A knock broke the silence. Jones opened the door and stepped into the room.
“Sir, I don’t mean to interrupt, but the doctor has been wanting to talk with you. Shall I bring him here or to the sitting room? Also, shall I have Miss Henrietta join you?” “Yes, to both questions, Jones. Thank you.”
Shit! Basil thought as Jones stepped out of the room. All he needed was a sign of serious illness to shift the attention off Juliana and onto him. He cursed his bad luck as he went to join the doctor and Henrietta in the sitting room.
Marcus, Aaron, and Jacob spent most of the next two days searching the entire house for his father’s personal papers. They didn’t find a single letter written by his father that made any sense whatsoever. They gave up on the day his mother’s note arrived.
“My friends, it seems like my mother is summoning me to town. There is nothing here to find, apparently. Shall we go back to town collectively?”
“I think that would be a good idea. That way, we can support Lady Juliana at the same time, knowing how town gossip is,” said Aaron matter-of-factly.
“Let’s make haste, then. Mother sounds desperate.”
The three men got on their horses and raced them to town, only stopping for the occasional meal and the watering of their horses. It took a full days’ ride to make it to Dunsbury House. They took their horses to the stables before stepping into the house.
The house was in an upheaval. Maids were scrambling for handkerchiefs while footmen were running buckets of water up and down the stairs.
Marcus pulled one of the footmen aside.
“What the hell is going on around here?”
“It’s Lady Juliana. She has spiked a fever, Your Grace.”
Not realizing Juliana was that ill, Marcus ran up the main stairs two at a time to be at her side. He opened the door to the Green Room to find his mother nursing Juliana’s slight frame.
“What happened, Mother? She was fine when I left, and her letters never mentioned that she was ill.”
“The last letter you sent forced her to remember some things. She came down with a migraine that night and hasn’t been able to fight it. A fever came over her last night. The doctor hasn’t been able to do anything about it.”
Marcus looked at his mother. She looked exhausted. No wonder the woman had spent the last day—at least—nursing his wife-to-be.
“Mother, you need to get some rest. I will take over for a while. Maddy will act as a chaperone. Go on, Mother. Juliana will be in good hands.”
Marcus watched as his mother made her way into the hallway and to her room. He looked down at the woman he had left a couple of weeks ago in perfect health. She was still beautiful, but the sweat dripping down her pale face was a testament to her illness.
“Don’t worry, my love. I’m here now. I will take care of you, and you will get better. I won’t let you die on me.”
He didn’t know he was crying until he felt a lone tear fall onto his shaking hand.
“Is that you, Marcus? Did you finally come back? I have missed you,” Juliana whispered through cracked lips.
“It is, love. Just go back to sleep and I will be here when you wake.”
“You promise, Your Grace?”
“Yes, my darling. I promise.”
Juliana’s eyes closed.
He started to apply cold compresses to her forehead and face. She was too warm. His mother said the doctor had been by, but which doctor?
Remembering his friends, he left Juliana in Maddy’s care just long enough to let them know what was going on and ask them if they knew a better doctor to come and look at her. The two men suggested an old classmate who studied in both Edinburgh and abroad. Then they took their leave.
* * *
The next morning, Juliana’s fever was still high, but it seemed to have dropped slightly overnight. Marcus felt the need to sleep in a chair by her bed all night. He woke with a kink in his neck and the fire banked. He looked down to find Juliana’s eyes open.
“I wasn’t dreaming that you were here. Your Grace, I’ve missed you so!” she whispered.
“I know, darling. We need to get some water into you, or I will have to have Cook make her world-famous gruel. Which, I tell you, will force you to get better.”
“I will take the water, if you please.”
“That’s my girl.”
He held the mug as she sipped the cool water. This was a start until Ioan MacPherson, a doctor he had gone to school with, could arrive to look at Juliana.
“I remember you from before…” Juliana said as she looked into his hooded eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“There was a carriage accident. A couple of years ago. I suppose that’s when I lost my memory. Something happened with the horses. I remember the carriage tipping and the driver screaming. I knocked my head. Then I heard a couple of men. I looked up once I was able to open my eyes and saw you. You saved me that day.”
Marcus looked at her, recognizing her. As soon as she said “carriage,” he knew who she was.
A barely heard tap on the door signaled the arrival of Doctor MacPherson.
“Your Grace, I see the patient is, at least, lucid. I need to examine her. Unfortunately, I need to ask you to leave the room until the examination is over.”
“I will be out in the hall if you have need of me, Ioan. Please, call me Marcus. You’ve known me long enough.”
“As you wish, Your—I mean, Marcus.”
Marcus strode out the door to find his mother. She still looked haggard, but she seemed a bit more alive than she did when he first got home.
“The doctor is in with Juliana. I’m anxious to find out what is going on. I’m extremely worried about her.”
“I know, darling, as am I. But, we need to let the doctor do his job. She is in good hands. Nothing will happen to her.”
“Mother, she told me something before Ioan arrived. Do you remember me telling you about the girl I saved from a carriage accident several years ago?”
