A Summons From Yorkshire (Regency Christmas Summons Collection 1)

by Johnstone, Julie

  An image filled his mind of Lady Harriet’s wide-eyed gaze when he’d begun weaving his tale for her parents. She hadn’t expected him to deflect any of the blame from her. Wouldn’t her brother do as much? He recalled Penlow as rather adventurous, joining in many of the antics he and the others stirred up.

  She had not the skill of a life-long storyteller, but she gained strength as she spoke. Her conversation while they had waited in his carriage had been entertaining enough. Did she enjoy discussing books and the news of the day, or was she properly schooled in the usual limits of the weather and equally dull topics?

  Perhaps Eleanor would have her friend for a brief stay after the holiday season. It might be pleasant to know Lady Harriet better. Play cards, perhaps, and stroll the gardens at Wrenthorpe if the weather allowed. He could join in some of whatever activities his sisters enjoyed with their friends and not suffer the interruptions of society mothers hunting an advantageous match for their daughters.

  Yes, that might be an enjoyable diversion from hiding in his townhouse. He should write his sister upon his arrival in Bath and discover her plans for such an occasion.

  Propping himself in the corner of the seat, he relaxed for the first time since finding Lady Harriet under the blankets in his carriage. A subtle scheme such as his wouldn’t draw the attention of his father, nor should it rouse his mother to do some matchmaking of her own. He could determine if Harriet might be the sort of young lady he would pursue when he was ready to take a wife.

  Just before nodding off, he bolted upright from a jolt in his thoughts this time, not the road. Lady Harriet had insisted her grandfather had chosen a husband for her, thus the reason for his summons.

  She might be betrothed before Morley’s letter ever reached his sister. He’d miss the opportunity to know her better. With most young ladies of his acquaintance, the loss might never be felt, but he feared that might not be the case here. What if they suited?

  The words shouted by Lord Alderford rang through Morley’s thoughts. I will not allow my daughter to marry a man who treats her reputation so callously.

  Callously? Morley had never treated a young lady’s reputation with anything but the utmost respect. It was the lady, herself, who had taken the risk, and he’d done everything he could to prove her blameless.

  How dare Lord Alderford think Morley would allow even the merest hint of scandal to color Lady Harriet’s name. The man was a fool if he thought he could find any man more capable of giving his daughter what was her due as the daughter of an earl. And if the Duke of Danby believed he’d found a more suitable match than Morley, the man was obviously addlepated.

  No. If Lady Harriet were to marry, it should only be to someone such as Morley. And he was of a mind to tell them so.

  Yes. That’s what he must do. Drive to Yorkshire and tell the Duke of Danby and the Earl of Alderford exactly what he thought of their scheme to marry Lady Harriet to the first available suitor.

  Grabbing his cane, he rapped on the ceiling. Without waiting for Smithers to respond, he shouted, “Turn this conveyance around. We are for Yorkshire.”

  ~ 8 ~

  I am in love.

  Lady Harriet sighed and stared out the bedroom window in Danby Castle. Her breath fogged the cool glass, but she saw only the conspiratorial smile Archie had given her in her father’s carriage.

  His eyes had glittered. His lips turned up in the barest sign of humor, but she felt the laughter in his gaze. They had worked together in their tale, he so much more deftly than she, and her parents had almost believed their fable. He was free of any obligation to her.

  The thought brought on a second sigh.

  She wondered what marriage to him would be like. Would he be an attentive husband whose love grew over the years? He would be an excellent father, of that she was certain, given the way Ellie spoke of her own papa.

  Was there a way she could still escape Grandpapa’s plans for her? Ellie could arrange Archie’s attendance at a ball next Season and surely he would fall madly in love with her upon second sight.

  As madly as she had fallen. This sigh clouded the window entirely and she rubbed her sleeve on the glass before turning away. There was no escaping the Duke of Danby’s orders. She was done for.

  Harriet had yet to see the duke. She and her mother had been allowed to retire upon their arrival so late in the day. Moving to a chair by the fire, she sat and gazed at the flames, wishing Miriam were here. Or better still, Ellie.

