Bristol, England

April

1710

Caroline continued to see Edward for several weeks. Their nights would sometimes consist of conversation or intimate embraces. They laughed and got to know each other on new levels. Edward finally revealed the darker side of his family and Caroline started to understand why Edward required a certain kind of love. Caroline expressed her fear of the future and her inevitable arranged marriage, Edward assured her of the future, and if she didn't want to be with a man she didn't love, then he would take her away and they could have sheep together. Some nights Edward would escort her back to her home so they could spend a little more time together. Their nights together were sometimes brief, and other times they would talk until the sun rose.

One night, Caroline stayed out particularly long; she rode up to her home as her mother and father were packing their luggage into the back of a carriage. Her father turned to her mother.

"Look who's finally home, she got this from you, Elizabeth." He said eyeing his wife.

"Oh please, Emmett. I'm sure she was just out for a morning ride." Elizabeth patted her father's strong chest and continued to wave the servants to pack their carriage.

"Indeed." Caroline said, pulling her horse to a halt, "Where are you both off to in such a hurry?"

"We're heading for Newport to discuss trading." Emmett said, approaching his daughter and assisting her off Alberta. He waved at Ben to take her horse back to the stables, "Your mother is coming with to hopefully find you a proper suitor."

Caroline's heart started to quicken, she glanced at her mother who nodded. Her mother put on brown gloves and walked over to her. She clasped both of her hands. Emmett kissed his daughter gingerly on the cheek and seated himself in the carriage.

"It's been well over enough time to find you a suitor, Caroline." Elizabeth said, trying to place the words as carefully as she could, "Some wealthy traders have expressed interest in you, I want to know them. You're blessed I would even do that!"

Caroline sat in silence. She looked at the carriage. She didn't want her mother to look at her in the face, while she had managed to avoid betrothal longer than any girl she had known, but she still wasn't ready.

"You're ready, Caroline. It's time for you to live your life." Elizabeth cupped her daughter's cheek and turned to hop into the carriage, "We'll be back in a fortnight! I imagine you'll be fine until then!" Her mother waved her off.

Emotion rolled over Caroline. She wanted to cry, her future was coming now, and she could no longer avoid the inevitable. She walked up the steps to the porch and opened the door. Walking down the vast hallway and past the staircase. She walked through the dining room and the butlery, eventually making her way to the kitchen. She heard laughs and clinking pans.

"Caroline, milady, can we get you something?" Ben asked as the others stopped and looked.

"I'm fine, thank you, Ben. I just want you all to know that you have the day off. Please abandon you're current duties and you may pick up where you left off tomorrow."

The crowd in the kitchen exchanged looks.

"As my parents are out of town, I am officially in charge of the household, you may leave the premises and do what you like." Caroline instructed, making herself clear, "Or you may stay here and work today. Either way you will receive compensation."

Almost immediately the servants began putting down pans and exiting the kitchen. Caroline rushed upstairs as fast as she could and slammed her door shut, locking it. She allowed the dam to break as she put her back against the door and slid down. Arranged Marriage… She thought, allowing herself to cry.

Knock-knock-knock.

Caroline wiped her eyes and cleared her throat.

"Yes?" Caroline's voice was still filled with emotion, but she was happy to hear the sound of the voice on the other side of the door.

"It's Rose, are you decent?"

Caroline opened the door and let her face expose her true emotional state.

"Caroline, what's wrong?" Rose let herself into the room and shut the door behind her.

"My mother, she's finding my suitor, in NEWPORT!" Caroline was now gasping in between tears. The idea that men had been eying her pushed her to another level. She couldn't bear loving anyone, not when Edward had securely kept her heart.

"Caroline, it'll be alright, you'll be fine." Rose pulled Caroline over to the couch and made her sit down, "Just live now, enjoy the present. Your suitor will be a lovely man who will cherish you. He will be rich and give you everything that any woman could possibly desire. Your mother has your best interests at heart, she won't have you settle." Rose said and her hand gripped her shoulder in support.

Caroline looked at her. She didn't have to say anything, Rose caught on quickly.

"Oh… Edward." Rose said, now looking down, "You knew it wouldn't last."

