“Not my idea,” Lord Holridge said under his breath.
His mother ignored him. “I absolutely forbid you to continue on this course that will lead us all into scandal.”
“I believe you forfeited any right to forbid me, or indeed, to so much as ask me to do anything whatsoever, when you ceased the allowance you gave William and cut off any ties to your family.” Julia’s voice was as composed as her manner even though Harrison suspected she was shaking with anger.
“I will not permit you to drag my family through the muck and mire of your family’s disgusting heritage!”
“You”—Julia met her gaze with an unflinching stare—“have no say in it.”
“Julia,” Lord Holridge said quickly. “If we were to resume William’s allowance, thus eliminating your financial difficulties, would you then reconsider the publication of this work?”
She considered her late husband’s brother for a long moment. Harrison held his breath. Julia smiled in a cordial manner but there was a look in her eye that he had seen before. “No.”
“You are as disgraceful as your great-grandmother.” Disdain rang in Lady Holridge’s voice and she rose to her feet. “You shall pay for this, Julia Winterset. I shall make certain you will never again be welcome among decent people. Society will be closed to you for the rest of your days.”
“Mother.” Even as Lord Holridge said the word, Harrison knew it was futile.
“I knew right from the beginning William was making a dreadful mistake. I tried to warn him, indeed, I tried to stop him but he refused to listen. I told him that tarts and madness run in your family.” She shook her head. “Of course he’s not the first son to marry against his family’s wishes. I have always thought that was precisely why he chose you. That and your pretty face.”
Fire glinted in Julia’s eyes. “As much as I do hate to spoil your plans—”
“Lady Holridge,” Harrison said quickly to forestall Julia. “Even an impartial observer can see that it is unlikely that you and Lady Winterset will ever see eye to eye. But perhaps you would allow me to make a suggestion?”
Julia’s gaze caught his and she nodded slightly.
“I beg your pardon, my lord.” Lady Holridge drew her brows together. “But I am not sure I understand your interest in this matter.”
“Lady Winterset has long been a friend of my family’s,” he said without hesitation. It wasn’t a complete lie. Veronica was family. “I can assure you there has never been scandal attached to my family either.”
“No, I’ve never heard anything about you. And I would have too.” She nodded. “Your father is another matter. I understand he’s named in this scandalous work.”
At once he realized where Lady Holridge had learned her information. “And that is precisely my interest. You should know I have been discussing a solution with Lady Winterset that will satisfy us all. Indeed, we are very close to an agreement.”
“Oh?” Suspicion sounded in the older woman’s voice.
Julia’s gaze fixed on him.
He did need to take a hand in this. As an intelligent woman Julia would understand that what he was about to do was in her best interests. The Lady Holridges and Fern-castles of this world could indeed make one an outcast in society. Even marriage to someone as eminently proper as he had always been would not fully redeem her for years. And no matter how much she might claim she didn’t care about scandal, her response to learning about these rumors last night had been most telling. Besides, there was no longer any need for her to sell the memoirs.
“I am just as concerned about the scandal this book will cause as you are. I can assure you I have the matter well in hand.” He smiled in a conspiratorial manner. And Veronica thought he couldn’t be charming. “It is to no one’s benefit to publish them and make them available for public consumption.”
“I should say not!” The older woman glared.
“And if they are not published, the matter will fade from interest as soon as the next interesting item comes along.” He favored her with his most charming smile. “Don’t you agree?”
“Yes, well, you’re right, I suppose.” She smiled reluctantly. “I must say, I am grateful you have taken this stand, my lord.”
He smiled in a modest manner.
“We are most appreciative for your assistance in this matter,” Lord Holridge said in a grateful manner, and slanted Julia a quick look of apology.
“Obviously, what was needed was a firm hand,” his mother said, now completely ignoring Julia’s presence.
“Mother, we must be going if we are to return to London before nightfall.” Obviously, Lord Holridge was eager to be on his way.
“Nonsense.” His mother scoffed. “I assumed Lady Smithson would offer us accommodations for the night.”
Lord Holridge groaned softly.
The door opened and Veronica stepped into the room, an overly pleasant smile on her face. “I was just passing by and thought I heard my name. May I be of assistance?”
“I was just saying that I assumed you would offer your hospitality to us for the night.” Lady Holridge cast Veronica a beneficent smile, as if she were bestowing a great favor on the younger woman.
“Why on earth would I do that?” The innocent look in Veronica’s eyes matched her tone. “Unless I am mistaken, you were neither invited nor expected.” Harrison gave her a chastising look and she shrugged. “Unfortunately, I seem to be beset with unexpected guests today and I simply have no spare rooms.”
“You don’t?” Lady Holridge studied her suspiciously. “But this house is enormous.”
Veronica smiled. “Odd, isn’t it?” She hooked her arm through Lady Holridge’s and steered her toward the door. “But do allow me to escort you out. It is, after all, the very least I can do. Any other time of course, well, you do understand. Now, you should hurry or you will miss the last train.”
