Embracing The Earl's Dream: A Clean Regency Romance (Resolved In Love Book 4)

by Penny Fairbanks

  Solomon had been just as amazed by her beauty the first time he’d seen her at Lord and Lady Henshells’ welcome ball in London, now nearly four years ago. Even the half mask she’d worn that night could not hide it. Intrigued, he’d asked to dance with her and very quickly found out that her mind was just as captivating as her appearance. He’d known from that very first dance that he was in danger. Against his better judgement, he’d started a courtship with her, which had ended just as mysteriously as it had begun.

  “Solomon?” Juliet whispered and Solomon remembered where they were. They stood in his ballroom, not that ballroom from years past. He gave Juliet a reassuring smile, deciding at once to leave those memories behind. Tonight they would make new memories.

  Eyes from every corner of the room followed them as Solomon strode forward with Juliet on his arm. He led them to a small cluster of women, Mrs. Williams at their center, already making friends.

  “Oh, Juliet! How lovely to see you again, my darling!” Mrs. Williams burst forth, abandoning the other ladies and throwing her arms around Juliet with such force that the much smaller woman stumbled backwards.

  Juliet clearly did not mind for she laughed freely, attracting a few curious glances from nearby guests. Solomon had forgotten how boisterous Mrs. Williams could be. It clearly rubbed off on Juliet when they were together. He did not mind in the least. He always welcomed Juliet’s laugh and smile and every unique thought or opinion.

  “I missed you, Rosamund. Life is so dull without you,” Juliet giggled as she extracted herself from her friend’s hug.

  “Of course it is, Juliet. That’s what you get for refusing my offer to stay in Brighton with Daniel and I,” Mrs. Williams huffed, her eyebrows raised in a faux haughty expression.

  The corner of Juliet’s mouth turned down as she tried to suppress a frown. “You know I couldn’t do that, Rosamund. It would have been too much trouble for you. And you know I wanted my own path,” she said quietly, glancing to the other women waiting to be introduced. Solomon knew she did not want them to overhear the truth, that she was nothing but a governess now.

  Mrs. Williams wrinkled her nose. “Come now, Juliet. Don’t use our circumstances as an excuse. You chose your path and you must bear it with pride.” The words almost sounded like a scolding, but Solomon could see a softness in the fiery woman’s eyes.

  Juliet relaxed a touch at her friend’s words. “I know, Rosamund. I’m not quite as bold as you are—though I have been practicing.” She reached up and tucked a loose strand of orange-red hair behind Mrs. Williams’s ear.

  Just as Mrs. Williams opened her mouth to say something else, Solomon caught a slightly disgruntled expression from one of the ladies his specially invited guest had been conversing with.

  “Miss Richards, might I introduce you to my dear friends here?” Solomon quickly spoke up, putting a hand on the small of Juliet’s back, guiding her past Mrs. Williams to the other curious women.

  He quickly made the introductions, a task he realized might prove tricky the moment he began it. Naturally, the ladies wanted to know how Solomon had come to know such a divine little gift, as they’d put it. He thought that simply stating they were old friends would suffice but as soon as one of them looked poised to pry furthur, Mrs. Williams swept in and carried them away with talk of their darling children, a subject all women looked forward to discussing.

  As the women soon settled into pleasant banter, Juliet came alive. She had always been a talented conversationalist, her exuberant personality able to charm anyone who found themselves lucky enough to be near her. Of course, she did not have much opportunity to enjoy the company of other adults these days. Solomon reveled in it. He adored this side of Juliet, the way she sparkled as she spoke and listened so intently to every anecdote, no matter how mundane or unrelatable to her.

  They had been happily chatting for several minutes when a grimace from Mrs. Williams caught Solomon’s attention. He leaned closer and before he could even ask, she nodded toward the far corner. “I don’t mean to panic you, my lord, but a certain mother does not look too pleased at the moment.”

  A chill ran down Solomon’s spine as he peeked over his shoulder. Indeed, Mother sat rigid in her chair, hands clasped in her lap, glaring over at Solomon. So his scheme had finally caught up with him.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Williams. Would you be so kind as to keep Juliet away from that part of the room?” he whispered urgently. Mrs. Williams nodded, taking one of Juliet’s hands in hers as if to keep her quite literally by her side.

