you are injured!” Lady Hamilton exclaimed, making to get out of her seat, “have you sent for a doctor?”
Lord Hamilton flung his newspaper onto the table, slammed his other hand down hard, making the crockery jump and complain.
“Why must I have first my sister and then my mother question me about such matters?” he shouted, making the room reverberate with the sheer volume of his voice. “I do not require a nursemaid nor a nanny. If I tell you there is nothing for you to concern yourself with, that I have had a small accident and nothing more, then there is no reason for you to question that further!”
Carolyn caught her breath, feeling a slight tremor run through her at the sheer anger that seemed to pour from her brother. There was something more to this, she realized, aware of just how furious her brother now was but finding no true understanding of it. There was something bigger to his supposed accident, something that had given him nothing but anger and rage which he was now throwing out at them both.
“And you do not speak to your mother in such a manner!”
Lady Hamilton’s voice was just as sharp, just as angry and holding just as much fury as her son’s. Carolyn closed her eyes and took in a long breath, steadying her own nerves as she heard her mother continue to rail at her son. Lord Hamilton let out a frustrated exclamation and practically threw himself from the table, his chair tipping back to the point of crashing to the floor.
Carolyn stared after her brother in astonishment as he pulled open the door and stormed from the room, leaving a footman to hurry forward and replace the fallen chair.
“Goodness,” Lady Hamilton said faintly, her hand suddenly finding Carolyn’s and holding it tightly, making Carolyn realize just how shocked her mother now was at Lord Hamilton’s behavior. “That was rather…..”
“Unusual,” Carolyn suggested, astonished to see the tears in her mother’s eyes as Lady Hamilton looked at her, nodding. “Do not worry, Mama. I am sure my brother is merely just a little embarrassed and, thus, does not want either of us to question him about whatever has happened.” She smiled warmly at her mother and pressed her hand. “Come now, let us enjoy our breakfast. Do you wish for more tea?”
Lady Hamilton nodded, her smile a little tremulous. “If not for something a little stronger,” she said, a note of dry mirth in her voice. “Thank you, Carolyn. I am sure you are quite right.”
Walking through Hyde Park with her mother trailing behind them made an already tense situation all the worse, Carolyn reflected, even though she was glad of her mother’s willingness to stay behind them. Lord Franks had called upon her, just as she had expected, but there was something foreboding in his gaze every time he looked
at her. She could not understand it, although she had been pleased when he had agreed to take a walk in the park, glad that they would not have to sit merely facing each other in the quietness of the drawing room, with her mother present also.
“So,” Lord Franks began, clearing his throat gruffly. “Yesterday was something of a trying day.”
She looked at him, seeing his eyes dart towards hers before looking away again. “Indeed,” she answered, quietly. “How are Lord Millerton and the carriage driver?”
Lord Franks shot her a surprised glance as if he had expected her not to care in the least. “They both are steadily improving,” he told her, honestly. “Lord Millerton appears to be almost back to himself again, although he still needs to rest his shoulder. And the driver will be back in his seat within a fortnight.”
Glad to hear that both were recovering, Carolyn let out a long breath of relief. “I am glad,” she said, truthfully. “Although I confess that I am very confused over what was said yesterday afternoon. In addition, I must also wonder what it is that you wish to know or wish to seek from my brother.” She looked at him steadily but Lord Franks kept his gaze steadfastly straight ahead, not looking to the left or to the right. “I am correct in thinking that the only reason you have been calling on me with such evident determination is in order to find something within his house? Or were you the one to strike him?” She did not know where the last sentence had come from but accompanied it with a pointed look and a lift of her brows.