"IT'S BULL ROAR!" Caroline rose up and lay down on her bed. Adopting the fetal position, finding anyway to feel comfort, "I just… wish my mother would come home and say that my suitor would be Edward." Caroline took a deep breath and tried to control her tears. She saw the sun was setting and she would see Edward soon.

"Caroline," Rose said, her tone filled with sympathy, she kneeled down by the bed, facing Caroline, "Enjoy Edward now. You can still love him now. Don't spend anymore time thinking about your arranged marriage, it hasn't happened yet… I'll draw you a bath…" Rose lifted herself from the ground and went to Caroline's bathing quarters.

Caroline had given the rest of the servants a day off; Rose deserved a night out as well. Caroline met Rose in the bathing quarters where she had finished pouring the hot water into the tub.

"Rose, please go out." Caroline said, "Just go and have a good night. Have a drink for me."

Rose smiled and nodded, picking up on the social cue that Caroline wanted to be alone. She left the room and Caroline heard the downstairs door close and lock. She saw her bouncy dark hair go into the servant's quarters.

Caroline needed a bath. She left the door open and watched the sun set while washing her body. She would meet Edward soon; she started to dry herself when a tapping sound hit her window.

TAP

Some time passed and it happened again.

TAP

"What the Hell?" Caroline put on a robe and went to her window, her hair was still wet but she opened the window and looked down. Edward looked up before her. Her heart fluttered, she wasn't presentable but she knew that he didn't care. He waved up at her.

"You're early!" Caroline called out to him.

"You're late!" Edward said, pointing at the setting sun, "Let me in! I know your servants aren't home, I saw them all downtown bragging about how Lady Caroline gave them the day off."

Caroline blushed, she had never had a man over, "I'll meet you at the front door."

Caroline hurried to her closet and put on her lounge robes, nothing special, but something decent, she scampered down the stairs bare foot and opened the front door.

"Why hello, Miss." Edward said, mocking an upper-class man, he pulled out a small daisy that was behind his back and did an exaggerated bow.

"Oh good sir, please come in." Caroline stepped aside and extended her arm to welcome him into her home. Caroline was pleased that she had given the servants a night off. Even though she wanted to be alone, now that Edward was here, she was finally feeling more like herself. Her thoughts about betrothal drifted as she locked the door behind them.

Edward's first impression of the house was that it was beautiful. White and clean, he'd never seen anything like it. He heard a grandfather clock tick and noticed nothing but the finest paintings and elaborately carved furniture. He looked back to compliment the home to Caroline, but he noticed her lounge robes and her beauty overpowered the house.

Her hair was wet and heavy, her face fresh from a bath, her robes were a red color that matched her hair, and now he wanted to embrace her. He walked over to her and lowered himself, to lift her from under her buttocks and off the ground. Her legs naturally wrapped around him and she giggled to herself. Cupping his face she kissed him lightly and then more passionately. His neck heated as her hands left his face, gliding over his shoulders, and then down his arms. He set her back down on the ground.

"Would you like a tour?" Caroline asked, she took his hand and showed him the living room, dining room, kitchen, and then upstairs to the library. Her heart raced as she approached her room, "This would be my quarters." Caroling gestured to the double doors before them. She froze; she did not have the courage to open them as confidently as she wished.

Edward took the initiative and opened the door leading into a golden room. The mahogany floor and furniture glowed with evening light. The fireplace was ready to be lit and the white drapes along her four-post bed were tied back to the posts. While her room was likely to be the smallest in the house, it was still wildly elegant. Edward took a moment to run his hands along the small couch in front of the fireplace.

"Do you want to start a fire?" Caroline asked, "I don't see why we can't start it."

Edward nodded and went over to a candle by the fire and lit it. In the meantime, Caroline sat herself on the couch and watched Edward. While he was considered a peasant, he looked like royalty. His strong jaw line was becoming stronger as he aged, his muscles also looked more prominent, and his aroma was musky. Edward joined her on the couch.

"Your home is stunning." Edward managed to say, he looked at Caroline, her eyes were distant, and looking out the window, "What's wrong?" he asked.

