“I see no reason why you cannot.” Her mother placed a hand on Juliet’s arm. “And do not worry about the gossipmongers. Give them at least another week, and the rumors of that man will calm. Someone else will do something…unconventional…and you will be completely forgotten.”
“I know,” Juliet said with a weak smile as she held the door open for her mother.
After closing the door, Juliet wondered how she would spend the day. She had no one on which to call, and even if she dared to speak to Daniel, she could not, for he had gone into the village with the other servants.
The fleeting memory of her and Annabel—and Daniel—going riding brought a smile to her lips. Although there was a chill in the air, a short ride would be pleasant.
She went to her room and donned one of her riding dresses and an older pair of riding boots. She had burned the boots Robert had given her as soon as she had returned to the house; the sooner the man was a distant memory, the better.
The door opened and Juliet smiled as Annabel entered the room. “I am going riding. Would you like to join me?”
“I would rather not,” Annabel replied. “It is much too cold and I noticed storm clouds on the horizon.”
Juliet embraced her cousin. “I will not be long. When I return, we will discuss the dozens of men who will wish to marry you come next season.”
Annabel giggled at this, and Juliet made her way downstairs. She donned her coat and headed outside.
The sky was indeed gray, and a light breeze blew, but the chill in the air was not terrible. Juliet took in her surroundings. Scarlett Hall was the only home she had ever known, but when her mother accepted the request from Lord Parsons, Juliet would no longer live her. However, it was not the chill or the fact she would leave Scarlett Hall that made her shiver; rather, it was the thought of never seeing Daniel again.
Shaking her head, she made her way to the stables. As she reached for the door, someone called her name. What she hoped was that it would be Daniel calling out to her, but when she turned, it was to see Lord Parsons riding up to her on his white stallion.
“I returned late yesterday and learned you were attacked,” he said, clear anger in his eyes. “Is this a rumor?”
“No, it is not a rumor,” Juliet replied. She had many things on her mind, and speaking with Lord Parsons was not what she wished to do. “What are you doing here?”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “Open the stables so I am able to put away my horse.” The words were a clear command, and Juliet considered telling the man to see to it himself. However, she had promised to honor her mother’s wishes, so she did as he bade.
As Lord Parsons dismounted, Juliet asked, this time in a more conversational tone, “What brings you here? Mother is not here today, but Annabel is in the house.”
The man did not respond right away, ignoring her as he led his horse to one of the empty stalls. He then came to stand before her. “The woman I care about was attacked. Of course I would come over as soon as I heard.”
“Thank you, but I assure you I am well.”
He placed his hands on her arms, and her stomach clenched. “I must ask you something, and the truth is imperative.”
“Truth?” she asked. “Concerning what?”
“The friend who told me what happened. He said you appeared to be in a state of near undress. I must know; did anything happen?”
“You already know something happened,” Juliet said, digging fingernails into her palms to keep from lashing out.
He cleared his throat as if he was uncomfortable. “What I would like to know is, did he…did the man…”
Juliet raised her brows. “Do you mean did he compromise my virtue?” When the baron nodded, anger blazed inside her. “Would it be a problem if my virtue had been compromised?”
He tightened his grip on her arm. “Do not play games with me,” he said in a low tone. “What did he do?” The man’s breath was hot, and Juliet’s heartbeat increased.
“He tore my clothes and tried to have his way with me,” she said, surprised at the calmness in her voice. “He did not have his way with me.”
Lord Parsons took a deep breath of relief. “I am glad, for I worried that he had. I assured my friend that you were well and unspoilt, and it is good to hear my assumptions were correct.” He lifted his hand to her face, and she had to fight to keep herself from taking a step back. “How could a man marry a woman who had been used in such a manner? Even a woman as beautiful as you.”
Juliet knew more than ever the man would never care for her, not entirely, for he cared only for himself. Before she could respond, his lips were pressed against hers.
