“Has Ruby not returned yet?” Caroline asked her mother as she sat down at the table to eat her dinner, her thoughts still on the problem of what to do about Captain Grafton’s plans.
“I believe she said that after she went to Mrs. Sims’s she might go and see dear Mr. Ford.”
“Whatever for?”
Marie sighed. “While you have been busy with Captain Grafton, Ruby has developed something of a tendre for Mr. Ford and his rather radical causes.”
“She’s only nineteen.” Caroline stated. “He’s my age.”
“You and I were both married before then, so don’t look so disapproving.” Marie reminded her. “He is being very kind to her, and perhaps humoring her rather too well.”
Caroline put down her knife. “I think I’ll go and see if she is at his house.”
“Are you sure you wish to go out? It’s dark out there and won’t Captain Grafton be annoyed if you aren’t here to cater for his every need?”
“That’s not fair, mother.” Caroline stood up. “I am simply doing the best that I can for all of us.”
“And for yourself.” Marie stated. “But if you really cared for us you would’ve done this properly and demanded a house and a quarterly allowance from Captain Grafton. Then I wouldn’t have to work my fingers to the bone for that woman downstairs.”
“I prefer to work for my wages.” Caroline said.
“Oh for goodness sake, dear.“ Marie waved her away. “If that’s what you want to tell yourself then fine. I’m only your mother. When do you ever listen to me?”
Caroline stiffened. “If it wasn’t for you stealing the rent money and ending up in debt to Captain Grafton, none of us would be in this position. Do you understand that?”
Marie dissolved into tears, and Ivy rushed around the table to comfort their mother.
“There’s no need to shout, Caroline.” Ivy said reprovingly. “You know Mother is a gentle soul who wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Caroline didn’t care to answer that piece of nonsense, but she was aware that her mood was already sour from her encounter with Mr. Fletcher and that perhaps she had been a little harsh.
“I apologize, Mother.”
She left the kitchen; stopping only to put on her newly purchased boots and her shawl. Whatever her mother might say the fact that she could afford new boots for the whole family and plenty of food on the table meant everything to her. If she didn’t leave, she might say something worse, or encounter Captain Grafton who had sent a note to tell her that he was dining with the bank manager. Dealing with either of them at this juncture felt impossible.
She was glad to have waterproof boots as she walked across the square and into the narrower streets of Three Coins where the drains were clogged and night soil was dumped in the gutters. The Ford house was in the better part of the district and had clean glass windows, fresh paint, and a well-scrubbed front door step.
Caroline went through the side lane to the back of the house and knocked on the kitchen door. Mrs. Ford opened the door and looked her up and down.
“What do you want?”
“Good evening, Mrs. Ford. I was wondering if my sister Ruby was here.”
“She just stepped out with my son to buy some meat pies. They’ll be back in a minute.” She stepped aside. “Come in.”
After a startled glance at her hostess, Caroline moved forward. “Thank you.”
It was the first time she had been invited across the threshold. Like most of the terraced houses, there was a kitchen and a rarely used parlor at the front. Mrs. Ford led Caroline through to the unheated and dark parlor and gestured for her to sit. She lit a single tallow candle and sat opposite her guest.
Knowing that Mrs. Ford didn’t suffer fools gladly, Caroline decided to speak first.
“Is my sister Ruby bothering you or your son?”
“She has grown a mite fond of him,” Mrs. Ford said grudgingly.
“And what of Jon?”
“I’m not sure.” She pursed her lips. “I suspect he likes her because she’s your sister, and he’s still yearning after what he can’t have.”
“As in me?”
“Yes, although why he’d want another man’s leavings I cannot say.”
Caroline swallowed hard. “What a horrible thing to say.”
“It’s the truth, lass isn’t it?”
“I did the best I could to save my mother and sisters from starving,” Her voice started to tremble. “And somehow I am the one who is maligned and degraded.”
“That’s the way of the world.” Mrs. Ford shrugged. “You knew that. You still did it.”
“So that sanctimonious old crows like you and my mother’s friends can call me names to my face?” Caroline cried. “It is so unfair.”
