Having no first hand experience, Julianna merely smiled politely.
“Where are my manners? I am sorry, my dear. I should have asked you if you slept well.”
“That is perfectly alright, my lady. Thank you, I slept marvellously. The countess quite generously put my niece and me in a lovely suite of rooms right at the end of a hallway, so it was perfectly quiet. My bed was one of the most comfortable I have ever slept in, and I believe I must have fallen asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow. I feel quite restored from yesterday’s travels.”
“And where is your sweet little niece this morning?” the countess asked peering around the table inquisitively.
“She does not enjoy mornings nearly as much as I do,” Julianna laughed. “She decided she needed to spend a bit more time in bed and asked the maid to bring her up a tray a bit later.”
“Oh I do hope she won’t miss out on any of the fun my daughter-in-law has planned for everyone today,” the dear older lady worried.
“I am sure she will be up and about soon enough. Thank you for asking about her.”
The dowager countess then turned from Julianna and looked around the table again. This time her eyes stopped on Luc. “Lord Ackerley! What a pleasure to see you again. I did not know you would be joining us for this little gathering. Did you just get in during the night or this morning?”
This time Julianna could not avoid looking at the viscount as he answered.
“I was rather late leaving Town yesterday, so I arrived after nearly everyone had retired last night. The poor old butler waited up for me, and the earl was still up so he treated me to a warming glass of his best brandy before we each headed off to bed. I sometimes wonder if Philip ever sleeps.”
The earl’s proud mother smiled at this statement. “I used to wonder that, too. When he was a little boy, he so hated bedtime. Now he has various reasons for foregoing sleep.” The dowager countess’ voice had taken on a harder edge, but she quickly shook it off. “I am glad someone was available to make you comfortable when you arrived.”
“Thank you, my lady, I was definitely made to feel quite at home. The room I was shown to will suit my needs perfectly. It was most gracious of the countess to include me in her plans.” For just a moment Lucius allowed his eyes to stray to Julianna but they did not linger. He did not want her to know he had begged his old friend to allow him to join the house party when he had heard that the Montgomery ladies would be spending several days out of town. It was his best chance to get Julianna to confide in him, or at least it would force her to stop avoiding him.
Bringing his attention back to Lady Claire the viscount asked politely, “Have you been in residence at Yorkleigh for long, my lady?”
“Not this time. I was here for an extended stay after the baby was born, but I went home to Rosemount several months ago. I arrived two days ago as a guest for the house party. Emily is a wonderful hostess, and I am looking forward to being here for a lovely visit.” Lady Claire turned back to Julianna with a charming smile. “It will be a pleasure to get to know some new people as well as take advantage of Philip and Emily’s hospitality. I love my little home, but there is just something about this place that calls to me.”
Julianna couldn’t help empathizing. “If this is where you raised your family, there is no wonder you feel at home here.”
“It’s true, my dear, but after my beloved husband died I could not bear to make my home here permanently, although Philip and Emily made me feel perfectly welcome. Of course, now that there are to be grandchildren and sufficient time has passed, I feel much more comfortable here. But it’s always nice to return to my own space. I love Emily dearly, of course, but this is her home now. No matter how well ladies get along, each woman needs her own space.”
Julianna blinked in surprise since this comment touched quite close to home for her. Her conflicted emotions must have displayed themselves on her face since Lady Claire quickly interjected. “Do not mind an old lady, my dear. I truly hope I said nothing to disturb you.”
“No, no, my lady. Please do not concern yourself. It is just that your remarks about two ladies sharing a home struck rather close to home for me. My brother has recently mentioned he might consider remarrying. I have been mistress of his home for the past seven years and I have been wondering what will become of me if he does remarry.”
Lord Ackerley tried to look nonchalant but could not prevent his gaze from sharpening on Julianna’s face. Is it possible this is why she has distanced herself from him? But it makes no sense. Usually ladies who are concerned about their living arrangements endeavour to engage a gentleman’s interest, not discourage it. Lady Julianna Montgomery was a constant contradiction, but he was determined to get to the bottom of things within the next few days. In the meantime Lady Claire was speaking with sympathy.
“I can fully understand your concern, my dear. Do you get along with the lady in question?”
Julianna couldn’t help laughing despite her various concerns. “That is the conundrum, my lady. There is no specific lady to be worried about. My brother merely mentioned that I should give thought to my own future as he has been thinking about the possibility of looking for a new countess. It does not appear to be an immediate cause for concern. My brother is quite a deliberate man and will no doubt take his time in deciding on the matter, so I need not trouble myself overly at this time. It is just a factor I need to keep in mind. He felt I should consider marriage for myself in order to have a home of my own, but I pointed out to him that since I have come into my inheritance I do not require a husband in order to acquire a home. Of course, being a rather antiquated man, that did not sit overly well with him, but it is always an option in my opinion. Did your son worry about you when you set up your own establishment?”
“Oh, did he ever! But as you said, there is naught he could do since I was of age. He stuck his nose into every crevice of my affairs for quite some time until he had Emily to keep his hands full. She keeps him on his toes and out of my business much better than I ever could.” Lady Claire smiled with fondness as she thought of her beloved daughter-in-law. “Have you given any thought to what you will do?”
