A Scandalous Charade (Scandalous Series, BOOK 2), page 31
“Wise words,” Luke agreed as he slid his arm around Juliet’s waist. “To that end, princess, I believe we’ve kept Mr. Lovelace waiting long enough.”
After Juliet assured Hugh that though Luke may be a scoundrel, he was her scoundrel and she loved him, her cousin agreed to give her away. Though the ceremony was short, when the vicar shut his bible, there wasn’t a dry eye in the salon. In front of their family, Luke swept Juliet into his arms and kissed her for all the world to see.
“I knew she was Lady Juliet,” Penny whispered and Juliet giggled through Luke’s kiss.
Her husband looked down at her with love twinkling in his eyes. “You know, princess, women don’t usually laugh when I kiss them.”
It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d said those words to her in her atrocious pink parlor in Upper Brook Street, and Juliet laughed harder—just like she’d done that day when he’d first called on her. Then he scooped her up in his arms and carried her through the castle up to her small governess’ quarters.
“You know,” she told him as he started to undo her prudish gown, “Robert said we could have any room at Gosling. We don’t have to stay in here anymore.”
It was their first night as man and wife. A little luxury would have been nice, especially after months in this cramped room. But Luke smirked as he let her dress drop to the ground, pooling at her feet. “Ah, but this room has memories.” Then he went about making new memories to go along with the old ones.
***
The next morning Luke awoke to find his wife curled up against him, her hand resting over his heart. He could wake up this very way for the rest of his days.
His wife. The words made him smile.
He’d been in love with Juliet for so long it seemed silly that just professing that love in front of a vicar and his family would have changed anything between them. But it had. He belonged to Juliet now, just as much as she belonged to him. And he had never felt so at peace.
He heard a knock at the door, which brought him out of his thoughts. Who the devil would disturb them the morning after their wedding? If he ignored them, maybe the knocker would go away.
They didn’t. They got louder. And Luke was going to kill whoever they were, especially when Juliet made little sounds like she was about to wake. He wrapped a sheet around himself and pulled the door open, prepared to eviscerate whoever stood there. And, honestly, he shouldn’t have been surprised to see his sister standing before him with a smug look on her face.
“It’s about time you got up, darling,” Caroline remarked.
“Go away,” he snarled.
But his sister simply laughed. “I’ve forgotten how cranky you are in the morning. Now listen, Lydia has had the rose colored bedroom prepared for you and Juliet. Do please use it, darling, as Gosling’s real governess has need of these quarters. And in said rose colored bedroom, I’ve several new gowns that have been pressed and are awaiting Juliet’s approval. I kept her measurements from when we ordered those awful serviceable things she’s been wearing.”
He didn’t think she’d even stopped to take a breath yet. “Caroline—”
“Anyway,” she continued as if she hadn’t even heard him, “go to your new room, let Juliet pick out something pretty to wear, and then come down to the breakfast room. Everyone is there waiting for you.”
Luke paused a minute, to make sure she was done speaking. Then he shook his head. “Is a little bit of privacy too much to ask?”
She smiled sweetly at him. “Apparently so. Rose colored bedroom, new clothes, breakfast room. We’re all waiting.”
Luke shut the door in her face and turned back around to find Juliet sitting up, her chestnut curls tumbling over her shoulder and her big, brown eyes watching him. “Was that Caroline?”
“Uh-huh,” he answered as he dropped back on the bed beside her. “It seems that everyone is waiting for us in the breakfast room.”
“Everyone?” she blinked at him.
“Apparently. And Caroline has brought some gowns for you from London.”
Juliet smiled then. “Oh, that sounds lovely.”
“Unfortunately—” Luke caressed her soft cheek with his hand— “I’m not ready to relinquish you to the world yet, my beautiful wife.”
A blush settled on her cheeks and she shyly bit her bottom lip. “But they’re waiting for us.”
“Hmm,” he agreed as he stripped the counterpane off her. She was gorgeous, lying there naked before him, and he grinned wolfishly. “They’ll just have to keep waiting.”