  Solomon took Juliet’s other hand and she turned to him, plump lips slightly parted in surprise. “Promise the first dance to me.”

  “Of course.” She gave a wide smile as Solomon excused himself.

  Henry and Mr. Williams still lingered by Mother’s chair, attempting to distract her. Or rather, Henry listened while Mr. Williams gave an enthusiastic description of the fantastical bathing machines in Brighton. Mother must have told him that for all her trips to Brighton when the former Lord Overton still lived, she had never dared step foot in one of those contraptions.

  “Gentlemen, would you excuse my son and I for a moment?” she asked without looking at either of them. Her eyes remained fixed on Solomon as he approached, searing into him with such force that his palms suddenly felt clammy. He hadn’t thought this far ahead to the consequences of his actions, but he also had not seen Mother this disturbed in a long time.

  Solomon’s friends gave him very different expressions as they walked away—Henry looking quite righteous while Mr. Williams looked almost guilty for abandoning Solomon alone with his own mother.

  “Is everything alright, Mother?” he asked innocently, giving her his sweetest smile.

  The dowager countess stood slowly from her chair and, though she still only came up to Solomon’s chest, he could feel every bit of her vexation radiating from her.

  “Solomon, why is Miss Richards here?” she asked quietly after looking around to make sure no one else was near enough to overhear.

  Solomon clenched his teeth together when he heard the condescending tone in his mother’s voice. He knew Mother adored Juliet, but she adored Juliet as a governess—not as a guest in their ballroom. Lady Overton had always been a proper, traditional woman after all.

  “Miss Richards and I are friends and I thought it only right to invite my friend,” Solomon explained, straining to keep his voice calm.

  Mother’s eyes darted around the room once more, nervous. “I have no objection to you being friends with her, son. She is a lovely young woman. She is also our governess,” she whispered sharply.

  The muscle in Solomon’s jaw twitched. He inhaled deeply before answering. “I can assure you that I am well aware of that fact. No one else here knows, except for our few mutual friends, and I trust them not to put Miss Richards or us in an uncomfortable situation.”

  The countess sighed and bit her lip, her shoulders dipping forward slightly. Solomon knew he’d won. “Fine, Solomon, but please promise this will be kept quiet.”

  “Of course, my dear Mother,” Solomon agreed, but more for Juliet’s sake than Mother’s. He bent nearly at the waist to kiss her upon the cheek and gave her that charming smile once more, effectively masking his frustration. The older woman’s worried expression softened.

  “Go on now.” She nodded toward the still empty dance floor, guests looking eager to begin the real festivities.

  “I love you, Mother. You know that, right?” Solomon softened, too, holding onto his mother’s hand for a moment longer.

  “Of course I do, Solomon. And I love you. Don’t let this grumpy old woman keep you from having fun. The Lord knows you need it.” She squeezed his hand, her aged but gentle hazel eyes, so much like Ambrose’s and Pearl’s, conveying her love far better than any words ever could.

  Solomon excused himself and returned to the group containing his closest friends. Mrs. Williams and Henry shared tales of their children, the former asking when h
er ten-month-old daughter, May, would finally sleep through the night. The latter offered what little advice he could to soothe a child into easy sleep since his own son had slept through the night within the first two months of his life. Juliet, her back to Solomon, listened intently to every word, laughing at the antics of the Williams and Neil children.

  “Oh how I miss them both so very much,” Juliet sighed wistfully.

  Mrs. Williams caught Juliet’s eye and nodded to Solomon, who stood a few feet behind her. Juliet spun around, bestowing a radiant smile upon Solomon. With that look, Solomon found he could wait no longer. He turned to the group of musicians nearby and nodded, signaling that they could start with the first dance number.

  “Shall we?” Solomon asked with a raised eyebrow, bowing and extending his hand to Juliet as the bittersweetly familiar music came to life, the sound of eager feet clicking against the wood as couples took their places on the dance floor.

