Penniless Until the Earl's Proposal, page 18
Juliet responded with a wry smile. ‘Perhaps if you didn’t go around with such a stern expression on your face all the time, you wouldn’t find it such a problem,’ she dared to say, amused when she turned her head away and heard him chuckle softly.
* * *
It was late afternoon, and the clouds were gilded with sunshine when the carriage passed through a huge stone gateway with the heraldic bearings of Marcus’s mother’s family. They travelled slowly up a hill, the drive lined with giant beech trees, offering a cool, gentle shade. Adele had drifted off to sleep before halfway through the journey and was cradled close to her nurse. Before they topped the rise, Marcus ordered the driver to stop the carriage. He climbed down, holding his hand out to Juliet.
‘Come, I’ll show you Mulberry Hall.’
‘But I’ve seen it many times, visiting it when I was a girl, if you recall, and on the occasions when I ride out.’
‘I know that, but I want to show it to you myself.’
Holding her hand, he led her to the top of the rise. Touched that Marcus wanted her to see it with him, without realising she was doing so, Juliet held her breath when she gazed in wonder at what she always thought must be a dream. The gentle sweep of the valley unfolding before her eyes, the acres of fields and woods stretching almost as far as the eye could see and the pastures full of cattle never failed to move her. Seeing it with Marcus filled her with enchantment. This was her husband’s domain, and when her eyes rested on the house, the stones of which it was built glowing rose-pink in the late-afternoon sun, her heart swelled. The house rose stately and supreme in timeless splendour, like a jewel beneath the dark shade of tall oaks and elms, surpassing the quiet beauty of her own Endcliffe House.
Watching her reaction, Marcus smiled slowly. ‘It’s beautiful, is it not, Juliet?’ he said with pride.
‘Yes,’ she breathed, ‘it is quite splendid.’
‘I think this is the best spot to see the house. It never changes,’ he murmured. ‘It smiles, it beckons, it invites and welcomes. I have loved it since I was a child. There is nowhere quite like it.’
‘Has it always been in your mother’s family?’
‘Yes. It was my great-grandfather who gained favour from Queen Anne and acquired the earldom, then built the house. It was only after many trials and adversities that he at last achieved success and created a rich estate—the one you now see. One to be handed down with pride to his descendants. Sadly, over the years, the family were not blessed with male heirs, hence my own ascendance to the title and estate.’
‘But your brother William? Should it not have passed to him?’
‘William has titles and properties enough on the Cardell side. Knowing this, my grandfather bequeathed Mulberry Hall and the title to me on his demise.’ Marcus looked down at her. ‘It will be handed down to our children. All this is yours now, and I want you to feel for it as I do. I want you to be happy here, and not miss Endcliffe House too much.’
She smiled up at him. ‘I don’t think that will be too difficult.’ At that moment she had no doubt that Mulberry Hall was part of her destiny, that she belonged here, that she could be happy here. She told herself that these thoughts were fanciful, but she truly believed it was possible. ‘Endcliffe House was my home for too long for me not to miss it, but Mulberry Hall is my home now. I’m sure I shall be very happy here. Indeed, who would not be? It is a beautiful house. How did the house get its name?’
‘My great-grandfather was something of a botanist. He cultivated the mulberry trees for their berries. The leaves can also be fed to livestock. The trees grow to quite a height, so they need pruning. ’
‘Are the berries not excellent food for silkworms in the silk trade?’
‘I believe the leaves of the white mulberry are. The Romans first brought the trees to Britain. The leaves are said to have medicinal purposes, but they became most prized for their succulent berries.’
‘Have any of the trees survived that your ancestor planted?’
‘Several, I believe, though they are somewhat gnarled now, but they still bear fruit.’
‘Then I shall look forward to seeing them—and tasting the berries.’
