by Abigail Agar
“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.
Gregory nodded. “Done. Jules, go on and catch up with your mother. I will return shortly,” he said, and he gave Jules a kiss on the forehead before he turned and left with the constable.
Lady St Claire stepped up next to Jules. “What is that about?”
“I have a sinking feeling that I might know,” Jules said softly, “but I dare not say it.”
***
Gregory rode with the constable towards a hollow that was riddled with little hiding spots. He and Fredrick had played here often as children along with Boris and Maxwell.
Fredrick rode up alongside his brother and nodded. Fredrick motioned to two of the young men to come with him, and they flanked around the other side of the hollow in case the wanted man tried to run.
The hollow was deep with the shadows brought on by the slant of the evening sun. It would be easy enough to hide. Gregory and the constable dismounted and motioned for the young men with them to spread out so that no one could get past them as they walked down into the shadows.
Gregory called out, “If there is someone in here, then you should come out now!”
There was a moment of silence before a voice called, “I thought you were dead.”
The constable and Gregory looked at each other. “Who is there?” Gregory asked cautiously. There was no answer, so Gregory called out again, “We have the hollow surrounded by men. It would be easier on you if you just came out.”
Finally, there was a scrabbling noise, and a man emerged from a hollow tree. He held up his hands. “Don’t hurt me, Your Grace, I was just doing what I was told,” David said.
Gregory scowled, “Is that the man you were looking for, Constable?”
“Does look like the description; I’ll have to let the witnesses have a look at him, though,” the constable said with a nod.
David begged, “Please, Boris said I would get a big house and land. I had to get out of London. There was nothing there for me anymore.”
“And whose fault is that?” Gregory asked with contempt as the constable and two men went down to the man and brought him up to the horses. Gregory ignored the man’s pleas for mercy and rode back up to the house.
Fredrick caught up with his brother. “That was that scum who turned Jules into the police, was it not?”
“Yes,” Gregory said.
They dismounted in the front yard of the main house, and two stable boys rushed over to get the horses as soon as they walked towards the house. Jules met them at the top of the stairs, “Did they find him?”
“You do not want to see him,” Gregory said firmly.
Jules balled up her fist and walked towards where the constable and riders were approaching the driveway to leave. She walked out into their path, and the constable warily came to a stop. Jules walked over to where David sat in his saddle with his hands tied.
David said, “Jules, my friend. Surely you can find it in your heart to understand what position I am in. You and I have endured much growing up.”
Jules glared at the man. “I hope you rot in jail,” she spat.
David’s face fell, and there was real fear in the man’s eyes as the constable clicked his heels to move his horse forward. David’s horse was tied to the constable’s horse, and the man’s eyes were wide with the fear as they left.
“Are you okay?” Gregory asked quietly as he approached Jules.
Jules nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I am definitely going to be, Your Grace,” she said with a smile as she embraced her husband.
Epilogue
Two years later at the country estate around the time for Christmas celebrations, the candles danced, and music drifted through the air. Gregory and Jules watched their mothers squabbling for the fifth time over the menu for Christmas dinner with much amusement.
Right before Jules thought they would have to intercede to ensure that the women were indeed safe there was the sound of horses outside.
“Oh, that will be Fred,” Jules said with excitement. She started to get up, then fell back to her bottom and laughed. “I am afraid that I am not as graceful as I once was.”
“But you are still quite a sight to behold,” Gregory said with a smile as he helped her up. He cupped her elbow in his hand once she was on her feet and guided his wife towards the door.
There outside, Fredrick was just slipping off his horse. He turned and waved with his free hand to the couple who had come out to greet him. “Is it not a bit cold for a lady in your condition to be out in the snow?”
“It is not snowing yet,” Jules said petulantly. “Besides, I am growing tired of being coddled. What took you so long to return?”
Fredrick raised his hands helplessly and said, “I was attending a meeting to organize help for the poor houses and such. I guess time just got away from me. Besides, they had cookies and a warm fire.”
“Well, we have both here as well,” Gregory said with a laugh.
Fredrick laughed along with his brother. “Why did you not say that to begin with?
Gregory put his arm around his brother’s shoulders and led him inside. “Mother and Mrs Kelley are knee-deep in a two-hour argument over what sprouts are traditional to serve. Do you want to watch?”
