Awakened By The Lord’s Kiss by Meghan Sloan
Chapter 6
“Well,” James declared as he poured himself a drink, “that was an enjoyable evening.”
Henry grunted.
“If you say so.”
“I know so.” James preened, running a hand over his hair with a smirk. “The ladies are very inviting. Very interested. They like being around a hero.”
“Hero?” Henry scoffed. “You haven’t told Mother and Father the truth, have you?”
James bristled and glowered at her brother.
“I am a hero, Henry, and no one is going to tell me otherwise. Not even you.”
Henry bit back a retort. There was no point in trying to argue with James on the matter. Both of them knew that he was not a hero, and he certainly shouldn’t be calling himself one. Henry had friends in the same regiment, and their interpretation of the situations James described was certainly different. With James’ history of lying, Henry was more inclined to believe them. James was a coward, pure and simple.
Unfortunately, his history of lying kept getting in the way. It didn’t matter if Henry and James’ fellow soldiers were able to disprove his stories; nobody would listen. Especially not their parents. They had been taken in by him since he was a little boy, and now it was firmly in their minds that James was a hero who was not given any medals because his superior officers were too ashamed to admit they had their messes cleaned up by a junior officer.
Henry felt sick hearing his supposed exploits, over and over again, knowing that his mother and father lapped them up. How did they not realise they were being fed lies? And it made it worse when Henry received medals for fighting with bravery during sea battles, and neither of his parents acknowledged them. They just said he received them because he was present.
He had hoped the obvious favouritism would stop now both brothers were grown men. Evidently, it was never going to stop.
Henry couldn’t wait to go back to his ship and never have to deal with his family again.
James took a hefty swig of his drink before topping it up. Henry frowned.
“You’ve been drinking a lot, James. Maybe you should ease up on it.”
“I don’t think I should.” James practically stuck his nose in the air. “You’re not my father.”
“Thank God for that.”
“You’re just bitter because you came out and interacted with normal people.”
Henry scowled and went to the fire, staring into the flames. He should have just gone straight to his room instead of following his brother into the drawing room.
“I told everyone that I didn’t want to come out.”
James barked out a laugh loud enough to make Henry wince.
“You’re a grown man, Henry. You could have just said no.”
“You know that’s not an option. It’s like I’ve lost the right to say no.”
Henry had been shocked that his parents were treating him like he was ten years old. He hadn’t wanted to go out at all, preferring to stay in his room or simply out of the way of his family, but his father said he was going, and that was the end of it.
Not for the first time, he wished he had rented a room in London instead of coming back to his family home. At least he would have more freedom.
“Well, you need to be made respectable,” James said, flopping onto one of the chairs, his drink sloshing over the side of the glass. “And going out to interact with regular people instead of the rowdy sailors would be perfect. Besides, you even managed a dance.” He waggled his eyebrows. “With the lovely Caroline Folton.”
Caroline Folton. Henry felt the stirring of something hot in his belly at the mere thought of her. He hadn’t expected to come into contact with her, and he certainly hadn’t expected her to have such an effect on him. She had been very pretty when he last saw her, but now Henry could hardly take his eyes off her when he caught sight of her. Caroline had blossomed into a really beautiful young lady.
“It was just a one-off,” Henry grunted, pushing away the sensation in his belly.
“Enough that you couldn’t actually take your eyes off her and even when she made you angry.” James chuckled. “She still believes you were the one who …”
“I know she does, and I’m not happy about it.”
Unfortunately, her attitude towards him hadn’t blossomed. She was cold to him, practically like ice. And that hurt. Henry had hoped the time away from her would be a good healer, and she might be more amenable towards him, but that hadn’t happened. Caroline saw him as the person who hurt her and scarred her for life. That scar on her forehead was very clear to see, even with the placement of her hair. Henry had tried not to stare at it.
How could James look at her and not remember that day when he saw that scar? Because Henry remembered every detail, and it made him feel even worse.
“I must say, she’s really grown up now,” James commented, taking a healthy gulp of his drink. “Beautiful. Very beautiful. I’ve also heard she’s very spritely in conversations. You’re guaranteed something entertaining whenever she’s around. She’s also up for flirtations with gentlemen. Apparently, for her Season last year, Caroline Folton was flirting with a lot of young men.”
Henry turned. He didn’t like knowing that Caroline had flirted with any man that came into sight, but from the way James was talking about her meant he was up to something.
