Harmony of the Soul

by Monroe, Jennifer

  He frowned. “You do not seem surprised the boy was here. Why is that?”

  The maid glanced at her arm. “You’re hurting me, my lord,” she said and tried to pull away.

  Henry only tightened his grip. “Do not lie to me, girl,” he said through clenched teeth. “About what were you speaking to him?”

  “I did not speak to him, my lord,” she said, tears glistening in her eyes. “As to why he was here, I don’t know. Do you think someone of his position would explain himself to a simple lady’s maid?”

  Her words caused Henry to pause. Something was amiss, he was certain of it, but he released her and did not stop her when she hurried away.

  As she ascended the steps, Harmony and her father descended. The girl’s eyes were red, and she was clearly distraught.

  “The boy is gone,” Henry said as the other two joined him. “I do not believe he means to return, certainly not after experiencing your temper.”

  “He would be a fool to make any attempt to return,” Walter replied. “Now, Harmony, you will apologize to Henry for your abhorrent behavior.”

  Harmony, her head low, said, “I apologize for shouting as I did. It was unladylike and will not happen again.”

  Although he doubted her sincerity — where there had been defeat in her eyes previously, now he saw defiance and anger — he said, “Your apology is accepted.” He glanced at the stairway where Lydia stood looking down at them. “Walter, may I take Harmony for a stroll through your lovely gardens?”

  “Yes, of course,” her father agreed. “Lydia will accompany you.”

  Henry thought to request they go alone, but Walter was much too upset still to make a scene.

  Once the women had donned their hats and wraps, the trio made its way outside. The sun shone brightly, but the pace he set was not of leisure.

  “Where is that lovely smile I enjoy so much?” he asked.

  “I may be forced to marry you,” Harmony said without looking at him. “However, you will never see me smile.”

  Henry chuckled at her fiery words. “I do not care either way,” he replied. “You are a woman and will provide me with an heir. Whether or not you smile or cry while doing so makes little difference to me.”

  They came to the end of the path, and Harmony stopped and turned toward him. “Does it not concern you that the only way you were able to win was to lie?”

  His temper rose, and he had to clench his fist at his side to keep from striking her. It was one thing to push her to the ground when they were away from her home and quite another to do so where her parents could see. “How one wins does not matter in the least. My only concern is that you will be my wife until my last breath.”

  “Death will one day come for us all,” she said. “For you, however, it will be different.”

  “How so?” he asked, amused.

  “Because you will die a coward with no honor!”

  One day he would teach this woman a lesson in civility. He would teach her that a woman should never speak to a man so brazenly! Yet, he could do nothing about her disrespect now, so instead of striking her, he laughed.

  “You are an untamed beauty,” he said as he touched her cheek with the back of his hand. Her skin was so soft, so lovely, and that now-familiar desire stirred in him as it always did when he thought of what lay beneath the fabric of her dress. “A fiery beauty who I will one day tame.” He leaned in, his lips brushing her ear. “And whether that taming comes by fist or kiss will depend on you.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The air was unusually cold and the sky a darkish gray as Harmony ran her hand along the bench in St. Peters Park. Whatever reason it had been placed in that particular place no longer mattered to her, for that was in the past. Today, it would bear witness to her future.

  She had given the idea of running away a great deal of consideration but doing so would raise her parents’ ire to heights she had never witnessed. She would be married to a titled family, but how that came to past would leave her name tarnished and thus shaming the Lambert name, something she could not do.

  With a heavy sigh, she once again studied the only entrance into the alcove.

  “He will come,” Lydia said as if hearing her thoughts. “You must believe he will.”

  Harmony nodded, although she could not help but worry. She and Lydia had arrived half an hour earlier, and the bells of a nearby church had rung noon ten minutes ago.

  A butterfly with large wings of yellow trimmed in black settled beside her, a beautiful creature that lifted her spirits, even if it was only by a hair.

  She inched her fingers toward the tiny creature, and it batted its wings before alighting onto the digit. “I need my dreams to come true,” she whispered. A sense of peace settled upon her, and she raised her hand into the air. The butterfly flew away, perhaps to carry her dreams, along with those of others, to someone who could see them granted.

  “Even the smallest of creatures realize how precious you are.”

  Harmony started and turned to find Nathaniel entering the alcove. She hurried to him and threw her arms around his waist. “Oh, Nathaniel,” she cried, “I am so glad you came. Everything has gone terribly wrong! Father, Lord Miller…it is all a nightmare I fear will never end.”

  Whether it was the way he held her or how he looked into her eyes she did not know, but the love she had for this man increased.

  “I have missed you,” he whispered. “The thought of never seeing you again, or of you becoming the wife of that horrible man, sickens me.”

  Harmony nodded, and he took her hand in his. The breeze sent the tiny hairs that peeked from under her hat to tickling her face.

  “I have something I must tell you,” he said. “Something important that matters above everything else.”

  “Of course.”

  “The first time I saw you, do you remember?”

  She smiled at the memory. “How could I forget? You were walking toward Lydia and me, and when our eyes met, I thought you would never look away.”

