Vows of Honor: Secrets of Scarlett Hall Book 6

by Jennifer Monroe

  ***

  The ballroom of the Galpin Manor had white painted walls and two rows of three small chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Nearly a hundred people were in attendance, and Amelia suspected it could hold a hundred more. For some reason, no musicians sat on the dais at the far end of the room, but no one seemed to care.

  Men hurried about greeting one another with raised glasses and laughs, and the majority of the women stood huddled together in small groups, their voices hushed whispers as they glanced about the room.

  A woman in a red gown passed by, and Lilias hurried after her. An old friend, perhaps.

  “That is Miss Charity Goldsmith,” Christopher said, although she had not asked. “Thirty years of age and a spinster, she somehow is blessed to have escaped the scorn of the ton.”

  “Why is that?” Amelia asked, surprised that anyone could escape such scorn. “Is she admired that greatly?”

  Christopher laughed. “Not at all. It is because she seems to know everyone’s secrets. Nothing escapes her, and thus everyone fears her tongue. She has been known to let slip particular details more than once when someone has offended her.”

  Amelia shook her head. If one could not hold her tongue, it would only turn to bite her in the end, or so her grandmother had often said. Amelia always imagined a snake turning on itself, its fangs sinking into its flesh, creating such a terrifying image that she took her grandmother’s words to heart.

  She looked over the crowd and smiled. She had attended many parties such as this, but always as a servant and never as a guest. She never imagined how different it would be! It pleased her so much that it nearly brought a tear to her eye. The happiness her mother insisted upon was growing by the minute.

  “Amelia,” Christopher said, and she turned to him expectantly, “I wish to ask you something.”

  “Of course,” she said.

  A man walked past them, and Christopher motioned her closer to the wall where a portrait of a man in a tall white wig and large collar hung.

  He glanced around them, apparently to see if anyone was close enough to listen. No one seemed to pay them any mind. “Since we have become acquainted, I have become bewitched by you. Yet, I still know nothing of your past. I know the reason you left Stratford and why those men have been searching for you. That is not what I mean. I know nothing about you.”

  “I do not understand,” Amelia said. “We have spoken at length about numerous topics.”

  “We have, but what of your childhood? And your mother? You mentioned that she is caring for your grandmother. Will she be coming to Rumsbury, as well?”

  Amelia was uncertain how to respond. Her aunt had said that one day she would explain everything to Christopher, but as she looked around them, now would not be the right time. How could he expect her to speak of her private life in such a public place?

  “Pretend I said nothing,” he said, looking down at the floor. “Again, I speak before thinking.”

  Amelia placed a hand on his arm. “No. I was trying to determine where to begin.” She offered him a smile. She could tell him the truth without revealing everything. “My father died when I was quite young. Mother raised me, as did my grandmother.” Images of the older woman’s idea of raising a child brought shivers to her spine. “I had a happy life, and I believe my mother did an excellent job in raising me.” There. One truth for every lie.

  Once the spinning began, however, she found the lies easier to speak, although they still left a bitter taste in her mouth. She presented him with a past that was made up of mostly lies with bits of truth sprinkled in. She despised the idea of lying to Christopher more than she already had, but she could not risk upsetting the man again by refusing to answer. He had not taken that well the last time he asked.

  Just as she was finishing her story, a servant happened by to take their empty glasses and replace them with new.

  “Thank you,” Amelia said to the liveried footman.

  Surprise crossed the young man’s face for a moment before he covered it again with a mask of stoicism and gave her a bow. She had forgotten that few in the ton used courtesies with the servants. She needed to be more careful.

  When the footman was gone, she said, “My mother wanted me to join my aunt before trouble arrived, so I made my journey a month in advance.”

  Christopher smiled down at her. “Thank you for sharing with me,” he said. “I feel as if we have grown closer for it.”

  A fluttering in Amelia’s heart took her breath away.

  “The night I saw you at the hotel in Stratford will be a night I will never forget,” he said. “Here was this woman in a simple burlap dress who exuded such beauty, I admit I was stunned. Yet, you are more than a woman who has caught my eye. Everything about you is simply wonderful.”

  “You are too kind,” she whispered. She felt lightheaded. I will not be one of those simpletons who faint at the slightest provocation! “I do not deserve such compliments.”

  “Ah, but you do,” Christopher said. “And that is why I wish to ask your permission to court you.”

  Amelia took a step back, fearing she might fall. Unlike his outrageous proposal of marriage, the idea of courting felt right. It was as her aunt said, “All couples need time to learn about one another, thus the reason for a courtship. Otherwise, the chances of finding themselves incompatible becomes greater, and no one wishes to be married to a man for whom she does not at least care.”

  “I am a fool,” he mumbled angrily.

  She had not answered! She had been so stunned by his request, she had done nothing more than stare at him. He probably thought she was frightened, and that could not have been further from the truth.

  “No!” she blurted. She took a deep breath to calm herself. “No, you are not a fool. I am honored and do accept your request.”

