An Honorable Wish (A Lady's Wish 2) (3 page)

“You cannot mean to match Jules with that nodcock?” Tony said.

“He’s perfectly respectful. His brother is a viscount. I happen to like the man.”

“It’s clear that Juliet does not. She left in the middle of tea.”

“She’ll get over it. Sophia wouldn’t have him.”

Tony could understand why. “Have you met the previous owner of Horneswood?”

“No, I’ve never seen him. He is just another absentee landlord who has overextended his income.”

“How do you feel about the new owner wanting to farm sheep?”

“I rather like the idea. Having good raw materials for the mills in Lancaster would be a great asset. The more we can locally source, the cheaper we can keep the product.”

Tony could barely contain his grin. “I thought that might catch your eye, given the cost of importing raw materials.”

“Ian McDonald should be here in the next day or so. Now that you’re here, we can make some decisions on expansion.” Nathaniel rose and went to his desk. “You will be needed in London afterward to work with the investors.”

He had already discussed the matter with Ian McDonald before he had left London. McDonald had land in Scotland and was considering it as well. They both had benefited from Nathaniel’s investments in textile mills. It was the perfect opportunity for Tony to tell Nathaniel his news. Yet he hesitated.

“It shouldn’t be a terrible inconvenience, should it? You did specify you were staying for just a short time,” added Nathaniel.

“The Season is pretty much over. There won’t be many in London for the summer.”

“True. I hadn’t thought of that. Perhaps Bath or Brighton might prove more lucrative over the summer?”

Brighton was the other side of the world as far as Tony was concerned. “It’s not my favorite.”

“I thought you rather liked it.”

Tony shook his head. “I’ve never even been there.”

“Well, now you’ll have the opportunity.”

Tony glared at his brother. “Thank you, no.” How could he explain without giving away the true reason he was in Beetham? “If you must know, I was considering the purchase of an estate. I thought perhaps somewhere near here.”

“This is a sudden development.”

“Not really. I’ve been considering it for a long while now.”

“You are welcome to stay as long as you need while you conduct your search, Tony. We keep country hours here, so we’ll have dinner earlier than you are used to.”

“Thank you, Nathaniel.”

J
uliet wanted nothing more than to hide. From everyone. She should never have let Mr. Bartleby get the better of her temper. She should have stiffened her spine instead of running off like a child. She glanced over at Tony, talking with Nathaniel by the fire.

Tony was still the most handsome man in the room. Tall and rugged, with the bluest eyes. She imagined the ocean would be that color, if she ever saw it.

“Still pining for Tony, I see,” Sophia said, coming up behind her. “I thought you were over your infatuation with him.”

“I am.”

“Then you shouldn’t sneak glances at him when he isn’t looking.” Sophia laughed softly.

“I’ve caught you looking as well,” Juliet whispered back. “He’s very handsome.”

“Even in Town, few young ladies could resist looking at Tony.” Sophia came around and took a seat beside her sister. “He is a beautiful man, isn’t he? I love the new styles for men, don’t you?”

“I hadn’t really noticed.”

“Liar.”

“He does have beautiful eyes.” Juliet couldn’t keep the wistfulness from her voice.

“So you do still care for him.”

“Mr. Matthews is family—we
have
to like him.”

“Do you think I could win him again?”

“I don’t understand why you must fling yourself at any eligible bachelor in the vicinity. If you must do so, please choose Mr. Bartleby.”

“Mr. Bartleby is a poor steward,” Sophia said with a sniff. “Besides, Nathaniel has selected him for you.”

Juliet closed her eyes and wished for divine intervention. She didn’t want Simon Bartleby. He was arrogant and pompous and very full of himself. Not to mention short. The man was barely taller than she.

“What are you two ladies discussing so secretly?” Tony said, coming over to their part of the room.

“We were discussing when Mr. Bartleby would propose to Juliet. I say it will be before the month’s end. What do you think, Tony?”

Juliet felt her face flush. “Sophia, please.”

“It’s a good match, considering Mr. Bartleby has no funds but good connections,” Sophia continued. “And Juliet has funds but no connections.”

“We have the same connections, Sophia.”

“Indeed we do not, sister dear. We barely move in the same circles.”

“Still planning to marry a man with a title, Miss Townsend?” Tony said.

Juliet snorted. She covered her mouth with her hand and met Tony’s laughing eyes.
Oh God. His eyes.
She looked away quickly. She had to stop allowing herself to be captivated by him.

“Well, that’s better than marrying the younger brother of some impoverished viscount,” Sophia spat.

“I will not be marrying Mr. Bartleby,” Juliet mumbled.

“Why not, Miss Juliet? He seemed like a nice enough chap for a steward,” Tony said.

“An impoverished steward,” Sophia sneered.

“I’m not a snob, Sophia. If I had feelings for him, it would be different,” insisted Juliet.