Juliet pushed against his chest. “Lord Parsons! I am not a woman to be kissed in such a manner!”
The man’s face reddened. “Yet you kiss a stable hand?” he hissed. “Or tantalize a shopkeeper?”
She stared at him incredulously. “Tantalize?”
“Indeed. I heard the dress you wore was meant to entice a man. I will not have my future wife displaying herself like a harlot. Do I make myself clear?”
“How dare you!” Juliet gasped in anger. “You do not know what I…”
“I know that I will have your hand soon, and this behavior will not be accepted once you are my wife.” He grabbed her wrist. “I shall speak to your mother about this.”
“You are hurting me!” she said as she attempted to pull from his grip.
Then her eyes widened when another voice spoke.
“Let go of her!”
***
All worry and fear evaporated in Juliet, and her heart swelled with joy at seeing the man she loved.
Daniel marched toward them, his stride long, his head held high. She had never seen him so self-assured, and it only made him all the more alluring.
“You again,” Lord Parsons growled. “Have you not learned that, as an ignorant stable boy, you have no right to interfere with matters of the ton?” The man brought his hand back, meaning to strike Daniel, but the stable hand grasped Lord Parsons by the wrist. He appeared at his leisure as he held the baron, and the man gaped at Daniel with a mixture of shock and anger.
“Yes, I’m an ignorant stable boy,” Daniel stated with eyes narrowed, “from a long line of servants centuries deep. But I would never raise my hand to a lady.”
Lord Parsons pulled back his arm—or Daniel released him, Juliet was unsure which—but the baron did not hesitate in throwing another punch.
Daniel ducked just in time, and when he rose again, his fist connected with Lord Parson’s jaw, sending the man reeling backwards. “You may ridicule me all you’d like, and maybe you’ll marry Juliet, but if you ever hurt her again, I’ll come and find you.”
Lord Parsons rose, dabbing blood from his lip. “You fool! I will inform the magistrates what you have done!” He glanced at Juliet, a gleam in his eyes. “And Lady Lambert will be very disappointed. You will be very sorry you were ever born.”
Juliet gasped. The man could make more trouble than Daniel could ever imagine.
However, Daniel did not appear concerned in the least. “What? Tell the magistrates you were bested by a boy?” he said with a laugh. Then he shrugged. “If you want to be ridiculed by everyone in Rumsbury, then by all means tell the magistrates.” He glanced at Juliet and winked. “And her mother? Maybe you’d like to explain what you’re doing here and the reason I struck you. What will she think of that?”
Lord Parsons glared at Daniel a moment longer before a look of defeat replaced his arrogant expression. He turned to Juliet. “You I shall see as planned,” he said with a finger pointed at her. “I will not forget this.” He stalked to his horse and moments later, he was gone.
Juliet turned to the man she loved. What she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms, but she had hurt him enough. “I do not know what to say. You risked much by intervening.”
“I mightn’t be able to marry you, but that won’t stop me from loving you.”
She
was uncertain if it was his words or a reaction to what had happened, but soon she was sobbing in his arms as he spoke soothing words to her.
“I love you so,” she said when her sobbing calmed and he released her. “No matter what happens, I will always love you.” She glanced around them, a sudden thought coming to her. “What are you doing here? It is Tuesday; I thought you would be with the other servants.”
He shrugged. “They go to buy supplies. I’m leaving soon, so I don’t need anything more, and I didn’t feel like going into the village.” They stood in silence for several moments, and then he said, “I wouldn’t worry about Lord Parsons. He won’t speak a word to Lady Lambert of what happened. He has too much to lose; especially his sterling reputation.” His grin had an impudent look to it, and Juliet could not help but giggle.
“I suppose it would be best if I did not inform Mother,” she said. “It would only cause a new rift between us, and I certainly do not need to make more trouble. I shall keep what happened a secret.”
Daniel glanced around. “I should leave. If Lady Lambert returns and finds us speaking together, it won’t bode well for either of us.”