“Yes, I do remember, though vaguely.”
“She was the young lady I saved. There was something about her from the very beginning. I felt that I knew her, but I couldn’t figure out from where. Aaron and Jacob couldn’t, either. But, then, I am not surprised since they were not with me.”
“Oh, dear, no wonder you are taking this so horribly. You have fallen for her, haven’t you?”
“I thought that was evident. I know you have thought the worst of me over the years, but she’s the ‘one.’ I don’t know how else to explain it.”
“Dear heart, I felt the same way about your father. We had a love match. It was the same way with Juliana’s parents. We were all lucky to find that one person who was our one and only. It would be only fitting that you fall for the one person that both sets of parents wished you’d be with.”
Marcus looked at his mother, dazed. He was shocked that his mother knew anything about what he felt for Juliana. He was a known rake. Women loved him—or, at least, lusted after him. To have a love match was almost unheard of in their set. To think he could be one of the lucky few…
“What are you thinking so hard about, dear?”
“I love her, Mother. I don’t want her to die.”
“She won’t die, son. She’s just not dealing well with the inundation of memories that have come over her all at once. She will get better, I promise.”
Marcus and Bethany stood brooding outside Juliana’s door while they awaited news from the doctor about her condition. Marcus wondered if she would live and knew that his mother wondered how much Juliana would remember of the time before the accident. Neither one, staring off into a void as they were, bothered to hear the door open.
“Your Graces!”
Shaking himself out of the daze he was in, Marcus looked at Ioan expectantly.
“Yes, Ioan, what have you found out?”
“My lady is just overwhelmed. Her body is fighting the impulse to remember everything at
once. The fever has dropped significantly. Yes, I’ve talked to the last doctor. She will be healthy enough for gruel or beef broth as soon as the fever breaks.”
Marcus was relieved to hear Juliana was going to be well again soon, but it couldn’t come fast enough, in his opinion. The last night had been hard on him, but his mother had been holding vigil for at least two days longer than he.
“Ioan, thank you for attending to her. Is there anything else I need to know?”
“She wants to see you. I will let you see her. If she gets worse or you feel she isn’t improving, please send someone for me.”
“I will, Ioan. Have a good night. I will see you at the club when she is well.”
The two men shook hands. Marcus walked into the room to check on Juliana, who was sitting up, propped up with several pillows. A smile lit up her face when she took in the sight of him.
“What are you smiling about, love?”
“Your friend assured me that I was going to be well soon and that nothing is seriously wrong. But, I felt he was holding something back. Did he tell you anything?”
“He told me the same thing, love. I trust him with my life. He saved my life a couple of times during the war.”
“I didn’t know he was with you in the war.”
“He was but he wasn’t on the front lines. He didn’t see the carnage I saw. He cleaned up the mess. I envy him his occupation.”
Juliana looked up at him. “Darling, you are an amazing man, but there is no reason to envy the man. Is he another rake?”
“No, he doesn’t have a title. His older brother holds that honor. We never thought of adding him to our ranks. I’m not even sure he would have had the requisite resume to do so. My love, you need to rest or Ioan will kill me. Ring for a footman when you wake up and I will come up and visit.”
“I will. I love you, Marcus.”
Marcus kissed her on the forehead, said goodbye, and walked out of the room.
Juliana woke to Maddy opening the window coverings and letting the bright light of the sun in. She realized her head no longer hurt and she wasn’t as warm as she had been. It seemed that the fever had broken.
“Juliana, you’re awake! You have been asleep for quite a while.”
“How long is a while, Maddy?”
“Four days—”
“Four days! Oh, my! Where is everyone?”
“His Grace has been keeping vigil, but he needed rest. Her Grace did, as well. I stepped in to take over just before you woke.”
“Would you be able to awaken His Grace?”
“I will have Smith do it. He is the valet.”
Maddy rushed out of the room to find Smith. Juliana sat up and basked in the warmth of the sunlight streaming into her room. She wanted to walk in the green grass and through the rose gardens, which she could see through her window in the Green Room.
She walked to the window and heard a knock. Assuming it was Maddy, she admitted her visitor. She felt strong, masculine arms encircle her waist, and she could smell his sandalwood cologne. She never could get enough of it.
“Darling, I’m glad that you are finally feeling yourself again, but do you think you should be up walking around?”
“No,” she said as she craned her neck so she could see his handsome face. “But, I needed to feel the sun on my face.”
Marcus slowly turned her to face him and looked her straight in her beautiful eyes.
“You should have rung for a footman to carry you outside, then. But, I am more than willing to do that, instead.”
“No, no. You don’t have to,” she said as she worried her lower lip.
“Continue to do that, minx, and I will kiss you,” he warned.
She worried her lip again. Marcus slowly lowered his head to give her time to change her mind. She went upon the tiptoes of her dainty feet and met his mouth as it descended on hers. The sensation was more than either expected. Sparks shot through them as the kiss deepened. Her innocent reaction to his kiss heated him and goaded him to deepen the kiss still more.
