"Will you be able to sleep with all this noise?" Caroline asked him.

"I sleep like a baby these days," Uncle Milo stated. "Go now and enjoy yourself, my dear. I'll be refreshed and eager for our visit tomorrow."

Caroline stood with her hands folded and watched her uncle slowly make his way up the steps. When he was out of sight, she turned, thinking to find Bradford, but Rachel Tillman, with her fiance, Nigel Crestwall, intercepted her.

Rachel was quite aggressive about gaining Caroline's attention. She grabbed her by the arm in a grip that actually hurt. "You must be terribly satisfied with yourself," Rachel said, Caroline was so surprised by the vehemence in her voice and the painful lock on her arm that she could only look at the woman in astonishment.

"See how innocent she pretends," Rachel said to Nigel. Her voice sneered the remark and Caroline was quite horrified by it.

"Rachel, what are you talking about?" Caroline demanded. She jerked her arm free, glancing around a little frantically for her husband.

Rachel misinterpreted her glance and said, "Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to ruin your lovely party. And it was such an honor to be invited. I just wanted you to know that I'm not fooled by you. You've ruined everything. Everything!" Rachel grabbed hold of Caroline's arm again, digging her nails into the skin. "You'll pay for it, bitch. Just you wait and see."

"I have never beaten a woman before, have I, Milford?" Bradford made the casual remark from behind Rachel's back and so he couldn't see the look of outrage on her face. "But if you don't remove your hand from my wife's arm immediately, Miss Tillman, I believe you will be the first."

Rachel jerked her hand away with a vengeance that pushed Caroline back a step. She glared at Nigel, as if placing the blame on him for Bradford's unnoticed advance, and then turned and walked into the ballroom. Nigel had to run to keep up with her.

Caroline watched their retreat with building anger. Milford was the first to comment on her change in expressions. He took hold of Caroline's arm and began to rub the angry marks away. "You're supposed to react during a confrontation, not after," he said with a grin.

Caroline looked from the grinning Milford to her scowling husband. "I am always slow to react," she said. "Bradford! Rachel hates me. She said that it was all my fault."

"What is?" Milford inquired.

Caroline shrugged. She noticed that several people were staring at her and quickly removed the frown. "I have no idea."

"We're going home. Milford, see to her while I call for our carriage."

"We are not going home," Caroline stated. "I'll not run from the likes of Rachel Tillman. And I have promised to meet-"

"You aren't going to meet anyone." Bradford's voice was getting harsher and Caroline drew herself up, bristling inside.

She was not about to leave. Her father would be disappointed, as she hadn't spent any time with him, and she had promised to have a confidential talk with Charity after dinner. She didn't explain any of that to Bradford but only whispered, "You haven't even danced with me yet."

"That's true, Brad," Milford interjected. He continued to smile, even when the duke and duchess both gave him disgruntled looks.

"Fine! We will dance and then take our leave." Bradford took hold of Caroline's elbow and pulled her toward the ballroom.

Caroline smiled, realizing that she had just won a small victory. "Thank you, husband," she said, trying not to gloat.

"One dance," Bradford insisted as they joined the set about to begin.

"Yes, Bradford."

Her mild acceptance didn't fool him for a minute. As soon as the dance ended, Milford suddenly appeared and demanded the next set with Caroline as his partner.

Bradford reluctantly agreed. His mood improved when he saw that Rachel and Nigel were taking their leave. He didn't want another encounter tonight. Tomorrow would be soon enough. Then he would have a short discussion with the vile woman and get some answers.

Caroline danced with most of London and was quite exhausted by the time the midnight dinner was finished and the dancing resumed. Bradford was content to watch his wife. He even found himself smiling a time or two over the stir his beautiful wife was causing. She held herself with a dignity and confidence that pleased him. And twice, when he least expected it, she turned from her partner and smiled at him.

Bradford noticed that Terrence St. James was always hovering near his wife, and so was a buck named Stanton for that matter. He kept his patience and added them to his growing list of dandies he would have to have a short talk with.

"You're frowning again, Brad. Still thinking about Rachel?"

Bradford shook his head. "Just watching the studs lusting after my wife," he remarked. He sounded bored but Milford knew, from the look in his friend's eyes, that he was irritated. "I will talk with some of them before the night is over."

Milford shook his head. "You'll have to speak to every man here," he commented. "Look, Caroline is following her father onto the dance floor. She'll be fine for a few minutes. Now would be a good time to have our discussion, don't you agree."

Bradford nodded and followed Milford out of the room. He paused, long enough to put the fear of God in Stanton's eyes, and then continued. Milford was acting very nonchalant, but the fact that he had brought up the matter of his information twice now told Bradford it wasn't just another false lead. They found the marquis's study, stared the couple who had sought a moment's privacy out of the room without exchanging a single word, and then shut the door.

Caroline finished the set with her father when Charity rushed up to her with breathless anticipation. "Uncle, if you will excuse us, Caroline and I would like to have a word together."

Caroline meekly followed her cousin across the room. "This alcove affords enough privacy," Charity declared. She held her spectacles in her hands and put them on when she was seated next to Caroline. "I had thought we could talk on the balcony but we would freeze, of course."

Caroline smiled and patted her cousin's hand. "Don't be nervous, Charity. In two days you will be married to the man you love and everything will be wonderful."

"Is it wonderful?" Charity whispered the question and then frowned over it. "I do wish Mama was here. I'm frightened about… well, you know what about, and I have grave misgivings."

"Charity, it will be fine." Caroline felt vastly superior and then recalled how frightened she had been on her own wedding night. She felt herself blush. "Paul doesn't expect you to know how," she explained with growing embarrassment over the topic. "And it is really quite nice."

Charity smiled. "I do like it when he kisses me," she admitted. "And I know that you wouldn't lie to me. If you say that it is wonderful, then it must be."

Caroline smiled, hoping that Charity wouldn't ask specific questions, and was thankful when her cousin stood up and removed her spectacles. "You've made me feel so much better."

Charity disappeared in a flutter of pink satin, no doubt in search of her intended, and Caroline had just stood up when the tall and lanky Terrence St. James appeared and begged her for a moment of her time.

Caroline declined the invitation. It wasn't at all proper, as the alcove completely hid them from the view of the crowd. Besides that fact, Caroline didn't want to talk to the dandy. His looks didn't conceal his attraction for her and she was irritated by it. She was, after all, a married woman!

"I only wanted to ask your permission to meet while you are here in London," St. James stated. "Now that you are married, a diversion…"He shrugged, leaving the rest of the sentence undone.

Caroline couldn't believe the man's gall. "I will ignore your insult this time," she said. Her voice was as frigid as the look in her eyes, and she pushed her way past him with a shiver of disgust.