Free Caroline by Cynthia Wright Page A

sent me up to get you. Don't forget that you promised to take me riding this afternoon, though. Friend or no friend!" Gretchen turned her blue eyes directly on Caro. "Miss Bergman, I'm sure you're anxious to get some rest, so I'll shoo Sacha out of here. I know how tiring he can be!"
    Alec made no move to get up, only gesturing to Gretchen to leave the room.
    "You go on, ma petite. Tell your father and my mystery guest that I shall join them directly."
    Gretchen barely managed to repress a pout before making her exit, and Caro watched with relief as her rustling silk skirts disappeared out the door. When she turned back to Alec she felt curiously teary. It was impossible to disguise the bite in her tone as she inquired:
    "Sacha?"
    He looked completely unperturbed, but his eyes were alert as he answered, "Yes, that's my family name. Maman has called me that since the day I was born. I imagine you'll be hearing it a great deal from now on."
    "I suppose that only your closest friends are permitted to call you that?"
    Alec's eyebrow lifted as he replied drily, "On the contrary . You are free to call me anything you like."
    "Well, I choose to call you Alec!"
    "Fine." There was a sharp note in his voice as he stood up and continued: "Jealousy does not become you. I know many women well, and you will doubtless meet some of them. You and I are no longer alone in the woods, my dear, and you had better begin adjusting to that fact."
    From far away, Caro heard herself exclaim, "In that case, sir, may I suggest that you begin treating me more like your ward and less like your mistress!"
    Every muscle in Alec's face was rigid and his eyes were angry blue flames. "You go too far. Clearly, I should leave."
    Then, with a mocking bow, he was gone, closing the door sharply behind him. Caro thought she heard Gretchen's voice in the hallway, and hot tears pricked her eyes. Even the sunshine pouring into the room could not cheer her as she realized that from that moment on nothing would be the same between her and Alec. For a time, it had seemed that they were the only two people in the world, but those days were in the past.

 
     
     
    Chapter 7

     
    Caro was sitting up in bed, poking at a light lunch, when there was a knock at the door. A moment later, a plump, cheerful face appeared.
    "My dear girl, it is I: Katrina Van Der Pat. May I visit with you for a short while?"
    Mrs. Van Der Pat was a small, round, flaxen-haired Dutch woman with twinkling blue eyes as friendly as her daughter's had been cool. She settled herself on the edge of the bed and clasped Caro's hand.
    "Dear Caroline, I want to welcome you to Van Der Pat Manor. We are so pleased to have you here. We have known Sacha since he was a boy, thus as his ward, you are one of our family, too!"
    Caro found herself smiling back, some of her gloom dispelled by her hostess's infectious good cheer.
    "But I should be thanking you. It has been so good of you to take me in. I can never express the depth of my gratitude, Mrs. Van Der Pat."
    "You must call me Katrina. Sacha tells us you are all alone in the world, so we must step in to remedy that situation!"
    "I'm so grateful. You are very kind!"
    "Perhaps you are curious about my family?"
    She opened her mouth to speak, but Mrs. Van Der Pat went right on.
    "There are only four of us—myself, my husband Stephen, our son Peter, who is fourteen, and our daughter Gretchen, who is eighteen." She paused then, eyeing Caro with concern. "I understand you have already met Gretchen, and I wish you hadn't—at least not before I could speak to you. I do hope she wasn't rude! You must realize, my dear, that Gretchen has been infatuated with Sacha since she was a child. Secluded here, she has had little exposure to other men, and our families have been friends for years. After the war broke out, we became even more isolated, but Sacha was in and out of the Hudson River. He always visited us and Gretchen's attachment to him deepened with each passing