The Captain's Christmas Bride

by Annie Burrows

  * * *

  What could be taking her so long in the withdrawing room? Alec pulled out his watch, and glared at it, then back at the door through which she’d vanished more than a quarter of an hour before.

  He wouldn’t be a bit surprised if there was another exit to the room. He wouldn’t be a bit surprised if she’d sneaked out of it, to escape him, and further some nefarious scheme she was hatching.

  After last night, he wouldn’t be surprised by anything.

  ‘Do you have to stand there glaring at the door?’ The plaintive voice drew his attention to the speaker.

  ‘Lizzie!’

  ‘Nobody dare visit the ladies’ retiring room,’ she continued, ‘because it means getting past you first.’

  ‘Never mind what I’m doing standing here, right now. Where the devil have you been all day? And yesterday?’

  ‘Avoiding you, of course,’ she replied with an impudent smile.

  ‘You admit it then? You have something to hide? I knew it. What have you done? And more importantly, where is the man in the case?’

  ‘Oh, that,’ she replied with an airy wave of her hand. ‘Oh, there was never any man.’

  ‘Never any man? Then why...?’

  ‘Well, it was the only thing I could think of to get you here.’ She tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, and tugged him to one side. ‘If I’d told you that I wanted you to come and meet my friends,’ she said, lowering her voice, ‘you wouldn’t have even bothered replying. So I had to resort to a little deception.’

  ‘A little deception?’ He flung her arm off, and turned so that they were standing face-to-face. ‘You wrote that you were involved with a man. You wrote that you were going to meet him at Ness Hall, no matter what I said. You wrote...’

  ‘I wrote what I had to, to get you here.’

  ‘You lied to me,’ he growled.

  ‘Not exactly. I am involved with a man. A man I love very much.’

  ‘What? But you just said—’

  She giggled. The minx actually giggled. Then laid her hand on his chest, smiled naughtily up at him, and said, ‘You, you nodcock.’

  ‘Me?’

  ‘Yes, you. I’ve been so worried about you. You hardly ever come ashore, and when you do, you always look so grim. And here was I, invited to the kind of place where I knew you were bound to have some fun, for once, and perhaps even meet someone who could make you happy all the time.’

  You could have knocked him sideways. He’d never dreamed she could have lured him here because she’d been trying to make him happy. It was his job to make her happy, not the other way round.

  ‘The more I thought about it, the more determined I became to get you to Ness Hall, in spite of your stupid objections about being too busy. You’re always too busy to have any fun, or meet anyone suitable to become your countess.’ She pouted. ‘But you have to admit, now, that I did the right thing by you.’

  Yes, he supposed he did have to admit that he’d completely misinterpreted her motives. But then, he’d been a fighting man for so long he saw enemies everywhere.

  ‘As soon as they announced your betrothal I knew I didn’t need to avoid you any longer. Oh, you are a clever man. You only needed a little nudge in the right direction, didn’t you? Here only two days and you’ve secured just about the richest prize on the marriage mart!’

  ‘Lizzie!’

  They both started guiltily at the sound of Julia’s disapproving voice. Neither of them had noticed her come and join them, so intent had they been on their quarrel.

  ‘You make it sound as though your brother deliberately valued all the girls here and then cold-bloodedly seduced me! When you know full well he had no intention of marrying anyone when he came here.’

  Lord Dunbar blinked at Julia. Was she actually defending him? Although...it wouldn’t be the first time. Last night, when her father had accused him of the same crime, she’d hotly denied it.

  Well, well. She might not love him. She gave no sign of even feeling anything as lukewarm as liking him. But she didn’t like anyone laying false charges against him.

  It was...a start.

  ‘I didn’t mean that,’ Lizzie was continuing.

  ‘Well, you should be more careful about what you say, when anyone can overhear you. Think how dreadful it would be should anyone think you believe your brother is a fortune hunter.’

  Julia went to stand at his side, and tucked her hand through his arm, presenting a united front.

