In Search of Love: Convenient Arrangements (Book 2)

by Pearson, Rose

  “That is precisely what I meant to express,” he said truthfully. “I did not expect you to see such a thing within my conversation.”

  She laughed and instantly, Thomas felt himself begin to relax, with some of the tension he now felt draining away.

  “You are unused to walking and conversing with a lady in such a manner, no?” she asked with a small smile. “You are instead used to stealing a lady’s affections and attentions rather than listening to what they have to say and attempting to show a genuine interest,” she said, looking at him with a confidence to her manner that surprised him. “But I shall not be upset, Lord Altringham. Rather, I feel myself glad that you have chosen to walk with me this afternoon, rather than attempting to do anything else.”

  He could not help but chuckle. “You have found the truth of the matter, Miss Sussex,” he told her with a small shrug. “I cannot say otherwise.”

  “As I have said, I am not insulted,” she answered. “Instead, I am grateful.” Her head turned back toward the path. “What is it you would like to speak of?” She laughed again as he looked at her, a little confused. “There must be some topic which you would like to discuss!”

  Thomas frowned, trying hard to think of what he could speak of with the lady. “Might you tell me a little more about you?” he asked, seeing that Miss Sussex stiffened slightly at the question, her eyes flaring for a moment before she turned her head away. “I feel as though I do not know you particularly well, Miss Sussex, and I should like to change that.”

  Pressing her lips together, Miss Sussex looked up at him before turning her head away.

  “If you wish to know the sort of person I am, then I can tell you that I do enjoy reading, although I am not a great reader. I enjoy walking out of doors whenever I can and love nothing more than sitting somewhere outside—either here or at home—when I can watch all that occurs.” Her face lit up, her eyes taking on a distant view. “I like to hear the birds sing and listen to the wind when it brushes through the trees. I feel quite at home, quite safe, and without any need to hide myself away.” Her smile became a little sad. “I am not ignored then. I am merely a part of all that is going on.”

  Thomas frowned, looking into her face and seeing a mix of sadness and contentment mixed into Miss Sussex’s expression. There was more to her than she wanted to say, he realized, his stomach dropping low as he wondered what it was she had kept hidden. What was the cause of her sadness? Why did she speak of hiding, of being ignored? What was it that brought her so much pain?

  “Miss Sussex, I—”

  Before he could finish his sentence, something slammed hard into his shoulder, throwing him back. Miss Sussex let out a sudden scream of shock and pain began to rifle through him, spreading out from his shoulder and all down his arm. He did not know what had happened to him, did not know what was going on, only to see Miss Sussex press her handkerchief to his shoulder, redness blotting it almost at once.

  “What happened?” Lady Newfield cried, bending down over him beside Miss Sussex. “Are you all right, Julianna?”

  Miss Sussex nodded, her expression grim. “I am well,” she told her companion. “But Lord Altringham…” She looked at him, her face set. “I believe you have been shot.”

  Chapter Seven

  Julianna shuddered as she washed her hands, seeing the final few strands of red swirling into the water and feeling grateful for the small fire burning in the grate. One moment she had been talking to Lord Altringham, and the next he had been thrown back, crashing to the ground. She had seen him press his shoulder and had, to her shock, caught a flash of red on his shirt. On instinct, she had pressed her handkerchief to Lord Altringham’s shoulder, even though it had not done a great deal save for confirming that what she had suspected was, in fact, the case.

  Lord Altringham had been shot. There was no other explanation for what had occurred. A bullet in his shoulder just above his heart, leaving blood pouring from the wound. Had Lady Newfield not been present, Julianna was not certain what she would have done. Lady Newfield had pressed not only her handkerchief but also Julianna’s to the wound, before sending Julianna to go and fetch the carriage as quickly as she could. She had been in so much of a daze that her feet had felt like blocks of wood as she made her way toward the carriage, stumbling slightly as she went. The driver and tiger had come to fetch Lord Altringham at once, and they had all been taken back to his townhouse where she now waited.

  Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Julianna saw a pale-cheeked young lady, whose blonde hair was all of a tangle. Her curls had already begun to come undone from all of the commotion, her pins slipping from their place. With a heavy sigh, Julianna began to pull out the pins one at a time, knowing that she would have to set her hair back in place herself. It was not something she was unused to, given that she had been made to fix her own hair on many an occasion whilst under her father’s roof. He did not care for fripperies and apparently allowing a maid to do her hair, other than on the night of a ball or some such thing, was entirely unnecessary and would take the maid away from her work.

  Running her fingers through her hair, Julianna let out a long breath, trying to steady herself. She had been shivering with shock as she had been welcomed into the house, and the butler had encouraged her into this small room where she could wash her hands and warm herself by the fire if she wished to for a short time. Lady Newfield was waiting for her in the drawing room and the doctor was with Lord Altringham. She had a few moments to collect herself.

  The door to her left suddenly opened and Lord Altringham staggered in. He was in his shirtsleeves, blood still staining the shoulder and the arm of his shirt, and his feet were bare.

  Julianna gasped in shock and stepped back, not quite sure where to look.

  Lord Altringham blinked and then cleared his throat. “My apologies,” he said bluntly. “I did not think anyone was in here.”

  “I apologize,” Julianna murmured, not looking at him but rather turning a little to her left. “If you need something from within, I shall, of course, leave at once.”

  Lord Altringham waved a hand, his eyes fixed on her long, fair hair which was now curling around her shoulders and back. “No, it is of no importance,” he said firmly. “I thought there might be a fire in here and intended to simply throw my shirt on it.” He shrugged. “It is quite ruined.”

  Heat burned in her face as she turned herself away. “I would not prevent you,” she said, gesturing to the fire. “Only please do excuse me first, Lord Altringham.” A sudden thought had her looking at him sharply. “I do hope that this is not an attempt to…” She could not bring herself to finish speaking, suddenly horrified at the thought that he might be trying to encourage her into his arms.

  His reaction was one of anger.

  “No, Miss Sussex,” he said furiously, his eyes boring into hers. “No, I am not attempting to seduce you. I merely came to throw my shirt on the fire. That is all. I had no awareness that you were present in this room.” He gestured toward the door. “Please, take your leave. I should not want to embarrass you further or make you think any worse of me.”

  Julianna hurried out of the room at once, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She had somehow managed to insult him without having had any intention of doing so. She had been caught by surprise and had jumped to the worst conclusion. It had been foolish of her now, she realized, dragging air into her tight lungs as she made her way to the drawing room, which she had been shown to at the first before being taken to the room to wash her hands and refresh herself.

  “Goodness, Julianna!” Lady Newfield exclaimed as Julianna walked inside. “What on earth has occurred?” Her eyes flared as she grasped Julianna by the shoulders. “Lord Altringham has not…?”

  Julianna closed her eyes and shook her head. “No, he has done nothing,” she said, realizing that her grandmother was talking about her hair. “My hair was coming undone and I intended to put it all back up before I returned to you, but Lord Altringham
surprised me and I had to quit the room quickly.”

  Lady Newfield blinked, trying clearly to make sense of what Julianna had said. “You mean, you had to escape him?”

  Opening her eyes, Julianna took in a deep breath and tried to explain. “No, Grandmama,” she said softly. “I insulted him and had to take my leave quickly.” She swallowed hard and prayed that no tears would come to her eyes. “I think it would be best if we left at once.”

  “We cannot leave immediately,” Lady Newfield said slowly. “Not when your hair is in such a state.” Taking Julianna’s hand, she led her to the couch and sat down beside her. “Do hurry now.”

  Together, both Julianna and Lady Newfield quickly managed to get Julianna’s hair up into a very sensible chignon and, given that there were no interruptions, felt quite able to then depart. Rising to her feet, Julianna let out a long breath and made for the door, only for it to open before she could reach it.

  “Lady Newfield, Miss Sussex.” Lord Altringham came into the room, making Julianna stop dead. “You were not leaving, I hope? I have had refreshments sent for and they will be here momentarily.”

  Julianna glanced behind her to Lady Newfield, who had pasted a smile on her face although her eyes remained steady.

