She’d thought, when she didn’t stagger down for the meal, that Caleb might knock to learn why she hadn’t arrived, but he hadn’t visited. Or she’d expected Gregory to show up and inquire about her crying off from their engagement.
Why hadn’t he sought her out? Didn’t he care that she’d changed her mind? The more likely scenario was that he assumed she hadn’t been serious, that she’d simply been having a female tantrum and it would pass.
Unfortunately for him, she was already so far down the road from the notion of marrying him that she could scarcely remember it had once been a reality.
She wanted a different ending for herself. Might Caleb Ralston become part of her new and exciting path? She certainly hoped so.
The servants were competent, and while she liked to imagine she was indispensable, the house was running just fine without her. In the windows, she could see guests chatting, drinking, and playing cards. Dancing was about to start.
She might have been invisible, with her absence proving her presence to be unnecessary for any reason.
Out in the garden, a couple was furtively hovered in the shadows, as if they were trying to conceal the fact that they were together. She peered closer and realized that it was Janet and Blake Ralston. Caroline had been introduced to the younger Ralston, but she hadn’t shared more than a dozen words with him.
He was as handsome as his brother, and with him wearing his uniform, he looked extremely dashing. When he walked through a parlor, the ladies sighed with pleasure.
As Caroline spied on them, Blake dipped down and kissed Janet on the lips. He drew away and whispered a comment in her ear, and Janet giggled as if she were a blushing debutante.
Caroline froze in her spot, struggling to decide what her opinion should be about what she’d witnessed. Janet was twenty, and she should have been betrothed and marching toward her own nuptials, but she insisted she wouldn’t ever wed.
Blake Ralston was a sailor, and it was common knowledge that sailors had the very lowest morals. They traveled the globe, where they were exposed to foreign women and cultures and the rules about propriety were very relaxed.
Except for the year Janet had spent at boarding school, she’d lived at their small, rural estate. Blake had been born in Jamaica, then he’d journeyed to England for school and had eventually joined the navy. He was sophisticated and mature in a way Janet would never be.
There was danger percolating for her cousin. Janet would have no idea how to deal with a man like Blake Ralston, and there was no chance he was considering matrimony. It meant he had no business sneaking off with Janet.
What should Caroline’s position be? She wasn’t Janet’s chaperone or nanny, and she definitely wasn’t her mother. If she had to describe their relationship, it was one of a fond, older sister.
Should she talk to Janet? From how happy her cousin appeared to be, Caroline doubted Janet would heed any warnings. Should she talk to Blake Ralston? Or maybe to his brother? She hadn’t heard when Blake was returning to the navy, but perhaps that situation could be hurried along.
She figured it would be prudent to interrupt them before they wandered farther into the dark garden. She went over to the stairs and skipped down them, calling, “Janet! There you are! I’ve been searching for you.”
The amorous pair leapt apart, and their reaction underscored that Caroline was correct to fret over what was occurring.
Janet had been holding Blake’s hand, and she stealthily dropped it. She spun to Caroline, saying, “I’ve been searching for you too.”
“I was hiding.”
“When you didn’t come to supper, I was afraid my father might have locked you in a closet.”
“I’ve been in my room, pondering a few issues. I didn’t think I’d be good company, so I stayed away.”
She focused her scolding gaze on Blake, but it was hard to shame the wastrel. He wasn’t disturbed in the slightest by her caustic expression.
“Hello, Miss Grey,” he said. “It’s grand to see you up and about. We were all worried you might be ill.”
“No, I was just tired.”
“We were so busy today,” he added, “that my brother and I didn’t have our chat with you.”
“What chat?” Janet asked him.
“Didn’t I mention it?” Blake said. “With your cousin being one of the Mystery Girls of the Caribbean, we have an interesting connection to her. We were supposed to meet to discuss it.”
Janet scowled. “Who told you about her being a Mystery Girl? Your brother? I warned him to be silent about it.” Janet turned to Caroline. “I’m sorry, Caroline. Gregory was drunk and blabbing your secrets.”
“It’s all right,” Caroline said. “I’m glad the Ralston men learned about it. It’s fine that they were informed.”
She always thought it was fine when her tragic history was revealed. It was her kin who were uncomfortable with the story.
She glared at Blake, giving him the direct hint that his presence in the garden was no longer required. In response, the cheeky devil grinned and said, “I should get back to the party.”
“Must you go in so soon?” Janet asked, and she had an aggravating amount of yearning in her voice.
Caroline shot another caustic glare at him, and he nodded that he understood her message. “The dancing is about to begin, and the ladies will be dying to have me as a partner. I hate to disappoint them.”
He clicked his heels and bowed over Janet’s hand. Then he sauntered away. They watched until he vanished into the house, and Janet was beaming with delight, as if he hung the moon.
Once the quiet settled, Caroline said, “You two are awfully friendly.”
“I like him.”
“I think you more than like him. What’s happening between you?”
“Nothing is happening, so don’t glower at me. He’s here for
