“I will take that as a compliment.”
“As it was meant,” her father smiled as they reached the back door of the manor. “If there is to be a man in your life, he will be chosen carefully, I am sure.”
“I do not wish to be picky, Father,” Juliette said archly, opening the door.
“You have to be picky, my dear. You are a special young woman. You are beautiful, smart and talented. You play the piano better than me, your mother and even your piano teacher.”
Juliette laughed delightedly. “Thank you, father. These are the desirable qualities in a wife, I assume?” she raised a teasing brow.
“Definitely,” her father agreed, though his smile showed he was teasing her.
“But, now that you mention it, I should practice more,” Juliette agreed, brow furrowed. “I shall have no chance in Africa, I suppose?” she chuckled.
“I am afraid not, my dear.” he agreed.
“I would be there,” Juliette mused, as they drifted towards the dining-room together. “Music has…cords that are attached to our souls. It can manipulate how we feel. When I play the piano, I am always happier, even when I am playing a sad song.” she grinned. “I suppose I am talking nonsense now.”
“No, dear,” her father said gently, opening the door for her, “Your feeling for music is one of the things that make your playing so delightful. And it does affect the emotions. In fact,” he said slowly, “I did not tell you this before, but, after your mother passed…” Neville swallowed the instant lump in his throat, “...my darkness was often only relieved by your playing.”
“Father! I didn’t know that.” Juliette stopped, looking up at her father with surprise. “You should have told me. I would have played more. Or less. Whatever you asked for.”
Neville shook his head. “I did not want you to play more or less. You played what you wanted to play. It made you happy and that was all I cared about. That is all I ever care about.”
Juliette swallowed the lump in her own throat, fighting back tears.
“Thank you for telling me that,” she said, sniffing.
“I always want you to be happy, Juli. You are everything to me. I know you have long wished to join me on a voyage, and I know you will enjoy it, regardless of whom you take as an escort. But if you ever need anything, please tell me. It is painful to let you go.”
“I love you, Papa,” Juliette whispered. Her father squeezed her hand.
“I love you, too.”
Juliette left him at the door to the dining-room and ran lightly up the stairs to her bedchamber, where she collapsed on the bed. Emotions raced through her: happiness, sadness, wistful melancholy and excitement, all mixed into a strange elation. She was going to Africa. And Joshua, Lord Hershey, would be her escort. It seemed too much for words.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A DISCOVERY
A DISCOVERY
Joshua picked up a folded pamphlet from the table in front of him and viewed it idly. Inside his heart was racing. Opposite him, his uncle was settled in an armchair, reading a journal from the Royal Society.
“What is this, Uncle?” he asked, scanning the contents.
His uncle glanced up over the rim of the book. “A copy of a letter from a missionary slain in Algiers,” he said shortly.
“Is this supposed to encourage or discourage me from going on the trip with Lady Ellingham?” Joshua asked mouth twisted wryly.
“Not either, I hope,” Cain said bluntly. “Are you so undecided?”
“I have already decided that if I am offered the job by Lord Ellingham, I will take it.”
Cain stifled a smile. “I am very glad to hear that.”
“We are going to dinner at the Ellingham’s tonight?” Joshua asked guardedly.
“Yes.”
“When did you plan to leave?” His heart pounded and he hoped it was not too plain to see.
“We are expected by six, but I would like to be there early,” Cain said, not looking up from his reading.
“Yes, Uncle.” Joshua felt a stab of impatience and glanced at his pocket watch, which said the time was half past four. “I shall dress in half an hour.”
“Come, let us finish our tea,” Cain said easily. “We have no cause for a rush.”
Joshua, usually a still, collected sort, felt a sudden flare of irritation. “Very well,” he said, swallowing his impatience. “I will call Darnell to help me dress. Right after I finish this tea.”
Cain laughed. “Very well.” He sipped tea from a Delft china cup and raised an eyebrow to Joshua, who sat across from him. “Tell me, though, what you think of Lady Juliette?”
The question was flippantly-posed as if he asked what Joshua thought of eggs at breakfast, and Joshua felt a little irritated. As much as they had talked about the trip and Lady Ellingham, he still had not had a chance to talk to her. “I have not had a chance to think anything more of her than I did before,” he said carefully. “Does she even know that I am being considered for the trip?”
“I believe she does,” Cain replied, buttering a scone, “I am sure her father has discussed the matter by now.”
“I will make an attempt to get to know her better tonight. Will that satisfy you?”
Cain laughed. “Yes, my boy.”
“And then in the morning, you can interrogate me. Agreed?” He joined his uncle in his chuckling.
“Yes, yes.” Cain smiled easily. “I can content myself with that.”
“You seem very anxious for me to go, Uncle,” Joshua said after a moment. “What are you thinking?” He suspected he knew, and it was an unpleasant thought. I would like to know Juliette better than I have ever wished to know anyone. But...
“You know what I am thinking, my boy.”
“You’re thinking I have six months to find a bride to keep the inheritance going, aren’t you?” Joshua said stonily.
Cain nodded. “I knew you would know.”
“So you are looking forward to becoming a member of the Ellingham family?” Joshua asked caustically.
