“Evil?” Juliet asked in confusion. “I do not believe so.”
Her cousin glanced toward the shop. “I will tell you what Caroline told me, but let us be as far away from here as we are able; I cannot have him overhear.”
As they moved away from the shop, Juliet found her curiosity deepen. Robert evil? The man was the kindest man she had ever met. However, Annabel had such a frightened expression on her face, Juliet could do nothing but allow the girl to explain. Then she would judge for herself if the information was reliable or not. The fact it came from Caroline gave her the suspicious thought it was not.
***
Once they were a reasonable distance from the cobbler’s, Annabel put her hand on Juliet’s arm. “Here,” she said. “I shall tell you here.”
Juliet glanced around. Few people were about, and none were close enough to overhear. “Please, tell me.”
“Caroline had a pair of slippers fitted last week,” her cousin replied. “The man touched her leg!”
Juliet pursed her lips as she waited for her cousin to continue, but when the girl said nothing more, she said, “That is the worrisome news? The man touched her leg?” She could not help but laugh.
“Do you not think it improper?” Annabel asked. “Surely a man should never touch a lady, and on her leg of all places. What boldness it would take!”
Juliet sighed. “My dear Annabel, how naive you are; so much like Hannah.” Seeing the disappointed frown, she continued. “First, if the man is a cobbler, how do you suppose he would support a woman’s foot?”
Annabel bit at her lip. “I suppose by holding her leg.”
“You are correct.” Juliet shook her head. “Although it pains me to say so, Caroline does have a tendency to tell tales, and oftentimes they are great exaggerations.”
Annabel laughed but quickly attempted to cover it with a cough. “Pardon,” she said, her cheeks now red. “Please, continue with what you were saying.”
“Robert is a dear friend of mine. We have grown close over these last two visits to his shop.”
“He confides in you?” Annabel asked in shock.
A man walked past them, and Juliet waited for him to be well away before speaking. “Yes, of course he confides in me. He has heard of my wisdom and told me of his woes.” She let out a dramatic sigh. “However, I cannot repeat what he told me, for I fear we would both succumb to tears right here in the middle of the footpath.”
Annabel gave a sympathetic nod, her hand going to her breast. “Is it that bad?”
“Quite,” Juliet replied. “I assure you that I am a good judge of character, and the cobbler is no rogue, nor is he a man who would treat a lady with such disrespect.” The more she considered the notion, the more she believed she was right in saying so. She may not know the man well, but he had given her the shoes for free, complimented her, and best of all, had given her expert advice. She had no reason to believe such a man could do something as scandalous as what Caroline Thrup accused.
“If you believe so,” Annabel said, “then I trust you.”
“Those who trust me always find that I am right,” Juliet said. “Take heed of my advice, for when you begin courting, you must be aware of the dubiousness of some men. Come, I would like to finish our shopping.”
They crossed the road, giving as much care as they could maneuvering through the ruts that had dried in the streets. In front of a tailor’s, Juliet stopped.
“What are we doing here?” Annabel asked. “Are you getting a gift for Nathaniel?”
“No. Someone else.”
They entered the shop, and a man wearing a black coat approached them, his graying hair receding significantly. “May I be of assistance?”
“Please,” Juliet replied. “I am looking for an overcoat.”
“I see. Unfortunately, I am afraid we do not carry any clothing for ladies.”
Juliet laughed. “Of course not. I am in search of a man’s overcoat. It is to be a surprise, you see.”
The man gave her a deep bow. “Ah yes, of course. My apologies.” He led her to a catalog not much different from those in a dressmaker’s shop. “What does this man look like?”
Juliet swallowed hard and glanced at Annabel, who wore a smile of anticipation. “His hair is dark and he has brown eyes. He is ever so handsome, and has very muscular arms…”
The man’s jaw dropped and he quickly clicked it shut. “My apologies. What I meant to ask was what is his height and weight?”
Juliet knew her cheeks had to be a deep crimson. “Perhaps your height, but he has a little more weight about him.”