By the time they finally entered the breakfast room, everyone else appeared to have finished their meal. Robert met Luke’s eyes with raised brows. Then with a sly grin, his brother began clapping and the rest of the table joined in. For the second time that day Juliet’s cheeks were delightfully flushed. For a brief moment, Luke considered whisking his wife back to their new bedroom.
“My dear,” Robert began, “my brother stole you away from us so quickly last night that we didn’t get the chance to welcome you to the family.”
“I welcomed her,” Luke responded unrepentantly, as he held out a chair for Juliet at the far end of the table. When she sat, he squeezed her shoulders and then took the spot next to her, never removing his eyes from his wife.
Caroline cleared her throat. “Be that as it may, darling, we have much to discuss.”
“Oh, and what is the topic of the day?” Luke asked, as a footman served him a cup of coffee.
“Where we go from here,” Robert answered. “St. Claire says his father is in Dorset, and he is certain that he’ll be arriving sometime today.”
“Yes,” Hugh added, “and I spotted one of his men outside Gosling Park’s walls last night when Susan and I arrived.”
“Let him come,” Luke replied airily. “Juliet is my wife. He can’t touch her now.”
“This is a serious situation, Luke,” Robert said, his voice heavy with meaning. “You can’t play around like you have in the past.”
“Yes, thank you, Rob, I’m well aware of that.” Then he took Juliet’s hand in his. “I believe I have this well under control.”
“Well, then,” Caroline began, “were you aware that Uncle Herbert has taken a post in India?”
Glad to be off the topic of Albert St. Claire, Luke anxiously jumped into the conversation. “I was not aware of that.”
“He and Aunt Jane leave very soon, in fact. So,” his sister gushed, “Olivia is coming to stay with Staveley and me for the foreseeable future.” Robert grumbled something that Luke couldn’t hear, but apparently his sister did because she shot their older brother an incredulous look. “Well of course Livvie wants to stay with me. You, Robert, are my brother and I adore you—but you are a bit stodgy and boring. A girl Livvie’s age should be in London, with someone exciting. Someone like me.”
“Aunt Jane must be out of her mind,” Robert mumbled.
Caroline chose to ignore that comment and focused on Luke. “But the good news for you, darling, is that Aunt Jane can send elephant tusks back by the crateful.”
Luke glared at his sister. He and Robert seemed to be of the same mind about Caroline at the moment. If they teamed up…
Just then, Dunsley entered the room and approached Robert with a silver salver. “Lord Masten, a gentleman has just arrived.”
Robert removed the card and scanned it. “Well, Luke, your new uncle is here.”
Juliet stiffened in her seat, so Luke squeezed her hand to reassure that she was safe. Then he stood up and winked at her. “It’ll be all right, princess. After everything, I’m not about to lose you.”
She smiled at him and stood up as well. “Shall we then?”
“We?” Luke frowned.
She arched one eyebrow. “Lucas Beckford, you don’t for one moment think I’ll let you go see him without me, do you?”
Well, he had hoped she would, but then again Juliet never shied away from anything. Luke tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and met the butler’s eyes. “Where is he, Dunsley?”
“The yellow salon, sir.”
They left the breakfast room and started down the corridor. “Juliet,” he said softly, “I’ve been thinking about this situation, and regardless of what Robert thinks, I do take it seriously.”
“I know you do. You’d never have proposed otherwise.”
He stopped walking and pulled her into his embrace. “Only because I thought you’d refuse me.”
“Oh, Luke.”
“Do you believe that I love you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“And do you believe that I only want to protect you?”
She nodded, her brown eyes pooling with tears.
“Then trust me, princess. No matter what. Follow my lead.”
“I suppose,” she smiled widely, “that since I promised to obey you, I don’t
have much of a choice, do I?”
As if that would last. Luke kissed the tip of her nose. “After you, wife.”
When Juliet opened the door to the yellow salon, Lord Albert glared at her with barely concealed disgust. Then he raked his gaze over Luke. “Found her, did you?”
