“We really cannot thank you enough for your generous hospitality, Catherine. The evening was a success, and I am certain Delia is now quite prepared to face the ton at all the fashionable gatherings she is bound to be invited to after this.”
“Julianna, please, think nothing of it. I had a grand evening and was delighted to throw a bit of a party. I am just happy to have a small part in her debut. And it really wasn’t all that much extra work for my staff since your brother sent over a couple of footmen to assist and he promised they would be back in the morning. It has been a pleasure catching up with you over these past days. Hopefully, we shall stay in better touch after this.”
“You have my word on it, my dear friend. Now, I can see this young lady should be off to her bed.” On those words, Julianna roused her tired niece, and they bade their hostess farewell.
Chapter 9
The next morning began much later than usual for the Montgomery ladies. Odelia wrapped herself in a dressing robe and slid into her aunt’s room as her morning chocolate was delivered by their lady’s maid.
“Good morning, Aunty Jules,” she chirped cheerfully as she helped herself to a sip of Julianna’s chocolate.
Julianna groaned as Delia threw open the drapes. “How can you possibly be so cheerful and awake this morning, imp?” she demanded with incredulity.
“I’m young, what can I say?” Odelia answered cheekily. “Now, are you getting up? We should hurry if we are going to meet up with Abigail.”
Julianna groaned again as she peeked at her niece. She then screeched in mock outrage. “How can you drink my chocolate and expect me to get up right now and go shopping of all things?” She shuddered with a degree of disgust.
“Come on Aunty Jewel, you cannot hate shopping! What kind of a girl are you?” Odelia laughed as she handed the steaming mug to her aunt. “But you are right. It is outrageous for me to steal your chocolate. It is scrumptious! And look what a delightful day it is going to be. Now, do not be a slug-a-bed. The maid shall return shortly to help you dress. I shall meet you in the morning room momentarily.” Odelia fled the room as Julianna hurled one of her pillows in her direction.
Being the doting aunt that she was, Julianna did make haste to prepare for the shopping expedition despite her lack of enthusiasm. Within a short time, the two Montgomery ladies were on their way to collect Abigail and then headed for the shops that the young girls wished to frequent.
Julianna was heartily bored. She had never enjoyed junketing about the shops overly much but felt now that after the weeks of preparation for the Season she would gladly wait several years before she set foot inside them again. But seeing how much pleasure the two young girls were taking from it, she struggled for patience. While Odelia and Abigail giggled and dithered over ribbons, Julianna decided she had had enough. The shop they were in was respectable and the girls would be fine for a while with the footman waiting upon them.
“Girls, I am going to dash across the street to the circulating library to see if I can find something of interest. If you are finished before I am, have James escort you to Gunther’s and bespeak a table for us. We shall have a small nuncheon before we head back to the Fieldings’ for the afternoon.”
“Oh yes, Lady Julianna, that would be lovely,” was Lady Abigail’s polite reply. “We shan’t be too much longer. It is just so hard to decide,” she concluded with a giggle.
“I am sure it is,” responded Julianna kindly, managing not to roll her eyes. “I will see you both in a few minutes.”
Julianna made good her escape and almost fled from the store. She heaved a heartfelt sigh of relief as she slipped into the hushed quiet of the library without realizing she was being followed. Julianna took a deep, appreciative sniff of the air, enjoying the scent of old paper and leather. Barely managing to stifle a squeal as she felt a large hand descend upon her shoulder, she whirled to confront whoever had accosted her.
“Oh my, Lord Ackerley. You startled the wits right out of me!” she declared as she clutched her chest dramatically.
Lucius chuckled at her theatrics. “I am so sorry to have scared you, Lady Julianna. I should have realized you were distracted when it was so clear you were enjoying a moment of appreciation for your surroundings,” he teased her with customary charm.
Julianna shot him a sheepish grin. “I am supposed to be escorting Odelia and Lady Abigail on a shopping expedition. I decided to see if the library had anything new that would be of interest.”
Lucius eyed her knowingly. “I remember how much you disliked shopping. It was most unnatural of you.”
Julianna let out a gurgle of laughter despite the quiet of the room. “Yes, it is terribly strange, I know. But a few moments amongst the books should fortify me to continue through the day,” she concluded with a droll tilt of her finely arched eyebrows.
“Do you really think you will have time to be reading at the height of the Season?” Luc asked with some surprise.
“There is always time for a good book, my lord,” was her definite answer as she proceeded to peruse the shelves. “Whatever are you doing here, if you think there is no time to read?” she asked after a moment.
It was now Luc’s turn to look sheepish. “I was on my way to my club when I saw you exiting the frippery store. You had such a look about you that I just had to investigate.”
Again Julianna burst out with a cheerful laugh prompting other patrons to look at them with censor. Luc looked at the woman before him with delight as she gazed back at him with chagrin. He took her arm and escorted her outside to the sidewalk.
“I apologize, my lady. I should have left well enough alone when I saw you exit that shop. I would never want to get you banned from the circulating library.” Luc laughed as Julianna grinned good-naturedly at him.
