The Baron in Bath - Miss Julia Bellevue: A Regency Romance Novel (Heart of a Gentleman Book 4)

by Isabella Thorne

  How had she gotten herself into this predicament? She had tried to ignore the rumors earlier in the evening. She thought she was doing well. Both she and Jane had thought that the talk would die down, but instead, Cedric had brought all the rumors to a peak with his gauche and very public proposal. She supposed she was at fault for the spectacle. She could have chosen to walk with him in private. Jane could have accompanied them; she would have been safe enough. But how was she to know what he was planning? She was never good at this sort of thing; these social games. Now, Julia could not bear to show her face. Even Jane did not know how to combat the looks and innuendo.

  The thought of Cedric himself, made Julia near shake with fury. He knew there were rumors. He knew her situation was tenuous and he chose to cause havoc. Cedric could have waited. He could have apologized to her alone and made his intentions known before he made so public a demand. If he cared for her at all, if he sought to protect her reputation; he would have done so but he chose instead to make a scene. He chose to disgrace her, not once, but twice. He had once been her friend, but now, he seemed intent upon this cruel manipulation. How could she even consider his proposal? How could she consider Cedric at all when the thought foremost in her mind was how this must appear to Lord Fawkland? He was an upright man. She remembered his vexed countenance, but he had only looked so when Cedric had done something untoward. Lord Fawkland was not an angry man. Even she was angry at Cedric; she still wanted to kick him in the shins. Oh, she was not ladylike. What would Lord Fawkland think of her?

  This thought brought a new flood of anxiety. She wanted to cry again. She wanted to run home and throw herself on her bed and sob because although Lord Fawkland was her betrothed, he would never have her now. Not after this deluge of aspersion. Not after he had seen her with his brother. Not after Cedric proposed! She tried to see the events from Lord Fawkland’s eyes. There was no reason for Cedric to propose so publically, so quickly, unless there was more to their acquaintance than a walk in a garden, even with the kiss. Fawkland had only just come to Bath, and she was cool to him; he must believe she rebuffed his suit because there was more than friendship between her and Cedric, and Cedric had manipulated that assumption. This was even more dreadful than she had first thought.

  The truth was, Lord Fawkland had not in all actuality asked Julia to marry him. Certainly, there was the matter of her Father’s will, but that was only a legal document, not a proposal of marriage. Since she had arrived in Bath, Julia had been making Lord Fawkland’s life more difficult. She was the cause of the rift between him and his brother. In the short time she had known him already Julia had caused Lord Fawkland more trouble than happiness. Why should he want to marry her? Perhaps he was too polite to rescind their supposed betrothal outright, no matter how much he wanted to. And that was why he had not asked her to wed. The thought made her breath catch and she held back another sob. Even without her mother’s curse, with her own low breeding Julia brought nothing but misfortune to those she cared about.

  “Julia, we are home,” Jane said softly.

  Julia looked out of the coach and realized it was true. They were in front of the townhouse in Bath, the house that had in some way been the start of this whole fiasco. If she had just let the house fall to Cousin Rupert, she could have spared herself some of this pain. She did not need a husband. She did not need one, but she wanted one, and strangely, she realized the husband she wanted was the one her father had chosen for her. Lord Fawkland. Godwin. Why had she not just bent to her father’s will in the first place? Her father knew her. So much turmoil would have been avoided if she had consented at the first. Would accepting Lord Fawkland have been such a hardship? Would she even have the option of accepting him now, or had he decided that he was glad to be rid of her? The thought filled her with a near physical pain that settled into melancholy. Is that why his brother pressed his suit, she wondered, because Lord Fawkland did not want her? Of course he did not want her.

  Thoughts of dancing with Lord Fawkland rushed through her mind with a singular heat. She remembered his almost touching her as they talked on the archery field. She remembered his hands on hers as he helped her home, and the scent of him; his gentle touch as he put her pins back in her hair; his hand on her waist as he lead her though the waltz. Indeed the soft brushes of his fingers against her hair or the cloth of her dress were more titillating than all of Cedric’s kisses. This was not a man of anger. This was not a man with violent sensibilities. This was a kind man. She sighed. He would not want to lay eyes upon her again. She had caused so much trouble.

