Rake & Romance

by Suzanne G. Rogers

“Why don’t you write a letter of thanks to Lady Ayscoghe, and we’ll have a servant deliver both letters straightaway?”

  “Excellent idea.”

  Juliet hastened over to the writing desk, and composed a note to Lady Ayscoghe in her best hand. Afterward, she began her letter to Stephanie, but before she’d written more than a few lines, a knock came at the front door of the townhouse.

  Her mother glanced up from her embroidery hoop. “Who on earth could be calling at such an early hour?”

  “Perhaps Miss Gryphon? Social etiquette may be vastly different in Texas.”

  When a deep male voice was heard in the entrance hall, Juliet wondered if Augustus had returned to London. She glanced at the drawing room door expectantly, but Watson failed to show the earl inside.

  Mrs. Beaucroft shrugged and returned to her needlework. “It must have been someone to see your father.”

  Juliet finished her letter to Stephanie. Just as she’d sealed the envelope with wax and pressed it with the Beaucroft seal, the butler appeared in the doorway and cleared his throat.

  “Forgive me for interrupting, but Mr. Beaucroft requests the company of Miss Beaucroft in his study. Lord Moregate has asked to speak with her.”

  “Lord Moregate?” Juliet frowned. “Is Lord Elbourne with him?”

  “No, miss.”

  She exchanged a puzzled glance with her mother. Why would the marquess call on her father, and what further business did he have with her? On her way from the room, Juliet gave her letters to the butler.

  “Watson, will you see that these messages are delivered by one of the servants?”

  “Right away, Miss Beaucroft.”

  The Marquess of Moregate stood as Juliet entered her father’s study. The older man was drawn and pale, and immediately, she feared the worst.

  “Is Augustus all right, milord? Has anything happened to him?”

  “He’s perfectly well, I assure you. I’m sorry if I caused you any alarm in that regard. Still, I bring you no glad tidings, I’m afraid.”

  Mr. Beaucroft appeared to be unusually sober as he gestured toward a chair. “Please sit, Juliet, while Lord Moregate explains the nature of his visit.”

  She took a seat and waited patiently for someone to speak. What the marquess said next caught her so off guard, she thought she must not have heard him correctly.

  “Miss Beaucroft, you cannot marry my son.”

  Speechless, she could only stare. Although Moregate proceeded to describe the financial difficulties which prohibited Augustus from marrying freely, she was only half attending. All she could hear was the sound of her future happiness being ground into a bloody pulp beneath his feet.

  “I summoned Augustus home when I realized the extent of this unfolding disaster, but he refuses to listen to reason.”

  Tears began to leak from the corners of Juliet’s eyes, which she didn’t bother to hide or wipe away. Her predicament had coaxed a sheen of emotion into her father’s eyes, too, and he rose from behind his desk to press a handkerchief into her hands.

  “Augustus means to propose to you anyway, despite his obligations to his family.” Moregate shook his head. “Please understand, Miss Beaucroft, under different circumstances we would have welcomed you to the family. Now, however, such a marriage can only mean the ruination of our estate.”

  “What are you asking me to do, Lord Moregate?” The calmness in Juliet’s voice surprised her.

  “Should Augustus insist on making you an offer, I’m begging you to refuse.”

  Her stomach contracted, and it was all she could do not to be sick on the oriental rug in her father’s office.

  Moregate continued. “Just this morning, I finished negotiating the terms of a marriage between Augustus and an heiress. Her father and I may have agreed financially, but the task remains to convince the two young parties involved that it’s the proper course of action. Augustus refuses to cooperate, unfortunately, and we must help him see the virtues of the union. If you truly care for my son, Miss Beaucroft, you’ll do what’s right.”

  She blotted her eyes. “Which heiress is the subject of this agreement, Lord Moregate?”

  “I’m told you met her at Lord and Lady Ayscoghe’s soirée. Miss Stephanie Gryphon.”

  Was she in some sort of hideous nightmare, or was life playing a cruel joke? Her body went numb with shock, and blood seemed to be roaring in her ears. Stephanie Gryphon was destined to become Lady Elbourne, and she, Juliet, must encourage the match? It was too much to bear.

