Juliet glanced from one couple to the other, noting how in love they all looked. Henry gently adjusted a loose strand of Cecilia’s hair while Cecilia’s thumb absentmindedly stroked Henry’s coat sleeve. Violet kept her body turned toward Owen while Owen wrapped a loving arm around her shoulder.
Of course, Juliet was undeniably happy for all of them. They deserved their beautiful love stories, as did her very dear friends Rosamund and Daniel, living the life of their dreams in Brighton. Juliet missed them as well though she felt quite overwhelmed already with these present guests. Perhaps all the blessings for happy marriages and homes full of children had been used up on Juliet’s loved ones, leaving none left over for herself.
A slight movement further back in the room caught her eye and she glanced past her visitors. Lord Overton lingered in the background, out of the way of this joyful reunion, which he watched with interest. His eyes seemed to be particularly drawn to Juliet. As soon as the earl realized she’d noticed him, he quickly turned his attention away, suddenly finding something to captivate his interest on the ceiling.
As much true joy as these guests brought Juliet, she felt sure their visit had nothing to do with her. Lord Overton and Henry had been best friends since they’d met at their boyhood boarding school and Juliet suspected that he had visited Gatherford Park often when Juliet wasn’t there. She had put the pieces together after several letters from Cecilia that mentioned an unnamed guest visiting. Cecilia always told her who had come to Gatherford Park, how long they’d stayed, and what they had all done together. But there was one name Cecilia knew better than to mention. Surely, Lord Overton had become well acquainted with Violet and Owen during his numerous visits. There should be no surprise that he’d invited both couples to visit before the weather made long journeys more difficult.
“My, my, you look absolutely stunned, darling,” Cecilia chuckled, stepping forward once more and taking Juliet’s hands in hers. “I think you could use some fresh air. Let us take a walk about the grounds since the day is so fine. It would be uncommonly cruel to keep dear Miss Catley cooped up in the house when winter will soon take care of that for her.” She smiled down at the little girl with lovely, maternal warmth and Pearl jumped up and down with glee. Juliet’s heart panged with a flash of jealousy.
“Solomon?” Henry asked, turning to his friend.
“Certainly,” Lord Overton coughed.
Juliet prepared herself and Pearl for an afternoon outdoors in a haze, bundling them both up in warm clothes and thick gloves. As they made their way to the back veranda to meet the others, Juliet wondered if perhaps she had fallen asleep during a lesson and dreamt up this vivid scenario. Could her sister really be here? And her other beloved friends? Surely she could not be so blessed, not after all she’d done wrong.
As she and Pearl stepped out into the chilly afternoon sunlight, there they all stood, waiting. Cecilia turned at the sound of the door and beamed her charming, loving smile at Juliet, giving a little wave to Pearl.
“Shall we, gentlemen?” Owen asked in his amicable voice, gazing out at the vast lands before them. After spending two days trapped in a carriage and sleeping overnight at an inn, he seemed very eager to stretch his legs. Juliet noticed the way Violet’s mouth pulled up to one side in a bemused smile as she watched her husband practically ripple with unspent energy.
“Yes, I think we should be off before Owen here bolts like a bored stallion. If we lose sight of him, we may never find him again,” Lord Overton teased, clapping the tall, ruggedly handsome former captain on the shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder at Juliet for the briefest of moments. Juliet frowned in confusion. He’d looked as though he’d sought her approval of his jest.
Henry nodded in his typical silent agreement and the three men stepped down onto snow-dusted grass, forgoing the gravel path that would lead them in a neat fashion down the middle of the expansive back lawn, favoring their own path to the left where the pond lay. Pearl slipped her gloved hand out of Juliet’s and rushed forward, eagerly passing the men, calling out to them to catch up with her if they dared.
Cecilia laughed as Owen lunged forward with arms outstretched as if to grab the girl. She artfully darted away, leaving Owen to bemoan his lackluster agility. Henry, on the other hand, cautioned Pearl to watch where she stepped lest she slip on a patch of ice. “Those two make very different fathers,” Cecilia sighed, her voice thick with admiration for them both.