  “I must admit that I had never seen a woman as beautiful as you,” he said with a chuckle. “Later, when we talked, I knew no other woman was your equal. I admit, the more time we spent together, the more I came to realize how deeply I care for you.”

  “And I care for you,” she said. “I have for some time.”

  “Yet, it is one thing to care deeply for someone and quite another to love them. To love someone means opening one’s heart and soul to that person. To understand that life only exists while in that person’s presence.” He smiled and his eyes twinkled. “For far too long, I have been afraid to tell you what I know as fact. Miss Harmony Radcliffe, I love you more than life itself. Will you marry me?”

  His words came as a breath of fresh air in the midst of a forest fire, and she had a sense of floating in the air although her feet were planted firmly on the ground. The words were beautiful and sweet, and they spoke to her soul.

  “That first day, I thought you the most handsome man I had ever seen,” she said. “When we spoke, you listened and thought my opinion worthy of consideration.” She looked down at the ground as tears filled her eyes. “All my life I have been told I was to remain silent. That what I had to say, what I thought, did not matter.” When she looked into his eyes once more, she wondered if she could become lost in them. “I, too, have wished to express to you what I feel. I love you, Nathaniel Lambert, and I always will. Whether you are a baron or a poor man without a title, I do not care, for I love you and want nothing more than to become your wife.”

  The kiss they shared this time was different from the others, for it possessed an urgency, a passion she never realized existed. Her heart was full of love, and Harmony knew she could never be without Nathaniel again.

  Yet, as all wonderful things do, their kiss ended, and Nathaniel gathered her hands in his. “Now I will tell you what we must do,” he said, placing a kiss on her knuckles. “But it will not be easy.”

  It was
as if time stood still and no one besides the two of them existed, but Harmony trusted this man more than anyone else in the world.

  “I am listening,” she replied. “What is it you propose to do?”

  “We will return to your home together. Once there, send Lydia to pack a small bag for you, but only a few items — a change of clothes and a few keepsakes should be enough. We will leave for Scarlett Hall as soon as she returns. I have already arranged for a special license…” He dropped her hands and sighed. “This is not how I pictured our wedding, but we have no other choice. And although I know it is unfair of me, I must ask that you disobey your parents.”

  The wind increased, and a light mist began to fall around them. She wanted nothing more than to marry this man, but she needed the opportunity to clear up an issue. “What I saw concerning your mother and the butler, I do not understand.” Nathaniel went to speak, but she raised a hand to forestall him. “Please, allow me to finish. I have only been acquainted with your mother for a short time, but I have no doubts that she is a good woman. Therefore, whatever choices she has made, whatever affairs she has had, none affect me. The standards set by my parents, their reasons for forbidding me to be with you, are not mine. My heart governs my standards as well as to whom I will give it. The decision is mine, not theirs. I will join you today and leave for Scarlett Hall.”

  Nathaniel gave her a wide grin and pulled her into his arms.

  “You will be going nowhere.”

  Harmony pulled away from Nathaniel to find Lord Miller glaring at them.

  The earl approached and then pushed Harmony toward Lydia. “You have been promised to me by your father. You have no say in the matter.”

  “She has made it quite clear whom she prefers,” Nathaniel said. “And that certainly is not you.”

  Lord Miller chuckled. “No one cares what you say, boy,” he said. He turned as if to walk away, but then he spun about and slammed his fist into Nathaniel’s stomach, causing Nathaniel to double over and drop to one knee as he gasped for breath.

  “Enough of this foolishness,” the earl growled. “Harmony, you are leaving with me now. Your father is waiting.” He grabbed her arm, his fingertips digging into her flesh, and she cried out as pain shot up into her shoulder.

  “Leave her be!” Nathaniel said, pulling himself to a standing position once more. He marched over to Lord Miller and pulled at his arm. “Release her, I say!”

  The next thing Harmony knew, Nathaniel’s fist met Lord Miller’s jaw with a resounding crack that sent the man flying to the ground.

  The earl touched the blood that trickled down his chin and spat. “I will see you arrested for accosting me, boy,” he growled. “Her father will never allow you to marry her, and neither will I!”

  Harmony clutched Lydia as Lord Miller went to stand and lurched toward Nathaniel at the same time.

  Nathaniel, however, was prepared this time, and he once more struck Lord Miller, this time in the nose with a sickening crunch. Glaring down at the man, Nathaniel said, “If you come within ten miles of my fiancée, I will not show you the mercy I have shown you now.” He turned to Harmony. “It is time for us to go.”

  Blood flowed unchecked from Lord Miller’s nose as he hurled curses at them, but he did not follow, much to Harmony’s relief.

  She allowed Lydia to walk her to the carriage that waited for them on the road, knowing that each step would seal her destiny. Yet, as she glanced at Nathaniel, she knew they were the steps she was meant to take.