  “It would be my honor.” Juliet curtsied and graciously placed her hand in Solomon’s. Being a man of fashion, Solomon loved a fine pair of gloves, but he had never detested them more than at this moment. Her hand would have felt so much lovelier if they could have done without these silken barriers.

  Solomon led her out onto the floor, his heart racing just as it had during their very first dance years ago. From the corner of his eye, Solomon noticed many pairs already lined up, including Mr. and Mrs. Williams. They looked so very thrilled to be sharing a dance together, as if they were still a courting couple eager for any chance to be near each other. Naturally, Henry stayed behind, standing along the wall watching contentedly. The only person who could convince Henry to dance was Cecilia. With her absent, Solomon knew that his friend would prefer the role of quiet observer. When Henry noticed Solomon’s gaze, the baron gave an encouraging smile, lifting his glass up to Solomon. Somehow, the gesture made him feel even more nervous.

  Once the dance began and he held Juliet in his arms, Solomon could not help being both transported back in time and thrilled with the present moment all at once. Juliet smiled up at him, the flickering lights from the chandeliers above creating sparkles in her light blonde hair and her perfect blue eyes.

  Solomon felt as though nothing had changed between them, as if they were the only two in the room, twirling over the dance floor, pulling apart, and then joining back together in a beautiful synchronized pattern.

  “Thank you for coming tonight, Juliet. And for agreeing to start the dancing with me,” Solomon murmured quietly, not wanting his voice to drown out the music surrounding them. “This piece was Ambrose’s and Florence’s favorite to dance to, so this is my tribute to them. And there is no one else I would have rather shared this particular dance with.” Solomon handed Juliet to another gentleman in the line, instantly missing her the moment he let her go.

  “Thank you for inviting me, Solomon,” Juliet whispered breathlessly as soon as she came back to his arms. “It means so much to me that I can be here for you in this moment. I believe Ambrose and Florence are dancing in heaven right now, too.” She smiled so comfortingly and tenderly that Solomon wanted to lean down and kiss her right then and there. Thankfully, Juliet continued before he could carry out such a wild action. “In truth, I never thought I would be in a ballroom again.”

  Solomon could feel his hand squeezing hers a bit tighter, his other hand pressing against her waist a little too closely. But he could not stop himself. Everything about her drew him closer and closer to him—her beauty, her sweet voice, her loving heart, her joyful spirit. He no longer wished to resist. He no longer wished for his heart to still. This exhilarating beating made him feel so alive, so right.

  “You will always be welcome at any of my dances. I greatly admire your choice to make a life for yourself, but I won’t let you miss out on fun when I can help it.” He gazed down at her and saw her gratitude, but he wished he could think of a better way to express himself, to tell her just how much she meant to him. Though Solomon did not typically struggle in conversation, he knew this feeling was too important. It required more consideration. He wanted to say it all perfectly, whatever it might be that he wanted to say. Solomon felt he was coming closer to finding out with each passing moment.

  Juliet smiled almost guiltily. “I truly appreciate the sentiment, but I think you are being far too generous with me.”

  Solomon grew quiet, taking his time to examine her, this woman he’d once loved with his whole heart and had once loathed—not with his whole heart. He could never have truly hated her. “Juliet, I will never run out of generosity for you.” The words rang true to Solomon as he spoke them. They’d come from that deep corner of his heart that had held onto his love for Juliet, that part of him that couldn’t truly let her go, the part that had grown slowly but surely since she’d reappeared miraculously in his life.

  Now Juliet grew quiet and thoughtful. She kept her eyes away from Solomon’s and he longed so desperately to take her chin in his fingers, tilt her face up so he could see that beautiful soul within. They switched to different partners before he could ask where her thoughts had taken her. Even as he danced with his temporary partner, Solomon kept his eye on Juliet. She still looked deep in thought, barely saying a word to the man who spun her around before returning her to Solomon.

  As soon as Juliet was back in his arms, Solomon opened his mouth to ask what bothered her, but he stopped when she suddenly smiled at him, a faraway look in her eyes.

  “Do you remember that day in London when we went for a carriage ride in Hyde Park and we talked almost nonstop about our preferences in horse color? And we pointed out all the beautiful horses in the park that day?”

