Blake shot her a sideways glance, looking a bit surprised and intrigued that she had not used an alias.
"If you are Caroline," Penelope replied, "then I am Penelope." She grasped her hands and squeezed affectionately. "I have a feeling we are going to be splendid friends."
Caroline wasn't certain, but she thought she heard Blake mutter, "God help me," under his breath. And then they both smiled at Penelope and exited the house.
"Where are we going?" Caroline whispered.
"To hell with that," he hissed back, glancing over his shoulder to make certain'they were out of earshot of the house, even though he knew that he'd shut the front door behind him. "Would you care to tell me what the hell is going on?"
"It wasn't my fault," she said quickly, following his steps away from the house.
"Why I wonder, do I have trouble accepting that statement?"
"Blake!" she burst out, yanking on his arm and grinding him to a halt. "What do you think, that I sent your sister a note and asked her to pay you a visit? I had no idea who she was. I didn't even know you had a sister! And she wouldn't have even seen me if I hadn't stepped on that bloody twig."
Blake sighed, beginning to realize what had happened. It was an accident-a great, big, huge, monstrously inconvenient and annoying accident. His life seemed littered with those these days. "What the hell am I going to do with you?"
"I have no idea. I certainly can't remain in the house while your sister is visiting. You yourself told
me that your family doesn't know about your work for the War Office. I assume that includes Penelope?"
At Blakes's curt nod, she added, "If she discovers that I have been staying at Seacrest Manor, she will undoubtedly learn of your clandestine activities."
Blake swore under his breath.
"I don't approve of your secretiveness with regard to your family," Caroline said, "but I will respect your wishes. Penelope is a dear lady. I shouldn't want her to worry over you. That would upset her, and it would upset you."
Blake stared at her, unable to speak. Of all the reasons that Caroline shouldn't let his sister know she'd been staying at Seacrest Manor, she had to pick the only one that was completely unselfish. She could have said that she worried for her reputation. She could have said that she was afraid that Penelope would turn her over to Oliver. But no, she wasn't worried about all that; she was worried that her actions might hurt him.
He swallowed, suddenly feeling awkward in her presence. Caroline was watching his face, clearly waiting for a reply, and he had no idea what to say. Finally, after she prodded him with a questioning, "Blake?" he managed to get out, "That is most thoughtful of you, Caroline."
She blinked in surprise. "Oh."
"Oh?" he echoed, jutting his chin out slightly toward her in a questioning manner.
"Oh. Oh... Oh." She smiled weakly at him. "I guess I thought you were going to scold me further."
"I thought I was, too.' he said, sounding just as surprised as she did.
"Oh." Then she caught herself and said, "Sorry."
" 'Ohs' aside, we're going to have to figure out what to do with you."
"I don't suppose you've a hunting lodge somewhere nearby?"
He shook his head. "I've no place in the region where you can hide. I suppose I could put you in a carriage to London."
"No!" Caroline replied. She grimaced, a bit embarrassed by the forcefulness of her reply. "I really cannot go to London."
"Why not?"
She frowned. That was a good question, but she wasn't about to tell him that she'd miss him. Finally she said, "Your sister is going to expect to see me. I'm sure she'll ask me to call."
"A tricky maneuver indeed, considering that you have no home to which she may send an invitation."
"Yes, but she doesn't know that. She will certainly ask you for my direction. And then what will you say?"
"I could always say you've gone to London. In general, the truth is always the best option."
"Wouldn't that be lovely?" she said, sarcasm more than evident in her voice. "With my luck she'll turn around and head back to London and look for me there."
Blake let out an irritated exhale. "Yes, my sister is obstinate enough to do just that."
"I suppose it runs in the family."
He only laughed. "That it does, my dear, but we Ravenscrofts cannot hold a candle to the Trents when it comes to sheer muleheadedness."
Caroline grumbled, but she didn't contradict him because she knew it was true. Finally, thoroughly irritated with his rather smug smile, she said, "We can argue about our respective bad traits all we want, but that doesn't solve the problem at hand. Where am I to go?"
"I think you'll have to go back to Seacrest Manor. I know I cannot think of a suitable alternative.
Can you?"
"But Penelope is there!"
"We shall have to hide you. There is nothing else for it."
"Oh, dear Lord," she muttered. "This is a disaster. A bloody disaster."
"On that point, Caroline, we are in complete agreement."
"Will the servants be in on the ruse?"
"I should think they would have to be. They already know about you. It's a good thing there are only three of- Good God!"
"What?"
"The servants. They don't know not to mention you to Penelope."
Caroline paled.
"Don't move. Don't move an inch. I'll be right back."
Blake took off at a run, but he'd barely covered ten yards, when another potential disaster found its way to Caroline's mind. "Blake!" she yelled. "Wait!"
He skidded to a halt and turned around.
"You can't go through the front door. If Penelope sees you she'll wonder how you managed to see me home so quickly."
He swore under his breath. "I'll have to use the side entrance. I assume you're familiar with it."
Caroline shot him an annoyed look. He knew very well she'd used the side entrance to make her escape earlier mat day.
"You might as well come with me now," Blake said. "We'll sneak you up through the side and figure out what to do with you later."
"In other words, you mean for me to wait in your washing room indefinitely?"
He grinned. "I hadn't gotten that far in my plans, but now that you mention it, yes, that's an excellent idea."
At that point, Caroline decided that her mouth was altogether too big. Luckily, before she could offer up any more bad ideas, Blake grabbed her hand and took off at a run, practically dragging her behind him. They skirted the perimeter of the property until they were hidden among the trees facing the side entrance.
"We're going to have to make a run for it through the clearing," Blake said.
"What do you think are the chances she's on this side of the house?"
"Very small. We left her in the front sitting room, and if anything, she's likely to go upstairs and find a bedchamber."
Caroline gasped. "What if she finds mine? My clothes are there. I've only three dresses, but they clearly don't belong to you."
Blake swore again.
She raised her brows. "Do you know, but I've started to find your cursing rather comforting. If you weren't cursing, life would seem almost abnormal." .
"You're a strange woman." Blake tugged on her hand, and before Caroline realized what was happening, she was tripping across the lawn, her mind echoing with a stream of prayers that Penelope wouldn't see them. She had never been a particularly religious sort, but it seemed as good a time as any to develop a pious nature.