No, that wasn’t quite true. His interest in Amelia had raised dangerous suspicions. Those suspicions could be swiftly laid to rest with one action from him. He knew he had to do it, but he’d been stalling, unwilling to separate himself from Amelia once and for all. But now it was the one thing he could do to protect her reputation, to leave the path clear for Radwill to offer his hand and protect her from Cheadle’s machinations. He had to ask Julia to marry him tonight. There wasn’t another moment to spare.
He found Julia talking with Lady Tewsbury, Lady Spalding and Lady Watting. She was remarkably good at making idle chitchat about things she held no interest in. If Amelia was trapped in conversation with that bunch, she’d look positively mutinous. Julia chattered away about Lady Tewsbury’s new ballroom draperies as if she had no other interests on earth. She’d make a good wife, smoothing his way into the upper reaches of Society, her breeding and manners washing over whatever social deficiencies his money didn’t make up for. He couldn’t make a better, more logical choice, and yet his heart felt heavier with every step he took in her direction.
When he joined them, Lady Tewsbury attempted to draw him into the conversation, but Nate resisted with a smile.
“I only came to see if I might escort Lady Julia to the punch bowl for a refreshment.”
Julia brightened and tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “How kind of you, Mr. Smythe. I was feeling rather parched.”
“Don’t let us keep you, my dear,” Lady Tewsbury said, her eyes flashing with glee. A proposal occurring at her house party would surely be a feather in her cap, the sort of thing she could gossip about for months to come.
Nate made his bows to the company and led Julia across the ballroom. All eyes were upon them, and he could feel the expectations rise around him. After the week he’d spent in her company, singling Julia out, escorting her about the room like this, was tantamount to a declaration. All he had to do was actually make it.
He retrieved her punch and spent a few moments as she sipped it trying to marshal his courage. “Julia, if you’re not too fatigued, I thought we might take a brief turn around the garden.”
“Oh. All right. If you’d like.”
He scowled. Surely she knew what was coming. He thought she’d express a bit more enthusiasm, perhaps shoot him a knowing smile...something.
“After you.” He motioned her through the open French doors and out onto the terrace. There were a few shallow steps leading down into the garden, which had seen such heated activity the night before. Resolutely, Nate thrust the memory of it away. That was all over with now. Julia was his future, and Amelia’s security.
They walked a little way down a path in silence, Nate grasping for the right words to speak to get things underway.
“Would you like to sit?” He motioned to a stone bench under a wooden arbor draped in wisteria vines. What a very romantic setting.
“If you would.”
He couldn’t sit. There was too much panic and anxiety rampaging through his limbs. Instead, he paced back and forth across the small, leafy alcove. Julia looked up at him, waiting for him to say something. He swallowed hard and came to stand before her.
“Julia, you must know what I mean to say.”
“I have some idea.”
Nate closed his eyes, and banished every thought of shining black curls and flashing dark eyes. On an exhale, he shoved the words out in a jumble. “Would you do me the great honor of giving me your hand in marriage?”
He opened his eyes. Julia was staring up at him, her fine golden eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Pardon?” she said.
“Will you marry me?” he said, clearer this time, leaving no room for confusion.
“But... I mean...” Julia stood up abruptly, clutching her hands together at her waist. “I don’t understand. You want to marry me?”
“Well...” He couldn’t very well tell her marrying her was the last thing on earth he wanted to do. “Yes?”
“Oh, no,” Julia said, shaking her head vigorously. “I can’t marry you. I don’t intend to marry anyone.”
Now Nate was the one who was confused. “I don’t understand. I thought you admired me. You said you did.”
“I do admire you. You have the finest understanding of the shipping business in the whole of Britain.”
“You’re right. I do.”
“I know it well. And if you’ve done so well with fifteen ships, imagine what you could do with another thirty.”
“I have imagined it,” Nate confessed. “I’ve imagined managing those ships for some time.”
“So have I,” Julia said, raising her chin in challenge. There was something steely and calculating in her voice, a businesslike tone Nate had previously attributed to some quirk of her personality. But something was rapidly becoming clear to him. She didn’t sound businesslike. She was conducting business.
And finally—finally—he understood Julia Harrow perfectly. She didn’t want him as a romantic partner. She never had. That was why he’d never sensed a flicker of interest from her. That was why she’d remained so maddeningly unreadable. He’d been attempting to read her the wrong way.
“It’s you. You’re the one who runs your father’s company. That’s why he looks so baffled when I try to talk to him about business. And why you express such an interest.”
Julia nodded. “I thought surely you’d already figured it out, after all our conversations about the business.”
Nate shook his head, baffled. “Apparently I’ve been uncommonly slow to put things together. I’m still not sure I understand.”