“Well, I suppose we should follow and ensure no one gets hurt.” Violet smiled warmly at the group ahead of them, looping her arm through Juliet’s while Cecilia took the other.
The ladies kept back a distance, far enough to let their husbands and host have their conversation while they had their own. They walked in contented silence for a few moments, taking in the beautiful grounds and enjoying each other’s company.
“Have you spent much time in the orchard yet, Juliet? I can see from here that it’s rather bare now, but it’s breathtaking in the spring and summer.” Cecilia broke the silence, elegantly nodding toward the orchard in the distance to their right.
Juliet did not care about the orchard just now. As she gazed at her sister, still amazed to have her by her side, she couldn’t help wondering how Cecilia always managed to be so graceful. Her every movement contained purpose and she always looked so poised. She had always been the more refined and gentle of the pair and her musicality showed in everything she did, but Juliet now saw just how much Cecilia had grown into her role as baroness.
Cecilia noticed Juliet’s silence and glanced over at her. She gave Juliet’s elbow a playful wiggle to return her focus back to the conversation. Juliet’s heart swelled with warmth at her sister’s understanding yet amused smile.
“Ah yes, I adore the orchard. In fact, it is my favorite place on the grounds though I have not been able to spend much time there yet. I hope to take Pearl out for lessons in the orchard and around the grounds when the warmth returns,” Juliet finally answered.
“Interesting.” Cecilia’s eyebrow arched up for a moment. Her deep blue eyes, sapphire where Juliet’s were aquamarine, sparkled with some sort of mischief.
“Interesting? Why is that?” Juliet asked cautiously. She glanced over to Violet to see if she had insights into Cecilia’s thoughts. The young woman merely smiled shyly, casting her green eyes to the ground and tucking away a lock of dark brown hair that had come loose from her bonnet. Juliet bit her lip. That was not a good sign. Violet knew, but it was something her reserved nature kept her from openly sharing.
“Cecilia?” Juliet whipped her head back to her sister, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What is it?” she demanded, tugging at Cecilia’s jacket sleeve.
She shrugged in response, her increasingly coy smile making Juliet all the more curious. “It is nothing very big. I just thought it interesting that you and Solomon share the same favorite location.”
Cecilia’s words sent a shiver down Juliet’s spine that she knew had nothing to do with the chilly breeze swirling past them. Her eyes darted up to the group just ahead of them. Lord Overton walked in the middle with Henry and Owen flanking him, the exact same formation adopted by the ladies. Juliet could not stop herself from noticing his broad shoulders and how perfectly they filled out his winter jacket or the way his auburn hair danced in the cool sunlight. When he turned to listen to one of his friends, Juliet saw his brows furrowed in concentration or the slight tug of a smile.
Juliet tore her eyes away from the earl and returned them to her sister’s dearly missed face. “How has the young master been?” she asked cheerily, knowing that her change of subject would not go unnoticed, but hoping that it would at least buy her some time to regain her senses.
“Joseph has been lovely,” Cecilia sighed happily, her coy smile softening into warmth as she thought of her son. “They say that two is a very difficult year for little ones but so far he hasn’t been throwing any more tantrums than usual. He has a few here and there as any child does, but
I thank God every day that he seems to have inherited Henry’s quiet nature.”
“That’s so wonderful to hear. I miss him so very much,” Juliet confessed, though she hoped she had managed to hide the real pain within her loneliness.
Of course, Cecilia had been watching Juliet from the corner of her eye. It had been foolish of Juliet to hope she could hide anything from her sister.
“I know, dear. He misses you, too. In fact, Rosamund gifted him a little yellow cloth puppy the last time she and Daniel visited. He immediately named it Auntie Jules,” Cecilia laughed, her sweet voice carried away on the breeze. Even Violet giggled, covering her mouth with her free hand.
“Goodness!” Juliet cried. “I do hope to meet my canine counterpart soon.” She sighed wistfully as she imagined her little nephew, all dark curls and big blue eyes, snuggled up with a toy that bore her name. “And what of Francis? How old is he now?” Juliet asked her other companion.
