by Fiona Miers
“Welcome back,” he said with a hiss.
His angry scowl changed into a pleased smirk as he noticed her dishevelment, and he grabbed her arm.
“Freddy, unhand me,” she said, attempting to break free from his grasp.
Unsuccessfully so.
“There is no one here who can save you, Julia.” His tone was menacing and it sent a shiver of fear and despair down her back.
Freddy quite literally dragged her through the entrance hall and towards the sitting room. She was not certain what awaited her inside the sitting room but knowing Freddy, it certainly wouldn’t be good.
Her eyes widened upon their entry in the sitting room. Arabella and the vicar were seated on separate sofas, enjoying a cup of tea and a tray of biscuits. Arabella immediately rose to her feet as soon as she saw Julia, her arm gripped tightly by Freddy.
“Pardon the intrusion, Grandmother, Vicar Jeffery, Mrs. Jeffery,” Freddy said. “Julia, you remember Vicar Jeffery and his lovely wife, do you not?”
“Indeed,” Julia said, forcing a smile. “Lovely to see you again, Vicar. Mrs. Jeffery.”
“And you, Miss Julia,” the vicar said with a stiff smile.
The Vicar’s eyes grazed over her, and she could only imagine what the Godly man thought of her.
“What is the reason for your intrusion, Freddy?” Arabella asked, clearly sensing something was amiss as Julia silently pleaded for her help.
“I have an announcement to make,” Freddy said and wrapped his arm around Julia’s waist. “Or rather, we have an announcement to make.”
Arabella’s eyes widened and she stared at Freddy. “And what is that?”
“Julia and I are in love.”
“I beg your pardon?” Aunt Arabella said, her eyebrows climbing her forehead in astonishment.
“Your pardon is granted, Grandmother,” Freddy said dismissively. “Julia and I wish to marry as soon as possible. We will be requesting a special license to marry, as we were unable to wait to consummate our love.”
The colour returned to Arabella’s face, but this time she turned crimson, her eyes darting sharply at Freddy.
“And who is able to blame me? She is utterly ravishing,” Freddy said with a wicked laugh. “Quite literally.”
Arabella’s guests stared at Freddy in horror, the crudity of his jokes not in the least bit appealing to them.
“Is this true, Julia?” Arabella asked.
“No, it is not true,” Julia said in reply, and ripped herself away from Freddy’s grasp.
“There is no need to be embarrassed, my dear,” Freddy said to her with fake assurance.
“Do not touch me,” Julia said sternly and turned to Arabella. “He is lying. I would never do such a thing. Great-aunt, you are fully aware of how I feel about Freddy.”
“And how is that?” the vicar asked.
Julia drew in a deep breath and struggled to compose herself. She is well aware that she did look as though she had been ravaged thoroughly but she could not name Robert as the culprit.
They did not know one another well enough to constitute it as being in love, and clearly Robert had regretted his rashness rather instantly. He even said so himself. He was not certain what had come over him. Thinking back to those words nauseated her and she shook her head. She did not wish to allow Robert to affect her so deeply, especially not at this moment.
Now was not the time to act rashly and hysterically. Her mother’s condition and living situation did not present her with many options.
If Julia was to act emotional, her state would be put down to hysteria or nerves, and it would certainly be held against her.
She drew in a deep breath and pursed her lips. The vicar, his wife and Arabella stared quietly and expectantly at her. What was she to do? What could she say in order to save herself?
Julia was once again standing on a cliff’s edge with nowhere to go, but this time Robert was not there to save her.
Chapter Twenty
Robert had never been a rude and uncouth man before, but he had also learnt to be tough and not allow people to bully him. He was not afraid of people or their actions because he had always had the strong arm of the law to assist him.
However, when it came to protecting people against the injustices and the evil of the world, polite manners and rules had to be thrown out the window. He would protect the vulnerable, the extorted and the abused from the evils of the world.
Hence the reason he did not hesitate to barge through the front door of Kinsley Hall, nearly knocking the butler to the floor.
“My lord, stop!” the butler called out to him, but Robert did not have time to waste.
“Where is she?” Robert asked, already making his way along the hallway. “Julia. Where is she?”
“She is in the downstairs sitting room, but—”
Robert pushed past the butler once more, ignoring him before he was able to complete his sentence. He needed to find Julia and make it known that he was in love with her. He did not wish to have her staying at Kinsley Hall any longer. He wished to protect her at all costs and take her away from Freddy to keep her safe.
Of course, he knew that Julia had to make her own choices regarding her life and he did not want to force her into doing something she did not wish to do, but he had to tell her about his feelings.
He stormed into the room and stopped dead in his tracks. The vicar and his wife were in the sitting room. Julia had informed him Freddy wished to apply for a marriage license, but Robert had not expected it to occur so soon.
“Vicar Jeffery. Mrs. Jeffery,” Robert said with a polite greeting and a nod of his head.
“Lord Robert,” the vicar and his wife said in reply.
“What are you doing here?” Freddy asked, his beady eyes narrowed and glaring straight at him.
Robert did not answer and turned to Julia, whose beautiful face was filled with despair, indecision and betrayal. He had to think of some way to let her know that he would do whatever was necessary to protect her.
