by Abigail Agar
Jules scoffed, “What misdeeds? Gregory seeks to help his fellow man while others turn their backs on them. What have you done for the people of this city, Sir Davenport?”
“You have no right to speak to me,” Boris growled. “She’s a lowly commoner.”
Jules laughed, “And you think that makes you better than me?”
“You are no better than those brats at that factory that everyone keeps screaming about,” Boris said in agitation. “It had to happen. It needed to be done.”
Jules’ mouth fell open, and then she screamed, “You set that fire? There were children in there! Innocent children who did nothing.”
“They would grow up to be more of you,” Boris said with distaste. The crowd had fallen so quiet that Boris looked around. “Why do you look at me so? Was it not your husband or yours who benefitted from that fire? Or you Sir who is sneering at me … Did you not mutter good riddance the morning after it happened?”
The crowd shifted uncomfortably. Gregory said, “This is not about commoners or Lords, Boris. This is about your own madness. You are so struck with keeping your ideals in line that you forget there are prices that have to be paid for it. But you do not have to pay those prices, do you? We as Lords do not have to suffer the consequences of our own actions except for when they are against one of our own kind.”
Uncle Lawrence chimed in, “And that is where you made your mistake. Guards, detain Sir Davenport until we can sort this all out.”
“This is preposterous,” Boris shouted.
Sir Chapman cleared his throat. “I think Lawrence is right, Sir Davenport. We have much to figure out.”
Boris sneered at Maxwell, “And you will have much to answer for too, Sir Chapman.”
“I think we all will,” Sir Chapman said with a nod.
The guards grabbed Boris, but Gregory rushed forward before they could drag him away. “Where is Fredrick? What have you done with him?”
Boris grinned. “I hope you suffer not knowing.”
Maxwell asked, “What is this about?”
“He has Fredrick somewhere,” Gregory said in frustration.
Maxwell shook his head. “Boris, you would do well to tell them the young man’s whereabouts.”
“I am ready to go to jail,” Boris said flatly. “I no longer enjoy the stench of society.”
Maxwell gave the nod to the guards, and the men dragged Boris off towards the door. The crowd was standing in stunned silence. Lady St Claire spoke up, “I think it would be best if we ended the party here. I do appreciate your coming as a show of support for my family.”
As everyone began filing out, Maxwell grabbed Gregory’s arm. “There is a place down along the river where your cousin often liked to meet. It is possible that Fredrick is there. We should hurry, though. Boris will likely not be detained long with his connections no matter the amount of tarnish you have placed on him.”
“Go ahead,” Lawrence said. “I will stay with Lady St Claire in case the ladies need any help.”
Lady St Claire nodded. “Just hurry,” she said softly.
Jules too started to go with the two men, but Gregory shook his head. “Please stay here,” Gregory begged. Jules finally relented and sighed as she watched the injured man leave with Sir Chapman.
***
The rush of the river covered up most all noises, Gregory noticed right away. No wonder his cousin had liked to come to this place, Gregory mused. The building they had stopped in front of did not look anything like a place that a Lord would frequent, and Gregory gave Sir Chapman a dubious look.
“I know what it looks like, but it is better inside. He did not want to draw attention to it,” Sir Chapman said as he led the way towards the squat building.
Inside, the boards creaked under their feet, and Gregory worried the boards might actually give way with the amount of dampness in the air.
A muffled sound made Gregory hurry over to a door in the floor. It was a little basement of sorts with just a ladder down. Gregory scrambled down the ladder and listened as the groan came again from a corner. “Fredrick?” Gregory called.
“Gregory?” Fredrick’s voice asked warily. “Is that you?”
Gregory sighed in relief as he went towards the sound and found a mound of wet clothing which he assumed was Fredrick. Fredrick moved to sit up. “Are you okay?”
“I’m well enough, where’s Boris?” Fredrick asked anxiously.
Gregory said, “He is on his way to jail, where he will hopefully stay for a bit.”
“That is not likely,” Fredrick groaned as Gregory pulled him up to his feet. “His lackeys took my cane. I fear I may need a new one.”
Gregory laughed, “I will buy you all the canes you need. I am just glad to hear your voice.”
They made it up the ladder with Sir Chapman’s help. “Sir Chapman,” Fredrick said in surprise.
Sir Chapman looked embarrassed. “I am sorry to admit, but I allowed your cousin to use me as well. I did not realize that my debts came with such a high price, or I would have turned down his offer of help,” Sir Chapman said sincerely.
“I think we can all forgive you,” Fredrick said, “after all, we were fooled by Boris for much longer than you.”
***
“So, your uncle is speaking before the Lords today?” Jules asked Gregory as they sat in the rose garden where they had been married.