“And I am a snob?” Sophia said.

“If the slipper fits,” Juliet responded.

Tony laughed loudly, drawing the attention of Lady Danford and Anne.

“What trouble are you three stirring up now?” Lady Danford said from across the room. “Please tell me you aren’t teasing poor Juliet about that idiot Mr. Bartleby.”

“Grandmother!” Anne gasped.

“He’s a suitable gentleman, Grandmother,” Nathaniel said. “It connects our family to a very old earldom.”

Juliet stared down at her hands.
Please let the ground swallow me up now.

“Never fear, Miss Juliet. Nathaniel always had a penchant for dynastic marriages,” said Tony.

Juliet stared at Tony, pleading with him with her eyes not to say another word. The last thing she needed was for Tony and Nathaniel to start arguing again, especially over her.

“That’s not it at all. Juliet likes him,” Nathaniel said defensively. “Don’t you?”

Juliet felt all eyes on her. She looked up at Nathaniel’s hopeful face. “I don’t know him well enough to like him.”

“There you have it. We’ll just have to have Mr. Bartleby to dinner more often.”

Juliet fought the urge to groan. Simon Bartleby was an ass. If he treated her like she was stupid one more time, she was going to hit him with a book. Hard. It was probably the closest he’d ever come to the printed page.

“Aren’t you lucky?” Sophia whispered in Juliet’s ear.

“Do be quiet,” Juliet said.

“You are eyeing those cushions as if they were weapons. Thank God we aren’t in the library, where the dueling pistols are.”

“Dueling pistols? That would work,” Juliet said dryly.

Tony chuckled. “A bit too permanent, I think. Stick with the cushions.”

“I wonder if I can convince Anne to play,” Sophia said, apparently already bored with the topic of Mr. Bartleby. “Otherwise it will be dreadfully dull tonight. Tony, will you dance with me?”

“Perhaps. But given the way Anne is nodding off over there by the fire, I doubt it,” Tony said.

“I’ll go ask her.” Sophia stood.

Tony took the now vacant seat next to Juliet, his body taking up most of the small settee. “Do you really hate the thought of Mr. Bartleby that much?” he asked.

“He is a horrid man. Do you remember when I told you about the family I was helping on the Horneswood estate? It is the Williams family Mr. Bartleby means to evict.”

“Was there truth in what Bartleby said?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Mr. Williams was badly injured and hasn’t been able to work the farm as he should. The younger Mr. Williams has done what he can, but he’s only sixteen.”

Juliet played with her gown, unsure how to get the rest of it out. How could she tell Tony the rest of the horrible things Mr. Bartleby had said? “I can’t do anything to help them.”

She jumped when Tony took her hand. She looked up and sank into those deep blue eyes.
Lord, his lashes are long.
His mouth was moving. He had nice lips. Why hadn’t she noticed his mouth before? “Pardon?”

“We’re old friends, Jules. You may tell me anything.”

Just then Sophia flounced over and grabbed Tony’s hands away from Juliet. “I convinced Anne to play us a jig. Shall we dance?”

“But we were talking—” Tony protested.

Juliet smiled, relieved that she didn’t have to continue. “Go dance.”

“Are you are sure?” asked Tony.

“Quite. It does no good to deny Sophia. She will have her way.” Juliet watched as Sophia led him to where the footmen had cleared a spot for dancing. Anne was playing a jig, her fingers moving rapidly across the keys of the piano. Juliet settled back into her seat and watched, as she normally did.

It would be easy to allow herself to fall in love with Tony again. He smiled at Juliet as he danced. When he looked at her with those blue eyes, Juliet’s heart lurched. Tony twirled Sophia, causing her to laugh. They were a perfect couple, her dark beauty the perfect foil for his light coloring.

Next to her sister, Juliet was bookish, pale, and thin. She sighed, realizing that the rest of the evening would pass with her watching Sophia and Tony dance. She made her way across the room.

“Juliet, dear, where are you going?” Lady Danford asked as she went past her chair.

“To read, my lady.”

Juliet made her way to the library. Truth be told, she was exhausted. The work she was doing at the Williamses farm was harder than she was used to. Today she’d mucked out stalls, preparing the barn for lambing. She had blisters on her hands and she was bone weary.

She crept to a back shelf and moved a particular volume to get to her secret stash of books. While rummaging through the library looking for books on agriculture to help the Williamses, she’d removed a particularly heavy tome and found three small books hidden behind it. Two of the books were written in French but had a wealth of pictures. The other was a novel.

Juliet’s curiosity had gotten the better of her when she’d glanced through the pictures in the French books. Never in her life had she seen such pictures. She had no idea men and women did such things together.

She wasn’t totally ignorant. She knew the basics of how children were begotten, but these books were much more than that. Anne would lock her away in her room if she knew about the books.