  “We can only stay for a short while, Lord Altringham,” she said smoothly, “just to ensure you are a little recovered.”

  Lord Altringham returned Lady Newfield’s smile but did not look at Julianna. “I am quite well, I assure you,” he said, gesturing to his shoulder. “An injury here, yes, but aside from that, I feel very well indeed.” Coming a little further into the room, he gestured to the chairs and couches. “Please, do sit and take tea with me. I would be most grateful, especially after what you have done.”

  “I do not think we did a great deal,” Lady Newfield said, but she moved to sit down regardless, leaving Julianna to follow. “All that matters is that you are not gravely injured.”

  Lord Altringham’s face twisted as the door opened to reveal two maids bringing in trays of refreshments. He did not speak until they had left, his expression still dark. “I am sure that someone did wish to gravely injure me,” he said, his tone somber. “I am aware of just how close to my heart that bullet came.”

  Julianna’s heart quickened as she saw the flicker of fear in Lord Altringham’s eyes. “Do you think the same person who stole your diamonds also did this?” she asked, and Lord Altringham looked at her for the first time since he had entered the room. “It seems quite an escalation to go from the theft of diamonds to shooting you.”

  Lord Altringham rubbed his chin, his eyes dropping to the floor as he considered what she had suggested.

  “That is quite true, Miss Sussex,” Lady Newfield said slowly. “To go from stealing to attempting to murder someone does seem to be two very separate incidents with two separate motivations.”

  “One to steal from you for their own gains and for your shame, with the other seemingly to steal your life from you,” Julianna murmured, looking at Lord Altringham and noting him a little paler. “Could it be that there are two separate people attempting to injure you in their own ways?”

  Lord Altringham let out a long breath. “Mayhap,” he said quietly. “You might very well speak the truth, Miss Sussex, but I cannot say for certain. However, I must confess that I am now much more on my guard.”

  Lady Newfield gestured to the tea tray, catching Julianna’s eye as she did so. A little embarrassed, Julianna glanced at Lord Altringham. “Might I—might I pour the tea, Lord Altringham?” she asked, seeing his eyes flare as though he had forgotten all about the refreshments that had been brought in.

  “Yes, yes, of course,” he said quickly, gesturing toward her. “Please, Miss Sussex.”

  She did so at once, glad that her hands did not tremble as she lifted the teapot. Soon, they all had a cup of tea and a cake or two to hand, with the first sip of Julianna’s tea tasting more refreshing than ever before. Even Lord Altringham seemed to relax a little as he lifted the cup to his mouth.

  “It seems a little foolish to ask who might have something against you, Lord Altringham,” Lady Newfield said, her eyes firm as she spoke bluntly, making Julianna gasp in shock. “For I presume there will be a quite a few gentlemen who see you as nothing more than a rake who deserves every manner of punishment.”

  Setting her tea down, Julianna clasped her hands tightly, her body rigid with tension as she looked at Lord Altringham, expecting him to retort angrily at her grandmother.

  Instead, he merely sighed and spread his hands. “You are quite correct, Lady Newfield,” he said without any attempt to put himself in a better light. “There are a few. I am a rake and thus, have treated a good many gentlemen without any consideration when I have sought out the ladies that please me.” Sighing, he dropped his head low. “I have no one to blame but myself,” he added. “I have found myself wanting to turn away from this path these last few days, without any explanation as to why…” He glanced up at Julianna for a moment, who felt a thrill of heat climb up her spine at his mere glance. “And I suppose that this is the confirmation that is required for me to make that change permanent.”

  Something like joy shot up from Julianna’s core and it took all of her efforts to keep her face composed. Could this be true? Could Lord Altringham truly change his character? Did that mean that she could have hope that one day, he might become the sort of husband she needed him to be?

  But what will he say when he discovers you have been lying to him about who you are? came a quiet voice in her heart. What will he say then?

  “You must be careful,” Lady Newfield cautioned, looking at Lord Altringham with a curiosity in her gaze, as though she were uncertain as to whether or not to believe him. “Someone is clearly desperate to remove you from this earth.”