Juliet nodded. “May I ask one favor?”
“For you, anything you wish.”
Juliet felt a twinge in her heart upon hearing the words he had said to her so often before, and knowing it would be the last brought on a sense of melancholy.
“I came here to ready my horse. Would you ready her for me one last time?”
“With honor,” he said with a deep bow, making them both smile. He retrieved her saddle and began preparing the horse. It was a feat she had seen him do numerous times before, and now she realized how much it meant to her. How she had taken it for granted for so long!
When the horse was ready, Juliet walked up to him. “I am unsure what to say…”
“Then let’s do what we’ve always done,” he replied, rewarding her with one of his small smiles. “Miss Juliet, there’s no woman as beautiful as you. My only wish is to help you onto your horse.”
Juliet gave a small laugh, but her heart was clenched in her chest. “You may,” she said with a feigned jut to her chin. “Even if you are only a stable boy.”
Daniel took Juliet’s hand and helped her mount the horse. Without releasing his hand, she stared down at him, a thousand words on her tongue. However, as she looked at him, she said only two words. Two words that summed up everything the man had done for her.
“Thank you.”
Daniel smiled and gave a small nod, as if he understood everything behind those words.
“And I thank you.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Light spring rain pelted against the window in the study as Eleanor looked out at the tree where her children spent a goodly amount of their childhood. She had been blessed with the most beautiful of daughters, especially her sweet Juliet.
Although she had many memories of this particular daughter, Eleanor thought of another woman, a lady’s maid and a dear friend, a woman who gave a part of her soul—her own child—in order to heal the pain Eleanor had endured. And Juliet had done just that. The girl had grown into a woman of heart and mind, which had always been Eleanor’s greatest desire.
“Mother? I am ready.”
Eleanor turned to Juliet and nodded. The time had arrived for them to leave for the home of Lord Parsons, and upon seeing her daughter, her heart swelled with love. Juliet wore a green dress with tiny white daisies and white gloves. Her hair was curled and pulled back with a white ribbon. She made such a lovely woman, and she would surely make any husband happy to have her on his arm.
“You look beautiful,” Eleanor said. “Lord Parsons shall be a fortunate man to marry you.” Juliet nodded but said nothing, which surprised Eleanor. “You will not argue?”
“I only wish to make you happy,” Juliet replied. “I will no longer fight or argue over your wishes. I may not love the man, but I will conduct myself as the lady you have brought me up to be.”
Eleanor could not stop the knot that formed in her throat but said nothing. What could she say?
The door opened and Forbes entered. “Lady Lambert,” he said with a diffident bow, “he is here.”
Eleanor nodded. “Allow him to enter.”
Forbes bowed once more, moved aside, and the stable boy entered the room.
“Daniel?” Juliet asked with a gasp.
The young man smiled at Juliet, and Eleanor could not help but see the love they shared. A love so great it was as if a fire burned between them.
“You leave tomorrow morning, is that correct?” Eleanor asked Daniel.
“Yes, my lady,” the man replied, his hands gripping his hat. “I leave with the sunrise.”
“You understand that I could never allow you to leave with my Juliet?”
Daniel nodded. “Yes, I understand.”
Juliet shook her head. “Mother, please, do not make it worse!”
Eleanor ignored her daughter. “I was curious as to why you refused to allow Juliet to leave with you.” She narrowed her eyes. “And do not lie. Was it because she has no money of her own?”
Daniel’s eyes widened. “No. That’s not the reason.”
“Then why would a man who has romantic feelings for a woman not allow her to leave with him? Surely that is the action of a man who does not love her?”
Daniel raised his head and gave Eleanor a defiant glare. “I love Juliet,” he said firmly. “More than I thought was possible. That’s why I wouldn’t allow her to go with me.”
“Mother, please!” Juliet said, her voice breaking. “I beg of you, do not put him through this.”
