A Season for Scandal

by Golden Angel

  “Joseph will have to marry her now,” Lily said, shaking her head and casting a glance at Josie.

  “Maybe I will have six refusals this Season. Oh, do not look at me like that. Would any of you want to be forced into a marriage with a man in love with someone else?” Josie scowled at Mary, who had been about to respond before Josie tacked on the last part. Mary had married Rex to save her own reputation.

  Thankfully, he had wanted to marry her, and they had been well on their way to falling in love before the wedding. This was entirely different. Joseph not only did not want to marry Josie, he actively wanted to marry another woman. The more Josie thought about it, the more miserable it made her.

  She could not possibly marry him now. They would both be miserable. Though she tried to soothe her conscience by acknowledging she should have been safe going into the gardens, the truth was, Joseph had no part in the events of the evening, yet by her actions, he was involved. She had not questioned the note from him but should have. She would still swear it was his handwriting.

  Josie had reacted impulsively, based on her own hopes rather than the evidence of the past weeks. Part of her self-recrimination came from knowing she should have realized Joseph did not want to marry her, no matter what the note said.

  “The gossips will turn on you if you do not marry someone, preferably Joseph,” Evie pointed out the obvious, if unwelcome, point, though her tone was not unkind. “I would not mind having you as a cousin.”

  “What a mess.” The energy that had kept her upright abandoned her, and Josie sat down on the couch, suddenly exhausted. If she could start the whole night over, she would do everything differently. “And I can do nothing about it. Being a woman is awful.”

  Evie snorted. “It would not be so bad if the men were not so determined to keep us out of everything.”

  Eyeing her speculatively, Josie tilted her head.

  “Perhaps I shall become a spy, like you. Surely, a fallen woman can get into places others cannot.” She was only half in jest, but Evie’s expression sobered immediately.

  “No, Josie. You are better off where you are. I would not wish some of the things I have seen on anyone.” There was a haunted quality to her voice, and Josie immediately regretted her rash words. They all knew Evie’s life had been hard after her parents passed. There were several years between their deaths and when Evie’s uncle had found her living on the streets of London. She did not speak of that time often, and the little she had revealed had been chilling.

  Josie did not wish for that.

  “Well, if I do not marry Joseph, I will have to find something to do with myself. Perhaps I could go to France.”

  “You will come and live with Rex and me.” Mary put her nose in the air, a stubborn glint in her eye. The transformation from purposeful wallflower to Marchioness had wrought a substantial change in her demeanor, and Josie had no doubt she was willing to take on the world. Her heart filled with love for her friend. As powerful as Rex was, and as little as he cared for Society’s whims and judgments, she could not do that to them. Perhaps as a very last resort, but not until then.

  “That is very kind, but—” Josie cut off as the front door opened. Evie was gone and out the window in a flash, leaving them gaping at how quickly she moved. Hmm... perhaps Josie would not make a very good spy, though such speed was likely easier in breeches.

  Her mind could not concentrate on Evie’s quick steps as she turned her head to look at her father and Rex. Both appeared worn but not distressed. Josie’s throat closed up, her hands bunching in the fabric of her skirts as her father turned tired eyes to her, his lips lifting in a pleased smile.

  Relief poured through her.

  “It is done,” he said, walking into the drawing room. Coming to a halt in front of her, he held out his hands, and Josie placed hers onto his palms. There was a peace in his eyes that had not been there when he left, a lightness to his step. “You will be married on Saturday.”

  “Joseph does not mind?” The entreaty for reassurance from her father made her sound younger than usual, the desire of a little girl to be told that everything would be all right.

  Her father blinked.

  “Oh, no, sweetheart. You will be marrying Elijah.”

  “What?” Horrified realization washed away everything else. She jerked her hands back, stepping away from her father and bumping into Mary and Lily, who were standing right behind her.

  Elijah? No. Impossible. He did not even like her.