“Pay it no mind, my lord. I am sure I shall be able to convince them to allow me to return. Surely they are not so stuffy as to black list someone for a fit of laughter.”
“Well, I would not put it past them from the looks they were throwing our way, but as long as you are sure.” Luc let the subject drop. “Now where might I escort you?”
Julianna made to object but he pre-empted her.
“It is the least I can do since I interrupted your brief escape from the torture of shopping.” Luc laughed down at her. “What kind of gentleman would I be if I left you to fend for your helpless self?” he teased knowing what a capable young woman she was.
“Very well, my lord. You may make yourself useful. I need to make the terribly long trek over to Gunther’s to meet up with Odelia and Abigail. If you feel so obliged, you may interrupt your trip to your club long enough to escort me safely up the street,” Julianna declared with sham snobbery.
The viscount flourished a courtly bow all the while looking at her with a twinkling eye before extending his bent elbow for her to take his arm.
“Might I have the pleasure of treating you and the other young ladies to Gunther’s famous treats?” Luc offered with gallantry.
“Oh, no, my lord. I am sure you would much prefer not listening to those two silly gigglers,” Julianna struggled to imagine the elegant lord sitting through a session with the two young women despite the fact that he had escorted her to that establishment on numerous occasions when she was about their age.
“Come now, it shall be like old times,” declared Lord Ackerley as though reading her mind. “I feel I owe it to you after running out on Catherine’s rout last night.”
“Did you run out on us, my lord?” she asked questioningly with an arrested expression upon her face. “I thought you said you had an appointment.”
Luc colored slightly. “Well, yes, I did, but still, in the interest of supporting Odelia’s Season, we all must play our part.”
Julianna smiled good-naturedly and allowed the subject to drop despite the almost irresistible urge to demand what possible role he thought he needed to play in Dee’s Season.
The young ladies were delighted by the visco
unt’s appearance. They were determined to practice their feminine wiles on him, and he was gracious enough to allow it without leading them too far astray. Julianna found it highly entertaining to watch the girls trying to appear sophisticated despite their obvious inexperience. She was oddly touched by Luc’s patience with their silly giddiness as she fought the urge to roll her eyes in derision at their antics.
As their tea and crumpets were served, Julianna and Luc’s eyes met and they smiled conspiratorially to one another. Julianna was surprised by the rare sensation of feeling at one with the viscount. It was exceedingly strange after the years and conflict that had passed since they had been friends, but it could not be denied.
She enjoyed the moment but was wary of putting too much stock in it. Clearly Lord Ackerley was a very experienced ladies’ man, and she would do well to guard her heart carefully. Her own experience with him in the past should have taught her that lesson resoundingly. She gave herself a shake for being so foolish as to need a reminder. Should I even allow the womanizer to spend time with the innocent young women? she questioned, filled with guilt and indecision.
After their treat had been consumed, the viscount tried to excuse himself. However, he was not able to extricate himself from the younger ladies before they had managed to extract a promise from him to share at least one dance with each of them at the next dance they all attended. As he was bowing over her hand in farewell, his eyes twinkled up at Julianna.
“And what about you, Lady Julianna? Will you save a dance for me?”
“If you actually show up at the assembly rooms I will be nearly overcome by the shock so I doubt that I shall be in any position to dance with you,” was her teasing reply.
“Touché, my dear, touché,” he had to agree since he was nearly notorious for avoiding the overtly obvious Marriage Mart. “However, in my own defense, I must point out that I have been known to attend at times in the past.”
“True, but from what I have been told, those occasions are few and far between,” she parried.
“Are you making a habit of listening to gossip about me, my lady? I find I am flattered at the thought,” he teased.
Julianna colored delicately but could not deny his charge. She was momentarily at a loss for words, which caused the viscount to laugh and tweak her nose before he gave a cheery wave to all three ladies and strode briskly from the establishment.
“Isn’t he just the most divinely handsome man you have ever laid your eyes upon, Lady Julianna?” Abigail was nearly swooning in her admiration, which Julianna could not help but find slightly nauseating. Maybe it was her chagrin over his cavalier departure or maybe it was her own swoony feeling inside, but she suddenly felt rather waspish with regards to the handsome viscount.
“No, Abigail, I must say I find the Duke of Carlisle to be far more divinely handsome, although it is true that Lord Ackerley is passably good looking.”
Abigail gasped in shock over this outrage to the object of her youthful crush and began to sputter in defense of the viscount. Odelia saved her friend from causing a scene by interrupting bracingly. “Yes, but Abigail, you must admit that the Duke of Carlisle is devastatingly handsome. That really cannot be argued against.”
It was a true fact, and Abigail calmed down. Julianna had instantly regretted her uncharacteristic, grumpy attitude and made an effort to completely restore the situation by reminding the girls of their afternoon plans.
“Now girls, we really must be running along if we are not to be late for Lady Hearst’s ‘at home’ this afternoon. Lady Abigail, your mama will frown fiercely at us if we are not on time, I am sure. And no doubt you both shall wish to run a comb through your hair before the guests arrive.”