Again Julianna laughed. “Only in the vaguest sense. It has been like a pesky fly buzzing around at the back of my mind ever since he mentioned it. But I have been much too busy with Odelia and her Season to be able to give it any amount of real thought. Odelia has informed me that she will require at least one more Season to make up her mind about marriage, so I have a feeling I will be tied up with her affairs for some time to come. I am sure when we go home for the summer I will give more serious thought to my options.”
Lady Claire, always generous and hospitable, made a kind offer. “I love having company, so if you find yourself in need of a quiet place to think, my home is always available to you.”
Gratified by this unexpected kindness, Julianna felt her eyes mist with unshed tears. On an impulse, she reached over and squeezed the older lady’s hand. “Thank you, my lady. I shall keep that in mind. Now I really must run up and check on Odelia. Surely the slug-a-bed should be up and about by now. I shall see you later.”
Frustrated, Luc watched as she hurried from the room, once again avoiding a direct conversation with him. Turning back to Lady Claire he was surprised to see her eyeing him with appraisal.
“So the wind blows in that direction, does it, my lord? How interesting are things likely to get during this visit?”
“Whatever do you mean, my lady?” he asked, striving for an air of innocence.
“I happen to know for a fact that you were not on the guest list until yesterday and that my poor Emily had to do a great deal of juggling to even out her numbers at the last minute. I just have no idea why. Do you care to keep an old lady up to date?”
Lucius couldn’t hide the hot color flooding his cheekbones, which caused Lady Claire to clap her hands with glee. “I am so glad that I accepted the invitation to come for this party! I can see t
hings are going to be interesting. It seems the lovely Lady Julianna is leading you on a merry chase. It is about time you found your comeuppance.” With those words Lady Claire pushed herself back from the table and excused herself from the room.
They had been the last occupants of the dining room so there had been no witnesses to this last exchange, for which Luc was highly grateful. Lady Claire was still chuckling and mumbling about the upcoming fun as she exited the room.
The viscount was left behind in the empty room, baffled by how wrong it was all going. He didn’t even know how he felt about Lady Julianna, and he was chagrined by the degree of amusement that was causing for Lady Claire. Shaking his head in disgust, he pushed back from the table and quickly stood, making way for the footmen to clear the table. What he needed was a good gallop, he resolved, so he went in search of the earl to see if he wished to join him.
Chapter 24
Knocking lightly on the door from the connecting room, Julianna waited for Odelia to bid her entry.
“Come hither,” she called airily.
Laughing at her summons, Julianna entered the room. Odelia was still in bed, propped up with an abundance of pillows, sipping her chocolate and munching on toast.
“Good morning, Aunty Jewel. Is this not the most gorgeous room you have ever seen? I could get used to living like this. I have slept half the morning away and was greeted with the perfect cup of chocolate as soon as I popped open my eyes. Nothing could be sweeter than this,” she declared with satisfaction.
“Well, I am happy to see you enjoying yourself, my darling niece, but it really is time for you to get up and get going. I believe the countess is planning for activities this afternoon and wishes for us to gather in the morning room shortly.”
Julianna bustled about the room as she spoke, opening the drapes and looking around. Admiring the view the last window revealed, she continued speaking. “What a beautiful landscape! I wonder how far the earl’s lands extend. No doubt they are quite extensive. I do hope some of the planned activities for the visit include exploring some of the grounds, they surely do look inviting.”
“Let me see!” Never one to enjoy being left out, Odelia quickly climbed out of bed and hurried over to stand beside her aunt. “You are so right. This is gorgeous country! Maybe we will be able to go riding. Do you think the earl would keep a sufficiently full stable to accommodate everyone?”
“Most likely. Now hurry up, sleepy head!” Julianna laughed as she tossed a spare pillow at her niece. Maizy came quietly into the room and began scurrying around the room laying out what Odelia would require to get ready.
Within a surprisingly short period of time, the beautiful young debutante was ready to descend below, and the two Montgomery ladies returned to the main floor. Julianna had always possessed a good sense of direction, besides she had been about more than Dee, so she lead the way and got them to the morning room without any false turns.
“Impressively lead, Aunty,” Odelia teased as they were entering the room. Both ladies had charming, happy smiles on their faces causing some of the occupants to stop and stare.
“Good morning, ladies,” greeted the countess, coming forward to welcome them. “Are you acquainted with everyone here? Please make yourselves comfortable with the other guests if there is anyone you do not know. We have just been debating whether or not we should play indoor or outdoor games this afternoon. The sun is shining brilliantly, so I have been recommending bundling up and heading outside to take advantage of it. What do you two have to say?”
Looking at each other for confirmation, Julianna spoke for them both. “I would say we should take advantage of the sunshine. We can play inside games this evening or if the weather should turn inclement. If everyone is sufficiently rested, it would be a great idea to head outside and enjoy it.”
