Bertie arrived home and left the horse to be tended, threw the top hat on a chair and strode through the house to find his aunt in the sitting room that she used the most because it let out onto the garden. The garden was a source of delight to Agatha and Bertie wisely left her to make all decisions in that regard. He knew she would be there but stopped short in the doorway when he realised she was not alone. Sitting taking tea with his normally grumpy old relative was the new neighbour-Caroline Carstairs.
“Ahh Bertie.” Aunt Agatha said. “Come and meet out new neighbour.” Bertie walked inside and said that they had already met. His aunt wanted to know how and Caroline stood up to meet Lord Haverbrook. “She held out a hand in greeting and said “We may have got off on the wrong foot, Lord Haverbrook. It is lovely to meet you” Bertie knew his manners and came across, took her outstretched hand and raised it to his lips. Once again he felt the jolt of excitement through his body at the touch of her hand, but nothing showed on his face. “Good day, Miss Carstairs. Let us start again.” She rewarded him with a radiant smile that lit up her features like a shaft of summer sunlight, and Bertie Collins Margrave was stunned. For once he was lost for words and his aunt saved the day by telling them both to sit and take some tea. “Caroline has two wonderful attributes that you could do well to learn from,” she told him severely, and he waited to be instructed with a good grace and kept his eyes on the visitor. His London eye told him that the afternoon dress she was wearing was straight from the capital city, and she wore it with confidence and style.
Aunt Agatha held a book and waved it in the air. “See this new printing system is making these books available to all of us and Caroline is introducing me to a whole world of reading.” Caroline joined the conversation and told him that his aunt was enjoying the books but in return was allowing herself access to her gardens and she was taking inspiration to create a garden of her own. Bertie too, enjoyed some of the new literature available and although they liked different types of reading the three of them found a discussion relaxing and entertaining. Bertie felt comfortable and sat back to enjoy himself. In the end, his aunt directed him to take Miss Carstairs into the garden. “The gardeners will remove anything she might like to choose.” This was amazing in itself because his aunt was normally desperately possessive of her plants. He stood and offered the visitor his arm. “My pleasure, Miss Carstairs.” He said and led the girl out of the doors onto the terrace that overlooked his aunt’s pride and joy.
Caroline Carstairs took the lead in saying that she had heard that he preferred to live in London, and he told her that was indeed the case. “But Lord Haverbrook, do you not desire to bring some of the London style and fashion to this part of the world?” Bertie had never given this any thought before and was surprised to discover that he enjoyed talking to someone about the things that could be brought up to Derbyshire. The conversation ranged from the latest books and magazines, clothes and activities to the household equipment that could make life easier for all concerned. The two of them were deep in animated talk and found themselves having walked slowly a long way from the house. “I am sorry. This is a long way for you to walk.” Bertie suddenly realised and was surprised when his companion laughed. “I love to walk, ride and in the garden, I like to actually work with the plants. A little walk will do me good.” She had turned towards him, and they were suddenly very close to each other. Bertie took her face between his hands in a spontaneous gesture and kissed her on the lips. After the initial surprise, Caroline returned the kiss with a passion that surprised even herself. There was a sudden and complete connection between them and the kiss deepened and lengthened into something that neither of them expected. It was not that Caroline Carstairs had never been kissed but rather that she had never been kissed in a way that took her to another world. A kiss that sent her head swimming and leaving her knees quite weak. Bertie found his senses first and pulled away. “I am so sorry,” he stuttered. “I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me for taking advantage.” Caroline looked at his face and the shock that the kiss had inflicted on both of them. She smiled that stunning sunshine smile and pulled his head back towards her. “I am a new woman,” she told him and, this time, she took the initiative and started the kiss.
“I think, Miss Carstairs,” Bertie said in the end. “That we had better walk back to the house.”