Juliet sighed as she twisted the quill in her fingers. She was in the study alone with her thoughts while the house was filled with the dreams of all those who slept. Perhaps her mother would one day marry again; that would deplete whatever jealousy the woman had for Juliet, or so she hoped. As she thought back, she realized her mother had become sullen after her father’s death, and Juliet could not blame the woman—she missed her father terribly, so she could not imagine how her mother felt.
Her thoughts turned to Daniel and she could not help but smile. They held no lesson tonight, but after she and Annabel returned from their ride the following day, they would continue then. The thought of the final lesson they would have come May stilled her heart as memories of their shared laughter came to mind. However, when he had grabbed her and pulled her against him, a warm sensation had invaded her body and heart like never before. She had given the man permission to kiss her.
What had she been thinking? If news of that kiss, or rather attempted kiss, had gotten out, she and her entire family would have been shamed! Yet, the way he had held her, the possessiveness of his hands, had brought about sensations about which she had only read. It had been a perfect moment, one worthy of a scene in Hannah’s novel.
Oh, why had they been interrupted!
She sighed. It was not the kiss that brought her to the study at this hour, and although it was difficult, she pushed the memory away. Daniel’s frustration at his lessons was on what she needed to focus. She told him he had received a letter, and tonight she would write it. It would be a letter sharing her heart, which one day he would be able to read.
However, what did a lady tell a man for whom she cared but did not love? Juliet was not as well-read as Hannah or even Isabel, and she wanted to be certain the words were perfect.
Shaking her head, she put the pen to parchment and began to write.
My Dearest Daniel,
If you are reading this letter, then you have done well. You are not simply a stable boy as I once said; you are an educated man. Although, even if you could not read, it would not matter, for I care for the man you are now. The man who is kind and listens to every word I speak and asks the most thoughtful of questions.
You spoke of leaving one day, perhaps this summer. As I have thought on that possibility, I must admit that it breaks my heart.
Juliet took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She could not allow the man to leave, not without him knowing her true feelings for him. Therefore, she returned to the letter, and this time the words poured from her heart to the pen. She wrote of past dreams as well as new ones, and she concluded with the fact that he was an important part of them, as well.
Chapter Sixteen
Every Tuesday morning, the servants left for the village, and on many of those days Daniel joined them. He would purchase any personal items he might need or spend the day speaking with what few friends he had made over the years. Today, however, he delayed his journey in order to prepare the horses Juliet and Annabel would need in order to go riding.
Assuring the strap on Miss Annabel’s saddle was tight, Daniel thought back to when Juliet was in his arms. His heart had raced so forcefully, he thought it would bound out of his chest and run away. His body had burned with a desire he had never known existed, and he felt a mixture of pleasure and shame course through him. If anyone had seen them, he was certain he would have been relieved of his position and Juliet would have been in trouble with her mother.
However, something had come over him, a beast of sorts that he could not control, and he had come so close to kissing her, he could feel their breath mingle. He had so wanted to show her what he felt for her, and she had even given him permission to do so. He would have honored that request if they had not been interrupted just in the nick of time.
He let out a small laugh as he returned to the worktable to retrieve Juliet’s saddle. For so long he had listened to her many tales, many of which he did not believe, for they were much too far-fetched to be true. However, he enjoyed them all the same.
Running his hand over the letters that spelled out her name, he smiled. It was the only word he could read on sight, and that alone brought him great pleasure. The lessons had gone well, but he was a far cry from reading. Yet, the fact she took the time to instruct him gave him a sense of being worthy of an education, something he had never considered before, especially after years of ridicule from the other servants. And Juliet, as well.
He shook his head. She had apologized for her behavior; there was no sense bringing it to mind any longer. The truth was the woman had changed for the better since her fall from the loft. By all accounts, she was beautiful with her raven dark hair and matching eyes. Her skin was flawless, her smile contagious, but it was the kind heart to which he had been attracted, and to see it become so pronounced was wonderful. Was she mischievous? Indeed, she was. However, that only added to her allure.
For a moment he allowed his imagination to take over as he thought of what it would be like to have her as his wife. He would work day and night if there was even the slightest chance to have that happen, and their love for one another would be great. His cheeks burned as he considered that word: love. He cared for her, yes, but did he love her? As a man who had never experienced such an emotion, he was unsure, but he was willing to guess that he came close, and had for a long time. But he knew he had no right to love her, not a stable boy, and so he was happy to love her as a friend, for it was better than no love at all.
Not only would he never be allowed, he could not have her enduring the whispers that were bound to come no matter how far they lived.
Why is this woman of the ton with such a simple man who cannot read? they would ask. Men would scoff at him and ladies would shake their heads at Juliet for marrying a man unworthy of her.
Daniel sighed. It was nice to dream, but he needed to find the courage to tell Juliet that what they shared was just that—a dream and nothing more. It would hurt her as much as it would him, but it had to be said. He should have never allowed their talks to go so far, for it as cruel to give her hope for something that could not be. For if she were to agree to marry him, it would not take her long to realize her mistake, and by then it would be too late.
