Sweet Surrender Page 16

  “Please enter.”

  Odelia stepped inside her aunt’s room and was surprised to see her seated in front of the looking glass pinning a cap over her curls.

  “What are you up to, Aunty Jules? Hartley said you were not feeling quite the thing.”

  In a cheerful voice, Julianna waved away the butler’s concerns with ease. “I have grown overly accustomed to country hours and the late nights finally caught up with me. I felt a headache coming on and decided I needed to take a nap. I am much recovered now and should be perfectly able to accompany you to the Duke of York’s Grand Ball this evening.”

  Odelia was nearly convinced but still prompted with one more question. “I spoke with Viscount Beaufort in the park this afternoon. He said he had stopped by to invite you to ride with him again but you were not receiving. I was surprised.”

  Julianna coloured slightly but maintained her composure. “But Odelia, surely you would agree that a lady must never show her face when she is not looking quite at her best. The viscount knocked just as I was heading to my room. I really was not in a position to entertain, let alone to go bouncing around in his phaeton.”

  Odelia could not argue with the logic of her aunt’s reasoning. Despite it being a little out of character for Julianna, Odelia would have no doubt made a similar decision so she allowed the matter to drop as Julianna peppered her with questions about her afternoon.

  “Tell me, how was your afternoon? Did you have a good time with Abigail, Mr. Landon, and Mr. Jackes?”

  As Julianna had expected, Odelia had plenty to say. “Oh, Aunty Jules, it was quite lovely. Despite the cool temperatures, the sun was shining and it was quite comfortable. The baron had brought a landau which seemed to be perfectly designed for just our purposes.”

  She rambled on for a while, and Julianna allowed her mind to wander back to her own problems but she was abruptly drawn to attention by Odelia’s words. “We had a grand time riding around with the top down then we got out for a stroll in what remains of the gardens. That is where the viscount found us.”

  “Was he searching for you?” Julianna was somewhat confused by Odelia’s choice of words and struggled to keep as neutral a tone as possible.

  “That is what it looked like. I didn’t pay it too much heed at first, but I did notice him enter the park with his beautifully matched pair and that strikingly handsome phaeton of his. He barely paused to acknowledge anyone about the park until he saw us. He came straight over and spoke with us. He seemed quite nonchalant about it, but Mr. Landon commented after he left that it seemed he simply wanted to check on you. As soon as he realized I did not think there was anything seriously wrong with you, he left. He did ask me to save him a dance this evening.”

  “Did he ask where we were planning to be this evening?” Julianna questioned.

  “Not exactly. I told him in the course of the conversation.”

  “And then what happened?”

  “Then he jumped back in his phaeton and left the park entirely. It was most strange I must say. Mr. Jackes at first wanted to speculate that the viscount had a tendre for me, but since all we discussed was you, we soon dismissed that thought. Do you suppose Lord Ackerley has a tendre for you?”

  Julianna couldn’t help chuckling over Odelia’s surprise with this thought. It should have been unflattering, but rather than being offended, her amusement calmed her.

  “I very much doubt that the viscount has a tendre for me. He is hardly likely to make the same mistake more than once.”

  Despite her lack of thought about her aunt in this regard Odelia was ever loyal. “What mistake? He would be prodigiously lucky to have you take any notice of him, and well I will tell him if given a chance.”

  “Oh no you will not, you silly widgeon. A pretty picture that would make. I can just see the scene now in my mind’s eye.” Julianna dissolved into gales of laughter that Odelia soon joined in.

  After a moment Julianna stood, drying her cheeks from the tears her chuckles had brought.

  “That did the trick. It blew away the last of the cobwebs lingering in my head. I don’t know about you, but I am now prepared to get ready for our social rounds of the night. We should have a bite to eat before we dress.”