  “And I cannot even begin to imagine who it could be, since there are so many who wish me ill,” Lord Altringham said gloomily. “What is it I am to do?” He looked from Julianna to Lady Newfield as though he needed them to give him some answers, some explanations as to what was required. “I do not know. Should I remain at home? Hiding away?” He glanced at Julianna as he said this, the word ‘hiding’ reminding her of what she herself had said to him earlier that day. That had been when she had, mayhap, spoken a little too freely and with a little less care. Somewhat embarrassed, she hid her feelings by picking up her teacup and taking another sip.

  “I do not think that it is wise for you to hide yourself here, Lord Altringham, no,” Lady Newfield said slowly. “But at the same time, you must be wise in your choice of outings.”

  “Balls, for example, would be quite all right, would they not?” Julianna chimed in, quickly understanding what her grandmother meant. “With so many people, no one would dare attempt to shoot you.”

  Lord Altringham chuckled somewhat wryly. “No, I suppose they would not.”

  “Although you would need to be careful not to go into the gardens or any more secretive places,” Lady Newfield finished, one eyebrow arching. “But that, I would think, would fit into your newfound attempt to improve your behavior, would it not?”

  Again, Lord Altringham chuckled, rubbing one hand over his forehead. “It would indeed, Lady Newfield,” he said with a shake of his head. His expression suddenly became serious as he glanced from Julianna to Lady Newfield and back again. “I will not pretend that it is not a little worrying to have had someone almost succeeding to put a bullet through my heart,” he added, his brows now so low that they almost knotted together. “And there are so few of my acquaintances to whom I can give my trust that I—”

  “There must be someone,” Julianna interrupted, speaking softly. “Surely one of your acquaintances is trustworthy.”

  Lord Altringham hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Yes, there is Lord Fairfax,” he said, and Julianna remembered the gentleman that Miss Glover had spoken to while she was speaking to Lord Altringham at the evening soiree. “He is one of my only true friends and has n
o hesitation in telling me when he believes me to have overstepped.”

  Julianna was a little surprised to hear that such a gentleman would be a friend of Lord Altringham’s when, evidently, they were so different—knowing little of Lord Fairfax’s character—yet she was grateful that he had someone upon whom he could rely.

  “And, of course, I have you, Miss Sussex.”

  Turning her eyes back toward him, Julianna felt her stomach tighten at the look in his eyes.

  “I am sorry about before,” he said plainly. “I reacted badly to what was a very fair assumption on your part. Forgive me.”

  She shook her head wordlessly, trying to find the words to protest, but Lord Altringham held up one hand.

  “Please, no words to try and attribute some blame to your own actions, Miss Sussex,” he said firmly. “I will not hear of it. I am sorry for behaving so, especially after all you have done to help me. Forgive me, please.”

  Seeing the astonishment on Lady Newfield’s face, Julianna found herself smiling. “But of course, Lord Altringham,” she said quietly. “And you are quite correct, you do have both myself and Lady Newfield by you. Neither of us have any desire to harm you and will be as much help to you as we can be.”

  Lord Altringham let out a long, slow breath, turning his head a little so that he might rub the back of his neck in evident frustration.

  “I feel as though I have stepped into another life,” he said, as though speaking to himself. “One where I must be on my guard and wary of all those around me.” Sighing, he winced and looked back at Julianna. “My sins have caught up with me now, it seems. The consequences of my behavior have finally come to rest heavily upon my shoulders.” His eyes were bleak. “I do not know which one of my acquaintances bears an outward appearance of joviality but inwardly has an entirely different intention for me.”

  Julianna wanted to say that he did not deserve to have his life stolen from him, no matter what he had done, but found that his last sentence seemed to have pulled her breath from her. Was she not as he had stated? Outwardly, pretending to be Miss Sussex, chaperoned by a family friend, whilst inwardly knowing that she was, in fact, his wife and thus having an entirely different intention as regards her acquaintance with him? Her lungs were burning, her head buzzing, but as she looked at Lady Newfield, she saw her grandmother give her the tiniest shake of her head as though she knew what Julianna was thinking and was warning her against saying anything.