Merry Misrule - St. Clair, Ellie Page 0,45

family would think. Or—”

“Yes?” Caroline said hopefully.

“You could always go to Gretna Green.”

“Oh,” Caroline said, her face falling. “I’m not so sure about that. All the way to Scotland? It would take days, and that is assuming the weather will hold.”

“It would,” he nodded. “But it is the one sure way to be married.”

Caroline and Thatcher exchanged a look, and he gave her a small nod.

“I’m willing if you are, Caro,” he said, and the look he gave her was filled with such all-encompassing love that suddenly Joanna knew just exactly why Caroline was willing to sacrifice everything for the man, footman that he was.

Caroline smiled tremulously but bravely back at him, before turning to Joanna.

“What do you think, Jo?” she asked. “Are you willing to continue on with us?”

Joanna hesitated. Caroline had done so much for her that she didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but in the same breath she couldn’t afford to lose her job, and going to Scotland would basically assure her of the fact.

“I will go with you as far as Aylesbury,” she promised. “But if you continue on, then I’m afraid I must stay behind. If I don’t return to London by shortly after Twelfth Night, then I will lose my job. They have been generous to give me such time already.”

“I understand,” Caroline said softly, before reaching out and taking Joanna’s hand in hers and briefly giving it a squeeze. “Thank you, Jo, for coming this far with us.”

Joanna squeezed her hand back before letting go, and then the three of them said farewell to Father Franklin and returned back out to the cold, to make another attempt at this marriage.

Chapter 16

Elijah was troubled but determined.

Troubled, because he knew his words had struck Joanna the wrong way.

Determined, because he was sure that, if he could say the right words, he would make her understand that the two of them could be right together.

But first, there was Caroline. His sister hated him for doubting her relationship, he knew, but if he wasn’t concerned for her, then who would be? His parents were never going to approve the union, and how would the daughter of a peer ever learn to work for herself?

At dinner after Caroline’s request to speak with Joanna alone, the two of them had been rather silent, speculative, and as much as he tried to draw them each out in conversation, he had ultimately failed. Even Cecily had noticed that something was amiss, and her barbs disguised as enthusiastic praise went unnoticed — except by him.

He was a touch disgusted with his former self. How could he have ever thought himself attracted to such a woman? She was beautiful, true, and he supposed that there hadn’t been many options in these parts. But still—

He could tell that Joanna was avoiding him, but what he didn’t know was why. He wouldn’t push her, however. He wanted her to come to him when she was ready.

A few days later he rose late to find that Joanna had already taken breakfast. He waited for her throughout the day, but she never did come down. When he asked about her whereabouts, Caroline told him that she was working on the Twelfth Night costumes. He was tempted to visit her but recalled her disapproval of his visit last time. Knowing that there was a likely chance he would not be able to keep himself from acting on his attraction once more, he decided against it.

But she never appeared anywhere else — not once, the entire day.

He went to bed cantankerous, determined to wake early the next morning and catch her.

But he was disappointed to find that Joanna was not at breakfast. He asked one of the maids if she had been down, and the girl shook her head and continued on her way. He frowned. He couldn’t recall one day since he had returned home that he had been to breakfast before Joanna. But then, he couldn’t recall much oftentimes, so he couldn’t put much faith in that. But she was used to working, and therefore an early riser. Where was she?

Similarly, Caroline was also not at the table, although his sister was much more likely to sleep late or take breakfast in her room.

As he was studying the table, which was currently only occupied by Alex, Lord and Lady Hollingtide, and Admiral Cuthbert and his wife — whose regard he had been diligently trying to ignore — his attention was caught by a low whispering at the