‘I sent word on ahead, so we are expected. I am sure you will be familiar with some members of staff since they are from the locality. Having run Endcliffe House since your mother’s demise, you will be no stranger to what is expected of you, but don’t worry. You’ll soon get used to it. The housekeeper, Mrs Cherry, who has been at Mulberry Hall for some years now, will familiarise you with everything. I mean to entertain quite often—local dignitaries and such like. But you can rest assured that I have no plans to entertain anyone for the present, and nothing too strenuous will be required of you.’
‘I have no worries about that. It will be no different to running Endcliffe House, but on a larger scale.’
‘Come,’ Marcus said, turning and slowly escorting her back to the carriage. ‘Let us be on our way to the house.’
* * *
The two coaches pulled up in front of the house. What seemed like a dozen servants suddenly appeared and began unloading the baggage while the occupants entered the house. The large hall was surprisingly cool, with doors leading off to other rooms, all tastefully furnished.
Juliet hadn’t visited Mulberry Hall since she was a child, but it was much as she remembered. As soon as she entered the house, she was greeted with unaffected warmth. The magnificence and antiquity with which she was surrounded overwhelmed her. She had the strange feeling of passing into another world and that life would never be the same again. She could feel the past closing in on her, wrapping itself around her, but it was in no way threatening or unpleasant; in fact, it was quite the opposite, for it gave her a warm, welcoming glow deep inside. It was a house where courtesy and mutual affection ruled in perfect harmony. As she absorbed the atmosphere of the great house, it seemed alive but dormant, quietly waiting for the return of a family to fill its rooms with the voices and laughter of children, to make it a home again.
The staff had gathered to welcome them home. Some of them who came from the surrounding area Juliet already knew. Adele was whisked off to the nursery, and Mrs Cherry, who had been housekeeper since before Juliet was born and remembered her mother, escorted her up the long flight of stairs, pointing out the merits of her new home. The long gallery, crossing the width of the house, was of tremendous proportions. Its floor was of polished oak and its walls supported a huge vaulted ceiling of decorative plaster. Set in rows along the walls and giving the visitor the impression that they had stepped into the presence of gathered nobility were paintings of Marcus’s ancestors on his mother’s side—men and women who had coloured the exclusive world of Mulberry Hall for generations, all housed in elaborately gilded frames. Her bedchamber, which was one of gracious elegance, sumptuous in both design and colour, was decorated in delicate shades of green and ivory.
‘I can’t tell you how happy I am to have you here, Lady Juliet,’ Mrs Cherry said warmly. ‘Your dear mother would be happy for you.’
‘Yes,’ Juliet replied softly, ‘yes, she would. She always loved visiting this house.’
‘You have brought your own maid along with you I see.’
‘Yes, Daphne. She has been employed at the house in London and is a highly competent and capable young woman. Having spent all her life in town, I was so pleased when she agreed to come with me to Mulberry Hall.’
‘I’m sure she will soon settle down. I hope the room is to your liking. Facing south, it gets plenty of sun, and it overlooks the deer park and the lake.’
‘Yes, I like it very well, Mrs Cherry. It’s perfect.’
The heavy brocade curtains moved gently with the soft, refreshing breeze blowing in through the open windows. There was a door connecting Marcus’s room to hers, through which he could come to her any time. It was only then that Juliet, staring at the large bed, felt a sudden dart of panic when she thought of the nights Marcus would share it with her.
Mrs Cherry departed when Daphne came in, unable to suppress a gasp of delight at the extravagance of her new surroundings. She flitted about the room, inspecting the dressing room leading off from the main bedchamber and delighting at the wardrobe space where Juliet’s beautiful gowns would be hung.
Impatient for her mistress’s trunks to be brought up so she could unpack them, Daphne made herself scarce when Marcus entered.
‘I see the bed has given you pause for thought, Juliet. Does it displease you knowing we will occupy it together?’
She spun round, startled by the sound of his voice. ‘No—no, of course not,’ she stammered. ‘Only, I—I thought—’
‘Thought what?’ he said brusquely. ‘That because of the unpleasantness that followed our wedding I didn’t wish to share a bed with my wife? Well, whatever thoughts might have passed through that pretty head of yours, I can tell you now that I find the possibility quite appealing. Although it seems that I will have to wait, for I will not make love to my wife, or any other woman, come to that, while her heart lies elsewhere.’ He threw her a mocking smile. ‘Rather like having three in a bed, don’t you think?’
