by Joyce Alec
“And she has the wealth to ensure that it is not she who is involved in any way,” Lady Richmond added. “If Lord Brookmire has been promised something from her, whether that be payment in either coin or favors, then he is the one responsible for attempting to injure Lord Strickland. But behind it may well be Lady Ridgedale.”
Juliet took in a long breath, feeling herself shudder, her eyes closing tightly as she fought to control the panic that suddenly took a hold of her. She had been so close to Lady Ridgedale, so near to the very person that might be the one responsible for all that had happened to Lord Strickland. “Then what do we do?” she asked, opening her eyes to see Lord Richmond frowning darkly. “Might we speak to her this evening?”
“I do not think that would be wise,” Mrs. Grey said, speaking for what was the first time. “You ought not to do such a thing, Juliet, for fear of arousing her suspicion. After all, it was quite clear to her that we thought her most improper in her manner. She will not expect us to return to her company again.”
“It may very well be that such an outcome is precisely what she wanted,” Lord Richmond replied grimly. “We can do nothing this evening. We must speak to Lord Strickland and, thereafter, decide what it is we shall do.”
“I would agree,” Lady Richmond said, with Juliet feeling it best to do whatever they considered right, given just how much they knew compared to her. “And the sooner he knows, the better.”
Juliet pressed her lips together and darted a quick look toward Mrs. Grey. There was a rather bold suggestion in her mind and whether or not she dared to speak it aloud, she was not yet sure. Would Mrs. Grey concur? Or would she be upset at such an idea?
“Might I suggest,” she began, choosing her words with great care and finding her heart quickening just a little, “that if it is of such great urgency, we take our leave from here and call upon Lord Strickland?” Seeing the look of surprise that jumped onto Mrs. Grey’s expression, Juliet continued quickly before her chaperone could interrupt. “Surely we must inform him just as soon as we can? And, thereafter, we will need to form a plan of what we are to do next.”
“It would be wise,” Lord Richmond agreed slowly. “What say you, Mrs. Grey?”
Juliet held her breath, her gaze swiveling toward her chaperone, who sighed and shot her a rueful look.
“Very well, but I must have Lady Juliet returned to her father at the proper time,” she said, somewhat reluctantly. Lord and Lady Richmond nodded and turned to take their leave, but Mrs. Grey put a hand on Juliet’s arm.
“You must be careful, Juliet," she warned firmly. “I have been, perhaps, unwise in permitting you to behave in this fashion thus far, but I will state that it comes from a desire not only to aid Lord Strickland but also to see a match created between the two of you. A match that, I believe, is still possible. However, I fear that the danger that encircles Lord Strickland is beginning to pull you in also and, in that, perhaps I should insist upon removing you from it.”
Juliet’s heart lurched. “Please, do not,” she said urgently. “Mrs. Grey, I cannot even imagine leaving Lord Strickland in such a situation, not when there is more I can do. I know you have been not only understanding but also more than willing to step outside of what one is expected to do during the London Season, and for that I shall always be very grateful indeed.”
Mrs. Grey’s lips twisted, and she studied Juliet for some moments. “Do you care for Lord Strickland?”
The question was not only blunt but rather direct and Juliet felt embarrassment flood her soul as she dropped her gaze to the floor.
“I do care for him,” she said softly, knowing that it was best to be honest with her chaperone, even if it was deeply discomfiting to do so. “I, of course, wish him to be free from Lord Brookmire and whoever else is involved, but once the matter is at an end, I cannot help but wonder…” She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence and praying that her chaperone would know what she meant.
“Then I am satisfied,” Mrs. Grey said with a broad smile, surprising Juliet somewhat. “For I am quite certain that Lord Strickland has hopes similar to your own, my dear.”
Juliet’s eyes flared. “Truly?”
Mrs. Grey laughed and patted Juliet’s arm. “Let us just wait and see what happens,” she said, turning Juliet toward the door. “But I am very sure indeed that Lord Strickland will not simply thank you and turn from your acquaintance—which will, of course, make a good many people very happy indeed.”