  Chapter 18

  The Duke of York’s Grand Ball was in full swing. It was a tradition that he and his duchess opened their home once a year and invited all the highest members of the nobility for a lavish ball. Every year it was one of the most sought after invitations of the Season and always ended up being a veritable squeeze despite the vastness of their rooms. Odelia and Abigail were having a fantastic time. Even Julianna, despite her efforts to avoid the viscount, was enjoying herself reasonably well. There had been a few tense moments when she ran into her dear friend Catherine.

  “Julianna, there you are. I was wondering if I would see you this evening. I meant to come around to visit you this afternoon but I was unavoidably detained. I was concerned when you disappeared last night. Is everything all right?”

  Julianna had steeled herself just in case this would come up, so she was somewhat prepared. She started with avoidance. “Disappeared? I did not disappear. In fact Odelia, Hart, and I were among the last of the guests to depart from the Westfields' lovely ball. Hart had to explain to Dee that the countess wished to retire but could not as long as we were present. Of course, he may have been exaggerating, but I must tell you I was relieved. At that point, I was beginning to droop. Let me tell you, chaperoning a debutante is not for the faint of heart. I have begun to wonder how my grandmother managed when I made my debut.”

  This was exactly the wrong thing to say since it brought Catherine back to the point she wished to discuss.

  “Since you got engaged so early in your Season, she was able to send you off with your fiancé and did not have to keep such a vigilant eye out for you. She trusted you were in good hands when she allowed you to go off with Lord Ackerley.”

  Despite Julianna’s composure, she could not prevent the wave of color that ebbed and flowed across her face at the mention of the viscount.

  “I’m sorry, Julianna. Are you still uncomfortable around him? I thought the two of you were becoming friends again. But then last night you seemed almost distressed when you caught sight of him. Would you like to talk about it?”

  There was nothing in this world Julianna wanted less than discussing it. “No, no, Catherine, I was not distressed. We have become friends of a sort. I am quite certain I will never be perfectly comfortable in the presence of the viscount given our past, but I can surely tolerate his presence. He can be charming when he puts his mind to it. And even I will admit he is a lovely dancing partner.”

  Catherine felt there was still something amiss with her friend but could not quite put her finger on it. Julianna was saying all the right things, so her worries should have been put to rest. Catherine had to content herself with squeezing her friend’s hand and concluding the matter with the words, “You do know you can come to me to discuss any matter of concern, don’t you, my friend?”

  Julianna was humbled by her friend’s concern and squeezed back. “I do, thank you, my dear.” But she did not want to think about her worries, let alone discuss them with anyone, so she changed the subject. “Now, I have heard wonderfully complimentary things about the duke’s generosity. Shall we leave the youngsters to their dancing for a few moments and search out a drink?”

  Despite her misgivings with regard to her friend, Catherine allowed the change of subject, and the two elegant ladies left the room in search of refreshments.

  They were enjoying a comfortable coze together catching each other up on their respective news when they were interrupted by a deep, male voice.

  “Lady Chorney, Lady Julianna, it is a pleasure to see the two of you.” The viscount tried to keep relief from his voice but couldn’t quite restrain his enthusiasm.

  Catherine regarded him quizzically while Julianna paled and struggled for composure. Steeling her nerves, J
ulianna forced herself to speak and act as normally as possible. She dropped a polite curtsy.

  “Lord Ackerley, how kind of you to say so. I owe you an apology for this afternoon. I was unavailable to see any guests when you stopped in.” Julianna made an effort to put sincerity into her voice.

  “I understand and accept your apology. I trust all is well?” The viscount searched her face endeavouring to see beyond her social mask.

  “Of course all is well. Thank you for asking.” Julianna refused to meet his eye, making a lie of her statement.

  “There was something I wished to discuss with you,” Lucius persisted.

  “I apologize again, in that case. Perhaps another day we can discuss it.” Julianna smiled politely despite feeling a deep pang of distress.

  She knew he must mean to discuss Fletcher, and Julianna longed to hear whatever he might have to say, but facing him now just was not to be borne. Fletcher was an adult as the viscount had said. He would have to look out for himself for a few more days. Perhaps in a week or two she would be able to face Lord Ackerley with a degree of calm and hear whatever he had to say without revealing her own roiling emotions. But that would not be possible for at least a few days. She needed some space to numb her pain.