His thoughts were interrupted when Juliet and Miss Annabel walked in, Miss Annabel carrying a large basket on her arm. Juliet was as beautiful, if not more so, as ever in a dark blue riding dress beneath a matching coat, her hair pulled back in a way he had never seen before. It had been put into a thick braid that she pulled over her shoulder, covered by a hat with dark blue lace and ribbon falling down her back. How could a woman be so beautiful?
“Your horses are ready,” he said with a smile. “I’ve also rolled up two blankets and tied them behind the saddles as you requested. Is there anything else I can do?”
“Thank you,” Juliet replied, that tiny smile playing at the corner of her lips. Her eyes sparkled as she reached into her pocket, produced a letter, and handed it to him. “This is for you. Please, keep it safe.”
He looked at the writing on the outside, recognizing a few of the letters but not knowing what they said. “I’ll hold it close,” he said, folding it and placing it in the inside pocket of his overcoat. “Your hair looks very nice.”
Juliet grinned in response. “Thank you.”
Not wanting to forget the girl’s cousin, he turned to her and added, “As does yours, Miss Annabel.”
Annabel laughed. “You are always so kind,” she said. “And if you are going to use Juliet’s name, I do not see why you should be so formal with me. I am Annabel, if you do not mind.”
“Only in private, as I told Juliet,” he said with a bow. He turned back to Juliet. “I hope you enjoy your outing. Be careful; there are storm clouds off in the distance.”
Juliet sighed and turned to Annabel. “I am afraid of storms and the trouble they bring.”
“As am I,” Annabel replied. Why were they grinning at one another? “What are we to do
if trouble comes? What if the storm is severe and we become lost?”
Juliet tapped her lips with a gloved finger and then her eyes lit up. “Perhaps Daniel will accompany us. Will you do so?”
Daniel’s heart skipped a beat. The idea was entertaining, but Daniel knew he had to draw a line, and the sooner the better. Things had already gone further than they should have, which was only going to make the truth that much more difficult, but he had no choice. If Lady Lambert were to learn he had left with them, he would have no work and no home. He doubted the woman would ever strike him, but he would not blame her if she did.
“I can’t go,” he said. “I’m sorry, but it’s not proper for ladies to be alone with…”
“I have a chaperon,” Juliet said with a pout. “Annabel will watch out for me.”
The last thing Daniel wanted was to hurt Juliet’s feelings, but he would not put her at risk. “I’m honored you want to invite me, but your mother wouldn’t be much pleased, and I doubt it would end well.”
“My mother is locked away in her study as always,” Juliet stated as she took a step toward him. “She will never learn of it. Although, even if she did, I cannot help that you were worried about the storm and came searching for us…”
Daniel was unsure if it was her smile, her beauty, or her heart that made him unable to argue, but in the end, he could do nothing more than simply nod.
“I’ll follow after you leave,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll never understand how you get me to do these things”
But how he wished he did!
***
There was a chill to the air, although it was not overly cold, and the winter sky was a dark blackish-gray as Juliet rode Penelope beside Annabel’s Rose Petal. The storm of which Daniel spoke was still on the horizon, and she predicted they would have more than enough time to reach the place where they would stop and eat what Cook had packed for them in the basket.
Glancing over her shoulder at the top of a hill, she was pleased to see Daniel riding up behind them.
“Do you love him?” Annabel asked.
The question was so unexpected that Juliet nearly fell from her saddle. “I do not believe so,” she replied. She turned to look at her cousin. Although she wore a hat much like the one Juliet wore, the girl had left her blond hair unbound so it flowed behind her. “What are your thoughts?”
Annabel puckered her lips in thought. “I am uncertain,” she replied. “I do not know what love is, but the manner in which the two of you look at one another—the shared smiles and fleeting glances—these tell me that you are in love.”
Juliet glanced back at the approaching stable boy and sighed. “It is a beautiful smile he has,” she said. “He is handsome, is he not?”
Annabel giggled and nodded. “I believe so.”
Juliet barely heard her cousin respond as she continued. “Strong muscles, a heart that exudes kindness.” She sighed again. “He is everything a man should be, and I do care for him.”
“I believe it is love,” Annabel said firmly. “Perhaps when you kiss him, you will experience it. Hannah told me that is what happens.”
Juliet snorted. “My dear Annabel, Hannah knows noth…” She clamped her mouth shut. Her old ways of belittling her sisters was one thing she did not wish to resurrect, and she took a moment to push away the retort. “Many women our age, as well as that of my sister, have yet to experience love and therefore cannot make rational judgments about it.”
“Do tell me the moment you know,” Annabel said. “I do not wish to attend the season next year without knowing for certain.”
“I will be sure to do that,” Juliet replied before clicking her tongue and tapping her heel on the horse’s flank to send her in a slow amble. They had yet to leave her family’s property, for what they owned was vast. She had spent many hours as a child playing in these fields with her sisters and brother, and thoughts of blind man’s bluff and shuttlecock—a challenge on windy days—played in her mind.