  “Yes, Elijah.” Her father’s lips turned down, his expression growing stern. Josie recognized it from her childhood when he denied her—the expression she knew indicated there was no point in fighting because she would not win. Except she was not asking for a sweet or a new frock. This was her life! “He offered, and I accepted. We signed the marriage contracts, and under the circumstances, he is securing a special license so you can marry immediately.”

  About to open her mouth to protest, to declare she would not, no matter what, Josie was yanked back by a firm grip on her arm.

  “Let us speak with her for a few minutes, please,” Lily said, digging her fingers into Josie’s arm when Josie tried to pull away. “It has been a very trying evening, and… well, truthfully, none of us expected Elijah to…” Her voice trailed off, though the surprise was still evident in her tone.

  Father’s countenance softened just a bit.

  “Of course.” He turned to Mary’s husband. “Hartford. Would you like a glass of brandy?”

  Glancing at Mary, Rex nodded his head. “Yes, I think that might be best while the ladies… discuss.” After another look at Mary, Rex followed Josie’s father out of the room.

  Finally yanking her arm from Lily’s grip, Josie whirled on her two friends. She wanted to kick something. The only thing that was within reach was the settee, so she kicked its wooden leg, hard enough the whole piece of furniture jolted.

  “Elijah! Elijah! I cannot marry Elijah!” she fumed, glaring at Mary and Lily.

  “You said you did not want to marry a man who is in love with someone else,” Lily pointed out, taking another step back at the expression on Josie’s face. She held up her hands placatingly. “This really is the best solution, Josie. You must see that.”

  Impossible. She looked at Mary, and her heart sank when she saw her other friend nodding her head in agreement with Lily.

  “If you were to marry Joseph, it would help some but not all the gossip. After the way he has danced attendance on Miss Bliss all Season, some people would say you trapped him. In fact, if you do marry him, more of them might believe that.”

  Josie closed her eyes. Swallowed. The gossips of London were vicious. She could see that. Worse… at home, things would be no better. Mary, Lily, and Evie were hardly the only ones who had guessed her feelings for Joseph. The gossip would likely be far worse in Derbyshire than here in the city, and none of it complimentary to her. She opened her eyes again, nodding at the truth of Mary’s words.

  “How does marrying Elijah change that?” she asked hollowly, sinking down on the settee she had kicked. Lily and Mary moved to her sides again, taking her hands as they had when they arrived. Their sympathy was palpable, which she both wanted and hated, hating that it was necessary.

  “It frees Joseph to marry Miss Bliss,” Mary said quietly. Pain stabbed Josie’s heart, but she pushed it aside. There were far more important things now. “The gossips will assume Elijah was the one who met you in the gardens. Or that he did indeed rescue you, and he will be cast as the hero.”

  “And he is the heir, the future Marquess. That has weight.” If anyone would know, it was Lily. Her parents were not ton, but with their connections to the Duke and Duchess of Frederick, Lily was treated far differently than she would have been with less lofty godparents. “The ton will treat a future Marchioness with more respect than the wife of a second son.”

  “Some might even find it romantic if they think Elijah saved you from a villain, then saved you agai
n by offering marriage,” Mary speculated. As the most experienced in society and with an aunt who was particularly savvy at social maneuvering, Josie had to bow her head to Mary’s expertise.

  It seemed it truly would be best for everyone.

  If she truly loved Joseph, she should want him to be happy. He would not be happy forced into marriage with her, and she would not have been happy, either. Elijah had saved them both from that fate. She supposed she should be grateful. Instead, she felt hollowed out, as if someone had scooped out her emotions, leaving her an empty wooden shell.

  Joseph deserved to have the life he wanted. He should not be dragged into her mess. If Elijah was willing to sacrifice himself on the marital altar to save his brother’s future—and hers—she could hardly do less. She only hoped Joseph and Miss Bliss chose to settle somewhere other than Camden Hall in Derbyshire, so she did not have to watch them live out the life she had always imagined for herself.

  “Then I suppose I marry Elijah this Saturday.” The wrong Stuart brother. The one who did not like her. That was who she was to marry. If she had any tears left after such an awful night, she would have wept.