Caroline's mind was far, she thought about her upcoming marriage now more than ever, no matter how much she wanted it to go away, the simple thought of it leaving her head only brought it back, a vicious cycle that she didn't want to spoil her evening. She adjusted her seating position and put one of her legs on Edward's lap.

"Nothing." Caroline finally said, she tugged at her skirt to expose her bare foot, then her ankle, up to her knee, and eventually exposed her mid thigh. Edward placed his hand on her bare shin. With his gaze he followed up her bare leg to her face again, his hand slowly making it's way further up her leg.

"Are you sure nothing is wrong?" Edward replied squinted his eyes, trying to read her expression.

"I'm fine." Caroline whispered, and adjusted her position so she could be closer to Edward. "I'm fine as long as you're here."

Caroline put her hand on the back of the couch, which gave her leverage to slide over Edward's lap, straddling him. Her stomach fluttered and her lips began to tingle. She wanted to be wildly intimate with Edward, she wanted to belong to him, and only him, this would be the only way she could stop thinking about her betrothal. Her hands traveled up his neck and into his hair. She pulled him close, allowing their noses to touch; she waited for a second before teasing him with a kiss.

Edward wasn't sure what had changed Caroline's mood, but he enjoyed it. Her kiss seemed different, soft but passionate. It was the wait that he loved, the hunt before the kill. Edward placed his hands on the back of her thighs; he dug underneath the fabric of her lounge robes and felt her warm flesh. He felt her skin develop goose bumps. She gasped over his lips before returning back to the rhythm of their kiss.

Caroline's hands were still warm from her bath; she wrapped her hands around his neck lightly, then down the collar of his shirt. She tugged at his cotton tunic that was tucked into his pants and then her hands explored his toned abdomen. Her hands went over his pectorals and then down his ribcage. She felt Edward's own goose bumps emerge. Caroline pulled away; she rested her hands on his hips. Edward leaned in closer to continue the kiss, but she pulled further away. Edward's eyes opened with a look of confusion on his face, but still a smile pulled at his cheeks.

"What has gotten into you, Caroline?" Edward asked, moving his hands up and down her legs. Caroline extended a leg behind her and stood up. She intertwined her fingers into his hands and pulled him up as well. Inches apart, Edward cupped her face and ran his fingers through her damp hair.

"Shh…" Caroline let a passionate sigh and ran her fingers up his tunic again. This time she grabbed the fabric, and forced it over his shoulders. Edward assisted her in removing his shirt; Edward felt so much heat in his abdomen that he could hardly stand it. Caroline walked behind the couch and climbed onto her bed. She removed her top robe to expose her arms and shoulders.

"Come." Caroline beckoned him.

Edward smiled and threw his tunic on the couch before climbing over the couch and joining her at the foot of the bed. He grabbed her ankles and pulled her towards him at the end of the bed. Caroline laughed. Edward loved her laugh, especially this one, her laugh that she did not because she was expected to, or did to be polite, but she laughed her most carefree and loudest laugh. He couldn't help but smile with her.

"You come to me, love," Edward retorted, continuing to pull her until he could comfortably prop himself over her. Her skirt had scooted up to her thighs and he felt his leg fall in between hers, her warm flesh against the fabric barrier of his trousers, it was exciting. He wanted to remove his trousers, to become completely one with her. His hand was sinking into the plush blankets as he kissed her, Caroline's hands once again traveled over his body. Caroline wrapped her legs around his back and rested them on his buttocks.

"Oh, Edward…" Caroline said, thinking out loud, "I want you."

Edward's blood boiled at hearing her request, his lips moved from the side of her mouth down her jaw, neck, and to her collarbone. He heard Caroline gasp; he continued to kiss her at her collarbone, her gasping increasing. The balance he had on his hand was giving away; he adjusted himself to rest on his forearm, allowing their torsos to touch. He could feel the pressure of Caroline's bosom push against his chest as her deep short breaths increased with his kiss.

Caroline felt Edward put his weight on his forearm resting next to her head, she turned her head and altered her neck for him to kiss openly. Caroline pressed her lips against his resting forearm. She felt the tickle of his unoccupied hand on her shoulder as he pushed her short sleeve off. He kissed where the sleeve rested and her body began to pulse with passion. Her dress was too tight on her body. Edward adjusted his legs to separate hers. He sat back. Each one of her legs beside his body, she gasped for air.

