A Little Bit Scandalous Page 0,31

though she had a lusher figure. Her coloring was similar, too, though her features were more attractive. They could have been related, she and this woman, but in that scenario, Caroline would definitely have been the lesser attractive cousin from the country.

“Penelope, dear,” Millie said warmly. “How lovely to see you. This is Caroline.”

“Oh yes, Monroe’s ward.” Penelope turned her gaze to Caroline. “I’ve heard so much about you. How wonderful that you’ve come to London for a visit.”

Caroline smiled, trying to think of something clever to say. She found it odd she had never heard anything about this Penelope woman.

“Oh, she’s not here for a visit,” Millie said. “Caroline has come to London to stay. For good.”

“How positively splendid. Well, it is truly lovely to see you. I do hope you’ll consider coming for tea,” Penelope said. “And bring Caroline along.”

“Perhaps after we’re all settled,” Millie said, and the woman walked away.

“Who was that?” Caroline asked. She also wanted to ask how the woman knew Caroline was Roe’s ward. Did everyone in London know?

“That is Roe’s former, well, shall we say, intended.” Millie waved her hand. “They were never officially betrothed.”

Roe had been engaged or nearly engaged? Had it been before her own proposal to him? Their relationship had obviously happened after Roe had taken Caroline in. She looked at Millie knowing her face probably wore all of the questions she had.

Millie linked her arm in with her own and squeezed her hand. “I believe I see some people over there that we simply must see. Come.”

She led them across the ballroom and Caroline allowed her to do it without asking anything else about Roe and his relationship with Penelope. It was bothersome that no one had seen fit to tell her about the woman before, but she wasn’t really a part of the family, she was merely beholden to them. It was so easy to forget, since Millie was always so loving to her and Roe so generous.

As they approached the people Millie wanted to see, Caroline recognized Justin immediately. She’d only met Roe’s half-brother a few times when he’d come to visit in Dorset and when she’d been in London before. But he looked the same, his dark, exotic features accented by the broad smile on his face. It would seem married life made him very happy indeed. His wife, Caroline assumed, was the petite blonde standing next to him. She looked vaguely familiar and Caroline guessed they might have met once upon a time.

“Hello, darling,” Millie said as she reached Justin. She leaned up to kiss his cheek, then embraced the petite blonde. “Clarissa, you look so pretty tonight. Look at you two, so blissfully in love.”

“Is it that obvious?” Clarissa asked.

“Yes,” Caroline answered before she thought better of it. But the truth was, she was fascinated by the notion of that kind of love. Love matches, they called them. As a girl she’d expected to make one herself. Love matches were far more common among the lower ranks of the ton. As the daughter of a Baron, she might have met and married someone of her own class. But then everyone in her family had died, one by one, leaving her in a world she had never anticipated. Now as Roe’s ward, she was shuffled into an in-between state. Forced into the highest levels of the ton, without really being a part of them. She was at the mercy of Roe’s generosity, and although he had always been unfailingly generous, she could never forget that the money for her dowry was his, not her own family’s.

Clarissa smiled at her. “You’re Caroline, aren’t you? I remember meeting you once when we first came out. Are you back in London to stay?”

“That is my intention.”

“I have given Caroline my board position for the Dover Street Girls’ Asylum, so let her know if you intend to make a donation,” Millie said.

Justin smiled. “Millie, you know I can never say no to you. Caroline, let me know how much you need.”

“Thank you for your support.” It was then that Aggie walked over with a man in tow.

“Millie, this is the young man I was telling you about,” Aggie said.

Justin and Clarissa excused themselves and strolled over to the dance floor.

“Caroline, this is Wade Bishop. He’s an American and he’s here in London making some investments. Mr. Bishop, this is our dear friend, Miss Caroline Jellico,” Aggie said.

“Miss Jellico, a pleasure to meet you.” Mr. Bishop leaned over her hand,