  Alec could only surmise that whatever she thought of him, whatever she chose to say to him in private, at least in public, he might be able to hope for her support.

  ‘But I can’t be sorry you’re so rich,’ Lizzie protested. ‘It’s about time he had the means to enjoy his life. So far he’s spent every penny he has on me. Don’t think I don’t know what sacrifices you’ve made, Alec,’ she said, when he took a breath to protest. ‘It’s about time I did something for you. And I’ve met so many girls, wealthy girls, at the school you sent me to, and all of them wanting to marry someone dashing, and brave, and handsome, like you, I thought the least I could do was introduce you to some of them. And they did all like you. You could have had any of them for the crooking of your finger.’ By this time, tears were filling her eyes, almost ready to spill over. ‘Why shouldn’t I be glad you’ve managed to capture the heart of the richest?’

  He opened his mouth and then closed it. For there was nothing he could say to Lizzie, not with Julia standing right there. He had to settle for glowering at her.

  ‘Oh, Lizzie,’ said Julia, letting go of his arm to delve into her reticule for a handkerchief. ‘It was sweet of you to try and help find your brother a wife. I can see that you only did what you did because you are so very fond of him.’ She nudged him sharply in the ribs while Lizzie was distracted, blowing her nose.

  ‘Aye,’ he admitted brusquely. ‘But a man likes to find his own wife, you know.’

  ‘You would never have bothered even looking if I hadn’t given you a nudge,’ Lizzie retorted, stuffing the used hanky in her own reticule. ‘You’d have gone on saying you hadn’t the money or the prospects to marry, when all the world knows that any girl would swoon with delight to have a genuine naval hero paying her court, when society is so full of dull, overweight, pompous men. And any parents would be thrilled to have you for a son-in-law.’

  ‘Well, let us all say no more about it,’ put in Julia hastily, before he could refute any of her assertions. Besides, how could he? The girls here had all swooned over him, whenever he’d walked into a room, in what he’d found a highly embarrassing manner. And Lord Mountnessing had been pleased that his spoiled daughter was marrying him. Ridiculously so.

  But then that was because the poor old fool thought she was in love with him.

  ‘Especially not,’ Julia continued firmly, ‘if it pertains to my fortune, or your brother’s lack of it. We met, we suit, and we are marrying. Never mind how it came about.’

  ‘But I cannot condone your behaviour, Lizzie,’ he growled. ‘Nor the way you have meddled in my life.’

  ‘She meant it for the best, my lord,’ Julia reminded him.

  ‘So you think,’ he said, glowering at Lizzie, ‘that is sufficient excuse for sending a letter that worried me, and brought me charging down here post-haste. For lying to me—’

  ‘I didn’t tell any lies. Not real lies!’

  ‘You deliberately caused me to believe something that wasn’t true.’

  ‘But she did it,’ put in Julia, ‘in a good cause. She thought she was doing it for you.’

  ‘Aye,’ he scoffed. ‘I might have known you would take her part in this. That you would sympathise with such behaviour. You’re clearly two of a kind.’ For hadn’t she done the same sort of thing? Disguising herself in that dress, and lur
ing him out to the glasshouse? And she hadn’t been doing it for anyone’s good but her own. Unlike Lizzie, who, he conceded, had been trying in her misguided way to be of benefit to him.

  Lizzie, far from looking chastened, actually beamed at him. And then at Lady Julia. ‘I’ve always wanted a sister,’ she said.

  ‘How lovely,’ Julia answered, looking slightly baffled by the way Lizzie could smile at him when he was still glowering at her. Though he knew it was because Lizzie knew he couldn’t be angry with her for long. He loved her far too much. Had always striven to provide her with everything a young lady could want.

  That was the moment it hit him, the same way it must have hit Lord Mountnessing the night before: he’d spoiled her. Indulged her so much that she had no fear of him whatsoever. He’d taught her she could get away with anything. Fortunately for him, she loved him back, so was unlikely to use his fondness for her against him.

  Julia, though? All she had was that same sublime belief that she was always right.