  “Julia?” Jane said again, and Julia at last roused herself to leave the carriage.

  The footman helped her down and they entered the house. She was soon settled on the sofa in the parlor. Jane asked if she wanted a basin of warm water for her hurt foot, but Julia hardly noticed her sore toe. It was overshadowed by her sore heart, she supposed. Julia shook her head. “I have made such a mess of everything,” she said. “Jane, what shall I do?”

  “Perhaps you should explain,” Her sister said as she sat beside her on the sofa. “I do not understand this flood of tears. You once told me that you preferred the younger brother. I thought that you would welcome his suit. Am I to understand from your tears, that you now prefer the elder?” Jane asked gently.

  “I know. I said I thought Mister Gruger was my friend, but I have in recent days revised that opinion,” Julia said, her voice trembling. “It was not Lord Fawkland who made advances towards me; it was Cedric. Lord Fawkland was only ever kind. He walked me home. He was ever the gentleman, and I have ruined everything.

  “So all the rumors are wrong,” Jane clarified. “It was Mister Gruger who was forward with you? Who upset you so?”

  Julia nodded. “I do not know what I did to encourage such action, Jane,” Julia whispered. “I have tried to find some error I made in judgement. I have tried to see where I gave Mister Gruger some indication that his advances were wanted, but I cannot see it. You know I am not well versed in these things. But it was …Cedric was so overwhelming…He frightened me.”

  Jane stood to light some additional candles and after a moment turned back to Julia. “Perhaps you should tell me what exactly happened,” she said as she sat back on the sofa. “Explain it to me.”

  Julia felt a hot blush filling her face. “I cannot.” Julia put her face in her hands. After a moment, she realized that her reluctance to share the incident with her sister was making it sound even worse than it had been, so she tried to rally her thoughts.

  “Mister Gruger kissed me,” Julia said finally. “Is that not enough? I would have been ruined. Though I suppose I already am now.” She sighed. “He kissed me, and then he pulled the comb from my hair… He…He…” Julia stood and began to pace.

  Jane waited, giving her time to think and to organize her thoughts. Julia’s pacing turned into a limp.

  “Julia, please sit,” Jane urged. “I can see your foot is paining you.”

  “I cannot,” Julia protested. “He said; it was dark. No one would know; and that… I could keep a secret.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper. “He pulled me against him and kissed my neck. And then, my mouth. I slapped him and I ran. That’s when…well, I hurt my toe.” Julia finished sheepishly. “Lord Fawkland found me then and walked me home,” she said.

  Jane bit her lip and sighed. “You are young,” Jane began. “A kiss is certainly dangerous, but when a gentleman particularly likes a lady…He might sometimes become a bit …overly ardent,” Jane said. “Are you sure you did not misunderstand his intentions?”

  “What?” Julia said confused. “What are you saying, Jane?”

  Jane was silent for a long moment while Julia tried to puzzle out what Jane meant. At last she spoke again. “I am not saying you did anything to encourage his advances, but you did know each other as children…even as forward as he was…perhaps he thought…”

  “What? That I expected such behavior? That I wanted such advances?” J
ulia interrupted angrily. “Do you think that he should be able to take liberties simply because we were childhood friends?” Julia’s voice rose in pitch.

  “No. Of course not,” Jane said. She sighed again and rubbed between her eyebrows as if she were getting a headache.

  It was a night for headaches, Julia thought.

  “I must be blunt, Julia. As it stands, the perception of the Ton is that one or both of the brothers took liberties with you.”

  Julia opened her mouth to voice her objections, but Jane stopped her. “I hate to voice it, but with Lord Fawkland’s reputation as a rake, some may think he has despoiled you, and his brother was making a grand gesture to save you.”

  Julia’s heart sank. How could she be so completely ruined?