“Whoever told you life would be fair?” Mrs. Ford shook her head. “I don’t approve of what you are doing, but I’ll say this, lass. Knowing your mother and what happened, I would’ve done the same thing myself.”
“You would?” Caroline struggled not to cry as she raised her gaze to meet the older woman’s.
“Aye.” Mrs. Ford said. “And now that we’ve got that out of the way, what are we going to do about young Ruby?”
“Would you object if I talked to Jon about the matter?” Caroline asked.
“Go ahead. I’ll send him in here when he gets back.” Mrs. Ford rose. “I think I hear them at the back door now.”
Caroline braced herself as she heard Ruby’s questioning voice and Jon’s deeper tones, wondering if Ruby would object to her presence and demand to hear what was being said.
She stood when the parlor door opened and was relieved when Jon came in alone. His slow smile when he saw her warmed her heart.
“Mrs. Harding. Caroline. What a nice surprise. Did you come to find Ruby?” His smile turned wry. “She has developed something of a habit of confiding in me.”
“Oh good Lord,” Caroline murmured. “Hopefully not about everything?”
He gestured for her to sit down again and joined her. “She was in something of a mood today because she discovered that you and Captain Grafton share a bed.”
Caroline groaned and buried her face in her hands. “I am so sorry.”
“No need, lass.” He fought a smile. “I’d already worked that one out for myself a few months ago.” He hesitated. “I tried to explain to her that sometimes choices in life are hard, and that we can only do our best at the time and in the circumstances we are given.”
“That was good of you.”
He chuckled. “I can’t say she paid much attention. She doesn’t like Captain Grafton. She’s developed some strong views on the reform act, and other social issues since she started attending chapel with me and my mother.”
“She’s been attending the Methodist chapel?” Caroline asked. “I thought when she said she was going to church she meant St. Mary’s. My mother is going to be furious.”
“It’s my turn to be sorry lass, I would’ve asked your permission, but as you know I’ve been doing my best to keep away while Captain Grafton is in town.” He frowned. “And he’s been here for more than three months now, which is something of a record.”
“Well he isn’t staying on my account.” Caroline hastened to reassure him. “He’s been up to his ears in business deals.”
“So I hear. One of my fellow overseers has a son who works at Millcastle Bank. He told me that Captain Grafton and a fellow called Mr. Fletcher have been buzzing in and out of there like bees to a honeypot. Now, Mr. Fletcher is involved with the Millcastle Locomotive Company, which made me wonder whether there was a plan afoot to build a station in town.”
Caroline simply stared at him. “And?”
“There is. Guess where they want to put it,” Jon said grimly. “Slap down in the middle of Three Coins.”
Caroline bit her lip. “Captain Grafton owns all the land on that side of the square and beyond.”
“And building a station fronting the square would take up a considerable amount of space considering the railway tracks, and everything else they’d need.” Jon sighed. “I don’t suppose Captain Grafton said anything about where all his tenants are supposed to go?”
“He hasn’t spoken directly to me about this matter,” Caroline confessed.
Jon shoved a hand through his dark hair. “There’s a meeting tomorrow night where I’ll have an opportunity to bring up the subject. I suspect there are a few people in Three Coins who might want to have a word with Captain Grafton about his plans.”
“I should imagine there would be.” It was her turn to sigh. “Having lived in Three Coins, I know that most of the people are simply trying to survive and do not deserve to be thrown out on their ears.”
“You have a good heart, Caroline.”
She shivered. “Unlike Captain Grafton.”
“Well, to be fair on the man, since he got rid of Billy Keswick, there’s been no more extortion or unexplained rent rises, and he’s loyal to those he employs.”
“I can’t believe you’re defending him.”
“Hardly that.” He chuckled. “He’ll be off back to London soon, and he’ll forget all about this place and his tenants who have to deal with the consequences.”
“I suspect you are right.” Caroline reluctantly turned the conversation back to Ruby. “I know that you have been very kind to my sisters, Ruby in particular, but you mustn’t let her monopolize your spare time.”
“What spare time? I work a twelve or fourteen hour shift, eat, sleep, go to chapel, and chair the occasional workers meeting.”
She held his gaze. “You do know that Ruby is… very fond of you.”
“And you wouldn’t want a sister of yours marrying a working man like me?”