That was just the right thing to say to distract the giddy young girl as Abigail squealed once more. “Oh, no, Lady Julianna, do I look a fright? Let us make haste at once.”
Julianna stifled a giggle of her own as they set off to the Fieldings’ elegant town home. Young girls really were terribly predictable, she thought to herself with amusement.
Chapter 10
Later that afternoon Odelia was delighted to see her grandmother, the baroness, Lady Ashwood, who stopped in briefly to see Lady Hearst. Surprised to see her relatives there, the baroness quickly extracted a promise from Julianna to bring her dearest Dee to see her the next day.
“Lady Julianna, you really must bring the dear girl to see her grandparents. We would so enjoy hearing all her plans for the Season. Perhaps his lordship and I could make a few suggestions toward her success.”
Despite Lady Ashwood’s condescension, Julianna was quick to agree to the summons as she stifled her dismay over her own negligence. They ought to have called on the older woman as soon as they had arrived in town. Of course, Hart’s in-laws had not kept very close touch with their grandchildren, but still it was socially backward of her not to have called previously. Julianna could only hope the older lady didn’t ring a peal over them the following afternoon.
As soon as the Montgomery ladies arrived home, Julianna asked a footman if her brother was home. She was quickly informed that he was busy in his library, and she hurried to find him.
After a quick knock on his door, Julianna briskly entered her brother’s very masculine place of work. She never ceased to admire the handsome room and even today, despite the turmoil of her mind, she was brought up short by her visceral reaction to the room. Julianna gave her head a quick shake and strode over to her brother’s desk.
“I think I got myself into a quagmire with Dee’s grandmother, Hart, and you are going to have to extricate me,” she began without preamble.
The earl, having been deep in thought prior to her bursting into his room, was understandably unsure what to make of his sister’s declaration. He blinked at her blankly for a moment before demanding, “Whatever are you on about, Jules? I am in the middle of some paperwork. Can this not wait until later?”
Julianna sat herself down in one of the wing-backed chairs placed strategically in front of his desk, clearly making herself comfortable. “I am afraid not, my dearest brother. I forgot to let Lucretia’s parents know we were coming to Town for Odelia to make her curtsy into Society, and it would appear you did not do so either. We ran into your mother-in-law at Lady Hearst’s this afternoon.”
At the sight of his upraised eyebrows she hastened to add, “She managed not to make a scene, but she wants to see us tomorrow. I am not ashamed to admit to you that I am afraid of her and would rather not face her on my own. Nor do I want Odelia to have to do so. So, since in all reality it should have been your responsibility to let them know, I think you have to come with us to take tea with her on the morrow.”
“Oh dear,” Hart said in clear understatement. “You are right, Jules, we should have let them know. It is just that they have paid so little attention to the children through the years, even before Lucretia died, that I did not even think about it. I must admit that I have pretty much forgotten about them entirely. But they have always been sticklers for appearances, so they would not appreciate finding out about our presence in Town this way.” Hart looked at his sister with an appearance of almost trepidation. “Do you suppose I ought to go on my own to present my apologies and smooth things over?”
Julianna finally found it in her to laugh over the situation. “As much as I would rather that, no, I do not think we need to sacrifice you in such a way. Let us brazen it out. You are right. The Ashwoods are more concerned about appearances than anything else. We shall all go for tea. Perhaps you can prevail upon Fletcher to accompany us, and we will all just go as though it is normal for us to be calling upon them.” After a moment of reflection Julianna added, “I even forgot to send them an invitation to Dee’s ball, so we might as well deliver one in person while we are there.”
Hart looked at Julianna dubiously while he mulled over her suggestion. “Well, it is as good a plan as any.”
As early as was socially acceptable the next day the four Mont
gomery’s stood on the street in front of a large stone house in one of the most exclusively fashionable neighborhoods of London, just kitty corner to Hyde Park. It was beautifully elegant and unassuming despite its size. Fletcher voiced what they were all thinking:
“Are you sure we have the right place, Aunt Jules?”
How typical, Julianna thought with some asperity. I am not even related to these people. Why did I have to give the directions to the coachman?
Out loud she replied, “Ask your father, Fletch. Surely he has been here at least a time or two.”
“You have a good point, Aunt Jules. Why have we never been here before?” Odelia inquired reasonably.
The earl was at a loss as to what to tell his children. Their mother had been happy to get away from her parents, and the Ashwoods had not paid much heed to Dee or Fletch while their daughter was alive, much less after her death. “Well, children, I must admit I do not think your grandparents had much interest in either babies or young people. No doubt now that you are older they would like to develop a relationship with you,” he concluded diplomatically.
Julianna could not bear for her beloved niece and nephew to think anyone in their family did not love them as she and their father did. “I know for certain that now that they are going to get to know you, they shall want to pursue that acquaintance further. Now come along. Let us not dither here on the street. The servants will chatter about us.” With those bracing words she strode up the stairs to the door.
Sure enough, the servants were watching. Before she could even reach for the knocker, the door was swept wide open by a footman, and the butler stood in preparation to take the ladies’ wraps and the gentlemen’s hats.
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