He moved to the window and stood looking out. Juliet stared at his stony profile, his jaw set firm. With a sudden surge of longing to go to him and run her hands over the broad set of his shoulders welling up inside her, she didn’t move. His relaxed, easy manner when they had stood together to look at the house had gone. She swallowed hard, sensing the tension inside him. She thought back to all that had happened since their wedding, which now felt as if it had happened in some other lifetime. But one thing was clear to her: they couldn’t go on like this. They would have to talk, to bring down this invisible wall he had erected between them. She had sensed a softening in him when they had stopped to look at the house, but the reticence was back.
She moved towards him. ‘Please, Marcus,’ she said softly. ‘We have to talk. We can’t go on like this.’
‘No, you’re right, we can’t.’
Juliet watched as he lifted one hand and massaged the taut muscles in his neck, his expression becoming darker and more ominous as his mind went over what had occurred. He was deeply troubled, Juliet could see that, and naturally so, with everything that had transpired. Weren’t things difficult enough between them without the added pressure of Thomas standing between them? In a desperate attempt to make things right, Juliet moved closer to his side.
‘I’m sorry about all this, Marcus. Believe me, if I could change things, I would.’
He turned his head and looked down at her, barely concealed doubt cloaking his eyes. ‘Would you, Juliet? Would you really?’
‘Yes, of course I would. There was a time, not so long ago, when I could never have imagined being close to any other man but Thomas. But times and emotions change, and they have changed me. When will you realise that I no longer love him?’
‘Then tell me,’ he said, his voice low and controlled, ‘why did you go to him last night? I have to know, Juliet.’
He had told her he never wanted to hear Thomas’s name mentioned again, and since leaving London neither of them had, but she knew the man remained uppermost in Marcus’s mind.
‘I have already told you why. Do we have to go over it all again?’
‘Tell me again.’
‘I went to him,’ she said quietly, ‘because I had to know if he would have married me when he became aware of my circumstances. I had to know—it was important to me—before I went away, for my own peace of mind.’
Marcus turned sharply and looked at her, and she cringed inwardly at his cold expression. ‘And would he?’
She shook her head. ‘No.’
‘Then it was fortunate for you, after all, that I came along when I did, wasn’t it?’
‘That isn’t fair,’ she gasped, stung by his words. ‘You knew my situation when you asked me to marry you. I made no secret of what my feelings were for Thomas.’
‘Of course,’ he said, his lips twisting with sarcasm. ‘You must forgive me for forgetting. But do you expect me to believe that you went to him on our wedding night for no other reason than to talk to him?’
‘Yes, I do,’ she said, moving closer to him. ‘As far as I am concerned, Thomas is dead, and if we are to find any happiness in our marriage, then he must be dead for you too. Nothing can change what has happened, so we must learn to put it behind us. I no longer love him—I realised that before I went to his home to see him—and in fact, I don’t know if I ever did. This I have told you, so why can’t that stubborn pride of yours let you accept it?’ She sighed deeply, her anger of a moment before leaving her.
Aware of his indecision and that he continued to doubt her words, she moved closer to him. ‘Please listen to me,’ she pleaded fervently, gripping his arm. ‘I find it hard to see myself as I used to be—living my life believing Thomas would be a part of it forever. That was another lifetime. Then I was somebody else. I want to discover a different life—with you and Adele here at Mulberry Hall. I cannot conceive of anything different.’
‘I am touched by what you say, Juliet, and more than anything, I want to believe you. In the beginning, I did wonder how you could ever respect me as a wife should—a man who had virtually bought your affections, and yet when you spoke your vows, I hoped you had truly put Thomas Waring behind you.’
