Page 49 of Romancing the Artist

The earl’s son puffed out his chest and grinned, the sight proving him every bit as much of a little boy as his friend, despite the fact he was properly referred to as Lord Marham. “Of course, I came. I couldn’t let you be surrounded by all these girls.” He gestured to the children in frocks and bonnets.

“We have Michael,” Luther reminded him, pointing at the baby in his mother’s arms.

“Yes, but until he’s out of dresses, he can’t have the fun that we do.” Isaac turned to his father, his eyes glowing with youthful enthusiasm. “Papa, may we explore the back garden?”

“If Aunt Millie doesn’t mind,” Lord Inglewood said, sitting on a bench in the shade, where his wife had already settled.

“Not in the slightest,” Lady Fox assured the boys. “Off with you both. And mind that you return without too much dirt on your trousers and elbows.”

The boys bounded off like over-eager puppies. Caroline’s heart gave a small twist, and she briefly thought of her brothers. They were only four years old, and rarely out of her mother’s sight. Yet she could imagine them bounding away to find their entertainment in a garden full of insects and acorn tops.

Another chair waited for Caroline, and she took it after greeting the others.

There was no sign of the Everly family yet. What if they didn’t come?

She glanced toward the road.

“Gardens are far more entertaining for children than for adults,” Lady Fox said, her eyes dancing with mirth. “If Luther could permanently have an encampment of his friends in our gardens, I think he would never come indoors again.”

“Have you ever allowed him to sleep outside?” Caroline asked, memories of her own childhood dancing in her mind. She tried to put aside thoughts of Edward Everly.

“Good heavens, no.” Lady Fox laughed, though not unkindly. “I ought to suggest his father take part in that adventure, though.”

Lady Inglewood grinned as well. “My brother would think it amusing. But if you allow Luther to sleep outside, then I will have to let my little Isaac do the same. And I cannot imagine Silas finding the prospect all that enjoyable.”

Lord Inglewood had crossed his arms and leaned as far back as he could upon the bench, half-lounging upon it. “I am more than capable of sleeping outside of an evening. If it pleases the boys.”

“That would certainly make an adventure of it.” Lady Fox turned her attention to the ground behind where she sat, and when Caroline did the same, she saw the baronet napping on the grass with his arm behind his head. “What do you think of the idea, Sir Isaac?”

“I did my share of sleeping outdoors in the army,” he said. “But I suppose, so long as no one else loses an appendage, I could see my way to enjoying it.”

Lord Inglewood laughed quietly. “Must you bring up your missing arm at every opportunity?”

“Of course. It makes me a picture of masculine tragedy and a symbol of the British will to survive and adapt.” Sir Isaac grinned back, unoffended, then pushed himself upright with his remaining arm. “But the camping idea. Perhaps we could make a tradition of it. Sleeping out-of-doors with our sons in the summer. It sounds rather glorious.”

Caroline’s gaze drifted away from the baronet and to the road again. Where was Edward? What if his family had decided not to come?

But it couldn’t matter to her. Not really. Edward had presented this as an opportunity, but not a necessity. She could enjoy the afternoon without him. Indeed, she would enjoy it more because there would be no play-acting to be done.

“Caroline? Dear? Are you all right?” Lady Inglewood’s voice broke through Caroline’s internal muttering.

Turning swiftly away from the road, Caroline answered, “Pardon me, your ladyship. My attention slipped away. Did you ask me something?”

Lady Inglewood regarded her with a somewhat skeptical raise of her brow but repeated her question. “I was saying it was likely our daughters would want to mimic anything the little boys do. And I asked if you’d ever slept outside during your childhood.”

Forcing a smile, Caroline gave a single nod. “I have, yes. In the barn and in my family’s orchard a time or two. It was great fun.”

“Sleeping outside when there are perfectly good pillows and beds to be had doesn’t sound recreational, and not the least bit cozy.” Lady Fox put her young son down to play in the grass and clover. He gleefully pulled up a handful of the soft, leafy plants and then stared at the dirt from one of the roots with puzzlement.

Another glance at the road proved it remained unsatisfactorily empty.

Mr. Barnes emerged from the cottage carrying a small table. “Is this how it is to be?” he demanded to know, putting the table down with a grunt. “The titled men lay about doing nothing, while the vicar waits upon them hand and foot? The two of you, come inside and help me carry out the trays at least.”

Amid more good-natured protests and argument, sounding like men half their age, Lord Inglewood and Sir Isaac both followed their friend indoors while the women giggled at their antics.

“Caroline?” It was Lady Fox who spoke this time, drawing Caroline’s attention away from studying a wisp of dust in the air above the road that might have indicated an approaching coach.

“Yes, Lady Fox?”