“You two really need to get out of this house,” Fredrick laughed at Jules and Gregory.
Jules agreed, “You are probably right, but with my current condition, and the weather only getting worse, I doubt we will be out much until spring at earliest.”
“You poor wretches,” Fredrick said with a grin.
***
“So who is expected to come for this little shindig of Mother’s?” Fredrick asked in distaste.
Gregory shrugged. “I am not sure to be honest. Jules had a bit to do with the guest list, but I have mostly been keeping my head down and just hoping for the best.”
“That really is the best course of action,” Fredrick said wisely. “Besides, I am sure Jules was a good influence on her.”
The brothers exchanged a look before Gregory said, “To be honest, she might have been a bad one. She has been having a lot of moods which I cannot account for, dear Brother.”
Fredrick snickered. “Well, she is with a child. I think that allows her some small amount of indulgence.”
“Oh, I indulge,” Gregory said with a nod. “I just do not know if I will survive the birth and having an infant.”
Fredrick laughed. “You have survived to take your seat in the House of Lords. Surely that was harder for you?”
The two of them walked across the lawn and breathed in the crisp air. Gregory shrugged. “It was something that I should have done before. If I had, then perhaps none of this would have happened, and we would not have had to go through all of this.”
“But then you very likely would not have that young lady in the house that is currently heavy with your child. So I think it all works out in balance, eh?”
“Yes,” Gregory said with a smile. “I suppose it did end fairly well.”
***
Jules hummed a tune to herself as she placed the holly on the table. Her mother’s voice exclaimed, “Stay away from that holly.” Mrs Kelley came over in a rush. “Do you not know they are poisonous?”
“I am not going to eat it, Mama,” Jules said with a smile. “I am just placing hollies and mistletoe around for good luck and romance.”
Mrs Kelley folded her arms and said, “I think you have had enough romance.”
“Not for me,” Jules said with a wave of her hand at her mother. “I am trying to create a festive atmosphere for Fredrick to meet his lady love.”
Mrs Kelley sighed. “You should not meddle in the affairs of others, Jules.”
“What affairs? He spends all his time, every last minute, devoted to bringing about change in the poorhouses and workhouses. He will die
alone at this rate,” she said as her eyes brimmed with tears.
Lady St Claire clucked her tongue as she came into the room. “Are you crying over Fredrick’s fate again?” Lady St Claire looked at Mrs Kelley and said, “This is the third time today.”
“Do you think you are sleeping enough? Or are you not drinking enough?” Mrs Kelley asked her daughter in concern.
Jules threw up her hands. “I am fine. I have things to see to,” she said in exasperation as she stomped off.
The two women looked at each other and shook their heads in commiseration. Jules ignored the older women and went straight to Sherry who was helping peel potatoes in the kitchen. Jules smiled at the young woman. “Have you gotten to see the house?”
“What I saw of it looked very cheerful,” Sherry said with a smile. “
Jules frowned and sat down beside Sherry at the kitchen counter. “Do you think that I should leave Fredrick be?”
“I think your heart is in the right place,” Sherry said as she gave her friend’s hand a pat. “Has His Grace told you that you should not do it?”
Jules said sheepishly, “I have not really told him of my mission. I think he will tell me to stop, and I do not want to. Truthfully, it gives me something else to think about than the impending birth of my child in the next couple of weeks.”
“You are scared,” Sherry said in understanding.
Jules nodded enthusiastically. “I am terrified, but I do not want to tell anyone how terrified I am because they might think I am weak. Women are supposed to birth babies. It is simply what we do,” she said. She chewed her lip in worry.
“You cannot keep things bundled up in yourself, Your Grace,” Sherry said with a sympathetic smile. “Childbirth is not an easy thing, and no one will think the worse of you for being afraid of it. I’m quite afraid of it, and I’ve never done it.”
Jules said, “Maybe that is why I am afraid of it. I just have never done it before.”
“It is entirely possible,” Sherry said. “You could talk to your mother or Lady St Claire. They have done it before. Perhaps they could help you.”
Jules thought about it and nodded. “Maybe so,” she agreed quietly.