“Trains are disgusting, filthy contraptions.” Lady Hol-ridge sniffed in contempt. “I have never ridden on a train nor shall I ever. We came in our carriage.”
“All the way from London? Imagine that.” Veronica escorted her out the door, Lord Holridge trailing behind. “Then you must be on your way and I must commend you on adhering to your principles rather than surrendering to convenience and ease….”
“That’s that.” Harrison chuckled and closed the door behind them. “I did think Veronica was going to do something that might …” He turned toward Julia and his smile faded. “You’re angry with me, aren’t you?”
Julia glanced from side to side as if looking to see if there were anyone else in the room. “Oh, are you talking to me? I didn’t realize you knew I was still present.”
He took a step toward her. “Julia.”
“You had no right to lead her to believe the memoirs will not be published. Indeed, you had no right to interfere at all.”
He stared at her. “If I hadn’t stepped in, you would have said or done something to make the situation worse.”
“So you were protecting me?”
“Well … yes.”
She shook her head. “I don’t need your protection.”
“Perhaps not but you did need my help.”
“No.” Her gaze met his. “I did not.”
“Julia, while you are an intelligent woman, I am an intelligent man.” He chose his words with care. “And as an intelligent woman you must admit that I know better.”
“In this case or always?”
He hesitated.
“I see,” she said slowly. “Then while I am intelligent I am not nearly as clever as you?”
“I am a man,” he said without thinking.
“Indeed you are,” she said coolly. “What did you mean when you said you had the matter well in hand?”
“I meant that, well, I do,” he said staunchly.
“Perhaps I am not as intelligent as you think. Please explain. How exactly do you have the matter well in hand?”
“Surely after last night …”
“Yes?”
“Well, it seems to me you have no need to publish the memoirs now.”
“Because I shared your bed?”
“Yes. No!” He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant at all.”
“What did you mean?”
“I meant that your finances will soon no longer be a problem.”
“I don’t see that last night changed my financial circumstances in the least.”
“I shall take care of your finances.”
“Oh?” She raised a brow.
“Well, I assumed—”
“If you are speaking of marriage, which you have not mentioned up to this point—”
“I am mentioning it now.”
She ignored him. “While I do realize you have certain moral standards, I am a competent adult and accountable for my own actions. It is not necessary to marry me simply because you seduced me.”
He gasped. “I did not seduce you.”
“My apologies.” Her eyes narrowed. “Of course you didn’t. I was every bit as responsible for last night as you.”
“Yes,” he snapped, “you were.”
“Because I … I wanted you.”
He scoffed. “That was obvious!”
“I wanted to be in your bed.”
“Enthusiastically, I might point out.”
“Because I am just like my great-grandmother?”
“I didn’t say that. In fact, you’re the one who keeps saying that.”
“Nonetheless, it’s obvious that’s what you’re thinking. I see it all now. Your entire devious plan.”
He stared. “What devious plan?”
“You were the one who first mentioned that other men might be interested in me because of my great-grandmother’s nature. Which obviously means you were thinking the exact same thing.”
“I was trying to warn you.” Indignation sounded in his voice. “You’re not being fair.”
She ignored him. “So once you had me in your bed—”
“Again, by mutual consent.”
“—and had your way with me—”
“You certainly had your way with me as well.” He huffed.
“—then I would be so … what? Swept away by passion?”
“There was sweeping on both sides if I recall.”
“That I would gladly relinquish the memoirs to you?”
“It was not a plan,” he said staunchly.
“And then what?”
He drew his brows together. “What?”
“Did you expect me to follow in Hermione’s footsteps? To become your mistress?”
“No!” He huffed. “That thought never crossed my mind. I thought you’d become my wife!”
“Because that’s the proper thing to do after a night of passion?”
“Yes! No! That’s not why at all.”
“Come now, my lord, I am not the type of woman you want for a wife.”
“No, you’re not,” he snapped.
“Then we are agreed.”
“We’re not agreed on anything!”
“Apparently!” She drew a deep breath. “Did you really think you could get the memoirs this way?”
He hesitated. The thought had crossed his mind.
“I do so hate to disappoint you.” Her eyes narrowed. “My plans have not changed in the least. I shall sell the memoirs for publication the moment I return to London, which I intend to do as soon as possible.” She started for the door. “Oh, and I do apologize that you shall have to go back on your word to Lady Holridge. You have nothing well in hand. Absolutely nothing.” With that she nodded and took her leave.
For a long moment he stared at the door. What exactly had he done that was so wrong? Yes, he had made assumptions about a future together that might have been premature. And certainly it might not have been wise to indicate to Lady Holridge the memoirs would not be published. He had known that before he had said it but it had seemed like a brilliant idea at the time. And perhaps it had been presumptuous on his part to assume that she would acquiesce to his desire not to publish the book now that they had shared a bed.