Odelia, probably the most rested member of the party, clapped her hands and did a little dance of anticipation. “We were just looking outside from my room and your estate looks particularly beautiful and well-tended. I would love to see it for myself, up close. Perhaps we could even stroll about the grounds if no one is particularly inclined for games.”
“An excellent idea, Lady Odelia, or some could do one thing while others do another. We have equipment for tennis and croquet in a little shed just outside the kitchen door. Shall we decide on teams before we head back to our rooms for our wraps?”
There was a general murmur of consent.
Looking around the room with a look that bordered on impish, the countess stated, “I’ll go around the room and you can each tell me your preferences for how to spend the afternoon, then we’ll make up teams or groups of who wants to do what.”
Seeing the impish look, Julianna was intrigued and wondered what the countess was up to. There were very few people present with whom she was well acquainted so it should be an interesting afternoon getting to know some of the assembled guests.
By the time everyone was going to get their outdoor clothes it had become obvious that their hostess was determined to ensure everyone left their comfort zones far behind. Older, married gentlemen had been paired up with young ladies barely out of the schoolroom while middle-aged ladies were teamed up with young men. It was clear Lady Yorkleigh wanted everyone to have a broader view of Society, which would no doubt benefit everyone. It explained the impish look well enough.
Julianna was looking forward to her stroll in the gardens with the earl. She was surprised by the countess’ choice but anticipated an interesting afternoon.
“I promise to be quick, my lord,” she had promised before dashing up the stairs.
“Take your time, Lady Julianna, there is no need to rush,” Lord Yorkleigh had replied with elegant grace, eyeing her with curious speculation.
She wondered idly about his look, but it didn’t occupy too much of her mind. Odelia was with her, and she was full of giggles over her partner for the afternoon.
“I shall be playing croquet with Lord Sheasby. Do you think he’ll be able to see where he hits the balls?”
“Perhaps that will be your job, to chase after any wayward balls and to offer some suggestions as to direction. You will get some good practice at tact and diplomacy. He seemed like a kind and easygoing man. You should have lots of fun.”
Odelia giggled again but then turned rather serious eyes to her aunt’s face. “Are you nervous about going for a stroll with the earl? He seems so proper. I feel like I would be nervous to be alone in his company. At least playing a game gives me something to talk about with Lord Sheasby. We can discuss the rules or laugh at each other’s wayward shots.”
“It’s true that he seems proper and serious, but his wife seems to be so approachable and nice. He cannot possibly be all that bad if he has chosen her to be his wife. Besides, I have much more practice dealing with gentlemen other than those trying to curry my favour than you do. Most of your experience speaking to men has been relatives or potential beaux, so I can understand your trepidation. I shall be fine. He actually seems somewhat approachable. If worse comes to worse, I can always ask him about his estate and his new heir.”
“True enough. You have almost as much a gift for gab as I do,” Odelia giggled.
“I must hurry. I promised the earl I would be quick. Don’t forget your scarf and mitts.” On that parting admonition Lady Julianna dashed from the room buttoning her coat as she went.
As she descended the stairs, she was momentarily distracted by the remembrance that Lord Ackerley had not been in the morning room for an afternoon assignment. I wonder where he went off to. Oh well, I’m just glad we were not assigned to each other. Who would have thought we would both end up here together?
“Are you ready, Lord Yorkleigh?” Julianna spoke softly behind the earl and he turned abruptly.
“You certainly were quick. I have known very few women who could be ready that fast. It says something interesting about you, Lady Julianna,” he said rather provocatively, seemingly trying to goad a response fr
om her.
Used to the teasing utterances of male relatives, Julianna barely batted an eyelash. “I am sorry to contradict you, my lord, but it does not say anything interesting about me. Quite the opposite, in fact, it says I am boring beyond belief.”
This reply surprised a bark of laughter from the normally serious earl. “Somehow I have strong doubts about that statement, my lady. Shall we stroll outside? Since you are all bundled up, you will soon overheat if we do not venture outside soon.”
Taking his arm, Julianna walked with Lord Yorkleigh out into the bright afternoon sun. “You have a lovely home. My niece and I were admiring your gardens from our window this morning.”
“I am glad you are enjoying it. I can take no credit for it. My mother did a wonderful job of maintaining the house and grounds, and my wife is carrying on her legacy along with a few improvements here and there.”
“I must thank you for your generous hospitality, as well. Odelia and I were very happy to be assigned to adjoining rooms. It has made us so much more comfortable.”
“It is generous of you to thank me for that since you must know that is again the work of my wife.” The earl looked at her with a sardonically lifted eyebrow.
Julianna looked at him steadily for a moment wondering if she should continue to make polite, socially acceptable conversation or call him out for his questionable replies. “Of course, my lord, but isn’t everything worthy fundamentally the work of wives? It would be completely rude for me to not acknowledge your position of host in some way.”
She said this with such an innocent look on her face that again the earl was surprised by a burble of laughter rising in his throat. This girl has spunk, I’ll grant her that, he thought with some admiration, seeing a glimmer of what had so caught his friend’s eye.
Sweet Surrender Page 23
