Page 69 of Romancing the Artist

“I am glad to hear it. I rarely say a word about my family.” Mr. Duncan smirked. “And I have no intention of seeing them during either of these visits. They have never been what you would call supportive, I suppose. They are rather miserable to be around, in all truthfulness. I have done all in my power, as has my wife, to ensure our children never have reason to feel that way about us. What of your family, Mr. Everly?”

The abrupt question caught Edward slightly off guard. “My family, sir? I think you know most of them.”

“Your elder sisters were in the same circles at times, but no. I do not truly know any of them. Though as I reminded Caroline, I can thank Hope and Grace Everly for a broken arm that, even mended, has given me the ability to anticipate a coming storm.”

Edward wasn’t sure if he should smile or not at that. “I have heard that story, sir. It is something of a family legend these days.”

“Indeed?” Mr. Duncan’s tone was amused even if Edward couldn’t read the man’s expression. At least Caroline seemed at ease. “Aside from your now married sisters, how does your family get on? Do you enjoy their company? Do they enjoy Caroline’s?”

“I am quite fond of all of them,” Caroline said with a bright smile. “Mrs. Everly and her daughters, married or not, have made a sincere effort to come to know me.”

Mr. Duncan nodded to his daughter but kept his questioning gaze on Edward. Waiting for his answer to the question. Was this some sort of interview? Or a test?

“We make an effort to enjoy one another’s company,” he said at last, wincing at the uncertainty in his tone. He wanted to give the answer that would make Mr. Duncan stop watching him with that strange, penetrating stare. “We are not so close as some, but no one doubts they are cared for in all the ways that matter.”

They had come to the fountain with its thick walls of hedges and elegantly curved benches. Caroline sat and her father gestured for Edward to join her. “Do sit, Mr. Everly. I have been in a carriage for hours and would prefer to walk about while we converse.”

From there, Caroline took over the conversation. She spoke with animation and a brightness that often made Edward want to keep her talking just to watch her expression. She gestured with her hands as she spoke, the movements graceful.

“If Sir Thomas will write a recommendation for me,” she said, “I could easily make a name for myself as a tutor, or use it to gain instruction or meetings with other artists. Any introduction into the world, even as a novice, would present numerous possibilities.”

“Ah, and that will be when the difficulties begin,” Mr. Duncan said with a crooked smile. His daughter narrowed her eyes at him.

“That seems a silly thing to say.”

He exchanged a glance with Edward heavy with significance. “My daughter is often brought to a standstill when she is presented with two or more options that are equally good. Give her a good and bad, no difficulty. Two terrible things to choose from? She takes one and meets the challenge head on. But two very good things? She cannot ever decide between them.”

Caroline protested. “That isn’t always true.”

“Nine times out of ten,” her father countered. “The best thing to help her along in decisions of that sort, Mr. Everly, is to make one option ever-so-slightly sweeter to her. Something I suppose you will need to learn before long.” Then the gentleman gave Edward another probing look. “Which do you think best for Cara? To become a teacher or to search out masters to increase her own knowledge?”

Everything was a test.

“Caroline will know the best course when the time comes,” Edward hedged, uncertain if that was correct. “I am certain she will make up her mind without any help from me.”

A frown met that response. “And what will become of your courtship?” Mr. Duncan asked.

“Papa,” Caroline protested. “We haven’t spoken of such things. There isn’t any need yet.”

The man’s gaze softened when directed at her. “No matter what Sir Thomas has to say about your talent, Caroline, you will have important decisions to make. Whether you will travel, find work, or return home must be decided. And if the two of you are serious about your courtship, these are things you must at least discuss. Should you decide to spend your lives together—which I am not saying you must declare any time soon—that will change everything.”

Edward’s hand found Caroline’s between them on the bench. He covered it with his own and she looked at him with some surprise. He stared into her eyes and smiled, and when she returned the expression the tilt of her lips wobbled uncertainly.

He needed to speak with her. Soon. And tell her everything. Because Mr. Duncan was right. If Edward wanted to be a permanent part of Caroline’s life, there were a lot of decisions to make.

* * *

“I like him,” Papa said in a whisper to Caroline as they sat in the library after dinner. Edward had sent home for appropriate clothing to attend the meal when he was invited, and they’d spent the late afternoon hours playing cards and talking of orchards. Sir Isaac and Lady Fox had come, too, and the baronetess had spent part of the evening sharing stories of the first time she had met Lord Neil as a guest in his family home.

Edward stood examining a shelf not across the room from where Caroline and her father sat. He frowned at the book spines, and Caroline wondered if he fought the urge to rearrange them as they had the night of her welcome party.

“I do, too,” she whispered back. “Very much.”

“Have you told him so?”

Caroline felt her cheeks warm as she shook her head. “Only that he is a dear friend. That I enjoy his company.”

For the first time in ages, her father’s eyes darkened with disappointment. “You need to tell him how you feel, Cara. Holding back those words, those feelings, can cause harm.”