  Could she tell Ellie about the kiss? She must. They told each other everything. But by the time she saw her friend, she would probably be married to some other man, and it wouldn’t be proper to talk of another man’s kiss.

  Who would Grandpapa have chosen for her? Probably the son of one of his old friends. A younger son, of course, possibly one with a minor title, due to her father’s status. The Duke of Danby was nothing if not a stickler for rank. Several of her mother’s cousins had not been allowed to marry their loves because he felt they did not suit. Perhaps that was the reason Harriet’s cousins had been so slow to wed. Not one of them had married, and almost all were older than she.

  A quiet scratch on the door drew her attention, but her mother walked in before Harriet could speak.

  “May I join you, my dear?”

  “Of course, Mama.”

  Her mother sank into the chair opposite Harriet’s and drew a coverlet across her lap with a shiver. “This place has grown no less drafty. In fact, each time we return, I believe it is more so.”

  “Yes. I believe it will snow tomorrow.”

  “Perhaps Papa will harness a few of the sleighs so we might have a ride before the ball.”

  Harriet stretched her legs and wiggled her stockinged feet in the warmth from the fire. “Do you think there will be so much snow? I hope not. All of my cousins haven’t arrived, according to Burney.”

  “You are right. I long for a sleigh ride, but not for the snow necessary to accommodate us.” Mama was silent for a bit, looking towards the orange glow, then spoke. “Your Lord Morley is quite the Bond Street Beau.”

  “Isn’t he?” She quickly caught herself. “But he’s not my Lord Morley. He’s merely Ellie’s brother.”

  “He reminds me of your father when we met. So handsome, and I would guess there was no padding in his clothes.”

  “Mama!” Harriet fanned her face. Her mother never spoke like that to her, and how much more embarrassing that she did so over Archie.

  “Now do not tell me you and Ellie don’t discuss all your beaux in minute detail. Young ladies haven’t changed so much in twenty years.”

  “But he is not my beau. And I couldn’t speak to Ellie about her own brother.”

  “I imagine he’d be quite the skilled lover.”

  “Mama, please.” She couldn’t bear it. At any moment she would cover her ears and run screaming from the room.

  “Forgive me, my dear. But it has struck me that you are a young woman in full, now, and will probably leave me soon to live with your husband. There’s no more pretending you don’t know what goes on between a woman and a man.” She cleared her throat. “A husband and wife.”

  A sad note in her mother’s voice tugged at Harriet’s heart. What would Mama do when she and Miriam were both gone? Lee had been away from home for several years, but she and her sister remained with their parents. “I had hoped to have another year before having to choose. Do you suppose Grandpapa has made the choice for me?”

  Mama laughed. “He might think so, but your father will speak his mind.”

  “I don’t find the idea of Papa’s choice any more comforting. Why can’t I choose my own husband? I am the one who must live with him.”

  Reaching across the space between the chairs, her mother took her hand. “Perhaps you will. Or perhaps you will be pleased with the man your grandfather has in mind.”

  “I doubt that. He’s probably forty years old with six children. Why else would he require the assistance of a duke to c
laim a bride?”

  “My father is never that cruel. His schemes run to land acquisition and the joining of powerful families. He would have made a grand king.”

  Harriet sighed once more. As tired as she was from the days of travel, she wouldn’t sleep this night. Even the excitement of the Christmas Eve ball on the morrow couldn’t stir her. She did not want to face Grandpapa in the morning and hear whom she would marry.

  ~*~

  Taking another nibble of her porridge, Harriet listened to the laughter around her. There were so many unknown faces at breakfast, she wondered where Grandpapa had found all the young men and ladies who were now apparently betrothed to her cousins. With all the conversations going at once, she was unable to ascertain who was marrying whom.

  Or maybe she didn’t want to know. By all appearances, her cousins were quite happy. Was she the only one here who had yet to learn her fate? And would she and her betrothed be able to laugh so easily?