“Lord Strickland?”
Juliet stepped into the room, relieved not only that Lord Strickland appeared glad to see them all but that he was looking a good deal better than before.
“Please, do not rise,” Lord Richmond said with a chuckle. “Your ankle?”
“Recovering,” Lord Strickland replied, although his eyes lingered on Juliet’s face. “You have something of importance to say to me, mayhap? It is not that I am not glad to have evening visitors since I am confined here for the present, but this is certainly not a usual occurrence.”
“Indeed, it is not,” Juliet replied, sitting down carefully. “It is that I have met someone that Lord and Lady Richmond believe to be of importance.” Her gaze slid toward Lady Richmond, who was sitting down carefully. “Lord Brookmire, I must say, was not particularly gentlemanly and I certainly did not enjoy conversing with him.”
Lord Strickland grinned, his expression amused as his eyes lit up. “No?”
“And that was without even mentioning your name, Lord Strickland,” Mrs. Grey remarked, her eyes twinkling. “I must admit that I, too, found him very rude, for some of his remarks were…” She broke off, shaking her head. “He was not at all the sort of gentleman I would ever permit Lady Juliet to acquaint herself with. Although the lady in question was all the more improper.”
Juliet watched as Lord Strickland’s smile faded. “And which lady might that be?”
She took a breath. “Lady Ridgedale,” she said quietly, seeing how the astonishment at her statement caused Lord Strickland’s eyes to flare wide. “She interrupted the conversation—such as it was—between myself and Lord Brookmire without any hesitation, and then attempted to profusely apologize, pretending as though she had not been aware of my presence.”
“Which,” Mrs. Grey added thoughtfully, “might well have been the case, given just how determined she was to speak to Lord Brookmire.”
Pressing her lips together for a moment, Juliet leaned forward in her chair, looking earnestly at Lord Strickland. “Lord Richmond has told us of her attentions toward you, and how you rebuffed them,” she said hastily, seeing how Lord Strickland opened his mouth in what was perhaps an attempt to say precisely that. “Might it be that her dislike of you now could push her to such cruelty?”
Lord Strickland said nothing for some minutes. In fact, the entire room fell silent as everyone within it watched him, waiting for him to give his opinion on what Juliet had suggested. Eventually, he let out a heavy sigh and raked one hand though his hair, which made it fall at random, burning like gold in the candlelight.
“It may be,” he said as Juliet’s stomach lurched. “The vehemence of her anger at my refusal is something that I shall never forget.”
Lord Richmond rose to his feet, walking across the room to pour brandies. “Then we have a connection between Lord Brookmire and Lady Ridgedale which makes sense,” he said as Juliet nodded. “What must we do next?”
Lord Strickland shook his head. “I do not know,” he answered, before reaching for the letter that Juliet had left with him earlier. “We might have to wait until my cousin recovers himself before anything further can be done.” Another sigh left his lips. “If only I knew why my cousin carried such a letter with him. It might then—”
His words trailed off as something seemed to occur to him, and he held the letter to the candle by his side. For a moment, Juliet thought he was to burn it, but then realized that Lord Strickland was, apparently, warming the page.
“Good gracious.”<
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Lord Strickland’s whisper tore through the room like a thunderclap. With a gasp of astonishment, he rose to his feet, holding out the letter toward Juliet.
“Look!”
She took it from him, a little confused, only for a gasp of astonishment to leave her lips as she saw, for the first time, words appearing on the page.
“How can this be?” she whispered as Lord and Lady Richmond rose to come toward her, their eyes wide as they looked at the letter. “How did it come about?”
Lord Strickland ran one hand through his hair, letting out a long breath as he moved back toward his seat, his leg still paining him too much to remain standing. “It appears that my cousin was afraid for his life,” he said heavily as Juliet began to read the letter. “He used this technique—one that he and I used upon occasion during our childhood—in order to ensure that what he wrote was kept secret from anyone who might come across it. No doubt he intended to send it to me once he arrived in London, without having to come to speak to me in person, fearful of what would occur if he did so and yet desperate to make certain I was safe.” Closing his eyes, he let out a groan. “I should have remembered that this was what we used to do as children. It was something my grandfather showed me. A childish game but one that we both loved.”