  Once inside the carriage, she glanced out the window. Lord Miller stumbled in the opposite direction, and Harmony knew they had seen the last of him. She looked toward the path that led to the hidden bench. Had it been placed by a prince or a duke? She did not know for certain, but it was now the place where a baron and a woman once hid. A place where two people expressed their love for one another and discussed the future they would share. A place where they sealed their fate. Together.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  By the time they reached Eastwood Estate, the rain had become a steady downpour. The sun had gone into hiding behind the numerous dark clouds that had overtaken the sky. Although there were many things to fear, including what she was about to do, Harmony was ready to face her fate. The sweet sound after which she was named rang inside her. It was the harmony of the soul — also called love — that gave her courage. That and the man who sat beside her.

  “Are you ready?” Nathaniel asked.

  “I am,” she replied as she placed her hand in his.

  They alighted from the carriage and hurried to the safety of the portico. Lydia had already been sent inside to gather the few items Harmony had instructed her to pack — a few dresses and other articles of clothing and Harmony’s journal. Everything else she would leave behind, including her family.

  The front door opened, and Harmony’s parents emerged. Her father’s face was a deep crimson. “I warned you to never return,” he said. “Yet now you arrive in the company of my daughter? It is about time I contacted the magistrates about this!” He then turned his anger on Harmony. “And your disobedience disgusts me. Go to your room and we will discuss your punishment later.”

  Her mother reached for her hand, but Harmony stepped closer to Nathaniel. “I will not go to my room,” she said defiantly.

  “Harmony!” her mother gasped. “Refrain from using that tone this instant! He is your father and only…”

  “Wants what is best for him and you,” Harmony finished for her. Her mother’s eyes widened, but Harmony ignored her. “Do you believe I am such a fool that I would think you care about anything I want?”

  “Why, everything we have done has been because we care about you,” her father sputtered.

  Harmony had endured enough. No longer would she stand by and allow her parents to hurt her, even if it meant defying them. “Everything you have done has been to serve your own desires. I am nothing more than an object, one that can be purchased by someone like Lord Miller to appease his lust in his bedchambers.” She turned to her mother. “And a way to see you are able to attend parties and mingle with those above you. Not to mention the country estate you so covet.” To her father she added, “And you! I am nothing more than a means for you to secure business investments to increase your wealth. That sounds nothing like caring to me.”

  Tears ran unbidden down her cheeks. “You have done nothing for my benefit but rather your own. I am more than a piece of property! How you, my parents, cannot see that, I will never know, but I will no longer allow you to use me, to dictate my life and certainly not my heart!”

  “What do you propose to do, then?” her father demanded, his eyes narrowing. He motioned toward Nathaniel. “Do you believe I will allow you to marry him after what we witnessed?”

  Harmony shook her head. “I do not care if his mother kissed the butler, or the footman, or anyone else for that matter. I refuse to judge Lady Lambert. And do you know why?” She did not give her father the opportunity to respond. “Because I cannot help but wonder what it would take to drive a lady to make such a rash decision. Perhaps instead of accusing her I should simply ask and listen to her explanation. It is what I would want others to do if they were to question my integrity.”

  She glanced at Nathaniel, who wore such a look of pride that she stood straighter. “I ask for only one thing,” she continued. “Give us your blessing so we may return to Scarlett Hall together. Please, if you truly care for me as you say you do, allow me to marry the man I love.”

  The rain pattered on the roof of the portico, and for a moment no one spoke. Would her parents reconsider?

  “I see the same rebellion in you that I saw in Lady Lambert,” her father said finally. “I cannot allow you to marry her son. That sort of influence will only hurt your mother and me. There will be no more discussion on that matter.” He turned his glare on Nathaniel. “I warned you that if you returned, I would reveal what I saw at your home. Now I shall keep that promise and see your
name ruined. No matter how great your wealth is or how influential you believe yourself to be, once this news makes the rounds, it will be unstoppable.”

  Harmony’s heart broke at how despicable her parents truly were. She and Nathaniel had made every attempt to appease them, yet they refused to see reason. No other choice remained but to go ahead with their plan to leave. Although what Nathaniel was about to do frightened her, she knew there was no other way.

  She gave him a nod to indicate she had done all she could.

  “I suppose you are right, sir,” Nathaniel said with a sigh. “You did make that threat. However, I am in a bind because I swore to your daughter that nothing would stop us from being together. And I intend to keep that promise.”

  “You do not seem to be listening…”

  “No,” Nathaniel interrupted. “It is you who should listen. I am Lord Nathaniel Lambert, Eight Baron Lambert and heir to the Parker Estate. My wealth and standing allow me the power to protect my family and those I love from any form of slander. You see, my word trumps yours, so who will believe the lies you threaten to tell? Today, Harmony will return with me to Scarlett Hall. There she will become my bride, with or without your blessing.”

  The face of Harmony’s father darkened. “How dare you!”

  Nathaniel continued as if her father had not spoken. “If at any time what you believe you saw comes to light, or if you try to stop Harmony from leaving, or if you attempt to impede in our lives in any way, I shall crush you. I will destroy you to the point that your name will leave a bitter taste on the tongue of anyone who even considers doing business with you. Know that it will take nothing more than a single word from me to send everything you have crashing to the ground, leaving you bankrupt and destitute. There is no invitation to our wedding, nor will there be a country house or business as a bridal gift. Instead, my gift to you will be me not seeking the punishment you deserve.”