  Not content to stay indoors on such a fine morning, Cody’s sister convinced him to join her in an archery match after breakfast. He wasn’t difficult to persuade, in fact, because he hoped to distract her from their father’s absence. Although Stephanie had been told only that Lord Horatio was meeting someone for breakfast, Cody knew their father was hammering out financial details with the Marquess of Moregate, regarding her arranged marriage to Lord Elbourne.

  The two siblings strolled out to a broad expanse of lawn where the target had been set onto a large easel. They tried to outdo one another in marksmanship, but to Cody’s dismay, she managed to hit the bullseye more often than he did. After the first set, while they were retrieving their arrows, Stephanie gave him a shrewd glance.

  “I don’t wish to detract from my victory, but I can tell you’re preoccupied this morning. Might your thoughts be straying to Miss Beaucroft, by any chance?”

  “Of course not.”

  “She’s a lovely girl, Cody. I hope you don’t plan to trifle with her affections.”

  He pretended to take offense. “Why would you say such a thing?”

  “Ever since we left Texas, you’ve been quite insistent about returning as soon as possible…no doubt to romance half the señoritas in the Republic. Since I wish to remain Miss Beaucroft’s friend, I urge you to treat her with respect. She’s almost like the sister I never had.”

  “That’s absurd. How can you claim such intimacy after such a short acquaintance?”

  “With some people, you just feel as if you’ve known them forever.”

  “I’ve never felt that way with anyone, most especially after only a few short hours.”

  “Hullo!” Lord Horatio appeared on the patio and gestured for them to join him.

  “It appears Father has something to share,” Cody said.

  “Do you suppose he found a residence to purchase? Although Lady Lovejoy has been most kind and hospitable, I don’t wish to impose on her much longer.”

  Cody feigned ignorance of his father’s activities. “It does no good to speculate.”

  He put his bow and arrows down and escorted his sister back to the house. As soon as they stepped through the patio doors, the butler appeared to present Stephanie with a letter. “This just arrived for you, Miss Gryphon. And Lord Horatio asked me to say he’s awaiting your company and that of Mr. Gryphon in the library.”

  Cody nodded. “Thank you, Yeats.”

  Stephanie’s eyebrows rose when she saw the return address on the envelope. “Oh, I’ve had a letter from Miss Beaucroft. I can’t wait to read it!”

  Inwardly, Cody grimaced. If Juliet had heard about the proposed union between Lord Elbourne and his sister, she may have written her an angry, poisonous letter. If so, Stephanie would learn about the arrangement in the worst possible fashion. As his sister broke the wax seal on the envelope, he touched her hand.

  “Why don’t you read your letter after we speak with Father? He seemed to have something important to say.”

  “How could you tell? We were several hundred feet apart.”

  “Er…it was the purposeful set of his head.”

  She peered at him. “Really? I didn’t realize you were that observant.”

  He swept his arm toward the library doors. “After you.”

  As soon as Cody entered the room, he could tell from his father’s smile of satisfaction that the meeting with Lord Moregate had gone well. Even more telling was the exuberant kiss he depo
sited on Stephanie’s cheek.

  “You are the most fortunate of women.” He laughed. “Cody, we’re in the presence of a future countess, Lady Elbourne.”

  If Horatio expected his daughter to jump up and down with glee, he was mistaken. Instead, she stepped backward with a wary expression.

  “What are you talking of, Papa? I’ve never even met Lord Elbourne.”

  “The young earl is in want of a wife. I’ve proposed you and my offer has been accepted. You’re to be wed no later than Christmas, or as soon as the arrangements can be made.” He beamed. “I couldn’t be more proud!”

  Stephanie quivered with outrage. “Are you out of your senses, Papa? These are modern times, and you can’t just marry off your daughter to an earl, sight unseen. I refuse!”

  Cody bit the inside of his cheek and gazed at the ceiling. He’d cautioned his father to wait until after Stephanie and Lord Elbourne had been introduced before suggesting the match, but the bull-headed man had insisted she’d be thrilled at the notion of marrying an earl.

  His sister glared. “What do you have to say about this travesty, Cody?”

