Juliet passed on, a hint of concern for her mother piercing her own selfish happiness. Could the countess truly be concerned by Mrs. Stewart’s reappearance in her husband’s life? Did she trust him so little?

  Juliet had always assumed her parents’ love for each other. They supported each other, rarely quarreled, and had always been perfectly comfortable in each other’s company—at least according to Juliet’s observations and recollections.

  But her mother thought she was second best, married only when Jenny Myerly rejected him. And now Jenny was back, still a fascinating woman.

  Juliet paused with one foot on the next flight of stairs. A lock of hair had fallen across her neck, and she hastily pulled out the other pins, letting down all her tresses before twisting them into a hasty knot and holding it in place. She blushed and smiled all over again as she remembered how her hair had been ruffled against his arm, his shoulder, his lips…

  Further along the gallery, a light shone under the library door. Her father’s retreat. Impulsively, she withdrew her foot from the step and walked on to the library. She hesitated a moment outside the door, but hearing no voices, she knocked and went in.

  Her father sat in his favorite armchair, his legs stretched out in front of him as he frowned down at his clasped hands. His gaze lifted. “Juliet.” His voice sounded pleased, although the frown did not vanish.

  “Papa? Is everything well?”

  “I think it is. Both Alford and Jeremy are impressed by the dignity you have shown in this difficult situation. And it hasn’t hurt that our friends and neighbors have welcomed you back among them as though nothing happened. According to Alford, Jeremy is now prepared to resume the engagement.”

  It was like a splash of cold water, halting her in her tracks. “But I don’t want to marry Jeremy anymore. He does not love me, and frankly, I have come to despise him.”

  Her father’s frown deepened. “Don’t be so childish, Juliet. This scandal hangs over you like the sword of Damocles. Marriage with Jeremy Catesby is your best hope. Our best hope. It is the only thing that will counter Barden’s continued fanning of the flames.”

  “Barden? The man is a total blackguard. After what he has done, what we know he has done, he actually believes I will marry him!”

  “Yes, well, if you don’t take Jeremy back, Barden is your only other option,” her father said brutally. “If you marry Barden, he’ll see the scandal dies, and you’ll be a viscountess with a decent home. It will cost me more than I would like to pay, but—”

  “What do you mean?” she demanded, advancing to sit on the edge of the chair opposite his. “Why should you pay more than the dowry you have already set aside?”

  “Because that is his price for marrying you and ending this. The return of all I won from him ten years ago. Much of that money was plowed into the estates. I won’t deny it will be difficult to scrape it back together, but if Barden is your choice, I’ll do it.”

  “Barden my choice?” she repeated with revulsion. “The man is an evil snake! I would rather die than marry him.”

  “Oh, don’t be so melodramatic,” the earl said impatiently. “Of course, you would not. But I do feel you would be happier with Jeremy, so don’t throw him away over pride. I’ll find some means or other to silence Barden. It will certainly be easier when you are married to Jeremy, and the Alfords have clearly accepted you.”

  She sprang to her feet. “But, Papa—”

  “That is your choice,” he interrupted harshly. “And it’s a damned good one considering the scandal around your ears! Jeremy Catesby or Barden. I’ll want your answer by the morning.”

  She whitened, for when her father spoke in that tone, there was no gainsaying him. “You can’t,” she uttered. “You can’t force me to marry one of them! Either of them.”

  His eyes narrowed with temper. “You have a very odd idea of what I can and cannot do. Go to bed. Then take my advice and marry Jeremy. Otherwise, you’ll be locked in your room until it’s time to marry Barden by special license. Is that clear?”

  Agitation forced her to breathe in short, sharp gulps. “I won’t,” she got out. “I can’t. You must… Papa, I don’t care about my stupid reputation!”

  “Out!” he roared.

  Once, as a child, she would have fled in frightened disarray when he spoke like that. Now, it still chilled her blood. But more than that, fury and sheer hurt spun her on her heels, and she stormed out of the library, slamming the door behind her.