  This made him smile. “I am so pleased,” he said. “I hope to grow what we have into something stronger.” He shook his head. “What I mean to say is that I have developed an admiration for you, and I hope it will become…” He sighed. “I simply hope we will become better acquainted with one another.”

  She stifled a giggle. He sounded as nervous as she felt. What he spoke of was love, she was certain of it, and she felt equally as excited to see where their relationship led them. “Well, be assured that it is a journey I am glad to take with you,” she said. “I, too, hope that journey leads to—.”

  “The gossip that woman spouts knows no bounds,” Lilias said with a laugh as she joined them. “I believe I learned more about the current situation of every person in Rumsbury in the last half hour than I did over the last two years.” Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes twinkled.

  Amelia was disappointed that her conversation with Christopher had been cut short, but the fact he had asked her to court left her elated. “Have you seen other friends, as well?” she asked.

  “Some,” the woman replied. “Since you are new here, allow me to introduce you to a few. Christopher, you do not mind if I steal her away, do you?”

  “Not at all,” Christopher replied. “I have several friends I wish to speak with, as well.” He gave them a small bow and walked away.

  Lilias led Amelia to a nearby couple, a Mr. Elkins and a Miss Trambling, and made introductions. After several moments of conversation, they moved on to the next. Lilias had not lied; she appeared to be acquainted with everyone at the party, and she seemed inspired to see that Amelia was acquainted with them, as well.

  Although she enjoyed her time with the outspoken woman, Amelia could not help but keep her eye on where Christopher was every time she had the chance. No matter how many people she met this night, Christopher held her interest above them all. How curious that they both had the same goal — to find love. Although she did not know when she would find it, she no longer had any doubts that it could be with Christopher.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Christopher had never felt such elation in all his life. How different things had worked out for h
im, for this time he had thought ahead rather than speaking without thinking.

  I really should do that more often, he thought with a small laugh.

  What he had expected was another quick rejection. If that had happened, he was uncertain what he would have done, for his feelings for her were stronger than for any other woman he had met. Even more so than Allison. For a moment, his past relationships came to mind, a warning that Amelia was like the others, that she would lie to him and hurt him in the end.

  However, when his eyes met hers from across the room, he knew that was untrue. Amelia was different from other women; she would never do as they had done. She was a woman he could trust, even with his life.

  “I have seen men gaze upon women before,” Lord Richard Chambers, a friend Christopher had known since they were children, said. “At times their gaze hold greed or lust, but that look you have is infatuation.”

  “Infatuation?” Christopher asked. “I hardly think so. Miss Parker and I are merely friends.” He could not announce they were courting before Amelia informed her aunt; it would not be proper. Keeping their courtship a secret would prove to be difficult, however, for he wished to shout it from the hilltops.

  Christopher’s words made Richard laugh. “Come now, old friend, I know that look all too well. You cannot lose my respect, nor that of the ton, by telling me.”

  Christopher chuckled. “I could never fool you,” he said. “Indeed, I have more than a fleeting interest in the young lady. Miss Parker has taken hold of me like no other woman I have known. Her insight into the world grips me, and her mind is as sharp as any sword a knight holds.” He paused. Never had he used such poetic language when speaking of a woman before. Then he smiled. Perhaps he had more than an interest in Amelia.

  “I feel very much the same way for my Edith,” Richard said, referring to his wife. “And even after three years of marriage, those feelings are strong. So, have you spoken of marriage yet?”

  “No,” Christopher replied. There was no need to mention his blunder last week. “I only made my request of courtship this evening, which is why I had not wanted to tell you. We have yet to inform her aunt. However, consideration of marriage is still far off.”

  Richard went on to rant about his views of marriage, and Christopher’s thoughts turned to how much his views had changed since meeting Amelia. The one thing he had learned was that he would have to earn the woman’s heart, not buy it. What surprised him was that he was more than willing to take on that task.

  “You must forgive me,” Richard said as he glanced past Christopher. “I had promised to keep an eye on Edith. I am to intervene if I notice that her sister may be driving her mad, and by her expression, now looks like the time.” He slapped Christopher on the shoulder and then walked away.

  Christopher walked over to the refreshment table to exchange his empty wine glass for a full one. Perhaps Richard was right; he did look at Amelia in a particular manner. And although Christopher knew her beauty was unmatched, it was the way she challenged his thinking that he admired most about her.

  “It appears the handsome men all drink alone.”

  Christopher would have known that voice anywhere, and when he turned, he saw he was correct. “Allison,” he said. The woman who had been his first fiancée smiled, and Christopher glanced past her. “Where is Timothy?”

  She gave a sniff and shrugged. “I have no idea where he is, nor do I care. We broke off our engagement ages ago.”

  Christopher could not help but gape at the woman. “But I saw him not a month ago. He said that—.”

  “That we were married?” Allison asked, her voice filled with amusement. “That we have a family?” she clicked her tongue when Christopher nodded. “Oh, Christopher, you know how Tim lies.”

  “Well, I am utterly confused, then. What happened?”

  Allison peered around, the skirts of her green gown swishing about her ankles. “Let us speak in private. Too many curious ears abound, and I would prefer to keep what happened from the lips of the gossips.”

