His Dark Enchantress (Books We Love Regency Romance) (16 page)

“
But Lady Darnley is right,” Emmaline interrupted. “It will not do for us to be seen together. Even now it may be too late. I could be arrested and you will find society’s door closed to you.”

“I do not care
about society, I care about you,” Juliana insisted. “But tell me, has this charge arisen from events that happened while you were in Spain?”

Emmaline nodded. “Please don’t ask me about it. It isn’t my tale alone to tell. Even though it was six years ago there are others who could be hurt if it became common knowledge.”

“So where did Lady Darnley come across this information?”

“That I do not know.” Emmaline rolled her head on the chair back. Her hands lay limp in her lap and a dreadful weariness crept over her. “I believe Sir Peregrine may have made a discovery as I think it was he who invited Captain Kellen and Mr. Hooper to dinner last evening. Both
knew of me in Spain and were prompted to say mean things about me.”

“That is what this is all about,” Juliana said slowly. “To discredit you. If Lady Darnley had any real proof of your supposed wrong doing, would she not have brought the Watch or Investigators with her? This is all meant to undermine your character and have you turned away by society.”

Juliana sat in still contemplation of her friend. She recalled the infrequent but long letters she received after Emmaline, without any explanation, had been called away from school.

In her early letters Emmaline indicated
her happiness at being with her father again, the freedom of speaking her mother’s tongue and visiting with her family. She wrote of her delight in the beautiful city of Salamanca with its mellow stone built cathedral, its elegant plaza and the Irish College where her father studied as a young man and met her mother.

Her letters became darker when she wrote of the invading French army and the necessity to keep moving, always moving as the allied British,
Portuguese and Spanish armies repulsed their common enemy. Her details were sharp and unflinching, from buttons missing off a soldier’s coat to Wellington’s beak of a nose, her despair at not being able to staunch the blood of a wounded soldier, her satisfaction at having a patient walk out of the hospital.

Juliana could not imagine how terrible it must have been.
The sometimes smudged words on the pages showed how those events in 1812 unfolded. The cold, wet March in Badajoz. July in Salamanca, where the searing heat in the hospital encapsulated the coppery tang of blood, layering it above the stench of unwashed and putrefying bodies.

Emmaline wrote so evocatively of the sharp cries of pain, the moans of the suffering, the prayers of the dying, that Juliana swore she could hear them.

Whatever Emmaline had done, Juliana knew there was just cause. Her friend had never acted without a reason. Her mind made up, Juliana straightened.

“Tomorrow,” she announced, “you and I are going riding as usual. It will do us both good.”

“We cannot, I mean, I cannot.” Emmaline, shocked, stirred herself from her slumped position.

“And the day after we will go to Vauxhall Gardens.”

“Juliana, you must listen to me!”

“And I believe on Friday there is a performance of
Cosi Fan Tutte
at the Opera House. We used to so enjoy Mozart at school, did we not?”

“Juliana, stop!”

Juliana smiled at Emmaline’s agitation. “No, I will not. I do not intend to desert you, for we have been friends for too long.”

“But this will be disastrous for you.” Emmaline cast about in her mind for any reason to divert Juliana’s intent. “And what would Lucius have to say? He would not like it above half and will be quite out of countenance with you.”

“Lucius is not here and I will deal with him when he is. So I will see you tomorrow. Be ready.”

After giving Emmaline
a warm goodbye hug, Juliana left but her thoughts troubled her as she made her way home. It was true she did not care much for society, but Lucius’ position imposed a measure of restraint upon her. Struck by a thought, she hesitated. If she could stand up for a friend whose reputation was at stake, could she not also respond to a proposal of marriage?

She suddenly wanted most urgently to see William. She
would give him an answer and, when the time came, they would face Lucius together. She hummed softly as she entered the house but a worried expression on Mr. Tubb’s face as he came to greet her halted her on the doorstep.

“Lady
Chulmleigh is in the library, Miss Juliana.”

“Oh, is she?”

“Indeed, Miss. And may I say she appears to be rather out of countenance?”

Juliana inclined her head. “Thank you for the warning, Mr. Tubb.”

He opened the door for her and Juliana entered to find her sister greatly agitated.

“Juliana, where have you been?” Caroline
wafted her hands in the air, giving Juliana no time to respond. “No, do not tell me, let me guess.”

“There need be no guessing, Caroline, for I am quite happy to tell you that I have been visiting with my friend Emmaline Devereux.”

“Who must be your friend no longer. Do you know what she has done?”

“I know of what she is accused, and there lies the difference.” Juliana removed her bonnet and laid it on the table before turning to face her sister. “I take it you have spoken with Lady Darnley.”

“She was here when I arrived to see Lucius, but he is nowhere to be found and that secretary of his will not afford me any information.”

“Have you considered that Edward is merely obeying
Lucius’ wishes? You well know how often our brother takes off after his own business.”

Caroline huffed and settled herself like a broody hen onto one of the lyre back chairs. “I told him this girl was no good and should be investigated. Now look at the disgrace we are in.”

“Caroline, how dare you suggest Emmaline is no good when you know nothing of her?” Juliana allowed her ire to spike her words. “As for disgrace, it is only there if you allow it. And furthermore I will tell you that I consider Lady Darnley’s accusations to be born out of spite and therefore quite deplorable.”

“Spite?” Caroline pounced on the word.

“Yes, because Lucius hasn’t offered for Olivia.”

“Lucius offer for
Olivia Darnley?”