Gregory nodded and smiled over at her, his blond hair catching the light. “Uncle’s testimony will go a long way to making it harder for Boris to get me convicted of trying to kill him and Uncle,” Gregory said thoughtfully. “Of course, we still have to deal with all the rest of it.”
“Why have me put in jail, workhouses … why go through that?” Jules asked in confusion.
Gregory said with a sigh, “That is where he wanted you to begin with. You were part of his plan to frame the masons, and that fell through. He learned of our marriage and who you really were. I think it pushed him over the edge.”
“And,” Fredrick said as he stepped up beside them, “don’t forget that he had planned for both I and Her Grace to disappear, which would make it look like we had run off together.”
Jules laughed. “He just really is mad.”
“I do not know how we missed it,” Gregory said. “How did we not see how disturbed the man was?”
Jules said softly, “He is your cousin. You grew up together. You just gave him the benefit of the doubt, just like you did Sir Chapman when everyone said you should not.”
“That’s true,” Fredrick said. “You never could give up on people, Gregory.”
Gregory nodded and said, “Well, I think I can now. That particular bit of habit has been broken.”
“It feels cooler this morning, doesn’t it?” Jules asked causing Fredrick to laugh. “I am serious.”
Fredrick nodded and sank down to the stone steps that led into the garden so he could stretch out his leg. “It does feel a bit cooler.”
“I think summer might be losing its hold over dear England, finally,” Gregory said. They all let the mundane conversation drop as they watched the sun rise over the tops of the trees that bordered the rose garden.
Jules whispered after a long while, “I will be glad to see the country estate again.”
“Yes,” Fredrick said with a sigh. “I wonder how it is doing since I have been indisposed and unable to attend to it.”
Gregory chuckled, “I think everyone will forgive you for your lack of management while being kidnapped and riding all over the country.” With a sigh, Gregory added, “With all the drama, you might be called upon to take up the title of Duke anyway.”
“Do you really think that would happen?” Fredrick asked in distaste.
Gregory shrugged and said, “It is possible. I do not think it would be such a horrible thing. You have handled everything thrown at you and are no worse for the wear. I think being Duke would be just another day for you.”
“And what would you do?” Fredr
ick asked in amusement.
Jules suggested, “He could run the country estate.”
“Ah, so that was your plan all along,” Fredrick said with a chuckle.
Gregory said, “Yes, Fred, I did all of this just so I would not have to attend parties.”
“Sounds about right,” Fredrick said with a grin.
***
Weeks later, the House of Lords decreed that Boris was stripped of his title to only a spattering of outcry which quickly died down.
Gregory had for once attended the meeting and looked on with little satisfaction. His own fate was to be handed to him the following day, and he tried not to think on it too much.
As he left the House of Lords, Sir Chapman caught him by the arm. “Your Grace,” Sir Chapman said as he cleared his throat. “I will be in attendance tomorrow in support of you, Gregory.”
“It is quite okay, Maxwell,” Gregory assured the man. “Whatever they decide will not change my joy at having my family together again.”
Maxwell nodded. “That is as it should be,” he said quietly.
***
The next day, Jules, Fredrick, and Lady St Claire waited anxiously for Gregory to return. Jules was sitting on a bench in the foyer watching for Gregory while Lady St Claire oversaw a new recipe that the cook was preparing for lunch.
While Jules had been happy to learn that Boris would be stripped of his title, she thought it so petty and horrible that Gregory might lose his title simply because of her.
She had offered to go to the House of Lords herself, but of course, that was strictly forbidden and would have probably caused even more woe. As she sat contemplating, Fredrick came into the foyer and chuckled. “You look more nervous than Mother,” Fredrick said lightly.
“Aren’t you nervous? Why aren’t you nervous?” Jules asked the man incredulously.
Fredrick shrugged and said, “As much as my brother despises society, I also know that he is a man well-suited to it. When he puts his mind to it, he can talk anyone into anything.”
“You just do not want to attend all those parties,” Jules teased.
Fredrick admitted, “That is partly true, but Mother will make me before long, so it is a moot point.”
“Oh, she has decided that because we are such a quiet family, it would be nice to have another member?” Jules asked with a grin.
Fredrick said, “Yes. Those were her exact words.”
It felt good to laugh, and Jules smiled at the man. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Jules said, “I still do not understand why Boris did what he did, but then maybe that is because I am just a commoner.”
“I think being just a commoner is not such a bad thing,” Fredrick said quietly. “I met a girl while I was looking for you. Her name was Ruby.”
Jules nodded, “I remember her. She was very kind to me.”
“She helped me,” Fredrick said. “She told me that you had been there and such. I never wanted to help someone so much, and yet I could do nothing.”