Juliet shook her head. “You did not know it was he that had sent it,” she said hoarsely, her whole body burning with the shock of what she had just read. “How could you know that your cousin was coming to speak to you?” Her eyes returned to the paper. “His poor wife…”
“I pray he will recover,” Lord Richmond said firmly, “so that he might return to his wife and children. He sounds, Strickland, a very courageous man.”
“He is.”
Juliet shook her head, looking at the paper again and reading the words. The words that told them so much and now filled her with horror. “‘Lady Ridgedale seeks to end your life,’” she read aloud. “‘Do not ask me yet how I know such a thing, but it is true. My own life has been threatened, but I cannot leave you to face your doom without making you aware of it.’” Letting out a long breath, Juliet looked up at Lord Strickland again, seeing the grief and upset on his face. “A very courageous man, Lord Strickland.”
“He knows all, it seems,” Lord Strickland replied, rubbing one hand across his forehead. “I need to speak to him.”
“You may well be able to soon,” Mrs. Grey said, pushing hope into her voice. “Only a few days and then…”
Juliet saw the hope in Lord Strickland’s eyes but knew that was all it could be. Hope. Hope that his cousin would recover enough to speak of all that he knew, to tell him everything about Lady Ridgedale.
“I must meet with Lady Ridgedale,” Lord Strickland murmured, and Juliet’s audible gasp echoed around the room. “There must be something I can say to her, something that I can do that will make her say—”
“It is not wise,” Lord Richmond interrupted. “If you plan anything specific with Lady Ridgedale, then she might very well make use of such an opportunity.”
“An opportunity to do you harm,” Lady Richmond finished as Juliet nodded fervently. “You must be wise in this, Lord Strickland.”
It was not as Juliet had hoped. She had expected him to come up with some sort of resounding plan, had hoped that he would know precisely what to do now that they had discovered Lady Ridgedale’s involvement with Lord Brookmire, but it seemed now that it was not to be.
“Perhaps,” Mrs. Grey murmured quietly, “we might meet again come the morrow. This must be something of a shock for you, Lord Strickland.”
He looked up, his eyes searching Juliet’s face rather than responding to Mrs. Grey.
“This is a rather improper request, Mrs. Grey,” he said quietly. “But might I have a few moments with Lady Juliet? I swear I shall only speak with her, but I must make some things quite clear.” Slowly, his eyes turned to Mrs. Grey and, as they did so, Juliet felt her heart slam hard into her chest. Her breath hitched as she glanced to her companion, utterly astonished when Mrs. Grey nodded.
“A few moments, Lord Strickland,” she said firmly as she rose from her chair. “I will be just outside the door.”
Juliet did not know what to do or say, her hands tightening on the arms of the chair as the room emptied, save for herself and Lord Strickland. What was it he wanted to tell her? Certain that he could hear the thumping of her heart, Juliet dropped her gaze to the floor, pressing her lips together hard.
“Lady Juliet.”
Lord Strickland’s voice was quiet and gentle, holding a tenderness she had never once expected to hear.
“You have already become far too involved in this matter,” he continued as she slowly lifted her eyes to his. “There is nothing more you need do. It is entirely at an end now. I have discovered the truth, I am sure of it, and for your own safety, I must urge you to step back from me—from this.”
Juliet shook her head, a sudden fear clutching at her heart. “I do not wish to, Lord Strickland.”
“But you must,” he declared, rising from his chair in spite of the obvious pain he was in. “You have done more than enough, Lady Juliet. Return to the joys and the delights of the Season, rather than wasting your time with me. I wish only to protect you, to push you back into the life you ought to have been enjoying thus far here in London.”
Now she rose also, coming a little closer to him and feeling tension rippling down her spine as she looked at him. His eyes held such warmth and yet such desperation that, for some moments, she could not look away.