“Astonishing is it not?” Juliana noted with satisfaction that her sister’s ruffled feathers began to settle. “Now, apart from a quite unnecessary warning, is there anything else you wished to discuss?”

“No, not with you.” Caroline shook her head. “It was some information that Lucius requested and I now have an answer for him. But it can wait.”

Juliana called for Tubb and asked for a pot of hot choc
olate. Lady Caroline declined the refreshment and declared she had wasted far too much time this morning. Having said their goodbyes, Juliana took a seat at the library table. She took a piece of writing paper from the drawer in the table, picked up a pen and dipped it into the inkwell.

What she was about to do was quite outrageous. It would annoy Lucius and scandalize Caroline, but her mind was quite made up. She knew Lucius had a low opinion of her several, and often disastrous,
adventures that included riding a horse into the entrance of a friend’s Mayfair home to curricle racing in Hyde Park.

But had he not only recently told
William that, at four and twenty, she should now be wed?

“Oh, brother of mine,” she said softly as she set pen to paper, “your wish is about to be fulfilled.”

***

On the following morning, breaking the wafer
sealing Juliana’s missive with a trembling hand, William Beamish was almost disappointed.

My Dearest William,
he read,
In answer to your kind proposal, I have made my decision and desire that you attend me as soon as possible. With love, Juliana.

William read the simple lines again. Did she mean to say no? But wait, she signed ‘
with love’.
She would not have signed so if she had been about to refuse him. Perhaps she loved him but was going to say ‘no’ because of their respective positions in society and wanted to do it kindly.

Flustered, William could barely wait until the appropriate time for visiting. He changed his shirt twice, had his valet tie several neck cloths before he pronounced himself satisfied with his crisp white linen
and shrugged himself into a waistcoat of teal velvet striped with sky blue satin.

The valet shuddered as William attached several fobs, but breathed a sigh of relief as his young gentleman, after glancing at himself in the dressing mirror, removed them. The morning coat of
dark blue superfine he helped his master struggle into was coming perilously close to needing to be let out at the seams or replaced altogether.

“There, Samuel, do you think I look more respectable with no adornment?”

“Indeed I do, Sir, a wise choice if I may say so. Makes one appear above reproach.”

“Ha! Just the look I
was wishing to achieve.” William sucked in his breath to button his coat, thought better of it, unbuttoned it again and breathed out. No good arriving on Juliana’s doorstep blue in the face. He took his hat and cane and set out, his love’s letter tucked into his pocket and hope rising in his heart.

His moo
d gave wings to his feet and soon he stood in front of Lucius’ impressive front door. Before he could lift the knocker, it opened and Tubb invited him in.

“
Lady Juliana is in the library, Mr. Beamish.” The hint of a twinkle in the butler’s eye was at odds with the impassive expression on his face. “She says for you to go straight in.”

William divested himself of hat and cane, tapped once
on the door and let himself into the library. It was as familiar to him as his own. Similar furnishings, similar titles on the shelves, comfortable chairs and serviceable tables. But his library did not have Juliana in it.

He stopped,
charmed by the strawberry pink crushed velvet morning gown she wore, delighted by the wisps of dark curls surrounding her face. She stood up and stretched out her hands.

William gaped, for a moment unbelieving that anything good would come of this meeting. The hope in his heart leaped to his throat, tied his tongue as he walked towards her. His gaze never left hers as he took her hands in his.

“Well, Juliana?” He took a deep breath. “What is it to be?”

“Yes, William.” Juliana’s eyes sparkled with happiness. She withdrew her hands and threw her arms about his neck. “I love you and yes, I will be your wife.”

“Oh, my God!” William circled his arms about her and lifted her off her feet in a fierce hug. “You have made me the happiest man alive.”

“Then kiss me!”

So lost were they in their new found passion, neither heard the knock on the door, neither heard the remonstrating voices, or the entrance into the library of the last person they could have expected.

“Well, here is a pretty thing, I do declare!”

Juliana and William sprang apart.

“Lady Darnley!” Juliana gasped.

“And not before time, I see.” Lady Darnley marched into the library, Olivia a timid shadow behind her. “I really must remonstrate with your behaviour, Lady Juliana. It is quite inappropriate that you should be entertaining a young man in such fashion. And under your brother’s roof, no less. This, combined with other associations, puts you almost beyond the pale. How could you?”

A flush
of immediate anger stained Juliana’s cheeks.

“I have every right to entertain my betrothed,” she began but was instantly cut off by the look in Lady Darnley’s eye.

“Betrothed, you say? Then why has there been no .. Oh!” Her face lightened with sudden comprehension. “I see it all now. You cannot make an announcement until your brother has made his. Oh, naughty Lucius!”

Lady Darnley beamed a smile at Juliana who instantly froze as she realized the conclusion the woman had reached.

“No, Lady Darnley, no.” She shook her head vigorously. “It is not what you think. Please, you must listen. . “

But Lady Darnley was already heading towards the door with
Olivia tripping obediently along in her wake.

“Lady Darnley, you are making a mistake, you must listen.”

The door closed, leaving Juliana and William looking at each other in dismay.

“Damnation,” muttered William. “That woman’s tongue will be dripping gossip all round town in no time. Lucius will be lucky if he don’t come back from wherever he is to find himself affianced to
Olivia. And where the devil is he, anyway?”

Juliana shook her head.

“I don’t know, William.”

Deflated, Juliana sank down into one of the chairs beside the fireplace. Imperious, impetuous, her odious brother teased
her one moment, admonished her the next. He was not without his faults but he loved her and, she knew, had her best interests at heart as she had his.