  He frowned. “Er…well, it seems harsh to force you into a marriage you don’t want.” Over Stephanie’s head, his father shot him a pained glance. “On the other hand, considering Lord Elbourne’s rank, it would be foolish to refuse the match without ever having met the fellow.”

  “What? Cody, you can’t seriously approve of this!”

  He shrugged. “It’s not for me to approve or disapprove. Nevertheless, I want you to be happy.”

  She threw her arms around him as if he were a life preserver. “I knew I could count on you.”

  “Yes, of course. Um…I understand Lord Elbourne has a reputation for impeccable character.”

  Horatio nodded. “Yes, that’s so. Nobody has anything ill to say of him.”

  Stephanie grimaced. “He sounds completely horrible!”

  Cody laughed. “How could you reach that odd conclusion?”

  “Nobody has anything ill to say about chamber pots either, but nobody wants to see them in plain view!”

  Horatio made a sound of disgust. “Really, Stephanie, must you be so vulgar? We’re not in Texas any longer, and I expect you to comport yourself like a lady.”

  Dark clouds were brewing over Stephanie’s head, and Cody sought to head things off before the storm broke. “I encourage you to keep an open mind. Mother expressed a desire for you to marry nobility and have children on English soil.”

  “She did?”

  “Indeed, it was always her intention you should return to England, to marry well,” Horatio said.

  A flicker of doubt crossed her face. “Really?”

  Cody sensed a crack in her armor. “Furthermore, did you know Lord Elbourne’s brother is married to Miss Beaucroft’s sister? If you marry the earl, you and Miss Beaucroft would be extended family.”

  “Be that as it may, I know nothing about him. What if he’s hideous, with tufts of nose hair, a pot belly, wrinkled earlobes, and has the disposition of a rattlesnake?”

  Horatio’s chuckle at the unflattering description was cut short by Stephanie’s scowl. “Er…I’ve not met Lord Elbourne, but his father is a particular acquaintance of mine from my days at Oxford. Moregate has retained his youthful handsome swagger, and undoubtedly Augustus is the same way.”

  “Augustus? What sort of stupid name is that?”

  “The name is of very noble origin, actually,” Horatio said. “The founder of the Roman Empire went by that name.”

  Stephanie rolled her eyes. “The question was rhetorical, Papa.”

  Cody tried an appeal to his sister’s reasonable nature. “Let’s not argue any further until we’ve had a chance to get acquainted with Lord Elbourne. If he’s not a troll, we can proceed accordingly.”

  His father gave an emphatic nod. “A level-headed suggestion if ever I heard one.”

  Seemingly despite herself, Stephanie began to giggle. “A troll?”

  “A troll has tufts of nose hair, a pot belly, and wrinkled earlobes, does he not? You should have added dragging knuckles and curly tusks to the list of grotesqueries…although perhaps that’s an ogre.”

  “You’re setting the bar rather low, Cody. If Lord Elbourne looks anything like a troll or an ogre, you can marry him!”

  “I’m just teasing you. I’ve every confidence my future brother-in-law will be exceedingly amiable, as handsome as a god, and flowing with the milk of human kindness.”

  She gave him a sidelong glance. “Now the bar is set too high. At a minimum, I must be able to tolerate the man for more than ten minutes at a time. We’ll see about the rest.”

  Cody embraced her. “That’s the spirit.”

  Horatio breathed a sigh of relief. “We’ve been invited to Lord and Lady Ferndale’s ball Friday evening. We’ll meet Lord Elbourne then.”

  “I hope Miss Beaucroft will be there. Perhaps she mentioned it in her letter.” Stephanie retrieved the letter from her pocket and skimmed the contents. “Ah! She’s invited me to ride with her tomorrow morning. I’ll write her back immediately to accept.”

  After she hastened from the room, Cody and his father exchanged a grim glance.

  “Well done, lad. You managed to diffuse the situation admirably.”

  “We’re not in the clear yet. Stephanie has developed an attachment to Miss Beaucroft, and values her opinion. If the girl warns Stephanie away from Lord Elbourne out of spite, it would be a disaster.”

  “Good point, that.” Horatio pondered a moment. “When they go riding together tomorrow, you must accompany the two of them as chaperone. We can’t afford to let Miss Beaucroft ruin what has begun in such a promising fashion.”