“That’s not fair, Jon.”
He shrugged. “I’m only asking. I wasn’t good enough for you, was I?”
“You know why I couldn’t—”
“Caroline, don’t be daft, lass.” He spoke over her. “You wouldn’t have married me even if Captain Grafton hadn’t made his claim.”
She went to argue, and then closed her mouth.
“You see? You do have a good heart but you’re a terrible liar.” His smile was wry. “I’m very fond of Ruby. She’s like you.”
“Like I could’ve been if I hadn’t been the oldest sister and the one everyone depends upon.” Caroline said. She was beginning to feel like all her pigeons were coming home to roost today, and it wasn’t pleasant.
“I can’t argue with that.” Jon agreed.
“She is only nineteen.”
“I know, and I haven’t done anything to encourage her interest in me.” He paused. “But my mother likes her, and in a year or so, if she is still willing, I might ask her to be my wife.”
Caroline allowed the silence of the parlor to sink over her. She appreciated his honesty, but a small part of her still hurt. “I understand.” She managed a smile. “You will make some lucky woman a wonderful husband.”
“I’ll certainly do my best.” He rose from his seat, came over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m not a stupid man, Caroline. I know you won’t ever be mine, but I’m not going to fall into a decline over it.”
“I’m glad of that.” She cupped his chin. “Thank you for everything.”
Just as she kissed his cheek the door opened, and Ruby stepped over the threshold, her shocked gasp making them both turn to her.
“Ruby…” Caroline held out her hand, but it was too late, her sister was already in flight. After a hurried apology to Jon, she gathered up her skirts and ran after her sister.
“Ruby!” She called out to her sister who had already gained the street. “Stop!”
To her relief, her sister did as she asked, and waited for her to catch up.
“How come you get to kiss everyone?” Ruby shouted. “Why do you have to spoil everything?”
Caroline took her sister’s bunched fist in her hand. “I was just thanking him for being my friend.”
“And yet if I’d done that you would’ve been telling me off for weeks!”
“You’re unmarried and you’re my responsibility.” Caroline said. “Please don’t misinterpret what you saw.”
Ruby wrenched out of Caroline’s grasp and marched back across the square toward Madame’s. Caroline shadowed her glad that her sister was at least going home.
She followed Ruby up the stairs wincing at her stomping only to find Captain Grafton standing in the door of his office watching them both.
“Good evening Mrs. Harding, Miss Ruby.”
Ruby glowered at him as she went past, and then stopped making Caroline’s heart miss a beat.
“Is there something wrong?” Captain Grafton inquired, his gaze moving between the two of them.
“Ask her!” Ruby pointed back at Caroline. “Ask her why she was kissing Jon Ford!” She went off down the corridor and slammed the door as she entered the kitchen
Francis turned to his right where Mrs. Harding stood as if she had been turned to stone. He was fairly certain that Ruby was telling the truth. Caroline was a terrible liar. Everything showed on her face.
“Were you at Mr. Ford’s house, Mrs. Harding?”
“I went to see if Ruby was there. She didn’t come home after visiting Mrs. Sims.”
“And while you were there you just happened to fall into Mr. Ford’s arms, and kiss him?”
He wasn’t sure why the idea annoyed him so much. In London he’d grown used to women of his class trading lovers as regularly as they changed their clothes. He wasn’t a possessive man. Perhaps being in the north inhabiting his other baser self had changed him. Or was it simply that the thought of anyone else touching Caroline Harding and, even worse, her initiating that intimacy was too much to bear?
“I kissed him once on the cheek to say thank you,” she said simply. “There was nothing more to it.”
“Thank you for what, exactly?”
“For not encouraging Ruby.”
He straightened and slowly advanced toward her. He knew exactly what she looked like when she had been thoroughly kissed and was aroused, and this was not it.
“You kissed him to make sure he remained interested in you at the expense of your sister?” Francis inquired.
“What a very unpleasant thing to suggest!” Caroline glared at him. “You seem to forget that not everyone is as calculating as you are. I have no interest in him other than as a friend,”
“So you keep saying,” he shrugged. “And yet you keep kissing him.”
She raised her chin as he approached.