“And are you in search of something formal?”
“Not formal, but something of good quality. Something warm.”
The man bowed again. “If you will give me a moment, I shall see if I have something ready-made that meets your approval.”
As soon as the man was gone, Annabel asked, “Is this gift for the cobbler? Have you taken an interest in him?” That same worry appeared on her features as when they left Robert’s shop.
“No, of course not,” Juliet assured her cousin. “I have no interest in the cobbler.” She lowered her voice. “The overcoat is for Daniel.”
“The stable boy?” Annabel asked in what sounded much like shock, and much louder than Juliet thought appropriate. The covered her mouth so quickly, Juliet thought she may have loosened a tooth.
“Do you wish to go out to the street and shout this news like one of the newsboys?” Juliet admonished.
Annabel shook her head. “No, I am sorry.”
Juliet lowered her voice further, to the point Annabel had to lean in closer in order to hear. “I will explain everything later. However, for now, we shall speak no more about it.”
Annabel nodded just as the tailor returned. In his hands was a brown wool overcoat that appeared well-made.
“Miss…I am sorry, your name?”
“Juliet.”
“Miss Juliet, this is perhaps the finest overcoat we carry. Do you believe this will fit?”
“I do.”
“Shall I have it delivered?”
“No!” Juliet blurted in horror. The idea of her mother receiving such a package terrified her. “What I mean to say is that I shall take it home today.”
She followed the man to the counter, and after paying for the purchase, the coat was wrapped like Juliet’s new boots. Once outside, Juliet sighed with happiness. She could not wait to see what Daniel looked like in the new overcoat, and she was certain it would only increase his handsomeness.
“Juliet?” Annabel asked as they made their way to where the carriage waited. “May I ask you why you bought Daniel a new overcoat? Was it because you ridiculed him?”
“That is partly the reason,” Juliet replied. “However, I also purchased it because I wanted to give him a gift. I have learned that the best gifts come from the heart. Do you believe he will realize that this comes from mine?”
“Oh yes, most assuredly,” Annabel replied. “You chose it with perfect intention and care. It is finely made, so I imagine he will cherish it.”
The thought of Daniel cherishing something she had given him pleased her so much that she told the driver to hurry their journey home.
***
“I can’t accept this,” Daniel said, much to Juliet’s distress. She had gone straight to the stables to present her gift, after spending hours hobbling around the village on crutches, and he was unable to accept it?
“I do not understand,” Juliet said, completely baffled by the man’s response. “I bought that for you. Do you want a different overcoat?”
Daniel sighed, and his brown eyes were so soft, Juliet considered snuggling against the man. That was silly, of course, but she struggled to keep down the urge to do just that. “Miss Juliet, this coat’s for someone like Lord Parsons. What would a stable boy do wearing something so fine? I thank you for your kindness, but I can’t accept it.” He lifted it toward her, but she took a step back.
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“Lord Parsons,” Juliet said through clenched teeth, “is no gentleman. I do not care for him, nor is he someone with whom I wish to spend time. That overcoat, much like your gift to me, came from my heart. You deserve it, not because your overcoat is worn, nor because you are one of my servants, but because I wish you to have it. Now, do not make me beg. Please, don it to see if it fits.”
Daniel hesitated, but then finally nodded. He removed his old overcoat, and Juliet allowed herself to soak in his broad chest that lay beneath his shirt. When he had donned the new overcoat, he put his arms out at his sides and asked, “Do I look like a gentleman?”
Juliet felt weak, her heart fluttering and her lips unable to bring forth words. In his new overcoat, he was far more handsome than any gentleman she had ever seen. And as he went to do up the buttons, Juliet wished she had water to cool herself, for the muscles pressed against the material with his movements.
“You…” She swallowed in an attempt to bring moisture back into her dry mouth. “You look extremely dashing.” As the words left her lips, she found she feared his reaction. Would he laugh? Or would he tell her she was mistaken?
However, he said neither as he took a step forward to stand directly before her, a small smile playing at his lips.