  The viscount was puzzled by Julianna’s distant attitude. He knew without question that she adored her niece and nephew, so it was impossible that she was indifferent to whatever he might have to say about Fletcher. It was doubtful she was harebrained enough to have forgotten their conversation wherein he had promised to speak to her nephew. Luc looked at her askance for a moment while the three stood and exchanged social niceties.

  Julianna soon excused herself saying she had to return to the ballroom to watch over Odelia. Lucius opened his mouth to offer to escort her there and perhaps request that they share a dance, but before he could draw a breath she had turned on her heel and strode away.

  Lucius looked at Catherine and could not help the surprised chuckle that escaped him. Catherine gazed back at him with raised eyebrows.

  “What did you do to her?” she demanded with some heat.

  Taken aback, the viscount denied any wrongdoing. “I did not do anything to her. I swear it to you.”

  “Well you must have done something, because she is acting like a skittish kitten whenever you are near. It strikes me as being terribly out of character. I know she was nervous to meet you at the beginning of the Season, but I thought all that had been smoothed over at your first meeting.”

  “Not exactly completely smoothed over,” the viscount had to admit. “But I have to agree this does strike me as being strange. She actually confided in me some concerns of hers just a couple days ago, and we had arranged to meet for an early morning ride yesterday. She did not show up, and when I went to check on her she was not at home to visitors.”

  This was news to Catherine, and she was silent a moment while they both considered the possible implications.

  “Did she not say anything to you about anything of import?” Luc demanded, uncaring if Lady Chorney drew any conclusions of her own by his intense interest.

  Catherine was concerned about her old friend but was feeling very torn in her loyalties. She felt a kinship with Julianna since they had gone to school together and shared their first Season, but her friendship with Lord Ackerley was of a longstanding nature as well. Besides he was friends with her husband, which held some weight with her, too. But in all honesty, whether she wanted to confide in him or not, she really had nothing to add, so she told him the truth.

  “I’m sorry, Luc. I don’t think Lady Julianna is confiding in anyone at the moment. Certainly she has not told me anything that would explain her strange behaviour.” Catherine paused for a moment watching the disappointment play across the viscount’s face. “On the other hand, do you think we might be overreacting? I mean, really, has she done anything that has been truly so odd that we should be worrying so?”

  Luc had to acknowledge the reasonableness of what Catherine had just said, but instinctively he knew beyond doubt that Julianna was not acting normally. Of course, it could just be that she did not wish to be in his company and was too polite to say that outright. But he did not think he was being inexcusably arrogant to consider that was not the problem.

  Was it not just three days ago she had asked him to look into her nephew’s behaviour? They had barely seen each other in the meantime, so he could not have done anything to give her a disgust of him. No, he was sure it was something bigger than just her taking him in dislike. Her strangeness had all started when he introduced her to his brother. Now she was suddenly acting like she had seven years ago except that her circumstances would not allow her to physically leave Town as she might wish. Instead she had left him in spirit, if not in body. Can the two things be tied together? What can it be about my brother that causes such a rift? Luc would have to persist in getting her to talk to him. But the Duke of York’s Grand Ball was not the place to do so.

  “I appreciate the logic of what you are saying, Lady Chorney, but I do think there is something amiss with our Lady Julianna. Unfortunately one cannot force a person to confide in you, especially not in such a public venue. So, for the time being, I should make my rounds and move on.”

  Catherine watched with mixed emotions as the viscount made his way through the room. He was a popular man, and it was slow progress for him to get around as many wished to speak with him. While she stood there watching Lord Ackerley walking away her husband joined her.

  “What is on your mind, dearest wife of mine?”

  With a sigh, Catherine tore her eyes away from their friend and confided in her husband. “I find I am worried.”

  Used to his wife’s methods of working out her thoughts by speaking them to him and knowing that sometimes it’s a disjointed process, he waited patiently.