  A spot-faced footman spoke beside her. “Pardon me, Lady Harriet. You are to join His Grace in the library at once.”

  All those sitting nearby stopped speaking for a moment, then whispers followed her from the room.

  She had thought Grandpapa would at least wait until after the holidays to make his pronouncement. Or until she finished breaking her fast. But maybe it was better to face her fate on an empty stomach.

  ~ 9 ~

  Harriet heard the shouting long before she neared the library. Her father and grandfather never raised their voices at each other. Well, Papa never did. Good heavens, what could be amiss? It most certainly had to do with the man intended to be her betrothed. This did not bode well. Even the footman kept a hurried pace as if he wished to be away from the location.

  With the servant standing at the door, she couldn’t delay her entry. Pinching her cheeks and pasting on a smile, she approached the door as the footman opened it. And stopped so quickly she was nearly struck when he yanked it closed.

  Lord Morley stood beside her father opposite the imposingly immense desk where the duke sat.

  Why had Archie come to Danby Castle?

  Her jaw dropped, but she caught herself just before Grandpapa glanced her way with an odd gleam in his eye. She smiled and dipped her head in acknowledgement.

  Her father and Archie had their backs to her, their faces in profile while they bantered. Her father’s rant continued unbroken. “If you had any intention of seeing my daughter safe, you would have returned her to the inn posthaste. You cannot convince me you had any other than dishonorable intentions by doing otherwise.”

  Archie stood several inches taller than her father and used it most advantageously. He glowered down at Papa. “I had advised my driver to turn around as soon as the conditions allowed. You were on that road. You know how poor the surface was. If Smithers were to try to turn the carriage, we might have landed in a ditch rather than simply losing that wheel. I had nothing but your daughter’s wellbeing in mind when I instructed my man.”

  Grandpapa appeared to be enjoying the argument, his elbows resting on the arms of his sturdy chair, fingers steepled before his face. He nodded on occasion, pursing his lips at other moments as if considering the merit of the statement. A judge presiding over his court. Or a king.

  Harriet merely shook her head and waited. She couldn’t recall anyone raising Papa’s ire to such extent. It was really quite amusing to behold, if she weren’t aware that Archie’s reputation, his very name, must be under severe scrutiny. Should she confess his innocence?

  “Papa, if I might have a word–”

  He spun on her, one brow up, the other sharply slashing downward. “When I need your prattles, I will ask for them.” He opened his mouth to further harangue poor Morley when Grandpapa cleared his throat.

  “I believe I should enjoy hearing what young Lady Harriet wishes to say on the matter.” He nodded ever so regally at her, which sent shivers coursing over her skin. She’d never had to confess anything to him. Never done anything to displease him. How would he take her news?

  She stepped closer to the desk, but not too close. “Papa. Grandpapa. It would seem Lord Morley is being blamed for a situation not of his doing.”

  Papa growled. “Yet in my carriage, you agreed he was escorting you to visit his dying sister.”

  The duke tilted his head, looking first at her father, then back to her. She drew a deep breath. “He was protecting me. I had seen his carriage from my window and slipped inside while he dined at the inn.”

  Grandpapa’s voice interrupted whatever her father was about to respond, but the older man’s words seemed to contain more restrained laughter than anger. “And why would you run away with this young man with no word to your parents?”

  “I didn’t realize Lord Morley was traveling alone. I never considered the possibility. When I saw the Wrenthorpe crest, I assumed my friend Lady Eleanor, his sister, and her family were at the inn.”

  “I ask again,” the duke said more firmly. “Why did you not tell your parents what you were about?”

  She bit her lip. If Archie could lie for her, she could bear admitting the truth for him. “I wished to avoid coming here, Grandpapa.”

  His eyebrows rose and he rocked back in his chair. “You wished to avoid seeing me?”

  “Yes, Grandpapa. Well, no, sir, not really. I wished to avoid meeting the man you had chosen for me to marry.”