“It happened quite by accident, I assure you. With my mother dying when I was young, and Father not having much head for business, I took on the management of our household early on. Mr. Parker, his business manager, was already used to dealing with me about the domestic accounts. When Father inherited Royal Eastern from his cousin, it wasn’t so much of a stretch to involve myself in that, as well. In truth, we needed the money. If I hadn’t made such a successful go of the company, I’d have had to marry well to shore up our finances. And, as I said, I have no wish to marry. So I had a rather vested interest in the company’s success. Father was mortified. He felt it was unseemly for him to take an interest in business, but for me... It was beyond the pale.”
“But he wasn’t so horrified he would refuse the profits you made him.”
“Like I said, our financial situation was precarious before I succeeded with Royal Eastern. He made me promise to keep it a secret. He’s so afraid of what people will say about me.”
“All these years you’ve run his business for him.”
“Yes. I’ve had my eye on you for some time, Mr. Smythe. Your success is rather legendary in our industry.”
Nate let out a stunned laugh. “Our industry. Because of course, you and I are practically colleagues.”
“Just so. Which is why I’ve been following your progress. I made Evelyn invite you to this party, so I could get to know you.”
“Good Lord, I’ve been a fool.”
“What did you think I was about, talking to you about your company all the time?”
“I thought you were impressed by me.”
“I was. I was impressed by your business acumen.”
“I see that now.”
Julia shook her head. “I can’t believe you thought it was romantic.”
“I admit you did seem rather reserved.”
“Because I never once considered you in such a light. Besides, you belong to Amelia. That was quite obvious from the first.”
“Amelia? No, I—”
“Come now, Mr. Smythe. Anyone can see how you feel about her. That’s why I asked Evelyn to invite her, too.”
“You asked Evelyn to invite her? Why?”
“Evelyn h
ad already invited you, but you were being entirely too diffident. I’d seen you speaking with her at the Miltons’ ball, and again that night at the Longvilles’. I knew you’d come if she was here.”
“How did you know?”
Julia smiled. “That you’re in love with her? You couldn’t take your eyes off her. Anyone can tell, if they’re looking. And since I’d made you my business, I was looking. But if you love Amelia, why on earth did you think to propose to me?”
It pained him to admit the truth. “I wanted the company.”
“And you were willing to marry me to get it?”
He held up his hands in defense. “If I’d had my choice, I would have done business with your father. I attempted it, but he—”
“Doesn’t know a thing about the business,” she said with an understanding nod.
“Yes, and he doesn’t seem to approve of me.”
“Hmm, probably not. Don’t worry, I’ll manage him on that account. But why marriage? What about Amelia?”
Nate shook his head. “It’s impossible. She’s not meant for me.”
“Of course she is. She’s perfect for you.”
“Yes, she is. But her family wants something very different for her. They would never approve of me.”
“Because you don’t have a title?”
“Exactly.”
“Ah, that explains why she’s been torturing herself with Lord Radwill. Well, I can’t give you a title, but perhaps a high-profile alliance with one might turn her father’s head.”
“You just refused me.”
“I wasn’t talking about marriage. I’m talking about our arrangement.”
“Our arrangement?”
Julia huffed in exasperation. “Our business arrangement. I thought we finally understood each other, Mr. Smythe.”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to fill me in on the details of your plan, Julia. I’ve been distracted.”
“Father is terribly hidebound. Obviously he would object to a partnership with you based on your background if you approached him.”
“Which I tried to do.”
“Exactly.”
“Ah, but you mean to approach him, and present it as your idea.”
“It is my idea. But I had to be sure you and I had our details worked out before I put the plan before him.”
“And you think you can convince him?”
“If he knows there’s money to be made. And if he’s assured of your secrecy about my role in things. He’ll be very worried about that.”
“You have my word. I won’t breathe a word of it. But, Julia—if I may—it’s a shame you feel you have to operate in such secrecy. You’ve got a fine mind and you’ve done wonders with the company. You should feel proud.”
“I am proud of it. But the rest of Society doesn’t see it as you do, Mr. Smythe. I want to claim my role in the company, and I will, but I think my way will be made easier once I’ve allied the company with another great shipping concern. When our partnership proves profitable, and with your support behind me, I think others will have no choice but to acknowledge my abilities. That’s why I’m so intent on our partnership succeeding.”
“Well, in that we’re in perfect accord, Julia. I think I’m every bit as eager for this partnership as you are. I look forward to working with you.” He extended his hand toward her. Julia looked down at it, offered for a handshake, not to kiss her fingertips like a lady’s, and she beamed. She placed her hand in his, gripped him with surprising strength and shook on it.
They spoke a few minutes more, laying the preliminary groundwork for their joint venture and discussing how Julia planned to present the idea to her father.
“I’m afraid we have to go in or people will think you’ve compromised me and we really will have to marry,” Julia said with a dramatic shudder.
“Julia, I confess, I had no real romantic inclinations toward you—”
“I should hope not.”
“But I asked you anyway because I felt expectations had been raised in that quarter and I meant to act honorably. I would still do so if you have any reservations on that front. I won’t see you compromised because I’ve been a careless dolt.”