  “For Mother’s sake, I’ll do whatever I can to make sure the wedding takes place.” Cody’s eyebrows drew together. “I do hope Lord Elbourne is deserving of Stephanie.”

  “I have every confidence he is.”

  Chapter Three

  Smudge

  JULIET CURLED UP on her bed all morning, spiritless. Tea was brought, but merely sat on her bedside table, untouched. Mr. Beaucroft had offered to summon a physician, but she’d declined that, too. After all, there were no cures for disappointment.

  Her mother had taken the news even worse than she had, if the volume of her protests was to be the measure. Thank heavens Lord Moregate had departed long before or he would have received an earful, too. Even behind closed doors, she could hear her mother berating her father for acceding to the marquess’s wishes.

  “Everyone expects Juliet to become engaged to Augustus, Gaylord! If he throws her over now, she’ll be humiliated beyond measure!”

  “Since he must marry someone else, there’s nothing to be done about it. Surely by next Season, the gossips will have some other scandal to salivate over.”

  “Augustus has jilted our daughter and you don’t seem to care a whit!”

  “He’s done no such thing. Besides which, would you rather see the Butler family fall into ruin? Juliet is only eighteen, dearest. She has plenty of time to find a husband.”

  “You seem to think aristocrats with titles grow on trees! Juliet hasn’t got Kitty’s dramatic good looks to rely on, or her vivacity. Augustus might be her last chance to marry.”

  “Nonsense. You’ve always been partial to Kitty’s appearance, perhaps, but Juliet’s an extraordinarily pretty girl, by any measure. Furthermore, I’ve always admired her wit!”

  “Augustus ought to be ashamed of what he’s doing to our girl. She’ll be an object of pity hereinafter and end up on the shelf.”

  Although Juliet appreciated her father’s loyalty, she squeezed a pillow around her head to muffle her mother’s insults. It was dreadfully unfair to compare her to her sister in terms of looks. Kitty was more beautiful than everyone, and besides which, she was married now. Perhaps her mother was just upset, but the comments hurt nevertheless. Even worse was the notion that Juliet would soon be seen as an object of pity
and possibly even ridicule.

  Indeed, she felt good and sorry for herself. She’d planned on becoming a countess, the mistress of a grand estate, with an extensive household to manage. Her engagement would have been the unparalleled coup of the Season, astonishing everyone who’d thought her less pretty and desirable than her sister. Now, her dreams were in ashes.

  Certainly she could still choose to accept Augustus’s proposal of marriage, should he make her an offer. She could happily live in reduced circumstances as long as she had Augustus by her side…but would she enjoy her own selfish pleasure, knowing it had been secured at a horrendous cost to him and his family? On the other hand, how would she feel watching another woman take her place?

  With no appetite and no desire to speak with anyone, Juliet refused lunch. Midafternoon, the maid brought her another cup of hot tea to replace the one that had grown cold, as well as a few biscuits. The maid also delivered a message from Stephanie which, Juliet presumed, was an answer to her invitation earlier that morning. She forced herself to sit up and drink the hot, bracing beverage. Thus fortified, she read Stephanie’s letter:

  Dear Miss Beaucroft,

  I accept with pleasure your invitation to ride tomorrow morning, and I promise not to ride astride! Also, I intend to ask your opinion on a matter of great importance. We’ve only just met, but I suspect your advice will be both unbiased and trustworthy. Until tomorrow, then.

  Very Truly Yours,

  Stephanie

  P.S. Cody insists on accompanying us as a chaperone. I hope you don’t mind.

  The ink on the letter smeared as Juliet’s tears fell anew. Feeling as she did, could her advice to Stephanie possibly be considered unbiased and trustworthy? For Augustus’s sake, she prayed she was up to the task.

  Nevertheless, since the Butlers’ financial situation was a closely-guarded secret, she suspected her mother was right on one point at least: everyone would assume her inadequacies were to blame for losing Augustus. Juliet Beaucroft would forevermore be viewed as undesirable and pitiable. How could she hold her head up in society if people were snickering at her behind their hands? Since few men wished to court ladies passed over by other men, she’d be on the shelf after her first Season.