“What are you saying, James? You’re not thinking about having a flirtation with her, are you?”
“Why not? I’ve got a lot of leave saved up, so I’ve got plenty of time to kill before I go back.” James sniggered. “Might as well have a bit of fun.”
Instead of the stirring of something warm in his gut, Henry could feel a hard knot building. James was planning something, and it wasn’t good. None of his plans turned out well, which was why he got into so much trouble. Caroline didn’t deserve that, and Henry just knew his brother was going to plan something that meant Caroline ended up in tears again.
No one deserved that.
“James, don’t.”
James snorted.
“You think you have any authority over me? You’re my brother, Henry, not my superior.”
“Did you talk back to your superior officers like this?”
From James’ faltering, it was clear that he did. Henry sighed and fought back a yawn. He was exhausted.
“You’re right that I don’t have authority over you, but I am entitled to have an opinion. Lady Caroline is having her Season, and she’s looking for a husband, not a flirtation.”
“How can you tell? Did she tell you?”
“I spoke with her father.”
James arched an eyebrow.
“And Lord Bingham actually spoke to you?”
“Yes, he did.”
“I’m surprised he would speak to you at all.”
Henry was a little surprised by it himself, but he was humbled by Lord Bingham’s words. That was a friendship that he should hold onto. It was more precious to him than Henry realised at the time. He rolled his shoulders, trying to relieve the tension around his neck.
“Lord Bingham told me that she’s looking for someone to marry. Someone who can love her and treat her as she needs. You have no intention of marrying, and I know you can’t treat her as she should be treated. So, keep your hands off her.”
James scoffed, looping his leg over the arm of the chair and swinging it.
“You don’t think I can get her to flirt with me? It’s just a bit of fun.”
“A bit? It’s never that with you.” Henry approached his brother. “You’re not honourable with your intentions, James. You never have been. Just leave Lady Caroline be. She’s an innocent woman.”
The thought of James having anything romantic with Caroline made Henry feel sick. He didn’t want that image in his head. Caroline definitely deserved better than that.
Better than James. And definitely better than me.
James peered at his brother curiously.
“You’re very determined to watch over her, Henry, despite knowing that she hates you.”
“Well, she has good reason to when you listen to rumours and tall tales.”
James’ eyes glinted. He brought his leg down and sat forward.
“I tell you what, why don’t we make a game out of it?”
“A game of what?”
“Chasing Caroline Folton.” James smirked. “We have plenty of time off, and we haven’t had a challenge in a long time. Maybe we should see which of us she falls in love with.”
Henry stared. He was going to make this into a game?
“She’s not a toy, James. I’m not going to treat her like that. It’s best to leave her alone.”
“Well, it was just a suggestion.” James shrugged. “And I’ve got a bit of a handicap, anyway. I’m at a disadvantage.”
“What are you talking about?”
“From what I saw and from how you behaved, I’d say you’re half in love with her already.” James waggled his eyebrows. “I’ve never seen you look so stunned at the sight of a woman.”
Half in love with her. The thought left Henry hot and cold. How had James figured it out? Henry had thought it wouldn’t be obvious, considering he had barely been in Caroline’s company. But James had noticed. That was bad; his brother would not let him hear the end of it, being in love with a woman who hated him. Henry was already ashamed that he had strong feelings for someone he had only met twice before and knew she disliked him.
He fixed a glare in James’ direction.
“I’m not in love with her, and I don’t want to chase her,” he said firmly. “She doesn’t deserve to have a pair of halfwits chasing her because they think of it as a game.”
“Did you just call me a halfwit?”
“I called myself one as well, remember?”
James grunted, still not looking happy at being called a halfwit.
“So, you don’t want to have a bit of competition for the two months you’re here?”
“No, I don’t, and I don’t want to discuss Caroline Folton, either. She’s been hurt enough, James. Leave her alone.”
“She was hurt by you, Henry. Not me.”
Henry snarled.
“Not by me! For once in your life, admit that you did wrong!”
“Why would I do that?” James unfolded himself and stood up, putting his empty glass on the table by his chair. “I think I’m going to retire for the night. Goodnight, brother.”
Henry watched James leave, practically sauntering out the room. Growling, he kicked the poker stand, knocking the whole thing over. Then he slumped on the settee and buried his head in his hands.
Maybe he should get things sorted to stay elsewhere. Rent a cottage in the country or a room in the city. Anything that was away from here.
But if you leave, who’s going to protect Caroline from James?