Page 97 of Rival to Resist
“Whatdidyou think?” the duke asked curiously. “I could have sworn you took exception to me almost instantly.”
“I thought you were…a puppet.”
One brow ticked up. “Did you?”
“A puppet?” Frederick repeated, more amused and confused by the second. “Whose?”
Remembering her reason for coming in the first place, Caroline turned fully toward him. “Oswald.”
His brows rose.
“Oswald?” Mrs. Ashby repeated. “Is that not the fellow who…?”
The duke nodded.
Mrs. Ashby scoffed. “William would never be the puppet of such a namby pamby! I insist on understanding why you would make such an assumption, Lady Radcliffe. Over tea, I think.”
Frederick looked as though he might overrule this idea, but Caroline was too grateful for the opportunity to show a more agreeable side of herself, so they all went into the taproom.
Frederick went in search of Mrs. Tonkin, and it was a few minutes before they were all seated together so that Caroline could explain what Mr. Redworth had conveyed to her.
Mrs. Ashby interjected to ask further explanation of thevoting landscape in Trelowen, but Caroline was otherwise able to relay the information without interruption.
The duke was regarding Frederick, whose brow was creased in a deep frown.
“I have made a great muddle of everything,” Caroline said.
Frederick’s gaze snapped to hers. “What?”
“I encouraged Oswald in his dislike of you—and made him feel as if the seat was owed him. If I had not done so, perhaps he would not have gone out of his way to look into your affairs.”
Frederick shook his head. “I am not eligible, Caroline. That has nothing to do with you.”
“You could be,” the duke said.
Frederick shot him a tight-lipped look.
“What do you mean?” Caroline asked.
It was silent for a moment.
“William offered Freddie enough land to put him over the requirement,” Mrs. Ashby said. “Freddie refused it.”
“What?” Caroline asked, turning back to him. “Why?”
Frederick was quiet, but the way he fiddled with his ring was enough to make her understand.
“None of it makes a difference,” he finally said. “I do not mean to accept your offer, Will—kind though it is. And even if I did, Caroline has promised her votes to Oswald.”
“Pooh!” Mrs. Ashby said.
Frederick shot her a flat look. “Would you have her break her word?”
“I would!”
Frederick let out an aggravated breath and looked away.
Caroline took his hand. “She is right, Frederick. I have been thinking on the matter a great deal. If I still believed Oswald had the best interests of the borough at heart, I would feel the full force of my promise to him. But not only has he concealedthings from me, he has shown he is more interested in winning than anything else. My loyalty is first and foremost to Trelowen.”