“If you wish to do the right thing, you’ll marry Amelia. I can assure you, I have no interest in ever marrying. And once I announce my role in Father’s business, no man would have me anyway, which suits me perfectly, as I don’t want a man. Please don’t trouble yourself on my account. I expect nothing of you except that you bring your sharp business mind to bear on all our mutual concerns. Otherwise, you should follow your heart and set things right with Amelia. After all, I went through a tremendous amount of trouble to get you both here this week. It would be a shame to waste the opportunity.”
“She thought she was asked here as a joke.”
“A joke? Oh, no. Evelyn’s a bit high-spirited, but she’s not that malicious. She was kind enough to invite you both on my behalf. Now stop wasting time out here with me and go find her.”
For the first time this week, Nate felt a flicker of hope. No, he didn’t have a title and he never would. But if Julia could work her magic with her father, he’d soon be an equal business partner with an earl. Surely that would raise his status enough to please Amelia’s parents. And if it didn’t? He’d marry her anyway. Somehow he’d figure out a way through this.
Nate smiled and clapped Julia on the shoulder like the partner she now was. “Thank you, Julia. I mean to do just that.”
* * *
When Nate escorted Julia out onto the terrace, there was no doubt in Amelia’s mind what he was going to do. He would leave this house engaged to her.
When this infernal house party was over and she was back in London, she would make sure to have Genevieve around for tea to thank her for her careful training. Gen’s coaching ensured no one could tell her heart had withered and died. She said and did all the right things, graciously accepting a glass of punch from Radwill, joking good-naturedly with Robbie Ponsoy and Will Thistlethwaite, accepting a second, and then a third dance with Radwill. Her sunny smile stayed in place for all of it.
After all her parents’ despairing over her wild ways, fearing she’d never manage to secure the regard of a member of the nobility, things with Radwill now seemed to be progressing to their inevitable conclusion with very little effort on her part. She drifted, allowing events to carry her along and they seemed to be carrying her toward marriage to a viscount.
When she professed herself to be exhausted from dancing, Radwill escorted her to the foot of the stairs and took her hand in both of his. He asked her, in a quiet, earnest voice, if she might walk out in the garden with him after breakfast the next day. She smiled and agreed, knowing she’d come back in from their walk engaged to him.
Events were falling into place around her, steering her inexorably toward her preordained future. When she reached it, she’d embrace it to the best of her ability. But there was one last thing she needed, one thing she wanted to do, while the choice was still hers to make.
Chapter Sixteen
Amelia had already gone to bed when Nate and Julia returned to the ballroom. Just as well. A great many things needed to be done to clear his path, and some potentially difficult conversations would need to happen. It was probably wise to face it with a decent night’s sleep behind him.
He’d stepped out of his shoes, stripped out of his tailcoat and waistcoat, and was working his cuff links loose when he heard a soft but unmistakable tap at his bedroom door, too hesitant to be a servant. It was a sound attempting to be furtive. He crossed to the door and opened it a crack, in case it was Kitty Ponsoy up to further mischief. Instead, Amelia’s eyes, wide and glimmering in the dim gaslight of the hallway, met his. Her hair was unbound, a tumble of shiny black curls falling about her shoulders and dow
n her back. And her body... She was dressed for bed, and barely for that.
“Bloody hell, what do you think you’re doing?” He opened the door and grasped her arm, dragging her inside and casting a quick glance up and down the hall. No one seemed to be about, but it was still ludicrously foolish for Amelia to come to his door alone after midnight, especially considering what she was wearing. His eyes dropped down the length of her, glimpsing sheer pink silk and lace clinging to her curves, before he closed his eyes and groaned. “Amelia, if anyone saw you—”
“No one did.”
“They could have. What are you doing walking the halls like this?”
“I needed to see you.” She was wrapping the ribbon tie of her peignoir around her finger over and over. The neckline of her nightgown dipped perilously low, giving him a delectable view of the fullness of her breasts and the cleft between them. The night had turned chilly, and the soft silk did nothing to hide her firm nipples. His throat closed up. Good God, how he wanted to touch her, and feel that silk slide over those hard points.
“Now? Like this?”
“If not now, then never.”
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
She dropped the ribbon, her hands falling to her side as she nibbled on her full lower lip. Then, her face grim with resolve, she took a step forward, laid her hands on his chest, raised herself to her toes and kissed him. His body responded to her before his mind could make sense of things, his eyes closing and his hands coming up to grip her hips. Her tongue swept along his lower lip and he groaned softly before wrenching himself back enough to look at her.
“What do you think you’re doing, Amelia?”
“Choosing for myself. Radwill’s going to ask me to marry him tomorrow and I’ll say yes and everything will be decided. No more choices for me because, contrary to what you and everyone else thinks, I do know how to behave properly—”
“I don’t think—”
“Of course you do. Everyone does. But when I do it, I mean to do it right. Once I’m married, no matter to whom, I will honor the promise I make. It’s not very nice of me to borrow Julia’s fiancé this way, but you’re not married yet, and it will only be this once. Then you’re all hers.”
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