"Caroline, come here, lass," Edward said, and Caroline obeyed. She sat across from him.

Edward balanced on his knees and pulled Caroline forward. He kissed her lips, the side of her mouth, her cheek, and hairline. He focused on the back of her dress, the buttons that bound her body in a fabric barrier. His hands were hot, but he focused on unbuttoning her dress. He felt one of Caroline's hands raise up to his neck and caress it softly, while the other traveled down the side of his body, and rested on the seam of his pants. Her lips pressed against his neck and up to his jaw. Caroline's lips traveled farther up, reaching his earlobe. Edward wanted nothing more than to simply rip the dress apart.

Edward altered his arms to be under Caroline's he lifted her slightly and rested her back to the bed, his body remaining parallel to hers. When her neck relaxed Edward pulled back. Observing the curves of her chest as it rose and fell at a rhythmic pace, her robes lose around her chest, almost exposing it. Edward had seen what men had done to whores in bars, but this was different. This was Caroline, a woman that he met one day at the right place at the right time, a woman that was upper class but she didn't care. Seeing her there, vulnerable and in his control, in that moment, he didn't know what to do.

Caroline examined Edward's gaze and couldn't decide if he liked what he saw, out of fear she started to retract her arms to cover her chest.

"No, my sweet." Edward said, in the most endearing way he could.

Edward grabbed both of her hands, and placed them at her sides. He leaned over again and cupped the side of her face while he rested on his other forearm. His hand glided over the side of her face and his thumb rested on her lips, he traced them and her lips parted. She opened her mouth slightly and let his thumb rest between her teeth. She bit him slightly before opening her mouth again and releasing his thumb.

Edward's heart raced as he finally rested his hand below her collarbone. He felt her heart race under her skin. He smiled at her, putting his lips to hers, Edward felt how plump they were, and how perfectly they fit his. When he pulled away from her, he examined her face. Her green eyes blinked back tears; Caroline rolled her head to one side and bent her arm to touch his shoulder.

"Caroline?" Edward wasn't sure what had happened, he pushed himself up onto his hands, seeing her distressed immediately extinguished the fire within him, "Gods, what's the matter?"

"I just…" Caroline wiped her face, she wanted to just tell Edward the truth, that when her parents returned she would more than likely have a suitor waiting for her, and that this would end before it could really begin. Instead, she told a partial truth, "I'm falling in love with you…"

Edward's heart flew up into his throat, he tried to catch his breath, he didn't hesitate, "And I know I'm falling, lass."

Caroline erected her head up to meet him with a kiss, her hands raised up to cup his face, and his face felt hot in her hands. Edward rested on one forearm and put his opposite hand to meet Caroline's hand on his face. He pulled it to his mouth and kissed it gingerly. He then intertwined his fingers into hers and held her hand down by her head. He leaned in for another kiss against her soft lips, he moved up to her cheek and felt the residue of tears, and then finally kissing her hairline. He squeezed her hand for reassurance and rolled over on the bed.

After seeing Caroline distressed, Edward's desire for intimacy disappeared. He knew Caroline was holding something from him. He decided to stay the night with her so she wouldn't have to be alone.

In his sleep, Edward stirred to the cold air of Caroline's absent body next to him. He looked up and saw her body lying near the edge of her bed, shaking slightly.

"Caroline?" Edward mumbled, he moved over to her. The chill of the extinguished fire licked at his shoulders, "Caroline? Are you cold?"

Caroline didn't turn to face him, she took his hand and pulled it over her body, they rested parallel to each other. Edward nuzzled his arm under her neck and pulled her close.

"Yes, love, I am cold." Caroline whispered, but Edward could hear the emotion warping her voice. Her ribcage expanded but shook as it deflated. Edward didn't want to ask her what was wrong, he thought of his mother, her profound sadness, and how sometimes she would sob for no apparent reason.

He pulled her close, "Go to sleep, Caroline." Edward whispered in her ear, he kissed the back of her head, "I'm not going anywhere."