Soon enough the cook was over to see what was taking the potatoes so long, and Jules took her leave to keep from getting Sherry in trouble. As she walked down the hallways, Jules admired the ribbons and hollies that adorned the house. It looked like a Christmas vision to Jules.
She stopped and sighed happily as she looked at the big Christmas tree framed by the doorway with its tinsel and ribbons. It looked quite magical amid the candlelight that bounced off the tinsel and sent sparkles around the room. There was nothing to be done now but wait. Jules decided to spend the time in a way that everyone would approve of; she went and took a nap.
***
The party guests started to finally arrive and with them came the first flakes of snow, which people stepped outside to enjoy if they were feeling particularly adventurous.
Jules even sneaked out and caught a flake on her tongue much to Gregory’s amusement, but her mother and Lady St Claire were not as amused by it and swiftly sent her back inside with a stern lecture to Gregory about keeping Jules warm enough.
The evening and music were perfect. Jules had always loved the idea of Christmas, but the reality of it was not really the same thing in a poor household. She loved that ribbons appeared and people suddenly smiled more. It was as if those ribbons brought with them all the good tidings for the year that people kept buried away.
Christmas seemed to bring out the best in people, but Jules was no silly girl who believed in frilly tales of goodness without there being some reality. There were always people who sought to take advantage of the generosity of spirit that people possessed at that time of year.
Jules was dragged from her thoughts as she saw just the person she wanted to see. The youngest daughter of the Marquis of Dorchire, whose father had been most furious when Boris had been stripped of his title, stepped into the room accompanied by her father.
“Marquis of Dorchire,” Lady St Claire said happily. “I am so glad that you could make it.”
The man nodded, “Well, my daughter was most insistent, and I have to admit that I was rather fond of the idea of getting some of that lovely pudding you always serve, Miriam.”
“Oh, Reginald, you are really too kind,” Lady St Claire said as she patted the man on the arm.
Jules hurried up to the pair and waved at the young lady. “I am so pleased to see you, Rachel,” Jules said enthusiastically as Lady St Claire led the Marquis off to show him the table of food they had prepared.
Rachel smiled shyly. “This place looks so lovely.”
“Thank you. I have worked hard on it all day,” Jules said with a proud smile. “Why don’t you come and see the tree?”
Rachel said with excitement, “I would really like that.”
***
Fredrick and Gregory were standing to one side mostly watching everyone come and go from the room where space had been cleared for people to dance.
On the far side, Gregory spotted Jules leading a young woman towards the tree. Both women seemed excited by the Christmas tree, and Gregory nodded. “Is that the Marquis’ youngest daughter?”
“You seriously expect me to know what some young lady looks like when I barely know her name? I have been away to war for some time, Gregory,” Fredrick said as he sipped his eggnog.
Gregory rolled his eyes. “I forget what they look like, and I see them every other month,” he said with a laugh.
“Ah, there’s Amanda,” Fredrick said. “She is the Marquis’ middle daughter.”
Gregory frowned. “I was not aware he had a middle daughter. I think I have only met two of them,” he said in amusement.
“She has been away to school,” Fredrick explained.
Gregory looked at his brother strangely. “How do you know who she is, if I might ask?”
“Nothing unseeingly,” Fredrick assured his brother. “She works with one of the churches, and they help with the poorhouses. I met her at a meeting.”
Jules came over and introduced Rachel to Gregory and Fredrick. “Gentlemen, this is Miss Rachel Trenton, the daughter of the Marquis of Dorchire. Rachel, this is the Duke of Thornton and his brother Sir Fredrick St Claire.”
Rachel curtseyed and smiled at both men. “It is a pleasure to meet you Your Grace and Sir St Claire. It is a most enjoyable party.”
“We cannot really take any credit for the party as it was all Her Grace and our dear mother’s doing,” Fredrick said with a smile. “I certainly hope you enjoy the party. I have to excuse myself for a moment.”
Jules frowned as Fredrick made his way through the crowd. Rachel said, “There’s my sister. I better go say hello. Excuse, Your Graces.” Jules and Gregory nodded at the young woman as she set off towards the taller brown-haired girl.
“You are barking up the wrong tree,” Gregory said with a smile.
Jules looked at her husband in puzzlement. “What are you on about?”
“You have the wrong sister if you are looking to tame my brother,” Gregory said with a wink at his wife.