  Jane was still speaking. “Despite all of this unpleasantness, a betrothed may be forgiven. The sooner married; the sooner forgiven. If you marry one of the Grugers, either of the Grugers, the rumors will die. It will take a while, but marriage will calm the talk. Many a rake has calmed after marrying. Either way, we cannot hope for another offer, at least not this season, and perhaps not the next. Marrying Mister Gruger would solve this, but if you will not have him, then what of Lord Fawkland?”

  Julia did not answer right away, and Jane patted the seat beside her. “Come, sit,” she said.

  Julia limped over to the sofa and sank down feeling dazed. What of Lord Fawkland? Julia thought. She sighed. Lord Fawkland had always been gracious and upright. When they were at the archery field and when he walked her home, he did not make any advances. He offered to carry her, but that was only because of her sore toe. When they danced, she thought…Oh, when we danced! His arms were so strong around her, and she could almost smell the faint scent of sandalwood and cherry pipe tobacco as she thought of him. He was the perfect gentleman. Her face fell. She was suddenly fearful. Not once did he hold her hand too long or take any liberties. Even at the archery field when he was coaching her shooting, and it would have been so easy to touch her, he did not…never once. She wrung her hands. He was not…ardent. Not that she would want him to be like Cedric, but she did not know his feelings. What if Father thought of this whole betrothal and Lord Fawkland never wanted it at all? Never wanted me?

  “I do not know,” Julia said softly. “He hasn’t asked me, Jane. He hasn’t truly asked me to marry him.” She felt her lip tremble as she spoke. She turned to Jane with a worried frown.

  “But Mister Gruger has.” Jane replied. “And very publically. He will need an answer. He offered a proposal of marriage, Julia.” Jane hesitated a moment. “That does not forgive his actions, but as forward as he was, he was once your friend. Could he not be forgiven?” Jane asked at last. “Although he was overly zealous, and made a mistake, Mister Gruger sought to correct it; to let you know his intensions were genuine.”

  “But do you not see, Jane? He has done just the opposite. I said no, but he wouldn’t even hear me. I cannot marry a man who does not even hear the words I speak! It was as if I said nothing at all; as if my words were just so much noise. I fear he does not know me at all, and moreover, does not wish to know me, or even hear me. I pushed him away, and then I…I slapped him and I ran. I can think of no clearer way to show my displeasure with his actions. I do not know why he would think I would accept a proposal of marriage except that he has left me with little recourse. He has trapped me, Jane. This is exactly what Cedric planned. I cannot give in to him. If I accept him, he will have trapped me forever.” She turned earnestly to Jane. “I cannot marry Mister Gruger. I will not.”

  “Then, you must tell him so,” Jane said. “And the sooner, the better. We need to lay the rumors to rest as best we can if we want any hope of getting past this, even next season.”

  Julia groaned. The thought of going through all of this again next year was just too much to contemplate. Her sister was kind to say so, but Julia was not so naïve. There was no getting past this. Even she knew that; this kind of scandal would not easily die.

  Jane rang for her maid. “Bring us paper and ink,” Jane said. “We have a letter to compose.”

  “Please Jane, I would rather do it in the morning.”

  “It will be no easier in the morning. It is best to get it over with so you might rest easier.”

  “I am sure you know best,” Julia agreed. Now that she had decided, Julia did wish to simply have the thing done with.

  Composing the letter was agonizing More than once Julia wanted to dissolve into tears. Even as she thought of what to say to Cedric, her mind kept going back to Lord Fawkland and what he must think of her. The thought pained her. What he thought mattered more to her than the whole of the Ton. She remembered him holding her as they danced, and with a pang realized that he would never hold her so again. He must hate her. Her lip trembled and she had trouble keeping her mind on the task at hand.

  “Julia,” Jane said. “Read it back to me.”

  Julia picked up the letter, still wet with ink. It was a mess of contradictions and crossed out sections. She and Jane kept taking out the things they could not say, until the letter was a series of short declarations. Even the greeting was in question.

  “Mister Gruger,” Julia read.