  Solomon’s mouth tugged to the side, curious. “Yes, I do indeed remember.” In fact, the memory came very easily to the front of his mind. It had been one of his favorite days from that blissful, perfect period, one of the memories he’d replayed most often in his mind for its wonderful simplicity. “Do you still prefer chocolate colored hackney horses because they remind you of drinking chocolate?”

  Juliet giggled, her eyes half closed with mirth. “Yes, of course.”

  “Why do you bring that up now?” Solomon asked gently.

  The young woman stared at him with such intensity that Solomon felt he must be the only man in the world. “Do you remember when I told you about reflecting fondly on memories?”

  Solomon nodded, picturing that day in the drawing room very well—how soothed he’d felt, how much braver he knew he could be if he allowed himself to take Juliet’s advice.

  “You see, I’ve been doing quite a bit of my own reflection these days. Can you believe that we could talk about something so mundane for hours on end?” she asked with a tender smile. Her voice held no pain as she spoke of the memory, of their past—only warmth and affection.

  “Hmm…” Solomon pushed his bottom lip out and furrowed his brow, pretending to think deeply. Juliet chuckled at his exaggerated acting, something he’d always been fond of doing. He was even more fond of it when Juliet enjoyed it as well. “I can believe it, as a matter of fact. It wasn’t just talking. It was laughing and teasing and learning.” Solomon’s voice grew low and serious.

  “I always had so much fun with you,” Juliet sighed happily.

  “As did I. Juliet, I must tell you that, though I may not have felt this way at first, now I’m very glad that you’ve come to Palgrave Castle. And that you chose to stay,” Solomon confessed, suddenly breathless, the air in his lungs replaced by that fluttering sensation he’d once known so well.

  Juliet gazed at Solomon in silence with what he could only call a look of longing. Before she could respond, the music came to an end. How was every dance with her always too short? Juliet took Solomon’s arm again as he led her from the dance floor. He watched her intently the whole way. She suddenly seemed unable to look at him.

  As soon as they had made enough room for the new pairs to start the next dance, Juliet slipped away, her hand brushing over Solo
mon’s coat sleeve until he found himself suddenly colder for her absence. She hurried away from him, looking almost distressed.

  Solomon’s heart plunged from its impossible high to a new, dreaded low. Had he been too forward too soon? Every sign seemed to suggest otherwise.

  Juliet reached Henry before Solomon could catch up, urgently whispered something to him, and turned toward the double doors, keeping up her frantic pace. He took off after Juliet before Solomon could reach him to ask what was wrong.

  Biting his lip, Solomon fought with himself for a split second. He quickly decided to follow, weaving through his guests and ignoring their attempts to speak with him. He would have some ruffled feathers to smooth out later, but that hardly seemed to matter right now.

  Once out of the ballroom, Solomon spotted Henry and Juliet further down the hallway. Henry had his hands on her shoulders, apparently trying to comfort her.

  Solomon hesitated once more, worried that his presence would cause even more distress for Juliet. But he at least needed to know what he’d done wrong so he could apologize and avoid making the same mistake in the future.

  “Is everything alright?” he asked quietly as he approached, keeping his distance so he could make himself scarce as quickly as possible if Juliet wished it.

  His heart hammered and his stomach churned for what felt like ages as indecision flitted over Juliet’s face. Finally, she nodded to Henry and slipped into the nearest room. Henry gave Solomon what looked to be an attempt at an encouraging smile but betrayed his worry regardless. Solomon swallowed as he followed Juliet into the small gallery, dozens of paintings of all shapes, sizes, and subjects adorning the walls. A brief glance at the slightly ajar door revealed Henry lingering just outside.

  Juliet slowly sank onto the plush velvet sofa in the middle of the room. Clearly something weighed heavily upon her. Solomon sat down next to her but far enough that there could be no risk of their knees touching. He did not know what was appropriate right now. The very last thing he wanted was to make Juliet even more uneasy. Even still, Solomon caught himself reaching for her hand because the very first thing he wanted to do was comfort her. He stopped himself just in time and gripped his knees instead.