The novel was one her friends had alluded to in London. She hadn’t been able to work up the courage to purchase such a scandalous book from any of the booksellers in Town, so she had been pleased to find it in Lady Danford’s well-stocked library.

Juliet settled in a chair by the fire. She opened the book and started reading.

 

Tony watched Jules leave the room and close the door behind her. He had been hoping to share the next dance with her. The music ended and he released Sophia with a bow.

“Shall we dance another?” Sophia asked.

“Please do not think me rude, but no. I’m a bit tired. I pushed hard to get here before dark.”

Sophia smiled. “How about cards, then?”

He grinned and shook his head.

She didn’t give up. “I hate it here. It’s so deadly dull.”

Tony leaned against the fireplace. “You don’t realize how noisy London is until you come home. It’s so peaceful here. Quiet.”

“Dull. Thank you for playing, Anne,” said Sophia.

“I enjoyed it. It’s been a while.” Anne sat down beside Nathaniel. “I may go up, dear.”

“Are you well, Anne?” asked Lady Danford.

“Quite well. Just tired. The first few months are the most difficult. Nathaniel, do you mind if I say my good nights?”

Nathaniel kissed Anne’s hand before whispering something into her ear. As she excused herself, Nathaniel watched his wife leave the room.

Tony was envious of his brother once again. While he was glad he hadn’t married Sophia three years before, Tony knew he was meant to marry one of the Townsend girls. It sounded fanciful, but Tony couldn’t shake the thought that Providence had predicted it. Tony just needed to settle on the right sister. That left Juliet. The bluestocking, with her round eyeglasses that magnified eyes so dark, he could barely make out her irises. The hoyden dressed in breeches outlining a shape that was clearly not girlish.

“If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll follow Anne’s example and retire. It was a long journey,” Tony said to the group. He bent and pressed his lips to his grandmother’s hand.

“What were you and Juliet talking about so seriously, Son?” Lady Danford said softly.

Tony gripped the hand of his grandmother, who had saved Nathaniel and him. Her skin was papery, dry, and cool; old. “Juliet only said that she has befriended the daughter of one of the tenants of Horneswood, nothing more.”

“You know how she is,” Lady Danford said. “The chit would be raising money in the village to save them if she could, or giving up her own funds.”

“I admire that about her. She did the same in London.”

“Your brother thinks to marry her off to Mr. Bartleby.”

“Mr. Bartleby is a gentleman. It is an equitable match.”

“My maid has a sister in the village. She’s heard talk that he’s not dealing with the tenants in an honest way.”

“I never realized you were such a gossip.”

She smacked his arm and he chuckled. “I’ve missed you, boy.”

He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Believe it or not, I’ve missed you too.”

Tony left the parlor and then silently entered the dark library. A fire burned cheerfully, but no candles were lit. He had missed Juliet; she must have taken her book upstairs. But then he spotted her, curled up in a chair asleep, a book open on her lap. He picked up the book and looked at it, his eyebrows shooting up when he read the title:
Fanny Hill
.

Juliet apparently had very naughty reading tastes. Tony flipped through the pages, looking at some of the pictures. He then looked down at the woman asleep in the chair. She was full of surprises. He touched a finger to her hand. “Juliet?”

“What time is it?” she said sleepily.

“Just past nine. I thought you were reading agricultural books, not this. I’m surprised this put you to sleep,” he said, gesturing with the book. “It’s interesting reading.”

She snatched the book from his hands. “If you tell Anne—”

“I won’t tell Anne.”

“I should go upstairs.” Juliet gathered the books and clutched them to her chest.

“Don’t leave. Please finish what you were going to tell me.” Juliet looked puzzled. “About Mr. Bartleby?”

“He’s a hateful man. I can’t believe Nathaniel means for me to marry him.”

“You can refuse him.” Tony took a poker and stirred up the flames of the small fire. He needed more light to see her face.

Juliet stared into the fire. “I can’t disappoint Nathaniel. Our family owes him so much.”

Tony sank into the chair across from her. “Why do you dislike Bartleby so?”

Juliet gripped the book, her knuckles white. “He tried to compromise a friend of mine.”

For a moment, Tony was speechless. “Who?”

“Miss Penelope Williams. As I told you, her family are tenants of the estate Bartleby manages.”

“Are you sure she didn’t misinterpret his meaning?”

Juliet glared at him. “He told her he’d waive the rent if she became his mistress. Penelope came to me in tears, begging me to help her. I tried to talk to him.”

“My guess is that Mr. Bartleby did not take too kindly to your interference.”

“He’s despicable. He forbade me to see Penelope again.”

“Is that why you were dressed as a boy? To avoid Bartleby?” Tony smiled. “Lady Danford knew you were up to something. Is Mr. Williams now an invalid?”

“Yes.” She leaned back in the chair with her eyes closed. “It’s so sad. If they’d only give Aaron Williams a chance, he could make a go of it.”