  It was rude, disrespectful, and unladylike, and she meant it all. By the time she found herself in her bedchamber, she had no recollection of how she had got there. Blindly, she seized something from the dressing table—a music box that been a Christening gift—and raised her hand to hurl it.

  Then, with a sob, she threw it on the bed, and paced the length of the room instead, prowling like the caged animals at the Exchange in London. How could her father do such a thing to her? Force her to choose between the man who had deliberately ruined her from spite and the man who had betrayed her in her hour of need? To lock her in her chamber and force her to marry a man than made her flesh crawl?

  When she loved Dan…

  Of course, she had not told the earl that. He was in no mood to listen yet alone understand. Besides which, she had not even told Dan, did not know for certain what Dan’s feelings for her were. Clearly, he liked kissing her, but men kissed easily. They were friends, but…

  But nothing. She had been given no time, merely an ultimatum, an unspeakable choice to be made by tomorrow morning.

  “I choose neither,” she hissed between her teeth, spinning around and striding back the way she had come. “Weasel versus snake! Dan was right! Dan…”

  She paused. Dan will help me.

  There was only one thing to do.

  She rushed to the wardrobe and drew out a carpetbag she had used since she was tiny. Into it, she threw a few underclothes, a walking dress, and a morning gown. Then she struggled out of the evening gown she wore and threw that in the bag, too, before reaching up for her riding dress. That, too, was difficult to fasten, but at least it had a little military-style coat that hid her improper dress. From habit, she donned the matching hat and then threw a different bonnet into the bag as well. It would be crushed on the ride, but it would survive. She added her toothbrush and toothpowder and closed the bag.

  Picking it up, she walked to the window, gazing out to see if any light was reflected from the house. She could get out of the house easily enough. And providing she didn’t wake the grooms who lived over the stables, she could saddle her own horse. She would be safe before her father knew she had gone.

  *

  Excitement ensured Dan woke early. Which suited him because he’d been going to walk round a couple of tenant farms with Patrick.

  The servants were only just up by the time he ran downstairs to the kitchen, snatched some toast from Cook with a wink and a grin, and ran back up to the front door.

  He knew before he pulled back the bolts that it was raining. What he didn’t expect was to see the sodden wet figure of Lady Juliet Lilbourne asleep in the corner of the portico.

  In sheer alarm, he dropped to a crouch beside her, seizing her by the sodden shoulders. “Juliet! Juliet, in God’s name, what is wrong?”

  Until her eyes fluttered open and relief paralyzed him, he hadn’t realized how far he had fallen. Her bewildered gaze focused on him, and she threw her arms around his neck.

  He could only hold her in a rush of tenderness, lift her in his arms as he stood. Then, her breath of laughter pierced his anxiety.

  “Oh, let me stand, or you will ruin me all over again.”

  “Minx,” he said huskily, letting her drop to her feet. “But what on earth are you doing here? You’re soaking wet.” His gaze fell on the small carpetbag behind her.

  “I’ve run away,” she blurted. “I have to marry Jeremy or Barden, and I won’t!”

  “Of course, you won’t,” he said calmly. “Infamous idea.” He picked up the bag and ushered her inside.

  Griffin stood facing them with a face like thunder.

  Dan scowled. “Lady Juliet—”

  “I’m aware who her ladyship is, sir. I’m also aware what his lordship’s reaction will be to her presence at Myerly.”

  “Nonsense,” Dan retorted. “Even my grandfather would not send a lady away in this condition, and I most certainly will not. Send Susan to us, and she can take Lady Juliet to whichever chamber is still free.”

  “Very good, sir,” Griffin replied stiffly. “And you will be where, sir?”

  “Visiting his lordship, of course, to bring him the good news.” With that, Dan ushered the shivering Juliet into the reception room.

  “I’m sorry,” Juliet blurted. “I didn’t mean to bring trouble upon you. I just needed to run, and I knew you would help me, only I didn’t think it all through…”

  “There’s nothing to think about. No one will throw you out.”

  She shivered, no doubt remembering that the Alfords had already thrown her out of their house. Beside them, what were the chances with a grumpy old man who hadn’t spoken to her father in more than twenty-five years?