“I do not think uncle-of-the-bridegroom warrants me as a member of that family,” he chuckled. “And I would not mind it, even if it did. They are good people. Productive, wealthy, intelligent.”
“Surely they have some flaws?” Joshua rolled his eyes.
“If they do, I am not aware of them,” his uncle replied.
Joshua shook his head. It was not possible for someone to be perfect. His uncle was a good man, kind and generous. However, he also had a fiery temper that could flare up at any moment. Joshua himself had such a temper and struggled daily to tame it. As a younger man, he had lost his temper far too often. As time went by, he had learned to tame it, though his anger and irritation were still there, deep beneath the surface. Whether or not that would cause him a problem in Africa was something which concerned him if he thought about it.
He finished the rest of his tea, listening to his uncle chattering on about a family whose home had been destroyed by fire. Itching with impatience, he waited for his uncle to finish. When the man eventually laid his teacup aside and stood, Joshua launched himself to his feet.
“Thank you, uncle,” he said quickly. “Should we ready ourselves for dinner?”
“Yes,” his uncle said, stretching his long legs. “Capital idea, nephew. I shall see you in half an hour.”
Joshua walked stiffly to his room.
“Darnell?” he called, pulling on the bell in his bedchamber.
“Yes, milord?”
“The dark navy suit, please, with white trousers. And the blue cravat? Thank you.”
The man bowed crisply. “Good, milord.”
Twenty minutes later, dressed in a velvet jacket that stretched over his broad shoulders and calf-hugging white trousers, Joshua was walking briskly downstairs to the main door. The carriage ride was swift, and before Joshua knew it, he was stepping out onto the front drive of Maple Place. The home of Juliette.
He stared at it as he walked up the e
legant stone steps. The place was huge, the design dating from the previous century at least. The country seat of the duke of Worcester was a magnificent place.
Joshua felt his heart thudding as they were led down the elaborate hallway by the butler. Soon I will see her, he thought, walking in through the double doors of the dining room.
He was ushered to a place at the long table. Dinner was already being spread out before them. Joshua eyed it hungrily, but he prefers to sip some wine before departing, hoping to ease his nerves and was feeling somewhat dizzy after that. He was not a typical wine-drinker, as it tended to give him a headache. He almost wished he had not taken any – the last thing he wanted to do was get drunk in front of Juliette and her father.
She is here, he thought, as a sweet voice echoed through the corridor, followed by a laugh.
“Good evening,” the duke of Worcester said, walking in slightly behind his daughter. He could have been speaking the language of the Guinean tribes for all the sense it made. All Joshua could see was Juliette.
The introductions were being made, and then, to his surprise and terror, Lady Juliette's father led her to the place opposite Joshua.
“Come, sit here, Daughter!” he said genially. “You two I am sure to have a great deal to discuss.”
Joshua held his breath, trying not to stare or act even vaguely ruffled by her sudden appearance opposite him. He and the lady were cordial to each other, but for the life of him, he could not think of anything to say to her. He did not know enough about her to ask questions and did not want to pry into her personal life. He was afraid to ask about her mother because it could easily be a sensitive topic for her, as he was for him. He was uncomfortable telling her his life story when he barely knew her.
How will you find out anything about her if you don’t talk to her? He chided himself silently several times. However, the self-scolding had not opened his mouth.
Every so often, Cain would look over and prompt a conversation involving both of them. For the most part, however, he was involved in a conversation with Neville.
Neville said a prayer before they began eating. Joshua watched the footman cutting off two large slices of the chicken breast like an expert and placing it on his plate. She poured a generous amount of gravy over the chicken. The chicken smelled delicious. He was ready to eat and struggled against the urge to begin before everyone else was served. He looked up and met eyes with Juliette. She was looking directly at him.
When she smiled, he felt a bolt of anxiety flow through him. He denied what he was feeling, smiled back to be polite and looked down at his plate.
Could it be the wine affecting his mind and heart? He did not think it was possible to fall in love with someone in an instant. This kind of discovery would make him nervous around her, he was sure of it. He knew he was not going to think straight in her presence if he could not control those feelings. Nervousness would not go over well in the jungles and deserts of Africa. The place was populated with wild beasts and unfriendly humans. He needed to be in control.
He turned his attention to his meal, refusing to think about it anymore and refusing to look up at her.
“Lord Hershey?” Juliette’s voice came across the table to him. His breath caught and he forced his hammering heart to quiet itself.
“Yes, my lady?” he said after swallowing the food he had been chewing. He noticed that she had barely touched her plate, while he was nearly finished with his and was considering seconds.
“You seem very quiet and a bit pale. Are you feeling all right?”
“I am fine, yes, thank you, my lady.”
“I would hate it if our food or wine were to make you feel ill, my lord.”
Her caring voice sent warm waves through him. He felt a pull on his heart. He was gazing at her, hoping he was not giving away his feelings with the look on his face.
Juliette tilted her head to the side. “Are you truly all right, lord Hershey?”
“Yes. You do look a tad green about the gills. What is amiss?” Neville had noticed, too.