Jules looked at Fredrick compassionately, “I know what you mean. Growing up, I saw all manner of things that I just could not change. It was so frustrating that, well, honestly that’s one of the reasons I kept pretending I was a boy.” Jules frowned. “At least as a boy, I had some agency to do something, even if it was not much.”
Fredrick sighed. “Sad lot we are,” he said with a frown then smiled. “Still, now you are a Duchess.”
“For now,” Jules said with a smile.
Fredrick said, “I have a feeling you will still be one.”
There was the sound of horseshoes on cobblestone as the carriage pulled up to the house. Jules was quickly up off the bench and to the door before William could open it. William just shook his head in amusement and sighed as the young woman rushed out the door.
Gregory stepped out of the carriage and was immediately embraced by Jules. “Well, that is quite the greeting,” Gregory chuckled. “What do I owe all of this affection to?”
“To my anxiety that you might be whisked away on some technicality of reason, and I might never see you again,” Jules said. She looked up at Gregory and smiled at him. “So, what did they say?”
Gregory said, “Come on, I should tell Mother and Fredrick as well.”
Jules groaned in frustration but let the man lead her back inside. Fredrick stood up and looked at Jules and Gregory curiously. “So?” Fredrick asked.
“He wants to tell everyone together,” Jules said with a frown.
Gregory laughed. “It is surely not so horrible that you have to make that face.” He chided Jules as he put his arm around her shoulders and guided her towards the dining area.
Lady St Claire looked up in surprise. “Gregory, I did not know you were back. Sit down,” she said as she hurried over and tugged Gregory towards a chair.
Fredrick sat down as well, and Jules took a chair next to Gregory’s spot. They all sat in silence as Lady St Claire rushed out of the room to get the food brought in. Soon enough plates of food were being brought in and set before them.
Lady St Claire said happily, “We have been working on a new dumpling recipe. I do hope you like it.”
“It looks delicious,” Gregory said.
Lady St Claire seated herself as Gregory took a test bite of the dish. He made a noise of approval as he nodded over to his mother. “Do you like it?”
“Yes, it is quite lovely and spicy,” Gregory said as he took a sip of his wine.
Fredrick sighed. “Okay, enough. Can you just tell us what they said?”
“I might as well as you all keep looking at me like I am about to either drop dead or sprout antlers on top of my head,” Gregory said with a chuckle. “They have agreed to allow me to keep my title as Jules was appropriately sponsored and we followed etiquette.”
Lady St Claire’s mouth fell open. “I am shocked,” she said as she started laughing. “I thought for sure that they would strip your title.”
“I knew it,” Fredrick said lightly, “did I not tell you, Your Grace?” Fredrick gave Jules a grin.
Jules laughed. “Yes, you did, Sir St Claire. Yes, you did.”
“Yes, Fredrick has this annoying knack of guessing things correctly,” Gregory admitted.
Fredrick scoffed, “I do not guess, my dear brother. I calculate and reason. It was perfectly logical for them to leave the title with you. After all, they would have had to transfer it to me, and you are by far the more pleasant to deal with.”
“Nonsense,” Lady St Claire chided. “You would have made an excellent Duke of Thornton, but it is just as well that it is left with Gregory. He suits the title well.”
Gregory chuckled, “If you all are done debating my worthiness, can I eat?”
“Go ahead,” Jules said with a smile.
***
With the season ending, the St Claire household opted to return to the country estate. There they found Mrs Kelley and her young daughters waiting on the front steps along with the rest of the household help. As the carriage containing the Duke and Duchess of Thornton opened, and Gregory stepped out, the people assembled began to cheer.
Jules stepped down with Gregory’s help and laughed at the enthusiastic greeting from the household. Lady St Claire and Fredrick, too, thought it great fun, but Gregory just gave the household a bow and a sincere, “Thank you, but please carry on.”
“Your staff really cares for you,” Jules said softly to her husband as he offered her his arm.
They walked up the steps and Gregory admitted, “I had no idea that they would even blink if I disappeared.”
The stable boys came over and patted Fredrick on the back enquiring about his adventures. “I think they would miss you all,” Jules said.
“You included,” Gregory told her with a smile.
The cool autumn breeze had arrived at the country estate as well, and Jules shivered slightly. A man approached Gregory as they reached the top of the stairs. “Constable,” Gregory said as he reached his
hand out to the man.
“Your Grace, I hate to impose on you as you are just returning home, but I am tracking a man that seems to be involved with the local highwaymen. I have reason to believe that he may be holed-up somewhere on your property,” the constable said with regret.
Gregory waved off the man’s concern. “Whatever you need,” Gregory offered.
“A few young men to search the grounds, and if you could tell me where to look, it would be helpful as you know this land better than I can hope to,” the constable said honestly.