  At that, he burst out laughing. Harriet hoped the discussion was over, the tension washed away. But it wasn’t so. Her father wiped a hand over his face. Archie met her gaze with a smile that warmed her. She longed to ask him why he had come, but would wait until Grandpapa dismissed them.

  When the duke finally caught his breath, he resumed the severe countenance, which he directed her way. “You presume to know my plans for you, do you? And believe me incapable of choosing a suitable husband for you?”

  “Well, sir, how can you know what I wish for in a husband?”

  “How ridiculous a question. I was married all those years ago. I know what is required of a husband. You have nothing but silly books and even sillier dreams on which to form an opinion. Nonsense! Just like your mother was, a foolish dreamer.”

  “But Grandpapa—”

  “Don’t interrupt your grandfather, child,” her father snapped. “I taught you better.”

  She mouthed an apology to Papa and tried to focus on what Grandpapa was saying. But it was quite difficult with Archie standing so near. Like a bee towards the first bloom in spring, she was drawn to him. What were his thoughts in all of this?

  Dipping her head slightly, she peered from the corner of her eye to find him watching her. His hair was slightly disheveled, his cravat askew as if tied without a mirror. With his heavy coat off, his wool coat and rather plain black waistcoat bore the wrinkles of travel. He had not groomed himself for a meeting with her grandfather. What could have been so urgent?

  Realizing Grandpapa had asked her a question, she asked him to repeat himself. And then grew faint at his pronouncement. “I asked do you wish to be married here in the castle or at the church in town?”

  “I don’t wish to be married, Grandpapa! Not to Lord Morley. You mustn’t punish him for my imprudent actions. He doesn’t deserve to have me forced on him. None of this was his doing—”

  Archie placed a hand on her sleeve. “I will not have you coming to my rescue as if I were a lad in leading strings. I can and will speak for myself.”

  ~ 10 ~

  For a moment, Archie questioned the wisdom of his coming to Danby Castle, but it passed in the blink of an eye. Lady Harriet was proving quite troublesome, taking a man’s place in this discussion. It would not do. When they were married, he would be sure she understood he fought his own battles. He tugged at his cravat, which was suddenly very constricting, and faced the duke. “I accept my role in this charade, Your Grace. While not the one to conceive of the scheme, I was complicit in carrying it out. However, I had your granddaughter’s reputation in m
ind, not my own.”

  “I see. You sought to be her Sir Gawain, protecting her from herself.”

  “Yes, sir. Your Grace. I mean, no sir. I’m not sure I understand your meaning. I knew her to be a close friend of my sister’s and only thought to do for her as I should hope another might for my own sisters.”

  The duke nodded, his jaw moving about as he considered the statement. “And you feel duty-bound now to marry my granddaughter, to further protect her reputation?”

  “Yes, Your Grace.” He grimaced and shook his head. “Forgive me, Your Grace. This is all very sudden. I have not prepared the sort of speech one might give a prospective father-in-law, or grandfather-in-law, when asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage. I will not claim an undying and romantic sort of emotion some might declare in times such as this, as I do not believe such a love is believable on such short acquaintance.”

  The old man’s face remained unchanged. Morley refused to look at Harriet to see how she reacted to his odd declaration of not loving her. As such, he didn’t see her take a breath to speak.

  “But, Archie,” she cried in a hushed voice. “You don’t need to do this. They don’t even know about the kiss.”

  Morley would swear the duke smiled before bellowing in perfect harmony with Lord Alderford. “A kiss?”

  Rounding on Harriet, Morley grabbed her upper arms. “They do now. But it doesn’t matter. I wish to have you as my wife, Harriet. In spite of the voice of reason that told me to hie straight to Bath, I found I couldn’t do so. I was afraid if I waited, I might lose you to someone less deserving. And I couldn’t bear the thought. Any other woman would be quite dull after meeting you.”

  “Is it truly so? You wish to marry me? In spite of—”

  “In spite of your foolish schemes. In spite of your penchant to act without thought. In spite of how you emasculate me before your father and grandfather. I wish to spend the rest of my days keeping you from yourself.”