‘I fully intend to do that,’ she murmured, placing her hand timidly on his arm. Summoning up all her courage, she gazed beseechingly into his eyes. ‘Have you made up your mind to hate me all your life? How much longer will you continue to spurn me? Can you not find it in your heart to forgive me? None of this has been easy for me either.’
* * *
Marcus tried hard to shove her away with hands that secretly asked nothing more than to hold on to her. She had taken the first step toward a reconciliation, and she expected him to take the next, which, after all that had transpired within the past two days, he found difficult. Despite having told him otherwise, he suspected that deep down, Juliet still harboured tender thoughts for Waring, and he could not bear the thought of making love to her while she was thinking of someone else.
He looked into the imploring softness of her eyes, so bewitchingly beautiful, and he was moved in spite of himself, wanting nothing more at that moment than to atone for his sharp words and win her forgiveness. With some concern he noted the dark smudges beneath her eyes.
This is not good, he thought, despairing. We can’t go on behaving like enemies.
She looked so piteous, so defenceless, and she spoke so passionately that the hard gleam went from his eyes and there was a softer tone to his voice when he spoke.
Taking her hand from his arm, he tenderly drew her close. ‘I don’t hate you, Juliet—don’t ever think that. No man in his right mind would spurn you intentionally. You are far too lovely for that. I know that none of this is easy for you, that it is far easier for me than you.’ He smiled slowly. ‘I’ve been a selfish brute, haven’t I? You deserved better after what you’ve been through.’
Juliet smiled with relief at the tenderness filling his eyes, and she trembled with a quiet joy. ‘Then we are friends again?’
‘More than that, I hope. But how does it feel to know you have the power to make me suffer, to make my life hell? You have bewitched me, Juliet. No other woman has done that.’
‘I—I’m sorry, Marcus.’
‘What for?’
‘My stupidity. Did I hurt you very much?’
‘More than you will ever know, but you are right. We will put all that has happened behind us. We must not allow it to poison our happiness, and besides, the days ahead—of settling in to living at Mulberry Hall and building on your relationship with Adele, will be difficult enough for you without that. Having made a hasty marriage, I regret there was no time for courtship, but it is not the first time that virtual strangers have found themselves married to each other.’
‘Not entirely strangers. We had met before.’
‘You were a child, Juliet. A long time has passed since then, and I have been away fighting a war. While all this is strange and unfamiliar at this time, we have our whole lives to learn to know each other.’ Gazing down into the magnificent amber depths of her eyes, he raised her hand to his lips, feeling desire surge through him, and he was impatient for the night to come when he could make her his wife in flesh as well as in name. But however soft and inviting the large bed looked, now was not the time. ‘Much as I would like to remain with you at present, I have matters to attend to and you must settle in,’ he said huskily.
Disappointment clouded her eyes. ‘Yes, of course.’
‘Later, we will spend time together. I promise,’ he said, bending his head and brushing her soft lips with his own. ‘Wild horses won’t be able to keep me from you tonight.’ He looked down at her, a wicked light dancing in his eyes. ‘No objections, Juliet. It has been delayed, I know, but we will count this as our wedding night, and you are my adorable bride. I do not intend to waste one minute of it.’
‘I do not object,’ she murmured.
‘That’s what I wanted to hear. I will leave you to wash and change and I’ll see you at dinner.’
* * *
Before joining Marcus in the dining room, Juliet went to check on Adele. After being confined to the coach for the journey to Mulberry Hall, the child was clearly thrilled to have been let loose at last and to explore her new domain. She had set about dragging toys out of boxes and cupboards and enthused excitedly over a particularly fine rocking horse. She insisted on showing Juliet her new playthings and in particular the books with stories of children’s exploits, of fairies and elves and princes rescuing beautiful princesses, making Juliet promise to read them to her in the coming days. Leaving the nursemaid to settle her down for the night, Juliet went down to the dining room, where Marcus, washed and changed and looking terribly handsome in grey trousers and a dark blue jacket, which was stretched smoothly over his broad shoulders, was already partaking of a pre-dinner glass of wine.