He stepped towards her and held out his hand.
“My dear,” he said, and forced a smile to his lips. “I understand your eagerness to tell Arabella of our engagement, but you didn’t have to tell her without me.”
Julia’s brow furrowed but before she was able to respond, Robert turned towards Arabella and placed his hand against his chest. “My dearest Arabella. I sincerely apologise for not discussing this with you. It was a rather abrupt decision.”
Arabella opened her mouth to respond, but Freddy scoffed. “That is preposterous. It is impossible for Julia to be engaged to you. She and I are to be married. Not so, Julia?”
Julia opened and closed her mouth like a fish. “I...” was all she managed to say.
“This is rather perplexing, I must admit,” Arabella said.
“Julia,” Robert said and lightly squeezed her hand.
“Unhand her,” Freddy said loudly, his voice echoing through the sitting room. “Julia is not yours and never will be.”
“Nor is she yours,” Robert said and gazed at Julia once more.
He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles tenderly. “Can you still recall my kiss?”
Julia nodded, her own lips parting ever so slightly. It was clear to Robert that she was afraid, but he needed to know what she wanted. And who she wanted. She had to make a decision—an important decision—that would determine the rest of her life.
Robert felt guilty for placing Julia in this situation but there was no other way. She had to decide what she wanted, and only she had the power to stand up and say it out loud. No one else chould make that decision.
“What do you want, my dearest Julia?”
As Julia gazed back at him, he saw the desire and hope in her eyes, and a smile formed on his lips. Joy and relief flowed through him as he placed his hand on his chest, over his heart.
The vicar suddenly rose to his feet and raised his hands in the air. “That is quite enough!�
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His gaze darted from Robert to Freddy, and back to Julia. His eyes narrowed. “It is evident that this young woman has been ravished. Look at her clothing and the state of her hair, not to mention the redness on her cheeks and neck. It may be written off as something different, but this is of great concern to me.”
“Vicar—” Freddy started to say.
“Silence, Frederick,” the vicar said. “It is now my turn to speak, and you will not interrupt me. Any of you. Is that clear?”
“Of course, Vicar,” Robert said with a nod, as did Julia and Freddy.
“It is understandable that this young woman would attract the attention of many men. She is beautiful and intelligent. I have only known her for a short while, but she is a well-brought up young woman. It is a pity regarding her mother but let us not speak of it. It bears no relevance in this matter.”
Julia’s shoulders eased momentarily, and Robert seemed to be the only one who noticed it. He understood that her mother’s illness was a very sensitive topic to discuss, which was why he was truly honoured that she had shared it with him. It meant that she trusted him, and there was no greater honour than that.
“Now, Julia. Would you kindly inform me as to which one of these gentlemen is responsible for your ravished state?” the vicar asked.
“I am,” Freddy said with no hesitation.
“No, Vicar. I am responsible,” Robert said and stepped forward.
“You both cannot be responsible. That is ungodly,” the vicar said with disapproval. “And rather inappropriate.”
Arabella suddenly stepped forward and turned to the vicar. “May I make a suggestion?”
“Certainly,” the vicar nodded.
“Clearly, Julia is overwhelmed by the presence of these two hard-headed men,” Arabella said and glanced at Robert and Freddy. “Perhaps it would be more comfortable for Julia to discuss this without their presence.”
“I agree with Lady Arabella, Dean,” Mrs. Jeffery said with a nod.
The vicar pondered for a moment and nodded. “Very well. Gentlemen,” he said and turned to Robert and Freddy. “Please leave us to speak.”
“Vicar, I must express my—” Freddy began to say.
“You will express nothing,” Arabella said sharply, surprising not only the vicar and Freddy, but herself as well. She was not the kind of woman who raised her voice in company. “Now, please leave the sitting room, and allow Julia the freedom to speak without fear.”
“Very well, Arabella,” Robert said and turned away.
He certainly did not wish to argue with Arabella, or the vicar and his wife. He knew that by allowing Julia to feel comfortable enough to speak freely, she would feel at ease expressing her wishes. He would not stand in her way.
Robert heard Freddy continue to argue with Arabella with no success.
Finally, the two men were escorted by the butler to the foyer, allowing plenty of distance between them and the sitting room. The butler was ordered to stand guard and not allow them anywhere near the door under strict orders of Arabella.
Robert sat on a wooden bench in the hallway and drew in a deep breath.
Freddy slowly approached, his eyes fixed angrily on Robert. “This is all your doing.”
As Robert rose to his feet, he shook his head. “If you are under the impression that I am afraid of you, you are mistaken. I know enough about you and your past that I can have you thrown in prison.”
“Your threats do not scare me,” Freddy said with a hiss, and clenched his fists. “Julia is mine. I will have her.”
“She is your cousin, you perverted imbecile. Have you no respect for yourself or for her?” Robert asked. “She does not care for you. She thinks you are selfish, spoilt and unbearable. As do I. Intolerable, self-centred and clearly without regard for anyone except yourself.”
Freddy lifted his chin. “I do not care what she thinks of me. Or what you think. You are nothing.”
