An Honorable Wish (A Lady's Wish 2) (14 page)

“What are you reading?”

“Just a novel.”

“No agricultural tomes?” Tony picked up the book and looked at the spine. “
Rob Roy
—another romance.”

Sophia joined them by the fire. “Juliet is always reading romances.”

“Perhaps I like to escape into the story knowing that it will end happily,” Juliet said.

“Real life isn’t like that,” Sophia said. “All that talk of romantic love. For instance,
Pride and Prejudice;
what was the point? Elizabeth should have known her place and accepted Darcy’s first proposal. She would have had Pemberley and a fine life in Town.”

“Sophia, you cannot be serious. Mr. Darcy clearly insulted her with his first proposal. You would not have accepted either,” Juliet said.

“The point of the story was overcoming prejudice and falling in love,” Tony said softly. “I thought the book was quite entertaining.”

“What do you think of the books Juliet usually reads?” Sophia said. “I find them rather risqué.”

Juliet’s cheeks were flaming as Tony returned her book to her. “I have no objection to anything Juliet wishes to read. I rather enjoy reading Sir Walter Scott. If you will excuse us, Juliet has agreed to take a turn about the room with me,” he said.

Tony took Juliet’s hand and helped her to her feet. He tucked her hand in his arm and steered her away.

“What are you doing?” She tried to pull her hand away, but he wouldn’t release it.

“We are taking a stroll.”

“I’m not in the mood to stroll with you,” she whispered furiously.

He glanced up and found everyone watching them closely. “Act as if we’re making up.”

“I’m still angry with you.”

The woman was beyond stubborn. “Now you’re just being foolish.”

Juliet yanked her hand from his arm. “Foolish?”

“Jules—”

She moved closer to him and poked him in the chest. She was bloody furious. He only hoped she would keep her voice down.

“You are hiding something from me. If you plan to become my husband, you need to tell me what it is. I won’t tolerate secrets.”

He caught her hand. He wanted to deny it but couldn’t. He
was
hiding something from her. And he would continue to do so until he had a plan to get around it. “We will discuss this later.”

Juliet snorted. She turned and stomped out of the room without saying another word to anyone.

“Haven’t lost your touch, I see,” Ian McDonald said, coming up beside Tony. “You can’t tell her, can you? If she finds out from that idiot, you’ll lose her for sure.”

“She’ll forgive me,” Tony muttered. She had to if she cared about him. Didn’t she?

“You know nothing about women. You lied to her.”

“I did not lie,” Tony defended himself. “I omitted.”

Ian shook his head. “Tell her. Get it out in the open. Get it resolved.”

Tony sighed heavily. “I just need a bit more time. I want to try to deal with Chelsworth first. Unfortunately, Bartleby seems determined to take it upon himself to tell Juliet.”

“You don’t have much time left.”

Tony was afraid of that. He had to find a way to bind Juliet to him so she wouldn’t leave him when the news broke.

Even telling her wouldn’t keep him from losing her. She was just stubborn enough to end the engagement if she knew what he’d done.

“Tell her,” Ian said softly, “or I’ll do it. I mean it. I won’t have her hurt because you’re a damn coward.”

“I’ll do it.” Tony would too, but first he’d find a way to make certain he didn’t lose Juliet in the process.

J
uliet barely slept that night and morning came all too soon. Tony had come to her door, but she’d refused to let him in. Had she let him touch her, kiss her, it wouldn’t matter what his secrets were. She had no power to refuse him.

Juliet made her way down to the breakfast room. She needed tea desperately. Her eyes burned from lack of sleep. She found only her sister Anne in the room, nursing a piece of toast and a cup of tea.

“You look awful,” Juliet said as she took some toast from the sideboard.

“It will pass—not soon enough for this assembly, though.”

“I guess it’s too late to cancel, considering how ill you are.”

“Do you not realize it’s only two days away?”

How had she forgotten? She thought it was still weeks away.

“You’ve been so wrapped up with Tony, you haven’t noticed all the work around you for your own engagement ball,” Anne said. “You will make up for it today. There are flowers to arrange, dresses to be fitted.”

“I hate being fitted,” Juliet grumbled.

Anne glared at her.

“Do we have to announce the engagement?” Juliet said

Anne set her cup down with a loud clatter. “What do you mean, not announce the engagement?” Anne’s face was flushed, her eyes hard with anger.

The world was spinning out of control and somehow Juliet had missed the whole thing. “I only meant to keep it in the family for a while longer,” Juliet explained.

“Are you or are you not going to marry Tony?” Anne demanded.

“I’d like to know the answer to that one myself,” Tony said from the doorway.

Juliet sipped her tea. She refused to be intimidated by Tony, Anne, or anyone else. They could keep the assembly as just a late spring ball without having to announce anything. She didn’t want all eyes on her. She didn’t care if the engagement was never announced.