“I’ll accept it,” he said. “It’s the nicest gift anyone’s ever given me. I’ll cherish it forever, Miss Juliet.”
There were many things Juliet had done in her life that could not be considered ladylike. She sneaked brandy from parties. She told stories that were slightly—and sometimes more than slightly—exaggerated. However, despite the fact she recognized those actions were frowned upon in most circles, she had not cared. Now, she did not care that her next action would top the list as the least ladylike.
She lifted up on her toes and placed a small kiss on his cheek.
His skin was smooth against her lips, and a burning sensation washed over her body.
“Miss Juliet,” he muttered, “I…Thank you.”
She gave him a small smile. “For the kiss or the overcoat?” she asked.
“Both.” His cheeks had grown extremely red; even his ears were a bright crimson. “I-I should be getting back to work.” He turned to leave, but Juliet grabbed his arm.
“Whether your coat is new or old,” she whispered, “it does not matter. You are a good man, defined by your heart as one should be, not by what can be purchased from a shop.”
“I’m glad you see it.”
“More than ever,” she replied.
The sound of footsteps had Daniel take a step back, and Juliet had to fight to keep herself from falling over.
“Juliet,” Annabel said as she rounded the corner, “your mother is outside.” She shot both of them a wide grin, and Juliet wondered if she had been listening in. But no, she would not have seen her mother if that were the case. That gave Juliet a small sense of relief.
Daniel gave a stiff bow first to Annabel. While his back was to the girl, he winked at Juliet and also gave her a bow. “Enjoy your day.” Then, straightening his new overcoat, he went to a wall filled with tools and removed one before heading out of the room.
Juliet and Annabel made their way toward the house. Indeed, her mother waited on the stoop, her face devoid of any clues as to her mood. The lines around her eyes had grown deeper as of late, but she still maintained a relative youthfulness to her looks.
“And what did you purchase today?” her mother asked.
“New boots,” Juliet replied as she tapped the top of the package Annabel still carried.
Her mother asked nothing more, and Juliet suspected something was wrong. “Annabel, I shall meet you in the drawing room.”
Once her cousin was inside the house, she turned to her mother. “Is something wrong?”
The woman blinked and then sighed. “Isabel sent a letter. Although she is uncertain, she believes Hannah has become interested in a gentleman.”
“Hannah?” Juliet asked with shock. “Perhaps the man is mad…” Then she stopped. She should be happy for her sister! “I am sorry. That is good news, but how can that make you sad?”
Her mother looked over the grounds before speaking. “I am not sad,” she said after a few moments. “I had hoped she would find love during the season.”
“I am certain she will if she has shown an interest. If she had, that is more than any of us could have imagined.”
“Since you were little,” her mother said, “my dream has been for you to marry, not for money but for love. To be perfectly honest, I rather doubted that Hannah would marry for love, if at all.”
Juliet frowned. She could not have agreed more. As a matter of fact, she had made a small wager with Caroline Thrup that Hannah would become a spinster.
Her mother turned toward her and smiled. “Never mind me. Just some ramblings of an old woman.” She linked her arm in Juliet’s. “So, tell me, are you still finding an interest in Lord Parsons?”
Juliet smiled and nodded. “Every moment,” she replied, replacing in her mind an image of Daniel in his new overcoat for that of Lord Parsons. “I look forward to the coming months.” As she said this, she thought about the advice she had received from Robert earlier. She would have to work on a plan, and tonight she would seek Annabel’s aid.
“That makes me happier than you can ever imagine,” her mother said. “He is a pleasant man, and I suspect that with him already sending another card, courtship may soon follow?”
“Another card?” Juliet blurted with shock. Then she pasted on her smile once more. “Oh, that is simply wonderful.”
“It is. My sweet Juliet is now a woman, and she will soon be courted by a gentleman.” She stroked Juliet’s cheek. “I will miss you the day you leave here.”
“I do not plan to marry anytime soon,” Juliet assured her mother. “I hope you have not devised some sort of plan to push me into a quick marriage.”