“If that is true, why am I the one she came to, or allowed to touch her in ways you have only dreamed of?” Robert said.
He was rather disgusted with himself for sharing such details about his and Julia’s intimate moment, but he did so to make it clear to Freddy that he didn’t stand a chance.
“I will have her.” Freddy declared. “I will take of her what I wish. I will have her locked up with her mother and she will never see the light of day again. And there is nothing you can do to stop me.”
Robert’s fists balled at his side and he growled under his breath. Before he was able to curb his impulse, he flung a powerful punch at Freddy’s face. Freddy, who was a burlier man, fell to the floor instantly.
Robert took the opportunity to grab him by the neck, but he did not expect Freddy to counter his blow. It was a very powerful one as well, causing Robert’s world to blur around him, but the rage and anger inside him were more than enough to defeat Freddy.
And he would have, if the manservants who had come running into the room hadn’t dropped a bucket of cold water over them.
The two men lay on the floor, battered and bruised, drenched in water, not saying a single word.
Chapter Twenty-One
The vicar closed the door after the men departed and walked around her to the sofa he had sat on earlier. Her heart ached in her chest, but she was relieved that both Robert and Freddy were no longer in the room.
The lack of their presence calmed her instantly. It was not because Robert made her feel uncomfortable in any way, it was merely the pressure of the moment that scared her. The feelings she carried inside her for Robert were overwhelming.
Without being able to stop the tears from tumbling down her cheeks, she opened her arms and approached Arabella. The old woman, who was known to never show her emotions, wrapped her arms lovingly around Julia’s shoulders.
“It will be all right, my dear,” Arabella said, as she patted her back, allowing Julia to sob in her arms.
As Julia’s sobs subsided, Arabella motioned to her to join her on the sofa. She sat beside her aunt, and Arabella placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
“Tell us what happened.”
Julia drew in a breath and looked at the vicar and his wife. “This morning, I was out in the field picking flowers when Freddy approached me. He demanded that I marry him and threatened me more than once. I ran away from him, or at least I tried to. But he cornered me and threatened to throw me into a sanitorium with my mother if I defied him.” She stopped to take a shaky breath, then continued.
“Robert rode in on his horse and rescued me. He took me the duke’s estate. We spoke for a while and...”
Her voice trailed off as she recalled every kiss, every touch, and every sensation she had felt. “It was Robert who left me in such disarray. But he stopped before anything really happened.”
“And is it true of your engagement to Robert?” the vicar asked.
“No. We have not spoken of it. But we have spent time together, amongst his family. I would be lying if I told you that I didn’t want it to be true. I have developed feelings for Robert. Very intense feelings that I cannot ignore. But I am not certain whether he feels the same way,” Julia said honestly.
“He would not be here if he felt nothing for you, Julia,” the vicar’s wife said.
“I am not sure what to do,” Julia said with a sigh.
“Love can be a fickle fiend,” Arabella said dryly.
“With all due respect, Great-aunt, I very much doubt you are comprehending what I am feeling,” Julia said.
“On the contrary, my dear Julia. Your heartache mirrors my own.”
Julia stared at Arabella and she frowned heavily. “Your heartache?”
Arabella nodded and clasped her hands together. “Many years ago, when I was a young and jovial girl, I met a lovely boy who made me float on air every time I thought of him. He was beautiful, with thick, black hair, bright blue eyes and a smile that lit up the entire world.”
Arabella paused for a moment and a sadne
ss appeared on her fragile face. “My father did not approve of him. In fact, no one did. Not even his own parents. But I was in love with him, and he was in love with me. We spent our days under the large oak tree on my father’s estate. He would read poetry to me and I would lose myself in his words, his voice, his eyes.”
Julia could not believe what she was hearing. She had seen portraits of Freddy’s grandfather, but he did not look at all like the man Arabella described.
“He asked me to meet him one night at the oak tree. He had something important he wished to ask me. He did not show up. I waited the entire night, sitting under the tree, crying helplessly. Because I, too, had something I wanted to tell him.”
“What did you want to tell him, Great-aunt?” Julia asked.
“I was with child. His child.”
Julia’s eyes widened and she stared silently at Arabella, who took a sip of her tea.
“When my mother found out, she was livid. She arranged for me to be married to an older man who did not mind that I was carrying another man’s child, as he was unable to sire his own.”
“What happened to him?” Julia asked.
“His father sent him away, and I have not seen him since. It was as if he simply vanished off the face of the earth.” Arabella sighed. “It was the uncertainty that was the worst. Not knowing where he was, who he had become. What did he wish to ask me?”
“To marry you, no doubt, Great-aunt. Or perhaps he already knew you were with child and he wished to run away with you,” Julia said.
Arabella blinked rapidly, tears in her pale green eyes, sighed sadly. “I will never know, child.”
“I am sorry, Aunt Arabella. I never knew,” Julia said and reached out her hand to the older woman.
“Not many are aware of this. Raymond simply lives in my memory. And although it was many years ago, I still see his face in my mind. I will truly never forget him.”
Julia lowered her gaze and her heart filled with sadness for Arabella. The old woman had spent many years wondering what had happened to the one man she loved. That was certainly not a way to live.