“I am having an extremely horrible day, most of which is your fault, and I do not intend to explain myself further.”
“My fault?” he backed her against the wall. “Pray tell.”
She turned her face away from him. “Please don’t start.”
“Start what? You are the one kissing other men.”
“Ha! Can you honestly say that you haven’t kissed another woman since you forced me to become your mistress?”
“I hardly forced you. If I seem to remember correctly, you came to my bedchamber and started undressing.” He raised an eyebrow. “How was I supposed to refuse such a generous offer?”
“You—” She thumped him hard on the chest. “I’m—”
He maneuvered her along the wall until they reached the door to her bedroom, opened it, and followed her inside.
“What exactly are you trying to say, Caroline?” Francis drawled. “You appear to have lost your ability to speak in complete sentences.”
She wrenched away from him and paced the room, her arms wrapped around her waist.
“Please go away.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He stripped off his coat and started work on his cravat.
“I am in no mood to be…”
“Fucked?” He shrugged. “I’m sure I can persuade you otherwise, although one would have thought that after you were discovered kissing another man, you might be the one attempting to make me forget about it.”
“You know it meant nothing.” she said fiercely.
“Do I?” He took off his waistcoat. “I know Mr. Ford is in love with you. He told me so himself.”
“I would never… do this with more than one man at a time.”
“Really? That’s a shame.” he shook his head. “It’s quite enjoyable.”
She shook her head. “You are… impossible.”
“Look at it this way.” He sauntered toward her. “You are in the wrong. We both know it. But I’m giving you an opportunity to erase that sin and make it up to me.”
She searched his face. “Why are you always so damn flippant?”
He shrugged. “Because I’ve learned not to take myself too seriously?”
“But you have to care about something.”
“Why?” Francis asked. “I care about my survival, and I’ll do anything to ensure it continues, but after that everything else is replaceable, isn’t it?”
“Easy for you to say when you have that rather nice house, an income, and a title to fall back on in hard times. You really have no idea, do you?”
“About what?”
“What it’s really like to be poor.” She met his gaze. “To have to sell yourself and everything you held dear simply to survive?”
The contempt in her voice struck him hard.
“You think I haven’t sold myself?”
She stared up at him.
“How do you think I made this fortune, Mrs. Harding? On the backs of my family name and the estate I inherited? Not quite. When I was discharged from the army I had nothing, not even the means to buy a ticket home. I almost starved to death before I found an opportunity to prostitute myself. As in my body in return for food, or jewels or whatever I could squirrel away for the price of a voyage home. I took them all on—men and women, whoever could pay the price for my ever-increasing experience. So don’t ever talk to me about surviving when you only have to deal with pleasuring me.”
The silence stretched between them, broken only by the crackle of the fire and the ticking clock before Francis let out his breath and turned away from the appalled pity in her eyes.
“I don’t feel like fucking you after all, Mrs. Harding. Good night.”
He gathered up his clothes and escaped back into his office where he hurriedly dressed again. He’d never told anyone exactly what he’d had to do to survive before and had no idea why he’d blurted it out to Mrs. Harding. The fact that he’d shared such a truth with her made him uneasy. He didn’t remember the last time he’d felt vulnerable, and he didn’t like it.
He grabbed his hat and put it on his head and walked toward the stairs.
“Captain Grafton?”
He stopped walking and looked over his shoulder as Ruby came toward him. She looked as if she had been crying.
“I didn’t mean to cause any harm. I was just jealous that Jon still likes Caroline more than me.”
“Aren’t we all?” Francis muttered as he continued down the stairs without properly replying. Ruby would probably go and check on her sister to make sure he hadn’t beaten Caroline up in the grand tradition of Three Coins. He suspected he was the one who had emerged the loser in that particular encounter. But what he intended to do with that moment of clarity he wasn’t yet sure.
He wasn’t used to examining his conscience or defending his choices. He’d made his decision to survive and never looked back. The notion that one determined woman could get under his skin and make him question himself was distinctly unpleasant.
He walked into the kitchens at the George, took a bottle of brandy from the cellar and retired to his bedchamber where he intended to drink himself into such a stupor that he wouldn’t remember a single thing the next morning.