Once again, Eleanor ignored Juliet. “Explain yourself,” she demanded.
Daniel sighed. “When I was but a young boy and came to work here, I knew where I stood. Juliet taught me that, although title and wealth separate us, love could unite us and destroy the chasm. But like you, my lady, I want the best for Juliet. And like her, I want to honor your wishes by staying away from her. I don’t regret it,” his voice croaked and he cleared his throat, “I only regret that the blood that runs through me is not noble. If it was, we could…”
“Thank you,” Eleanor said, interrupting the man. “May your journey be safe.”
Daniel nodded before giving a glance of longing at Juliet and leaving the room.
Eleanor returned to the window, unable to face Juliet, who choked back sobs that tore at Eleanor’s heart. Her thoughts went back to Anne and the promise Eleanor had made to the maid. I promise she will find happiness in life.
“I could never allow you to leave with him,” she said without turning to look at her daughter, “for it would break my heart.
“I know this, Mother,” Juliet said between sobs.
“It would crush me to wake up tomorrow morning and find you gone.” She turned, took a step to the desk, and opened a drawer. “To come into this study and find this box gone,” she removed an ornate wooden box and placed it on the desk, “which contains the title and directions to the cottage where you were born.”
“Mother?”
“It would break my heart,” Eleanor said as she walked over to stand before Juliet, “to know that the ton would whisper rumors of you running away in the night to marry a stable hand, rumors that would persist for years to come—or until another scandal took its place.”
“I do not understand…”
Eleanor placed a hand on the side of her beautiful daughter’s face. “And it would break my heart not seeing you for some time. However, although my heart would be crushed and my spirit bruised, it would never stop me from loving you.” She kissed Juliet’s forehead. “Goodbye, my sweet daughter.”
***
Tears rolled down Juliet’s cheeks at her mother’s words. “Oh, Mother!” she said as she threw her arms around the woman. “I do not understand! Why…?”
“A letter in the box,” her mother whispered, “explains everything. Forbes has sent a rider to deliv
er word to Lord Parsons that I have fallen ill. Now, I must go to my room, and you must prepare for what you must.”
Juliet nodded. “I love you, Mother.”
“And I love you more than you can ever imagine.” She pushed back a strand of Juliet’s hair, kissed her cheek, and left the room.
Juliet hurried over to the box and pulled out the contents. Indeed, there was a land deed to a cottage made out in Daniel’s name. Beside it was a piece of parchment with the location of the cottage and several pound notes. Juliet was stunned at it all; however, it was the letter that warmed Juliet’s heart.
My Dearest Juliet,
You have always been a raging fire, and I believe the love you and Daniel share will burn brighter if you are together. I will never admit that I allowed this, and I know you will never tell anyone the truth.
As to why I did this? It is simple. It is a promise I made to an old friend, one who gave me the greatest gift I have ever received.
You.
Juliet wiped tears from her eyes, placed the contents of the box in the pocket of her dress, and hurried down the hallway. Once outside, she ran, joy and love carrying her feet, to the stables, calling out for Daniel.
The stable door opened, Daniel rushing out with a frightened look on his face. “Juliet?” he asked in shock. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
She threw herself into his arms. “Nothing,” she said as she held the man close. “Everything is perfect.”
“What’s happened?” he asked, although he did nothing to release his hold on her.
“Dreams,” she whispered. “My dreams, your dreams, they will all come true.” Then, as she had done in the past, she kissed the man she loved, and he returned the kiss with a matching hunger as the fire banked between them. There had been a gap between a lady and a stable boy that no amount of wealth could have joined. Yet, it was not wealth that had done so. In fact, it was love, a love so beautiful and pure Juliet now understood who she truly was and the lady she needed to be.
A lady of heart and mind who gave Daniel the strength he needed to learn to read and to realize that he was a far better man than he could ever have imagined. It was that same love that, as the two walked together hand in hand to the stable, Juliet knew would keep them together. Forever.
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