He was the one to pull away. He looked down into her face. Her eyes were still closed, her skin slightly flushed, and her lips deliciously red. They beckoned to be kissed again. He resisted the urge to do so.
“Jules, love…”
“Oh, my. Did that just…?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so.”
“Is it always like that? The kiss, I mean?”
“No, it isn’t.”
“What made this one so different?”
“You…” Marcus whispered in her dainty, feminine ear.
Juliana felt the air rush past her ear as he spoke. It sent a lovely shock through her entire body. She felt it all the way down to her toes.
“Marcus, can you kiss me again?”
“I don’t think it’s wise, love. I would want to do so much more than just kiss you. I would want to touch you but doing so would not be a good idea.”
“Why? I want what you want, you big rogue! I want to feel your arms around me. I want your kisses. I’ve waited for them. You make me feel as if I’m flying among the stars.”
“We can’t, love. Not until we are married. My mother would stick me with a poker if I touched you before then. My mother can be quite the devil when she is riled.”
“We are to be married. Is there some rule that I don’t know about that says that there cannot be any kissing before the wedding?”
“No, but—”
“Then shut up, dear heart, and kiss me again!”
* * *
Without thinking, Marcus lowered his head and took her lips in a crushing kiss. It was a kiss of possession, one that said, You are mine and mine alone!
He had no idea he could feel like this. He felt his member stiffen in appreciation, his pants restricting the burgeoning length. He dragged Juliana closer to him as his hands roamed all over her lithe, petite body. Her body made his hum with joy. He had never felt this with any other female in his acquaintance, even his past mistresses. They had been beautiful and alluring, but they didn’t have the natural sensuality that Juliana had.
Juliana had no experience. He knew that. She relaxed into his big, hard body and felt his male length against her belly. He felt tremors hit her.
Marcus knew he was approaching the point of no return. He needed to stop before he couldn’t. Reluctantly, he lifted his mouth from hers. He felt Juliana’s gaze drift to his eyes. They were darker and misty from the kiss.
Neither of them could talk. Juliana laid her against Marcus’s broad, muscular chest. She felt safe as if nothing could come inside the circle of his arms and hurt her. The warmth radiating from him was comforting.
Finally, Marcus broke the silence.
“Juliana, I need to go out for a bit. My mother and the servants will take good care of you until I come back.”
“Marcus, do you have to?”
“Yes, darling. I promise to be back before dinner tonight.”
He bent his head and took her mouth in a fierce kiss before leaving the room.
Marcus stepped out to meet his “secret admirer” at a park. He had decided that a walk rather than a ride through the park would be a good bit of exercise to meet his mysterious letter-writer, and he’d reached the entrance to Green Park just before the appointed time.
Next to a small poplar tree stood a woman. He almost mistook her for Juliana.
And then he realized it was her. How could this be? He had left her at Dunsbury House.
Could she have come to the park to deliver those letters? He asked himself as he slid from his horse and strode up to the woman. Noticing, almost immediately, that it wasn’t his Juliana—at all. Who could this be?
Upon further examination, the woman wasn’t Juliana. He would know.
“Your Grace, I am glad to meet you,” she said as she held her hand out to him in greeting. “I am Lady Minerva Hatfield. I am Lady Juliana’s identical twin sister.”
Marcus’s jaw dropped. Was this a dream?
“I had not realized that she had a twin sister.” He shook his head.
“That surprises me, Your Grace. We came to the Abbey often as children.” Minerva retorted.
Shock rippled through Marcus. Memories of two little girls swamped his thoughts. He let out a sigh. “If you are who you say you are, where have you been all this time?”
“I am unable to tell you that, Your Grace. Maybe someday I will be able to tell you but today is not that day. I need to see my sister. And, if you don’t believe me about who I am, ask the Leader.” She put her hands on her hips, reminding Marcus of Juliana.
* * *
Jenkins opened the door for him and said, “You have some visitors, Your Grace.”
“Who, Jenkins?”
“Lords Aaron and Jacob.”
“Send them up to my private study. Oh, and let everyone know that I am not to be disturbed. Not even for Juliana or mother.”
“Very well, Your Grace,” Jenkins said as he slowly made his way back to inform the Rakes that they had been summoned to the private study.
Marcus took the stairs two at a time and cleared away the piles of estate papers so they could focus on what was relevant—Juliana, and now, Minerva.
His friends were going to think him ready for Bedlam when they heard the story. There was no telling what this information would add to the already confusing set of circumstances and how they all tied together.
Marcus heard a knock on the door. He walked over and opened the door for the Rakes.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been allowed in this particular room. I wonder what’s going on that we have to be isolated from everyone.”
“We have a slight twist in our investigation, my friends. It seems we have a long-lost identical twin sister named Minerva Hatfield. I do not have any recollection of her from my time with Juliana’s family. They do have an uncanny resemblance and could very well be identical twins, but I need one of you on that angle.”
A Rake for Juliana Page 5