“I cannot,” she answered quietly. “I will not.”
Lord Strickland dropped his head and let out a long breath, sounding more than a little frustrated. “Why?”
Lifting his head, he looked back at her steadily, waiting for an answer that she was not certain she could give. How could she explain the desperate urge to remain by his side? How could she express all that she felt when she could not even fully understand it herself?
“Why, Lady Juliet?” he asked again, taking another small step forward so that he was only a few inches away from her. “What is it that will keep you here with me?”
“You.”
The word seemed to rip the room apart, making her chest tighten and her eyes widen with the shock of what she had said. Breathing heavily, she stared up into his face, feeling her whole body tingle with both embarrassment and the awareness that what she had said could not be taken back. Lord Strickland did not respond, nor did he seem surprised, his eyes holding hers with a gentleness that Juliet could practically feel emanating from him.
“Lady Juliet?”
Mrs. Grey’s voice broke through the swirling of Juliet’s frantic thoughts, her quiet words forcing Juliet to look away from Lord Strickland and toward her chaperone.
“We must depart,” her chaperone said, taking a few steps into the room. “Come now.”
Juliet nodded, looking back at Lord Strickland and feeling her face burn with embarrassment. He had said nothing to her since she had given that one, single exclamation and she had no knowledge as to what he was thinking at present.
“Good evening, Lord Strickland,” she murmured, bobbing into a curtsy and dropping her gaze. Turning back toward the door, she made to follow Mrs. Grey out of the room, only for Lord Strickland to catch her hand.
Astonishment flared in her chest as he took her hand in his and lifted it to his mouth, heat running from her hand to her arm until it coursed all through her as his lips touched the back of her hand. His eyes held a good deal of unspoken emotion and yet Juliet was too afraid, too uncertain, to ask him what he felt.
“Good evening, Lady Juliet,” he murmured, lowering her hand from his mouth but still holding it tightly, his fingers gently pressing hers. “And might I thank you for your honesty. It…” Letting go of her hand with seeming reluctance, he smiled at her again. “It has brought my heart a great deal of joy.”
Uncertain as to what to make of this but finding that she was, for
some reason, smiling back at him with a great sense of happiness flooding her, Juliet held his gaze for another few moments before unwillingly turning back toward the door so that she might take her leave. But the smile did not leave her face and her heart did not lose its joy for the rest of the evening until, finally, she fell into a wonderful, delighted slumber.
12
Duncan could not remove Lady Juliet from his thoughts. He spent half the night tossing and turning, the echo of her voice spinning around his mind, the memory of how she had looked as she had spoken filling his thinking until he gave himself up to it, allowing his heart and mind to open entirely toward her and, for the first time, thinking about what she might one day be to him.
It had been clear that she had not intended to speak in such a way, had not meant to be as honest with him as she had been, and yet he was glad indeed that she had done so. Whilst she had not expressed it fully, he was certain now that there was a desire within Lady Juliet’s heart that was much akin to his own. For whatever reason, he wanted nothing more than to be in her company, to linger there and to have her as a part of his life. He did not think that he would have any satisfaction in continuing on without her and certainly, there was no eagerness to depart from her in any way. He had only said such a thing to her for her own safety, wanting to make certain that she felt no obligation toward him when there was none. What he had discovered instead was that there was more than just a determination for determination’s sake. Rather, there was clearly an eagerness to remain near to him. She wanted to be by his side, wanted to do all she could to bring this matter to an end so that…
Duncan frowned. So that they might continue their acquaintance without hinderance? So that they might then consider what the future could hold for them both? Slowly, his frown lifted as he realized that this in itself was precisely what he wanted. He was almost desperate to find that happiness and contentment that had eluded him for so long. No longer would he have to worry about what wicked scheme would next be thrown at him, no longer would he have to try and consider what he was to do next. In fact, he would not even have to worry about which young lady he would be forced into conversation with next, not when he had Lady Juliet.