“He’s nine months now.” Violet’s small mouth turned up in a proud, loving smile, illuminating her beautiful features. “He’s crawling very well and even pulling himself up to stand on his own, though I think he’s still a ways away from walking. Owen cannot wait for Francis to start walking and running. I keep having to remind him that it may be a while yet before our little boy can keep up with him.” She shook her head with a loving chuckle.
“I am sure you brother absolutely dotes on him.”
Violet sighed, exasperated. “More than you can imagine, Juliet. In fact, I often regret naming my son after my brother. Frank has really gotten quite a big head because of it. But alas, it is too late to change it now.”
Juliet laughed, the sound bubbling up through her chest in a warm stream. When had she last laughed like that—fully in the moment, not worrying about her place in the world or regretting her mistakes?
“And there is something else…” Cecilia’s voice grew quiet. Juliet examined her sister carefully, worry churning in her stomach.
“What is it, Sissy?”
“Well, it is not bad news so you need not sound so concerned.” Cecilia chuckled but Juliet’s confusion only grew.
“Out with it then, Lady Neil.” This time it was Juliet’s turn to give Cecilia’s elbow an impatient wiggle.
Cecilia looked down, an excited smile spreading over her face. “It is too early to tell yet, but I have reason to believe that Joseph will soon have a sibling.”
Juliet came to an abrupt halt, jerking the ladies on her arms back with her. “Oh, Sissy, that is wonderful!” She unlinked herself from Cecilia and Violet and threw her arms around her sister’s shoulders, swaying on her toes. Cecilia and Violet both laughed heartily.
“As I said, Juliet, I am not certain yet. Keep this a secret, please, even from Henry. I only want to tell him when I know beyond the shadow of a doubt,” Cecilia insisted, squeezing Juliet back with just as much force.
“Oh goodness,” Violet muttered. “It seems our commotion has brought some attention our way.”
Juliet and Cecilia pulled apart and followed Violet’s gaze. The men had turned to face them, their expressions both amused and curious.
“Fear not, my friends. I shall go mitigate the damage and feed them some tale about our secret womanly jokes. And, in my reticule, I just so happen to have some poetry that I worked on during our travels. Perhaps I can read it aloud to Miss Catley as she adventures.” Violet’s eyebrows lifted, an uncommonly sly glint in her eyes. She strode forward, her light footsteps barely making a sound on the dying grass.
“How long will you all be staying? Are you sure you should be travelling in your condition?” Juliet asked as she and Cecilia settled back into their leisurely walk. Violet’s arm had been captured by her husband after she’d pulled out a few sheets of paper. Pearl bounced before her, eagerly awaiting her very own personal poetry reading. Juliet frowned for a moment as she realized that she was missing out on Violet’s work. The young woman had a beautiful talent for verse and Juliet had come to enjoy it despite her general ambivalence toward the artform.
“Not more than two weeks so we can be home before Christmas and make it ahead of the worst winter storms. And as I said, I do not know if I am even in a condition yet. We’d already accepted Solomon’s invitation to visit and I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing you.” Cecilia gazed at Juliet, her smile soft with contentment.
“Of course.” Juliet nodded, a sudden cold melancholy washing over her. “I’m so happy you can even stay for that long.” She smiled, willing her words to be true. They were true, to a degree. She appreciated any time she could spend with her sister. Two weeks would pass in the blink of an eye, though, especially since Juliet would still have to spend most of her time teaching Pearl. Naturally, everyone wanted to be home to spend the holidays with their children. Juliet could not fault them for that. “You musn’t leave before I hear the new pianoforte piece you wrote to me about, or before I read Violet’s new poems,” Juliet insisted playfully, trying to brush away her melancholy.
“Oh yes, I’m so eager for you to hear it! And I’m sure Violet will be happy to oblige as well. Now tell me, how are you enjoying your new position?” Cecilia’s voice dropped to a whisper, though Juliet did not know why as the rest of their party had gained quite a distance from them.
Juliet narrowed her eyes in suspicion once more. “My new position is wonderful.”
Cecilia tsked and pursed her lips. “Jules, I know your letters are hiding things. Please, tell me truthfully.” The baroness’s eyes pierced through Juliet, conveying love and concern.