“Obviously,” he drawled.
After a silent, assessing moment, Lord Albert straightened his shoulders and met Luke’s eyes dead on. “I’d like a word with you. Alone.”
Luke couldn’t agree more. He’d sworn to protect his wife, and he couldn’t stomach the way her awful uncle looked at her. “Be a good girl, Juliet, go help Lydia and Caroline do whatever it is they do, and leave us men to settle things.” She was going to kill him later for that statement, of that he was certain. He could tell by the murderous look she threw him. But it was for her own good, and she had promised to follow his lead. “Go on, princess,” he whispered.
She hesitated, only briefly, before she stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Of course, she then cracked it open so she could hear. Luke smirked. He adored every delectable, stubborn bone in her body.
Lord Albert, however, was not so enamored. He huffed indignantly at his niece’s exit. “That girl always needed a stronger hand. Too full of herself by half.”
“I’ll take care of my wife as I see fit, St. Claire. And I’ll thank you to stay out of it.”
Albert hardened his gaze on Luke. “You don’t honestly think this marriage will stand? I’ll get it annulled and—”
“Too late for that.” Luke smiled menacingly. “Our marriage has been well and thoroughly consummated—with witnesses in the next room, if you doubt me. Both that girl and her money belong to me now. And you’ll never get your clutches on either. You’ve lost, Uncle.”
An angry vein pulsed in Lord Albert’s neck and his face turned red as he sputtered for a reply to that. But he had come up with something, because his icy blue eyes twinkled. “Think so, do you? I’ll be awarded Edmund and control of the dukedom. It would be a shame if Juliet never got to see him again. But perhaps we can work something out.”
Something monetary, no doubt. Luke laughed. St. Claire was out of his league—he just didn’t know it. Yet. “Putting your cart before the horse, aren’t you? I highly doubt you’ll gain custody of Edmund.”
Lord Albert snorted. “I am a well-respected gentleman. You, on the other hand, are a profligate gambler who managed to slip between my niece’s sheets. No one in his right mind would award you custody.”
Perhaps. Then again, perhaps not. He was a profligate gambler—but so were many other men who made important decisions in the government. Luke had friends in high places. Though it was possible that St. Claire did too. However, none of that was neither here nor there. “Who said I wanted custody of the boy?” he lied with a smirk, watching a look of confusion settle on the old man’s face. “I wouldn’t waste my time with the courts, not when Carraway will be the obvious winner.”
“C—Carraway?” The color began to drain from Albert’s face. It was apparent he hadn’t considered the viscount until now. Most likely Luke and Juliet’s marriage had disrupted whatever his nefarious plan was and he hadn’t yet formed a new one.
“Of course,” Luke lazily responded. “Carraway has more clout and political connections than both of us combined, and he adores the boy. He won’t let you touch him. Especially after my wife tells him exactly how Lady Teynham died at your hands.”
Albert didn’t understand the depth of the meaning of that threat and he blinked his confusion. “I had nothing to do with Georgie’s unfortunate illness.”
“You had everything to do with it. I don’t think you’ll find a safe place to hide on earth when Carraway learns you killed his betrothed.”
“His what?” Albert demanded loudly.
Luke laughed then dropped onto the settee, his legs kicked out in front of him, like a man who held all the cards. “Really, you should have paid more attention to details before you just went about poisoning your niece willy-nilly. Carraway and Georgie were waiting until he and Edmund returned to make a formal announcement of their engagement.” When St. Claire blanched, Luke shrugged. “He’ll see you hanged, and I’ll be right there next to him.”
“Juliet is confused. I did nothing—”
Luke cocked his head to one side, as if considering Albert’s denial. “Well, I suppose you could always tell your side of the story when Carraway returns from India. If it was me, I’d pick up and leave before he returned. America, Australia—someplace. But perhaps he’ll believe you over my wife. That’s always possible, I suppose.”