Tony stepped to the sideboard and filled a plate. He sat across from Juliet and motioned a servant for coffee. “You’ve not answered the question, Jules.”

Juliet played with her cup. “I only meant that I don’t need a ball to announce to the world that we are engaged. Having the banns read at church will be enough.”

From the look in Tony’s eyes, he knew she was hedging. Juliet didn’t care. Until he quit keeping secrets from her, she wanted the ability to change her mind. While Mr. Bartleby might have caught them kissing twice, he had no idea it had gone any further. She might be labeled fast, but she wouldn’t be ruined. Sophia had managed to get away with the same behavior for two Seasons now.

Anne pushed away from the table. “Regardless, there is a ball happening here the day after tomorrow and I expect you to do your share. No running off to hide at the Williamses’ farm. The dressmaker will be here for your fitting at one. We’ve got to decorate the hall and get the house ready. Do. Not. Disappear.”

“Yes, Anne,” Juliet mumbled. Her day was ruined. There was nothing worse than dress fittings. The last time she’d had a fitting, she’d had to put up with jokes about her sunken chest. Why did that joke never die?

“I take it you object more to the engagement ball than the engagement itself,” Tony said between bites of egg and sausage.

“I hate being the center of attention.”

“Why? I thought all ladies loved to dance.”

Juliet played with the edge of her teacup. “I don’t mind the dancing. It can be quite nice.”

“Then what is it you don’t like about balls?”

“All those people, watching who you dance with, how close you are to each other, or worse, how many dances you dance with one person.” Juliet loved being in Tony’s arms. He waltzed beautifully and in his arms she felt beautiful, even special. At this ball they’d be watching and trying to discern why Tony had picked her. Juliet raised her eyes to find Tony regarding her with a curious smile on his lips.

“You haven’t figured it out yet?”

Juliet suddenly felt breathless at the emotions chasing across his face. She dare not name it, nor believe it. “I think you were just tolerating me, Tony.”

Tony chuckled. “Far from it.” He finished his coffee and stood. “I’d best find McDonald.”

“You aren’t going to be around to help with the ball?”

“Good God, no. I plan on being as far from the house as possible until my presence is required,” Tony said with a laugh. He came around to her side of the table, leaned down, and kissed her softly. “Behave yourself and help Anne. She’s been feeling poorly lately.” He kissed her again.

Juliet closed her eyes and leaned in to the kiss. Her hand softly brushed his face as her tongue teased his. Kissing Tony made her forget why she was angry with him. Kissing him made her forget her own name.

“Keep that up and you’ll find yourself flat on the table and the wedding moved up,” Tony said. He kissed her one last time, quick and hard. “I’m off.”

Juliet watched as Tony left. She still had no answers to her questions. All the doubts came tumbling back into her mind like stones down a hill.

“Anything else, miss?” the footman asked.

“No, thank you,” Juliet said, waving him away.

Anne stuck her head in the doorway. “Juliet, come help me cut flowers for the arrangements.”

“Of course, Anne.” Juliet pulled herself up from the chair to follow her sister out to the garden. As she walked around the house, Tony and Ian McDonald were leaving on horseback. She paused, watching them turn onto the lane toward the Horneswood estate. She frowned. Why would they go to Horneswood? Or were they? She supposed they could also be going to the Williamses’ farm. It was in the same direction, but somehow, given how they were both dressed, she doubted they were heading out to do farmwork.

She was going to have to figure out what was going on. And something definitely was. Ian McDonald would tell her. She was sure of it.

Tony had waited at the stables for Ian. Seeing Juliet this morning, kissing her, had driven home that he wanted to start every day with her. Preferably in his bed. There was something right about marrying her. He couldn’t lose her to his own stupidity. He could tell she was already questioning her decision.

“What’s this about, Tony?” McDonald had said when he walked up. “I’ve not had my coffee yet.”

“We’re calling on Chelsworth.”

“This early in the morning? He’ll still be abed.”

“I’ve tried to meet with him twice and he’s always unavailable. I’ll be pushing my way in today with your help.” Tony had to get this resolved, sooner rather than later. Too many people knew the truth.

“Damn rude, if you ask me.”

“The man won’t meet with me. One way or another, I need to resolve this nightmare and move on. If that means finding another house and letting this one go, I will.”

“This all could have been avoided—”

“Don’t remind me.” Tony was already reminded every minute he was in Juliet’s presence that he’d made a huge mistake with that card game. The man had been in his cups.

Still he’d had no idea the man would gamble away a house just to win another game. While he hadn’t been drunk, he’d had enough to make him more reckless than usual.

Tony had mounted his horse and accepted the reins from the groom. He’d spotted Juliet trailing after Anne with a basket, watching them with a frown on her face. The woman had an uncanny ability to uncover people’s secrets. He’d tripped over it several times.