  Full of curiosity, Christopher nodded and followed Allison into the hallway.

  She flicked his hair. “Your hair is nearly as long as mine,” she teased. She pushed back a strand of blond curls as they made their way down the hallway, stopping at the door to the drawing room. “This should be private enough. And it is much quieter, thank heavens. I never understood Cecil’s insistence not to have music at a party.”

  Christopher laughed. “He says that it allows him to spend more money on wine.”

  She shook her head and rolled her eyes as she sat beside him on the sofa.

  “So, why did you not marry Tim?” Christopher asked. “I thought the two of you were in love.”

  Allison snorted. “Love?” she asked. “The man made a host of promises and I learned that he lied.” She gave a dramatic sigh. “I was fooled.”

  Christopher felt the smallest amount of pity for the woman. Granted, she had left him for his best friend, but that did not mean he did not hope for her to be happy. “I am sorry to hear that,” he said. “I had heard you moved to Cornwall, and when I spoke to him, he said he was here on business.”

  “Another lie,” she replied with exasperation. “I went to Cornwall for a year to be with my uncle and to spend time with a very close cousin.” She scooted toward him and placed a hand on his chest. “I realized what a mistake I made for falling for the lies Tim told. Do you not see? I learned you never married, and I am still unwed. It is not too late for us to resume what we once had.”

  Christopher shook his head. Did she believe it would be that easy to get back into his good graces? “Marriage? You rejected me, even after you accepted my proposal of marriage. You broke our engagement to leave me for a man who I considered a very close friend. I am sorry, but what we had is over and cannot be revived.”

  “It was not like that,” Allison said, simpering. “I wished to marry you, but Father forced me to break off the engagement.” She moved in even closer so her breasts were pressed against his chest. “I want to marry you,” she whispered as she placed a hand on the side of his face. “Do you no longer care for me?”

  Christopher closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. He had to put a stop to this, and soon. “I am courting another woman.”

  She pulled back as if burned. “Another woman?” she demanded. “But Father has grown his mining business. If you were to marry me, he would see you had shares of your own. He has set aside a dowry that will fill your coffers. I can see that you receive even more.”

  As she spoke, a realization came over Christopher. Allison had not changed. She had not missed him in the slightest. Her views on marriage was that of the past generations — of convenience — and he wanted nothing to do with it.

  “If I am to marry a woman, it will be for love and nothing more. That is what I hope to find with Amelia. She is an honest woman who puts others before her.” He stood and walked toward the door before stopping and turning around. “I hope you find happiness, Allison. That is what I have been searching for my entire life.”

  Christopher left, leaving Allison alone in the drawing room. The woman was a part of his past, and Amelia was his future. He would do whatever he could to keep her, and that thought brought him a sense of happiness he had never experienced.

  When he returned to the ballroom, he was troubled when he found Amelia speaking to Cecil, the host of the party. Granted, he was a friend to Christopher, but the man had a tendency to be a rogue. After all he had endured with Allison and Sarah, he could not temper the jealousy that filled him.

  Therefore, it was with anger guiding his steps that took him to the pair. No, he could not allow his jealousy to overwhelm him. Amelia was not Allison, nor was she Sarah, yet he also knew he could not lose another woman. Especially this woman.

  ***

  As if riding a whirlwind, Lilias had introduced Amelia to everyone at the party at least once, and a few she suspected at least twice. With each introdu
ction, she desperately tried to remember each name as the last was forgotten. Despite a sense of being overwhelmed, she found she enjoyed her first party. There was polite conversation, stories about happenings within the village, and she was even invited to another party.

  “You must pardon me,” Lilias said as they walked away from yet another couple. “I see someone I must speak to.” She did not appear pleased, and before Amelia could inquire as to whom, the woman was gone.

  Sighing, Amelia sipped at her wine and glanced toward the refreshment table where she had last seen Christopher several minutes earlier as he spoke to a woman in a red gown. Both were now gone, and she wondered to where.

  “Are you enjoying yourself, Miss Parker?”

  Amelia turned to Lord Cecil Galpin, the host of the party. She had met him much earlier, and because he was her host, she paid special attention so as to remember his name. It would do her no good to forget someone of such importance.

  “Very much so, thank you,” she replied. “It has been the best party I have ever attended.” She had to stifle a laugh; this was the only party she had ever attended.

  “I am so pleased to hear you say so,” the man replied as he glanced around the room. “And where has Beaumont gone off to? I hope he is not trying to steal business away from me.”

  This time she did laugh. Then a loud crash made everyone turn to see a servant fervently trying to clean up several broken glasses.

  “If you will excuse me,” Lord Galpin said without looking at her, and he hurried away. She hoped he was not too hard on the poor footman.

  She looked around the room once more. Where had Christopher gone to? She made her way through the crowd of now somewhat familiar faces, but none of them were Christopher. Could he be off getting fresh air? It was a bit stifling in the room. At the entrance to the ballroom, she glanced into the hall, but he was not there.