are not pleased with her being in London.”
“She is …” Ah. What was she, exactly? Irresistible? Reckless? Infuriating? Seducible? “Distracting.”
“I imagine she is. She was always quite pretty.”
Roe grunted a response and took a sip of the scotch. Quite pretty barely covered it. However, if it was only her looks, he could have easily ignored the temptation. Pretty girls practically littered London, and he didn’t want to toss all of them into his bed. No, it was Caroline’s quick wit and sharp mind that he couldn’t ignore. Her clever determination. Her desire to help others. Those were the things no other girl had and that he couldn’t resist.
“Yes, it is quite troubling when women are so pretty,” Justin said. “Have you considered finding her an appropriate husband?”
“Of course I have, but the girl refuses.”
Justin studied Roe. “Interesting that you refer to her as a girl. Caroline is the same age as Clarissa, isn’t she? Twenty-three?”
“She is four and twenty now.”
“She is hardly a girl anymore. She is a woman.”
“Of course,” he said offhandedly. He was all too aware that she was a woman, but somehow using the word girl made her feel off-limits. It helped keep him in check. When he thought of the girl she’d been when she first arrived at his home after Christopher’s death, when he thought of her as a grief-stricken fifteen-year-old, he felt nothing but protective. But she was not that girl anymore. Many women her age had been married for years. Regardless, no matter how old she was, he still felt decades older. She deserved so much more than him. She deserved someone as fresh and full of hope as she was. Someone who would love her and treat her with the respect she deserved, not someone who fantasized about ripping her clothes from her body and devouring her. Of course, if such a man existed, Roe would have a hard time not beating him to a pulp. But he would try.
Roe had never told his brother about Caroline’s request that Roe marry her himself. It seemed pointless to mention. Justin had seen Caroline as a younger sister, the way that Roe should see her, too, yet that had never been the case. Damned if it still wasn’t. But he had to do something. Marry her off or get her the hell out of his house. Perhaps he should check in with those architects to see how the progress was going. The sooner he could get her house completed, the better. She would still be in London, but she wouldn’t be under his roof. She wouldn’t be slipping into his bedchamber, offering herself to him.
“How’s married life?” Roe asked, making a sad attempt at changing the subject.
“Perfect.” Justin flashed him an obnoxious smile. “My wife makes me very happy.”
“Indeed.”
“You could find a wife. I suspect you have a candidate in mind,” Justin said. “I highly recommend marriage. It has a way of soothing the soul.”
He raised his brows. “I won’t tell anyone you said that. Besides, Caroline deserves better than the likes of me.”
“Deserving one’s wife has nothing to do with it. I suspect most men don’t deserve their wives.”
“Be that as it may, I am much more similar to our father than you are. I will not do to Caroline what that man did to my mother.”
“You are an idiot,” Justin said with a shake of his head. “I won’t argue with you because I know it’s pointless. You won’t listen. Suffice it to say I know you’re not like our father despite your reckless lifestyle. You’ve always had a generous spirit.”
“Stop, you’re making me blush,” Roe said with a roll of his eyes. “I should probably go. I didn’t mean to intrude into your evening.”
Justin stood. “Going to Rodale’s?”
“I might.” Frankly, he didn’t know where he wanted to go, but he knew he couldn’t go home. Caroline was there, willing and eager, and he’d already resisted her once tonight. He wouldn’t be able to do it again.
Roe had retrieved Caroline from the parlor where she’d sat reading while his mother stitched on the settee. He said nothing to Caroline about the night before and she asked no questions. Perhaps she’d realized he’d spoken the truth about his character. They had nearly arrived at Belinda’s townhome.
“I asked Belinda to contact the rest of the board and have them all meet us at her townhome.”
Caroline said nothing in response. Instead, she gave a nearly imperceptible nod, then looked out the tiny carriage window. Ten