  Catherine sighed again before continuing. “Luc seems to have developed feelings for Lady Julianna again. I think she is quite a lovely person and I would have said she would make him a wonderful viscountess. But after tonight, I’m not sure.”

  She paused again making her husband prompt her. “You aren’t sure she would make a good viscountess?”

  “No, no, that is not what I meant at all. I believe Julianna would make a perfectly wonderful viscountess, even a duchess if she had a mind for it. It is just that she seems to have misgivings about Lord Ackerley, and she does not seem to have any desire to confide in me on the subject.”

  Thinking he understood the source of his wife’s anxiety, Lord Chorney made an attempt to soothe her hurt feelings. “Perhaps she is not used to confiding in anyone. Or since so much time has elapsed, perhaps she has forgotten how trustworthy you are.”

  It was much more complicated than that, but Catherine appreciated her husband’s efforts to cheer her up, so she teased him. “What kind of a gentleman are you, using terms such as ‘so much time has elapsed.’ Don’t you know you should never refer to the passing of time when it comes to any lady over the age of eighteen?”

  Recognizing his wife’s playful mood but feeling chagrined all the same, the viscount apologized. “My darling, surely you are not much over the age of eighteen, so I could be excused for my lapse in good judgment. Forgive my gauche behaviour and come and dance with me, please.”

  Catherine allowed him to lead her into the ballroom and onto the dance floor, but her mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Julianna and Lucius. She finally gave voice to her thoughts.

  “Robert, how long have you known Viscount Beaufort?”

  “I was friends with the previous viscount, this one’s father. We had various business dealings, which Lucius began to manage long before his father’s death. I could not place a date on it, my dear, but I would say at least half his life.”

  Catherine thought about that for a while and decided her husband was most definitely in a position to form an honest opinion of the man.

  “So you know him well, then.” At his affirmative nod, she
continued. “And you think highly of him, correct?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do. He, of course, sowed his wild oats when he was quite young. I did not think so highly of his father. The last Viscount Beaufort was a brilliant businessman and was a success at nearly everything he put his mind to, but he was not always a nice person. He did not mind shady deals, and he had the morals of an alley cat. I highly doubt Lucius grew up with a comfortable or happy family life. He never speaks of it, but it surely would have left its mark upon him. But despite a bit of fast living when he first left school and went on his Grand Tour, he has seemed to be a very responsible, well-grounded young man.” He could see by his wife’s furrowed brow that he had not quite set her mind at rest.

  “You still seem troubled. Why don’t you tell me exactly what you want to know, and I will tell you if I can.”

  “Have you ever known him to mistreat a woman in any way?”

  Now it was his turn to furrow his brows. “That is a serious question. In this case I can, with a clear conscience, say that no, I have never known him to mistreat a woman. And from what I know of him, I do not think it is within his makeup to be capable of doing so. Let me explain. I believe he witnessed mistreatment of his mother at the hands of his father. Not that he ever injured her physically or even raised a hand to her, but he was a terribly cold husband and was unfaithful from the very beginning. This infuriated Luc to the point of illness when he was quite young. The sad thing is his father found this divertingly amusing.”

  Always warm-hearted, Catherine was immediately stirred to sympathy. “Poor Luc. But then what could have ever happened between him and Julianna, both seven years ago, and now?”

  “That I could not tell you. But whatever it was, I can tell you that it hurt them both. I know Luc has never been the same. I cannot tell you if he truly loved her back then, they were both rather young, but I do know that he felt betrayed by her defection. I have occasionally wondered if he even knows what happened back then. But I can also tell you that it is really none of your concern.” At her protest, he pulled her slightly closer. “I know, my darling wife, you care about them both and want to solve this for them, but you cannot. They must work this out for themselves, and whichever way they choose to take it, you can merely support them in their decisions, not contribute towards it in anyway. Marriage carries far too many consequences for you to stick your fingers into arranging someone’s for them.”