As much as it pained Juliet to share these deep, heavy thoughts, she knew she must unburden herself to Cecilia. Cecilia always knew when something troubled Juliet. She rested her head against her sister’s cheek for a moment, gathering strength from the older woman before filling in the details missing from her letters.
“I truly love Pearl and this position provides me with the sense of fulfillment I’ve always craved,” she started. Cecilia watched in silence, listening carefully. “But...the loneliness is unbearable at times. I’d hoped the other staff would warm up to me by now, but it seems I’ll have to accept a friendless existence in this house. I love what I’m doing, but I didn’t realize how isolating this path would be. Of course I’d heard plenty of stories. Somehow I thought my situation would end up differently.” Juliet scoffed bitterly. She’d been foolish so many times in her life and it always hurt her in the end.
Cecilia nodded thoughtfully. “You have always been quite a social creature so naturally you are experiencing growing pains as you adjust to your new life. There is still time yet for the others to come around.”
“Growing pains indeed,” Juliet sighed, her shoulders suddenly feeling too heavy to maintain proper posture. She allowed them to sink a bit since she knew Cecilia would not care and Pearl would not see. Juliet had also underestimated how constantly she would have to abide by every single rule found in proper society if she were to be a model for her charge. Her only chance to bend the rules even slightly—with a little slouch here or a silly face there—came after Pearl had gone to bed and Juliet could return to the privacy of her room.
“And how has it been working for Solomon?” Juliet had expected Cecilia’s next question, but she still groaned quietly. She’d hoped to leave Lord Overton out of the conversation for the time being as he was an even more painful subject to talk about than the loneliness. Clearly Cecilia would not allow her to escape that easily.
“That is the hardest thing of all,” she confessed, her voice barely a whisper. “We’re living in the same house as strangers, Sissy, and I cannot stand it. But what other choice do I have? He said he no longer bore any ill will towards me from our past, yet he seems to go out of his way to avoid me and, when we are together, he keeps every conversation very short. Although sometimes…”
“Sometimes?” Cecilia prompted but Juliet could only squeeze her eyes shut as Lord Overton flooded her mind, every heartbeat stuttering
with pain and guilt.
“Are you sure there is really nothing deeper in Solomon’s feelings?” Cecilia asked gently.
“I assure you there isn’t.” Juliet spoke with finality and confidence, though she had never hoped more ardently to be wrong. Whatever she saw or heard that gave her even a tiny glimpse of hope could only be attributed to her own selfish, foolish, unrequited desires.
Cecilia looked ahead at the group walking before them. Pearl had her hand wrapped around her uncle’s fingers, skipping happily at his side while Violet read her poetry. Lord Overton chatted with his friends, Owen chatting back and Henry listening silently. Juliet was glad to see that the earl looked a little more like his old self in the company of his friends.
“I would not be so sure about that, Jules. You see, Solomon’s invitation made it very clear that he asked us to visit more for your benefit than for his own,” Cecilia shared quietly, watching her sister from the corner of her eye.
Juliet’s heart stopped. She held her breath as Cecilia’s words rang in her ears. She could hardly believe them even when they repeated over and over again so rapidly that they overlapped and bled into each other. Would Lord Overton really do something so kind for her? Especially when she did not deserve it?
Could Juliet dare to hope that it meant something?
Chapter 6
Henry inhaled deeply, running his hand over a row of book spines. Solomon watched from his comfortable chair situated by the fire. He’d never understood this ritual of his friend’s, nor his love of books in general, but Henry did this every time he visited Palgrave Castle. Whenever it came time for the baron to depart, he requested a few minutes in Solomon’s library to say goodbye. Not to Solomon, of course, but rather to the books.
Solomon merely watched, bored. He knew his home boasted a grand library, nearly as grand as Henry’s. But while Henry’s was a mixture of inherited books and his own personally curated collection, Solomon’s remained primarily an inheritance that he did not often remember when taking stock of his wealth. Even still, Henry always paid his respects to the Overton library.
Embracing The Earl's Dream: A Clean Regency Romance (Resolved In Love Book 4) Page 7