  “We’ll sort it out, Juliet,” he assured her. “How long were you out there?”

  “I don’t know. I lost track of time after I spoke to Papa. I was so angry…and I hadn’t even realized it was raining when I left the house. I didn’t want to go back for a cloak. It was still dark when I got here, so I stabled my horse…and then I realized I couldn’t knock on the door in the middle of the night, and I had no idea which window was yours. So, I waited for the house to wake up. I didn’t mean to be discovered asleep. And now I must look like a drowned rat!”

  “Kitten,” he assured her. “Or a very beautiful urchin. Either way—”

  Susan appeared, and he broke off, probably for the best. Susan’s eyes widened as she recognized Juliet, but she only curtseyed. “If you’d follow me, ma’am.”

  Dan gave the maid Juliet’s bag. “Is my mother up yet?” he asked her.

  “I don’t know, sir. She hasn’t rung.”

  He nodded and watched them go. Juliet glanced back once over her shoulder as though regretting her hasty decision.

  She should have been. He should have been. But he wasn’t.

  He waited until the door of the small chamber on the half-landing closed. Then he walked to the stairs and ran lightly up. But before he reached his mother’s chamber, Colin appeared in the doorway of his, in his shirt sleeves and still unshaven.

  “What the devil’s going on? Please tell me you haven’t brought Lady Juliet here!”

  “I haven’t brought Lady Juliet here,” Dan said obligingly.

  “Then who did arrive? My man said it was Lady…”

  “It is,” Dan said and knocked loudly on his mother’s door.

  “Daniel, for the love of—” Colin began.

  Dan ignored him and went in at his mother’s yawning command.

  She was sitting up in bed, drinking hot chocolate.

  “He has chocolate?” Dan said, distracted.

  “My father? Lord, no, I brought it from London. Geoffrey gave it to me.”

  “Of course he did,” Dan murmured. “I need your help, Mama.” Sitting on the edge of her bed, he told her about Juliet’s arrival, impelled by her father’s ultimatum.

  “Oh, drat the man!” Jenny said with unusual irritation. “Just as we were mending fences between us. Now we will have to quarrel again. Is there nowhere but here she can go?”

  “Nowhere that will not immediately summon her father to take her home again.”

  “I shall summon her father to take her home again,” his mother said firmly.

  “No, you won’t, Mama. Her position is intolerable.”

  “Not half as intolerable as it will be when the old gentleman hears of her arrival.”

  “You needn’t worry about that. I’ll deal with him.”

  His mother blinked. “You will?”

  Dan nodded distractedly. “Cosland is the bigger problem.”

  “He will be if he finds her before he’s had time to think beyond his fury.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean Cosland blamed your grandfather’s recalcitrance for the fact that I ran away with your father. He thinks if my father had only behaved sensibly, it would all have blown over, and I’d have married him.”

  “Would it?”

  She shook her head with a little smile. “No. But it is, generally, sound advice. Once he remembers it, he’ll realize he’s gone the wrong way to work with his daughter. He would not force her into a repugnant marriage,”

  “Not even to save her from ruin?” Dan asked.

  His mother sighed. “There is that added complexion to Juliet’s difficulty. But I suppose you’re right. We can’t send her back until he has at least calmed down. What if he comes looking for her, though? We can’t deny she is here. Besides, her poor mother! They will all be worried sick.” She sat up straight, her eyes widening. “Dan, she’ll have left a note! Runaways always leave notes of their grievances. I should know. The chances are, they’ll know exactly where she is. Drat and drat! Go away, and let me get up. I shall shield the girl from my sisters, but as far as her own parents go, you are on your own!”

  He left her to it and went along to his grandfather’s rooms. Waits was heaving the old gentleman into a sitting position and rearranging his pillows.

  “You again!” Lord Myerly snarled.

  “Me, again,” Dan agreed.

  Waits, who had clearly heard the news of Juliet’s arrival, looked terrified and began dementedly shaking his head in warning.

  Ignoring him, Dan said cheerfully, “I thought you’d want to hear the good news as soon as you were awake.”