  He’d never have any say over anything she did. Never know what she was planning.

  She was going to be as unpredictable, and as uncontrollable, as the sea itself. He had a brief, but chillingly vivid vision of spending the rest of his life hanging on to the rigging, and hoping he didn’t end up capsized and drowned.

  Chapter Six

  Eventually the ball ended, and the guests who’d only been invited for the evening went home. Julia fell into bed feeling completely drained. And yet sleep eluded her. Her heart was heavy. Her limbs restless. And her mind whirling.

  It was easier to understand why Captain Dunbar assumed she was a natural-born schemer, now she’d seen the way his own sister behaved. Since he’d spent the last few years steering his ships up and down the coast on the alert for foreign invaders, and then getting tangled in her own plan to compromise David into marriage the minute he stepped ashore, it was hardly any wonder he’d started to think women did nothing but plot and plan to trap men. If she was him, she’d probably be wary of what she was about to get up to next.

  Such a depressing conclusion made it even harder to get to sleep. In the end, Julia gave up. She got out of bed, wrapped her eiderdown about her shoulders and went to the window seat to watch dawn raise its reluctant head over a bleak and empty horizon. The few clouds which had ventured out were scurrying, shivering across the sky. Here came her wedding day. A day when she should be marrying a man she loved. A day when she should be rejoicing.

  Instead, the man she’d loved for as long as she could remember no longer loved her back. And because of a series of disastrous mistakes, she was going to have to marry a man she hardly knew. And she was going to have to smile as though she was deliriously happy about it, or she’d look like the world’s biggest fool.

  Even worse, she’d make her father look like a fool. Everyone knew he’d decided not to arrange a match for her the way he had done for his heir. He’d declared Maria’s daughter should only marry for love. If anyone got so much as a hint of the truth of what lay behind her marriage to Captain Dunbar, Nick, and probably Herbert as well, would rub her father’s nose in it every opportunity they got. She simply refused to hand her brothers that kind of ammunition to use against Papa. She’d let him down badly enough as it was.

  So, no matter how miserable she felt, she was just going to have to put a smile on her face, and keep it firmly in place until this whole wretched day was over.

  * * *

  As soon as it was light enough to make it acceptable, she rang for her maid to bring her breakfast.

  To Julia’s surprise, Mabel came in with Betty, rather than wait for her summons. And she was beaming—well, both of them were.

  ‘Ooh, ’tis no surprise to see you up so early,’ observed Betty with delight. ‘I’m sure you can’t wait to get your handsome captain to the altar.’

  ‘Betty! You forget yourself,’ snapped Mabel. And then ruined her haughty stance by rushing to Lady Julia’s armoire and drawing out the dress she’d planned to wear for the Twelfth Night celebrations. ‘You must wear this.’ She sighed, draping the confection of gauze and spangles over the footboard of Julia’s bed. ‘You look so lovely in it.’

  ‘You’ll dazzle ’im, right enough,’ said Betty, completely unabashed by Mabel’s reproof.

  ‘Are you sure I should wear that? I mean, it’s a ball gown.’

  ‘You will look like a fairy princess in it.’ Mabel sighed, flaring the demi-train out into a fan.

  A fairy elephant perhaps, thought Julia as she buried her nose in her cup of chocolate. But, since the maids were so excited at the prospect of dressing her up like a Christmas goose for her handsome groom, she voiced no objection.

  As they chattered and fluttered round her, she strove valiantly to emulate their excitement. But the more animated they became, the greater her sense of guilt grew.

  When she was finally ready, and they stood gazing at her with hands clasped at their bosoms and tears in their eyes, she managed a watery smile for them.

  ‘Oh, my lady,’ gulped Mabel. ‘There is no need to feel nervous. You make a beautiful bride.’

  The dress was certainly beautiful. And the jewels she wore were magnificent. And most people wouldn’t look beneath the trappings.