  Her friends crowded in around her, murmuring everything would work out, but Josie knew better. Nothing would ever be right again.

  Chapter 5

  Elijah

  Three days to plan a wedding meant everything happened in a rush, and he did not have the chance to see Josie for more than a few moments during a ‘celebratory’ luncheon on Friday. Certainly, he was not able to get her alone. Her mother actually tutted at him when he suggested he and Josie go for a walk around the lawn together, telling him they had guests to attend to.

  Not that Josie had looked particularly eager to go walking on his arm. For the first time, she appeared skittish, unsure of herself. She had not hesitated to hide behind her mother’s skirts, making him feel even more unnerved about their future together.

  Elijah had wanted to reassure her she had no need to worry. He intended to be a kind and gentle husband, though he would expect her to follow a certain standard of behavior, especially when they were in London among the ton. She was the future Marchioness and would represent the Stuart family.

  Whether or not her current subdued state was due to their upcoming nuptials or to a newfound maturity remained to be seen.

  Now, it was the morning of his wedding, and not only was he getting married—something he never thought would happen—he was marrying a woman who wished it was his brother at the altar instead of him, which was a lowering thought.

  Said brother was beaming with happiness. Miss Bliss had accepted his offer, and they would announce their engagement next week. With Elijah marrying Josie, the gossip had shifted to whether he had been her rescuer or her ravisher, leaving Joseph and Miss Bliss unscathed.

  Which meant it was worth it.

  “Things are not so bad, you know. Josie is very beautiful.” Adam grinned at Elijah from where he was lounging in a chair. The youngest Stuart brother was having far too much fun at his brothers’ expense.

  “I know she is beautiful.” Exactly how beautiful, he had not really realized until their engagement luncheon. He had never really taken the time to notice. As his neighbor, he had seen her grow up. He had been aware the gentlemen of London considered her a great beauty and a prime catch after her debut, but somehow, he had not noticed how golden her curls had grown, the way she filled out her gowns, the pretty pink of her lips…

  Bedding his new wife would be no hardship, though the realization he was attracted to Josie had been stunning and slightly uncomfortable. He had thought of her as a little girl, despite her debut, and the realization of her as a woman was startling.

  “Unfortunately, her beauty does not negate her feelings for Joseph.” Since their other brother was not in the room, Elijah did not feel guilty about venting his concern. He had resolved not to mention it again to Joseph since it would only make him feel bad.

  To his surprise, Adam snorted.

  “They would have made a hash of things. You will be far better for her.”

  That was a surprising observation.

  “Really?” Elijah’s tone was dry as he raised a brow at his youngest brother, curiosity piqued. Adam was very good at reading people, something Elijah had relied on in the past. “Me, the Stuart brother she likes the least?”

  “You are the only one who can rein her in.” Adam’s grin widened as he mimicked the gesture of pulling on a horses’ reins. The analogy was a little too apt for Elijah’s comfort. He had often thought of Josie as needing to be broken in, the same way a wild mare would. “Joseph would let her run roughshod over him, and I find her antics too amusing to try. She may not realize it, but she is the type who craves control. Someone who will put their foot down when she toes the line—or throw her over his knee.”

  “Really?” Elijah repeated dubiously. “Josie? You think Josie Pennyworth is one of our set?”

  By ‘our set,’ he meant those who were members of the Society of Sin, not the ton. While the Society’s interests were varied, the vast majority of them enjoyed pleasure play that included pain, domination, and submission. There were a few feisty women among those who liked to give up control to another, but Elijah had not paid much attention to them. He had always considered them too much work, preferring the women who eagerly got on their knees and offered up their submission as a gift.

  “Not only that, I think she will be good for you. You need a challenge.”

  This time it was Elijah’s turn to snort. Josie, good for him? Hardly. Though he could not deny she would be a challenge. The idea of introducing her to the Society’s activities… well. She was a debutante, a virgin who had nearly been ravished earlier this week. The Society was not for her. Besides, it would be far too dangerous. Despite Collins’ apprehension, it was always possible there was another traitor within the Society.