  Jane had suggested starting with Dear Mister Gruger, as dear was a common appellation in a letter, but Julia had refused. The name alone looked stark on the page. Julia began again and continued to read:

  Mister Gruger,

  In light of past events, I must refuse your proposal of marriage from last evening. As you know there is a previous contract between Lord Fawkland and myself. This arrangement was decided upon by my father, and as a young lady I will abide by my father’s wishes so much as I am able. I am sorry if you construed the kindness meant to be shown to a brother as something more. That was never my intention.

  Sincerely,

  Miss Bellevue

  They dithered for a while over the signature, but Julia finally decided upon sincerely. She did sincerely wish to refuse Cedric. She also did not want to put her given name on the paper at all. She did not feel she should apologize for anything. She did not do anything wrong, but Jane insisted the letter needed a little softness. ‘You are a lady,’ she had said. ‘You must allow the man a way out with grace.’ She did not see why she should do so. He had not allowed her to leave the Pratt’s picnic with grace.

  “I suppose it will do,” Jane said. “It does what we wish it to.”

  “You do not think it is too presumptuous to mention my betrothal to Lord Fawkland?” Julia asked. “I do not even know if he still wants to marry me, or in fact, if he ever did.”

  “The letter is not being sent to Lord Fawkland,” Jane reminded her. “It is the most expedient way to explain your reluctance.”

  “I could say I my reluctance was because I was offended by Mister Gruger’s advances,” Julia said.

  “No. You could not.”

  “It just does not seem like quite the truth,” Julia said.

  “The truth is sometimes a hard thing, Julia. Now, re-write the letter in your own hand. The sooner it is sent, the better you will feel.”

  Julia carefully copied the letter and managed to do so without blotching the page. After the letter was written and signed and laid to be sent to Cedric with the morning post, Julia thought she could relax. That was not the case. She was a long time in falling asleep, her thoughts turned around Lord Fawkland and her tears soaked into her pillow.

  ~.~

  Chapter Two

  The Baron of Fawkland did not spend long at the club with his friends. He had a single drink to settle himself, and nursed it for a good hour. The liquor burned his cut lip, and Percival fretted over his blackening eye like a mother hen. Godwin supposed he could not stay in Bath with a blackened eye. It would just add to the already rampant rumors. Godwin kept reliving the moments at the ball when he had realized that Miss Bellevue was missing; the moment when he realized what had happened and the ground had seemed to crumble under his feet. He trie
d to think what he could have done differently, to avoid the rumors; to avoid the fight, and most of all, to keep Miss Bellevue free of his brother’s machinations.

  Godwin had known something was amiss as he crossed the dance floor to return to Miss Bellevue. He could guarantee the problem had Cedric’s orchestrating at the center of it. Worried, Godwin lengthened his stride, leaving Captain Jack Hartfield and Miss Lavinia Grant behind as he returned to the place where he had left his betrothed safely amidst the Poppy sisters, her own sister and her friends. The group was all in a frenzy.

  It took Godwin several moments to realize the tittering was because Miss Bellevue, his betrothed, had received a very public proposal of marriage from his brother, Cedric. How Godwin had missed the advent of this event, he was unsure. Apparently he was still engaged in the tea room, matchmaking, and telling Miss Grant that Captain Jack was not entirely the liar. He could not leave Cedric nor Miss Bellevue unattended for a moment.

  Now, Julia was nowhere in sight and neither was Cedric which sent Godwin’s heart racing in fear. Fury pulsed through him on the heels of that fear. Once again Cedric had managed to throw his world into turmoil, and this time it was too much. “I’m going to kill him,” Godwin had said in a low growl. “I am going to call him out, and kill him.”

  The tittering group grew a bit anxious at his words, and Captain Jack laid a hand on his shoulder. “Fawkland,” he said softly.

  Miss Poppy addressed him directly. “Surely not, Sir. You would not raise your hand against him. You are brothers.” She fanned herself anxiously, and Godwin suddenly had no patience for such silly women.

  “So were Cain and Abel, Miss” Godwin snapped, which had the effect of immediately silencing the little group’s whispers.