However, those days were well behind her. She was now a woman, one involved in a business and interested in a man, her stable boy, with whom she wished she could spend more time. Life was perfect. Who would have thought that injuring her ankle would be the best thing to happen to her?
“I could’ve left an hour later and still caught up with you,” Daniel said as he rode up to them. “Maybe even two.”
“Is that right?” Juliet asked with mock haughtiness. Then she gave him a small smile as he brushed away a wave of dark hair from his brow. Just that simple action made her breath catch and she had to force moisture into her dry mouth. “Are you saying that you are a more skilled rider than I?”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t call myself skilled necessarily, but compared to most women, I’m a far better rider than they are.”
“That might be true,” Juliet replied smugly. “However, you have forgotten one simple thing.”
“Oh? And what’s that?”
“I am not like most women.” She took a tight hold of the reins and winked before shouting, “Ha!” Penelope snorted, ducked her head, and shot forward, her powerful legs creating a significant distance between Juliet and Daniel in a very short amount of time.
“Wait! You can’t do this!” Daniel yelled.
“Oh, but I can,” Juliet shouted back. “And I will.” Joy rang through her soul, and she placed a hand on her hat before it blew away, laughing all the while.
Daniel’s horse was faster, however, and soon he was riding alongside her. “Juliet, I must insist you slow down,” he begged, but Juliet took his words to be a challenge.
Lowering herself, she whispered into Penelope’s ear, urging her to go faster as she dug her heel into the horse’s side. Penelope shot forward and Juliet laughed when Daniel groaned as the distance grew between them.
Soon after, she slowed the horse as she approached an outcropping of trees, their limbs bare in the winter air. She turned as she brought Penelope to a stop and Daniel joined her.
She expected him to be angry, but he was not, for he wore a wide grin. “I’ve learned an important lesson,” he said as he dismounted and walked the horse toward where she had stopped beneath one of the trees.
“And what was that, pray tell?”
“You, Juliet, are not like most women. In fact, I believe you’re far better in everything you do.”
“You are learning more than I had hoped to teach you,” she said with a laugh. “Now, let us see if this time you do not allow me to fall.” Her heart thumped and her head felt light as he helped her from the horse, his hands wrapped around her waist.
“I won’t let you fall,” he said, a huskiness to his voice that she found enthralling. “Never again.”
Juliet looked past Daniel to see Annabel still some ways off. With the density of brush beneath the trees, she was certain her cousin could not see them. “I believe myself safe in your arms,” she whispered. “It is a feeling I enjoy.”
Daniel closed his eyes for a moment. “I have that feeling, too, but we can’t…”
Juliet could not wait a moment longer, and she lifted herself onto the tips of her toes, wrapped her arms around him, and pressed her lips to his. It was as if she weighed nothing in his arms; her heart soared to places she did not know existed. And his lips! They were gentle and soft, and she was pleased to realize they were a perfect match to hers.
She now understood that Daniel meant everything to her, and what Hannah had told her was correct—she would know love when she found it. For she did love Daniel, and it was the most wonderful feeling, one she wished to never lose.
Suddenly, Daniel pushed her away. “I’m sorry,” he said as he took a step back. “I shouldn’t have…”
“You did nothing, so you have nothing for which to apologize. I felt something beautiful in that kiss.”
He glanced at the ground. “I did, too.”
“Then do not look so sorrowful,” she said with a teasing smile as she leaned over to look at his turned do
wn face. “You should be happy, for I know I am.”
Daniel looked up at her, a smile on his face. “I should fix up the blankets or Annabel will become suspicious.”
Juliet nodded, and Daniel turned to walk away just as Annabel arrived, her smile telling Juliet she knew what had taken place.
“I believe she is already suspicious,” Juliet said with a light laugh.
Chapter Seventeen
Juliet sat on the blanket Daniel had spread in a clearing at the edge of the tree line, the bank of trees and underbrush blocking the light breeze at their backs. Annabel had made a feeble excuse of wishing to catch up on some light reading and had moved to lean against one of the trees some twenty paces behind them, a blanket both beneath and wrapped around her shoulders. Juliet was thankful for the girl’s willingness to being discreet when it was necessary and allowing Juliet and Daniel time alone—or relatively alone as it were—demonstrated the girl’s good nature.
Although the weather was far from perfect—the storm that had been on the horizon was drawing near—simply being with Daniel made everything right.
Sitting beside the man she had kissed not ten minutes earlier left Juliet without words, and with Daniel’s already quiet demeanor, they sat in silence, the only sounds the rustle of the empty branches and the light whistle of the breeze through the trees.
“Do you realize the risk I took by being here?” Daniel asked with a mischievous grin. “I keep expecting Lady Lambert to come riding over that hill.”
Juliet laughed. “Mother always remains inside the house to do whatever it is she does on Tuesdays, so there is no need to worry.” He gave a nod and wrung his hands. “If you are concerned that I mean to kiss you again, I assure you there is no need. I will not do it.”
He chuckled. “No, it’s not that. I thought that was wonderful.”
Secrets of Scarlett Hall Box Set: A Clean & Sweet Regency Historical Romance Collection Page 60