Joshua pressed his lips together before giving both of them a pained smile. “I am truly well. I did not wish to alarm you.”
“You’re thinking about the trip, aren’t you, Joshua?” his uncle asked. He turned his eyes to Neville and continued. “We truly did face many perils we were there, Lord Ellingham. I am sure the anxiety is still somewhat fresh, especially when considering another voyage to the same place.”
“I am sorry that you faced such difficulties,” Neville responded.
“It was not the whole trip that was difficult, fortunately for us. In fact, it was just at the very end, when we had to flee, that was so perilous. I do not think it will affect our Joshua once he has reached his destination.”
“He will also be caring for me,” Juliette gave Joshua another smile that made his heart nearly stop. He coughed slightly and took a sip of the water in the glass in front of him. “And you know how hard that can be, Father.” She cast a sidelong glance at him.
Neville laughed. “Don’t let her fool you or frighten you, Joshua. She is a delight and no trouble at all.”
“You make me sound like a favorite thoroughbred, Father.” Juliette stuck out her bottom lip playfully.
“No,” Neville’s laughter continued. “I am treating you like my precious daughter, whom I would love to have by my side for the rest of my life. But we all know that will not happen since you will get married and leave me someday.” He sighed. “In the meantime, I will do what I can to keep you safe.”
“I know you will, Papa. I trust you.”
Included in the intimate exchange, Joshua felt as if he were truly part of the family. It was a delightful sensation. At that moment, all he wished was to be a part of anything which included Juliette. Her cloud of red hair, her slanted green eyes; her petite figure with its swan-like curves and grace. He was not certain she was truly there or conjured from his imagination. The only thing of which he was certain was his good fortune in meeting her.
CHAPTER NINE
THOUGHTS
THOUGHTS
After the dinner, Joshua lay in bed at the guest suite at Worthington Manor, but could not sleep for thinking about Juliette. He could not stop his mind picturing her and relaying every word she had said. He recalled the brief conversations they had had, wondering if it was possible for her to feel the way he did. He chided himself for behaving like a teenager, but, in all the time he had been searching for a bride, dancing with the girls on the ton, he had never had such overwhelming feelings before.
This is silly, Joshua! he rebuked himself. He did not even know if she was looking for a husband. He knew how much she cherished the charity work her father did and how much she wanted to follow in his footsteps. Was it merely a coincidence that he and his uncle were also missionaries, or was it divine providence? Could it be that God wanted him to take Juliette as his wife?
Whenever he thought about the impending trip, he became nervous. The next three weeks would be a whirl of activity for him as he made plans to leave, packed his bags once again and made arrangements for his business dealings. He doubted that he would see much of Juliette during that time, but the thought both elated and frightened him.
He prayed quietly for strength and for the wisdom to make the right decisions, before, during and after the voyage. He knew his dreams would be filled with her face and her voice.
“No time to be feeling like this, Joshua,” he scolded himself quietly. “It will only worsen if you let it overcome you now.”
He struggled to sleep, closing his eyes and breathing steadily. However, every few seconds, he would hear her voice in his mind, her laughter in his ears and see her beautiful face against the back of his eyelids. His heart would begin to race and his eyelids would snap open. He sighed, wondering what time it was and how long he would be forced to lay wide awake in the dark.
He threw back the covers and swung his legs over the side, feeling beside the bed for the
tinderbox. The moon was not shining as brightly as it did on some nights. He could see only slightly in the dimness. He found the tinderbox and lit the lamp. He stood up, reaching for his robe and tucking his feet into the slippers waiting for him. Carrying the lamp by its handle, he left his room behind, intending to take a walk around the estate. It was a warm night and the robe was all he would need to keep himself warm.
He stepped out under the moonlight and his first thought was of Juliette. He was willing to bet money that she would enjoy such a warm, moonlit night. There was a large pond at the bottom of the hill. The star-filled sky and bright three-quarter moon reflected off the rippling surface water. He stared at it for a time, wishing there was a way he could show it to Juliette.
He pictured what it would be like if she was standing in front of him. He would wrap his arms around her and hold her close, even if she wasn’t cold. He would smell the sweet scent of her hair and feel her soft skin against him. He blinked a few times, running through the fantasy in his mind over and over until a voice behind him startled him and he jumped.
“Joshua.” He spun around to see his uncle standing behind him, also in his robe.
“Uncle. What are you doing out here this time of night?”
“I would ask you the same question. I saw the light of the lantern swinging as you walked, but could not see that it was you. I will stand with you for a moment. I must return to bed soon, as I have much to do tomorrow.”
Joshua nodded. “I do as well, Uncle.”
“What are you doing out here?”
Joshua sighed. “I have recently discovered that I have very strong feelings for a woman I barely know.”
Cain smiled. “You are intrigued by the young Lady Juliette?”
“Yes.” He nodded again. “She smiled at me at the dinner table and I was…taken in. It was an overwhelming feeling, Uncle. I’ve never felt it before.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, fighting to explain the feeling.
Regency Romance: The Earl’s Unexpected Journey Of Love (The Fairbanks Series - Love & Hearts) (Historical Romance Fiction) Page 6