  The connection between the Society and Collins’ traitorous activities had been why Elijah had joined its ranks in the first place. No, it would be best to keep Josie far, far away from the Society for multiple reasons. No matter what Adam thought.

  Josie

  The white-and-silver froth of her wedding gown did not reflect her emotions. The fabric should be black, denoting the death of her hopes and dreams.

  Run. I should run. Far, far away.

  Except she had nowhere to go. No way to earn a living. Perhaps if she disguised herself as a boy, the way Evie did, she could help with horses somewhere… but the moment she was discovered to be female, she would be turned out. Or worse.

  You are doing this for Joseph.

  Yes, yes. Marrying Joseph’s brother to save Joseph. Josie smoothed her hands over her skirt, her heart breaking at the irony. It had been three days, yet she had not reconciled herself to the idea. Nor did she know what to say to Elijah, though she felt she should say something. An apology.

  How did one offer a proper apology for accidentally trapping a man into marriage? Especially when she was in love with his brother.

  “Oh, you look perfect, darling.” Mother fussed over the tendrils of hair hanging down from Josie’s elaborate coiffure. “Every inch a Marchioness. My father would be so pleased.” Tears filled her eyes. Though they had eventually reconciled, Grandfather, a Marquess himself, had been incensed when Mother married Josie’s father, a mere squire.

  Josie remembered him as a doting, loving grandfather who had always been a bit awkward with her own father, but she also knew the story. It had been her birth that had brought her grandfather back into their lives and softened his stance. Today, he would have been proud to see her married to a future Marquess, though the circumstances leading to the marriage would have likely given him heart palpitations.

  “And you and Papa?” Josie asked ruefully.

  “Oh, we are very pleased, too.” Mother stepped back to admire her handiwork. “We always thought it would be lovely if you married Elijah.”

  “You thought I would marry Eli
jah?” Staring, Josie felt her eyes bulge. Josie had thought the entirety of Derbyshire knew of her feelings for Joseph, including her parents.

  “Oh yes, dear. The two of you always had such a connection. You following him around, him pulling you out of scrapes. Perhaps we should not have been surprised at how today came about, considering your history.” Mother smiled happily, turning to pick up her fan, not seeming to realize she was causing Josie all sorts of consternation. She had been following Joseph.

  Well, sometimes, she had followed Elijah, but only because he had been such a prig, and she had been trying to loosen him up. He had made a pastime of pulling her and Evie out of various scrapes, which was impossible to deny.

  But a connection? Between her and Elijah?

  Animosity perhaps. Frustration, certainly. They had always clashed, not connected. But if it made her mother happy to think so, Josie did not have it in her heart to disillusion her.

  There was a knock on the door, and one of the maids peeked her head in.

  “Excuse me, my lady, miss. Lady Hartford and Miss Davis are here.”

  “Oh, good.” Josie turned from the mirror, only to be stopped by a gesture from her mother. Her brow furrowed in confusion. She wanted to go see her friends.

  “Send them up in a few minutes,” Mother said, sitting on the chaise. The maid nodded and closed the door. Putting her hands on her hips, Josie frowned at her mother, who ignored her expression. “Now, dear, we need to talk about tonight,”

  “Tonight?” Josie wracked her brain for what her mother could be referring to. Why did they need to talk about tonight?

  “Yes, darling. Tonight, you will no longer be in our home.” Mother sniffled but controlled her reaction, only a little teary-eyed. “And Elijah will have certain… expectations of his wife.”

  Oh. Oh. Josie’s cheeks heated. She knew exactly what expectations her mother was talking about, but she could not tell her mother that she knew. Then she would have to explain Evie was not the virginal young lady everyone thought. Evie had already explained to her, Josie, Lily, and Mary, both the act and how to make it pleasurable. Anything Evie had not told them, Mary had— Oh!