It wasn’t possible at all, and Albert St. Claire knew it. His fingers twitched, as if he was suddenly anxious to leave. Just then the door opened and a hoard of people piled in—Juliet, Robert, Lydia, Caroline, Staveley—but it was Hugh St. Claire that caught Lord Albert’s eye. The old man’s face went white. “Hugh, what are you doing here?”
“It’s over, Father. Luke Beckford need only ask for my testimony.”
But Luke knew that a scandal would come from such a thing, and that it would make life difficult on his wife. And after everything she’d been through, he would never subject her to that. “I believe Uncle Albert was considering the possibility of relocating.”
“Australia.” Juliet firmly put in. “Not America.” She had a sister there, and it was obvious she didn’t welcome the idea of him sharing a continent with her of any of her siblings.
“Australia it is,” Luke seconded.
Lord Albert didn’t have a choice.
Epilogue
Edmund rushed through the doors of Prestwick Chase and into the drawing room, Luke close on his heels. They found Juliet reading a letter from Felicity, but when her husband and brother raced inside, she put her letter in her pocket. “You look as if you’re running from the devil.”
“Jules—” Edmund tried to catch his breath— “we’ve had the best day. We finished patching the holes on Mrs. Anslow’s cottage, and...” He went on to tell her about all the repairs that were taking place at The Chase. The estate was starting to return to its former glory from when Juliet was a child, and she was thrilled that Edmund was so enthusiastic about participating with the restoration of their ancestral lands and home.
Georgie had been right. Traveling to India had helped him grow up a bit. And though Juliet sometimes missed the precocious boy he had been, she was so very proud of the young man he’d become.
She felt her husband’s eyes on her and she stepped toward him with a smile. “Did you patch holes too?”
He wrapped his arms around her and grinned rakishly. “Absolutely. You know how I adore manual labor.” Then he looked over her shoulder at Edmund. “Go on and change for dinner.”
Edmund smirked. “You just want to be alone with my sister.”
Luke chuckled. “How perceptive you are, Edmund. I would like a few minutes with my wife.”
“Very well—” the boy started toward the doors— “but I’ll check on Uncle Fin first. I don’t think he should spend so much time by Georgie’s grave.”
Then he was gone, and Juliet turned her attention back to her husband. “You wanted my attention?”
“Always.” He kissed her neck and ran his hands along her arms.
“Luke.” She giggled. “I have something to tell you.”
He stopped mid-kiss and stared at her with those crystal green eyes of his. “Yes, princess?”
She really shouldn’t toy with him, but it was so much fun. “A small crate of elephant tusks arrived today.” After Caroline had told her the whole story behind that situation, she’d nearly laughed herself silly. Though Luke still didn’t find it remotely humorous.
He was scowling at her, but there wasn’t any heat behind the look, and she simply grinned at him.
“And it couldn’t have come a moment too soon,” she told him. Then Juliet waited for him to process what that meant, laughing when realization finally lit his eyes.
He stumbled a bit and then clasped her to him. “You’re with child!”
Juliet nodded her head against his chest. She no longer had any doubts about whether he would tire of her and find his pleasures somewhere else. There was a deep bond between them that she knew would never be broken. This child—their child—was an extension of that bond, and she’d never been happier in her life.
About the Author
Ava Stone first fell in love with Mr. Darcy, Jane Austen and Regency England at the age of twelve. And in the years since, that love has never diminished. If she isn’t writing Regency era romance, she can be found reading it.
Ava loves to hear from readers. You can send her an email at ava@avastoneauthor.com
A Scandalous Wife
© 2011 Ava Stone
Looks can be deceiving, the same is true for reputations
As the head of his family, Robert Beckford, the Earl of Masten, was accustomed to dealing with various problems his siblings had caused of one sort or another. However he wasn’t prepared when his cad of brother ruined and then abandoned a young lady. To right the wrong, Robert married the girl himself; but his chivalry only went so far. He didn’t want a wife, and most certainly not a scandalous one. So after repeating his vows, he sent her packing, off to a secluded estate and expected her to stay put.