  “What good news?” the old man demanded. “Did you bring a woman into the house? They won’t tell me.” He flung out one claw-like hand toward Waits. “But I tell you straight, even if my daughters weren’t here, I wouldn’t have your game birds in my house!”

  “Game birds?” Dan repeated, startled. “What the devil do you take me for? Your visitor is a lady, in every sense of the word, and she’s someone I thought you’d be particularly pleased to receive.”

  “You are quite fascinating in your own way,” Myerly observed. “Entirely and incomprehensibly wrong. But fascinating. Why on earth would I be glad to receive anyone? I don’t even want my family here!”

  “Well, to have her here would really annoy Lord Cosland,” Dan said with perfect truth.

  His grandfather stared at him. “What?”

  “His daughter came to seek protection because her father wants to push her into a disagreeable marriage.”

  Myerly’s eyes widened and then began to gleam. His wicked old mouth turned upward. “The devil he does. How…exquisite.” He let out a snort of laughter. “Give the girl breakfast, and then bring her to see me. Is she pretty?”

  “Very,” Dan replied.

  “I suppose Jenny made a pet of her.”

  Dan smiled faintly but said nothing. He rose, bowed ironically to his grandparent, and left the room. Waits stared after him with an expression that was half-stunned, half-admiring.

  It was, of course, quite unscrupulous to use his grandfather’s ill-nature for his own ends. But it still made him smile as he ran downstairs to the breakfast parlor, where he was sure all the family would assemble most punctually.

  As he walked in, Juliet, in a fresh, becoming morning gown, was being assailed from all sides. Colin had got hold of her hand and was gazing at her earnestly. Hetty and Tabetha stood at her other side, looking worried. Hugh, out to one side, seemed to be examining the trim on her gown through his quizzing glass, while Jenny waited patiently to escort the poor girl to the table. Only Hugh’s father paid her no attention. He was busy at the sideboard, loading up his plate.

  “Indeed, Lady Juliet,” Tabetha was declaring, “I must in all conscience advise you to go home as soon as you have breakfasted. Colin and I shall accompany you.”

  “Of course,” Colin agreed.

  “I’m afraid I cannot go home,” Juliet said firmly. “But if it is difficult for me to remain here…”

  “It isn’t difficult at all,” Dan said, closing the door. “His lordship is happy to welcome Lady Juliet. In fact,” he added, catching her eye, “he wants to see you after breakfast.”

  Her eyes widened and began to sparkle with curiosity. No one in the neighborhood had seen “Baron Miserly” in years. More to the point, it took the wind out of his aunts’ sails, and Colin finally released her hand. Or she drew it away, it was difficult to tell which.

  “Come and have breakfast,” Jenny said, indicating the sideboard.

  Juliet turned with her, though she cast a fleeting glance up at Dan as she went.

  “Did you even speak to my father?” Tabetha demanded. “Why would he agree to such a thing?”

  “To annoy Lord Cosland, of course. And you, Aunt Hetty, and my mother, are all here to play hostess, so there can really be no objection.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down, hoping to God that he was right.

  But now that he had done everything practical to ensure she was safe here, he could acknowledge the emotions swirling beneath. She had come straight to him in her trouble. Not to older or better friends. It made him proud, triumphant, and terrified. And more than that, determined to protect her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Juliet knew she had not thought this through. She had sought out Dan from sheer instinct, and he had not disappointed her. But she had not considered difficulties like the rest of his family, like the old tyrant in his sickbed who terrified his whole household—with the possible exception of Dan—and had been her father’s enemy for more than twenty-five years.

  Still, the house and its inhabitants held their own fascination. The interior resembled the outside, in terms of neglect. The carpets and curtains were worn, the windows grimy, the hallways dusty, and the servants sparse and mostly old. But as she climbed the stairs with Dan and Mrs. Stewart to visit Baron Miserly himself, it struck her that beneath the dirt and the mustiness, the house was really rather beautiful. The proportions were pleasing, the wood paneling very fine, and the staircase quite gracious. She imagined herself in a Mrs. Radcliffe novel and smiled.

 

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