But this was a woman who had taken care of herself with no help from anyone for the last three years. One would think she would have been grateful to have a man take charge. He winced. That, no doubt, was where he had made his biggest mistake. Nor had it been wise to admit that she was not what he wanted in a wife. But what he wanted had changed. Now he wanted a wife who would drive him mad. Now he wanted Julia.
He would return to London at once. Further discussion with Julia today would serve neither of them well and she needed time to come to her senses and realize he was only trying to help. And then he would … court her. Yes, that’s what he’d do. Send flowers—not roses—and tokens of affection and notes professing his love. He’d write poetry if necessary and he would walk in that damn park every morning if he had to.
He had come here in the first place to rescue her and he was not about to let anyone, even Julia herself, stand in the way of his doing just that. Whether she realized it or not, she needed him. And damnation, he needed her.
And he refused to spend the rest of his life without her.
… therefore I was quite touched and most grateful. It was apparent, to my delight, that his lordship had been thoroughly trained.
It has often seemed to me there is very little difference between the training of a man and that of a dog, although a dog is usually much easier. He will learn proper behavior by little more than the repeated offering of a delectable morsel as a reward for his actions. Men are very much the same. Promise a man something delicious, something he wants quite badly, and he will do precisely what you wish him to do.
His lordship had obviously been taught to consider his words before they left his lips, a quality rare in most men as it goes against their nature. But dear Cedric had been well …
from The Perfect Mistress,
the Memoirs of Lady Hermione Middlebury
Chapter Nineteen
“Welcome home, Lady Winterset,” Daniels said in his usual competent manner. “I trust your stay in the country was uneventful?”
“Let us say it was interesting, Daniels. Thank you,” Julia said with a wry smile.
It was good to be home. Even the heavy weight that had settled in Julia’s stomach when she had argued with Harrison had lessened.
He had left Veronica’s last night to return to London alone. Julia and Veronica had taken the first train this morning. While Veronica was well aware something had transpired between the two of them—Harrison’s abrupt departure was ample evidence of that—she was wise enough, for once, to keep her curiosity to herself. Julia was grateful for that. She had no desire to discuss her feelings or emotions or anything at all regarding Harrison with anyone, alive or dead. Hermione too had been absent.
It had been a long, lonely night and Julia had scarcely slept a wink. By this morning she had realized that in spite of his smug, superior attitude he was indeed only trying to help and doing so in the only way he knew how. The fact that ultimately he had treated her like an incompetent was annoying but somewhat understandable. The blasted man did indeed think he knew best. She suspected now the anger she had directed at him had more to do with her fury at her former in-laws than his well-intentioned actions. She had already decided to forgive him as his heart was in the right place and even offer him an apology of her own. Not that she had done anything really wrong, but she shouldn’t have taken out the anger triggered by William’s family on him. Besides, he had pointed out her financial circumstances were a direct result of their own actions. It was thoughtful and most appreciated.
She pulled off her gloves and removed her hat, handing them to the butler.
“There have been several callers in your absence,” Daniels said. “Mr. Cadwallender, Mr. Ellsworth, Baron Holridge and Lady Holridge.” He paused. “I told them you were away.”
“But you didn’t tell them exactly where I was?” she asked
, even though she knew the answer.
“Absolutely not, my lady.” A firm note sounded in the butler’s voice. He was too well trained and protective to have told any of her callers exactly where she was although Lady Holridge was right. Determining her whereabouts would have taken little effort. “And your grandmother has—”
“Julia!” Grandmother appeared at the top of the stairs, a beaming smile on her face, and gracefully descended. “What a charming little house this is.”
Her grandmother’s smile was contagious and Julia’s heart lightened. “Eleanor! How wonderful that you’ve come at last. I was nearly ready to fetch you myself.”
“For good or ill, I am here now.” She reached the foot of the steps and enfolded her granddaughter in a heartfelt embrace. Then she stepped back and studied her. “Oh, dear, as bad as all that?”
Julia widened her eyes in an innocent matter. “What?”
“Come, come, darling, I know all about it.” She tucked Julia’s hand into the crook of her elbow and led her into the parlor.
“What, exactly, do you think you know?” Julia said cautiously.
“Well, I know you’ve fallen in love with Lord Mount-dale.” She chuckled. “I do so love the irony of that.”
“Because his father was once involved with Hermi-one? Yes, I suppose.” Julia frowned. “But it’s not at all amusing. I am quite distraught.”
“Perhaps if you hadn’t been so stubborn and proud you wouldn’t be so distraught. Although both questionable qualities do run in our blood. Mores the pity.” She seated herself on the sofa then patted the spot next to her. Julia obediently sat. “Now then, have you forgiven him for doing what he thought was best even if he was perhaps wrong? Although I must say, I too would have been hard-pressed to stay quiet under the circumstances.”
“Eleanor.” Julia chose her words with care. She wasn’t entirely certain she wanted to hear the answer. “How do you know about any of this?”
The Perfect Mistress Page 28