That latest stumble had almost ended the engagement. It still could. She was being stubborn about the engagement ball. It terrified him. Things could end badly in a trice.

“Let’s get this done,” Tony had said to Ian.

They left the house behind, trotting in silence down the lane toward Horneswood. It was a gorgeous spring morning. The trees along the lane provided shade from the new leaves.

“Now that we are away from curious eyes, what’s the plan?” McDonald said. “I’m assuming you’ve tried to resolve this several times.”

Tony blew out a puff of air. “The man is mad. He won’t talk to me. He won’t answer any letters. I don’t know what else to do. Bartleby is threatening to tell Juliet what really happened. I have to get this resolved.”

“He knows he’s ruined and is trying to avoid it,” Ian said. “I’m not surprised at his reaction.”

“This could all be over if I give him back his vowels. I wanted to offer to buy the house as well.”

“This estate? It’s a disaster. You said yourself that the tenant housing needs work. The land isn’t being worked the way it should be. Why would you want to take that on?”

Because Juliet wanted it. Juliet was happy here. Because her friend was in trouble and Tony wanted to help.

But Tony couldn’t tell Ian that. It wasn’t a sound business reason. He knew better than anyone that you didn’t make business decisions based on emotion. “I think I can turn it around.”

Ian snorted. “I imagine Chelsworth thought the same thing.”

Williams had said much the same. There’d been poor management for a very long time at Horneswood. “Still, if he accepts my offer, I’ll have a house for Juliet and me.”

“You still aren’t going to tell her?” Ian didn’t keep the disgust from his voice.

“I’ll tell her. I’ll tell her when this is over and we’re married. We’ll laugh about it.”

Ian pulled the horse to a stop. “I can’t let you do that to Juliet. You have to tell her before the wedding.”

Tony glared at him. “This is none of your business.”

“Juliet Townsend is my friend. I won’t have her hurt.”

McDonald was right. Juliet would be hurt by his omission.
Disappointed
would be a better word. It hurt him to think about it. “I won’t allow it to come to that.”

Ian said nothing, leaving Tony to his own thoughts, which was not a good thing. All he could envision was Juliet leaving him, or breaking off the engagement.

They paused at the gates of Horneswood. The iron was rusty and the stone crumbling.

“You will spend a fortune just fixing this pile,” Ian said.

But it would be his. And Juliet’s. It would be home. “What did you find out about Chelsworth?”

“Interesting case. Evidently he’s been gambling and running up huge debts in Town for a long while. Creditors are getting nervous, especially with the rumors that he’s lost the estate, which was collateral. The man should be desperate enough to accept any offer for the place.”

“Is the house entailed?”

“No agreements were ever signed to keep it in the family. Chelsworth is the last of his line. He’s unmarried, with no children, no other family members left. He owes more than the estate is worth.”

Tony frowned. “I wonder if Bartleby had something to do with that. He’s been doing some strange things with the tenants.”

“I did some digging into him as well.” Ian paused to look at the house. “His family used to own this land.”

“You don’t think he’d do something to drive the price down, do you?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him, especially because his brother is anxious to get this old estate back. It was in his mother’s family.”

“How did it end up with Chelsworth?” Tony asked.

“I couldn’t discover the particulars.” Ian glanced at his pocket watch. “If we are going to barge in during the man’s breakfast, we’d better just do it.”

Tony nodded and led Ian up the long drive to the park. No groom came to take the horses. “I wonder if he’s let the staff go.”

“Perhaps they left because they weren’t being paid.” Ian tied his reins to a nearby bush. “If the worst happens, we can walk home, I suppose.”

Tony did the same and they went to knock on the door. They stood there for a long time. Finally a maid opened the door. “We’re here to see Mr. Chelsworth.”

The poor maid went pale and looked behind her. “He ain’t here, sir.”

Tony glanced at Ian, who raised an eyebrow. “I think we’ll wait inside, if you don’t mind.” He pushed open the door and walked into the entryway, then stopped.

“Sir, you can’t—” the maid wailed. “Master is going to beat me.”

Ian stepped into the empty entryway and pressed a coin into her hand. “If your master gives you trouble, let me know. I’ll take care of it. Now, please fetch him for us.”

“Yes, sir.”

The maid disappeared to the back of the house, her steps echoing in the empty hall. Not one mirror or stick of furniture remained. The paintings were gone as well. Empty squares marked where they’d hung.

“Looks like he’s sold off most of the furniture,” Ian said, peeking into one of the rooms off the entry. “Not even a chair to sit on.”

“Things are worse than I thought. I’ve not been able to get into the house before.”

“Bartleby stopped you?”

“Most times, which was surprising. Where is he now?” Tony looked around. The place was like a tomb. “Do you think we might have to go look for Chelsworth?”

“He could be sneaking out of the house, thinking we are here to collect a debt.”