  She instantly felt ten times more guilty. The maids both believed it was nerves making her so unresponsive. Though, in a way, wasn’t it? Wasn’t she nervous about marrying a man she barely knew? For the most shameful of reasons?

  There was a soft knock on the door, and her father came in. The maids bobbed respectful curtsies, and scurried out, eager to find good places in the choir loft, from which vantage point as many of the staff who could squeeze into it would be watching the ceremony.

  For the first time that morning, she didn’t feel as if she had to wear any sort of mask. Papa didn’t expect her to be all smiling and excited. He knew she’d misbehaved and felt guilty. And from the stern look he bent on her, he still hadn’t quite forgiven her, either.

  ‘Oh, Papa, I do hate it when you are angry with me.’ It was such a relief to be able to drop all pretence, and speak the complete truth, she had to sag down onto the nearest chair.

  ‘I am sorry I have disappointed you,’ she said, gazing up at him for some sign of softening.

  He walked over to her and patted her shoulder, which was as demonstrative as he ever got.

  ‘There, there,’ he said gruffly. ‘You are headstrong, like your mother. And I have indulged you, rather than curbing you. So the fault is as much mine, as yours.’

  ‘No, indeed it isn’t. You are the best papa a girl could have!’

  ‘Well, let us say no more about it.’ He sighed. ‘Indeed I do not have it in me to remain angry with you any longer. Not today, of all days.’ He darted her a wry smile. ‘Not when you are looking so pretty.’

  She wasn’t pretty. He was looking at her through the veil of affection he’d felt for her mother, as he’d always done.

  ‘It was very wrong of you to entrap that poor man the way you did,’ he continued. ‘But since he appears to have forgiven you, how can I do less?’

  She reached up and seized his hand and kissed it in the relief that he’d decided to forgive her. Even though what he was forgiving her for wasn’t exactly what she’d done. If he had known the complete truth... A chill struck to her core. Would he be so understanding then? How could she bear it if he really did cease loving her? If he became cold and critical with her, the way he was with Nick, and Herbert?

  She really did have cause to be grateful to Captain Lord Dunbar. If he had told her father the truth...

  Julia immediately decided to forgive him for speaking so harshly to her whenever they’d been alone. Didn’t he deserve some outlet for his frustration? As long as he kept his true feelings hidden from the world—or, more specifically, her fat
her—she could forgive him any amount of unkindness in private.

  ‘He is a decent man,’ said her father.

  Yes, she had to admit he was, which made her wince because while she’d done nothing but complain, and flounce off in huffs, and that after dragging him down into her mess in the first place, he’d behaved like a complete gentleman.

  ‘And he really does appear to be coming round to the notion of marriage.’

  Yes, she had to give Captain Lord Dunbar credit for his acting ability. Anyone would think he really was smitten if all they had to go by was his demeanour at the ball last night.

  ‘And I have to say, he is just the sort of man I would have chosen for you, had I been inclined to arrange a match for you. I believe he will make you a good husband.’

  Julia was certainly not going to complain about him if he wasn’t, she vowed. For the rest of her life, she was going to have to put a brave face on it.

  Tears sprang to her eyes. Her lower lip quivered as she faced the possibility of ending up just like so many society wives, married to men they couldn’t stand, taking lovers from amongst the dissatisfied husbands of the ton or eyeing up their footmen.

  Just what she’d always sworn she would never do. She’d never seen the point in marrying, unless it was an improvement on the life she led now. Unless she could exchange a life of duty for one of love and warmth.

  She blew her nose, and smiled at her father in a watery way. Then she took the arm he extended to her and left her bedroom for the last time as a single girl. Julia lifted her chin and put on a smile, which she kept firmly in place until she reached the family chapel.

  It was full to the rafters. She’d never seen so many people crammed into the ancient pews. Was there nothing more interesting to do today? No—apparently she, so used to organising the entertainment for Papa’s guests, had become the entertainment. She could understand her female cousins—who were all studying her gown, whispering behind their fans and sighing over what they thought was a whirlwind romance—wanting to attend a wedding. Anyone’s wedding.