Lady of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle Page B

dowager’s jovial emerald green eyes flicked over toward Alex and then back to her. “Come.” Tucking her gloved hand into the crook of Caroline’s arm, she whisked them off in the opposite direction.
    They bumped their way through the crush of people and didn’t slow their pace until they were on the other side of the ballroom, away from conversing and dancing crowds. They veered toward a quiet, candlelit corner. Caroline knew her mother well enough to say the woman never sought out quiet corners during events unless it involved serious conversation.
    Peering over at her mother, she blurted, “Am I in trouble?”
    Her mother laughed. “No. I merely wanted to speak to you away from your brother and the crowds.” She leaned in. “So what happened with you and Caldwell? Out with it.”
    Remembering the velvet heat of Caldwell’s tongue dragging against her throat sent her pulse skidding and her skin tingling. Caroline regally pressed her fan against her chest, feeling exquisite. “He kissed my throat and embraced me like the queen that I am. It was like eating cake with fresh berries. Only better.”
    “Cake and fresh berries. Only better. My. What a comparison.” Her mother quirked a brow. “ And ? Do finish.”
    Caroline lowered her chin. “There was no ‘and.’ He kissed my throat affectionately and embraced me. That is all.” She bit back a smile, just thinking about it. “’Twas perfect. It was so romantic. He was romantic.”
    A bubble of a laugh escaped her mother which she quickly covered with the tips of her satin-gloved fingers. “Caldwell? Romantic? Hardly . My footman offers me more romance and he only opens the door and carries all of my boxes for me after I go shopping. Caldwell is pretty to look at, I will give you that. Though not much more.”
    Caroline gave her mother a withered look. “And what do you know of romance and love, Mama, outside of what happens in a bed?”
    A fan hit Caroline’s shoulder. “I’m still your mother.”
    Caroline pursed her lips. “I don’t appreciate you speaking ill of him. He hasn’t earned it, and no one knows him better than I.”
    “I don’t think ill of him, dear. If I did, I wouldn’t have allowed you to slip out of the room to see him, would I? But I do think it is time you tell your brother what you feel for Caldwell. Before more than quiet alcoves and romantic embracing is involved.”
    Caroline wrinkled her nose at the thought of telling her brother. “I can’t. I would gladly tell him if I knew Caldwell was ready to commit, but it wouldn’t be right for me to do it prior. I don’t want to say anything to Alex and then make everything awkward between all of us when nothing has been said or done. Whilst that embrace happened, yes, it’s fairly obvious Caldwell still doesn’t know how to go about initiating me. You have no idea what I had to go through to collect that embrace. I had to beg for it. He was incredibly nervous, and I don’t want to push him any harder than I already am.”
    The dowager lowered her voice. “Caroline. The man is financially ruined. Ruined . According to his uncle, he barely drags in three hundred pounds a year from the estate his father left him. Surely, that doesn’t appeal to you.”
    Caroline tapped at her mother’s fan which was still positioned toward her like a bayonet. “It’s only money, Mama. I’m worth eight thousand a year for life. I think I can well afford to love him and still have children. Now are you for or against me in this?”
Her mother sighed. “I’m certainly not against you.” She hesitated before gently adding, “His uncle is about. Come. Let us go speak to him and see what we can do.” She swept them both out of the ballroom altogether and toward an even quieter section, away from the crowds in one of the galleries. There, leaning against the stoic bust of Lord Whittle’s great-grandfather, with a half-empty glass of wine in hand, was a gray-haired gent whose ivory