Her mother laughed and shook her head. “I will not push you, and I fear that, even if I did, you would never allow it.” Juliet laughed and her mother hugged her. “I am happy you have found someone, at least for the time being. Now, go inside; I will be in shortly.”
Juliet nodded and made her way up the steps. When she reached the door, she looked back at her mother, who stood looking out over the grounds as if this was the last time she would see them. Home had been different over the past year with Isabel remarrying and Hannah now eying a gentleman.
If Hannah were to marry—and the likeliness of that happening was small as far as Juliet was concerned despite the fact she had an interest—it would not be long before talks of Juliet marrying would begin.
Well, she would not allow that to happen if she had anything to do with it! At least not to a self-absorbed buffoon such as Lord Parsons.
Once inside, Forbes helped her out of her coat before handing her the card from Lord Parsons. She thanked him and made her way to the drawing room where she and Annabel would devise a plan to keep the boring baron from calling anytime in the near future. Or beyond if she could make it happen.
Chapter Ten
Candlelight flickered, creating shadows on the walls of Juliet’s bedroom as she and Annabel lay on the bed together, the blankets pulled up to their chins to ward off the chill. Tonight, she would share all with her cousin, although she was unsure where to begin.
“I suppose it was last year,” Juliet said. “I recall going to the stables to speak to him like I often do, but for the first time I saw him in a different way.”
“Do you mean to say that you saw him with interest?”
Juliet nodded. “I noticed how handsome he was.” She sighed. “I suppose, looking back on it now, my constant engagement with the man was a sign of how I viewed him. I did not realize it, but somehow Isabel and Mother certainly did.” That bristled more than she cared to admit. “And now, I find myself more than interested in him. In fact, I consider him in a romantic sense.”
Annabel gasped. “He is but a stable boy.
Your mother would never allow it!”
“I know this,” Juliet said with a sad sigh. “However, I do wish to explore what I feel for the man. I will have more than enough time in the coming months to do so.” She turned and looked at her cousin. “What do you think of this matter?”
It was quiet for a few moments before Annabel replied, “Do you love him?”
“I do not believe so,” Juliet said. “Yet, I have never experienced love, so I am unsure I would know if I did.”
“That is my concern,” Annabel said. “What if one day I fall in love with a man and do not even know it? That would shame not only me but my parents, as well.”
Juliet could not help but laugh. “It would be a terrible predicament.” She stared back up at the ceiling. “No, I do not love him, but I would like more from him. I may not know what that is just yet, but I will find out soon enough.”
“How do you suppose you will go about it?” Annabel asked. Then she turned in the bed and faced Juliet, her head resting on her arm. “I must be honest. Is it worth the trouble you could garner from such a relationship?”
Juliet frowned. “Trouble?”
“Yes. Your mother believes you are interested in Lord Parsons. What do you plan to do about him? And what if your mother finds out about Daniel? Surely, she would be angry, as would Lord Parsons.”
The questions were valid, but Juliet did not care about the feelings of Lord Parsons. Yet, she did not wish to hurt her mother. Unfortunately, Daniel, the man with whom she would enjoy spending time, was caught in the middle.
“I will not lie. I must be careful and keep my stories aligned or Mother will become suspicious. As to your question, yes, it is most definitely worth the effort. I care for Daniel.” She clamped her mouth shut, those final words surprising her as much as they did Annabel, who let out a squeal.
“I knew it!” she whispered when Juliet gave her a stern glare. “I knew you cared for him!”
“How? I have just come to realize it myself!”
Annabel giggled. “The way you smile at one another,” she said. “Or the manner in which he does everything you ask. He risked his position by sneaking away and making that campfire for the four of us last year. In fact, he has done much for you that puts him at risk.” She sighed. “It is all so beautiful, what that man has done. He is like a hero in a romantic novel.”
Secrets of Scarlett Hall Box Set: A Clean & Sweet Regency Historical Romance Collection Page 54
