His Michaelmas Mistress (14 page)

“Of course, of course,” the Duke said, watching Richard leave.

Freddie wished he could beg off and return to Julia’s bedchamber and finish what they hadn’t started last night.

“Richard shouldn’t imbibe so much. He has inherited the Lovett tolerance for alcohol, poor dear,” Beatrice said.

Julia laughed. “Oh, Mama. Not everyone can drink brandy the way you can. Speaking of which, I expect the ladies to show up promptly at two this afternoon.”

“The ladies?” the Duke asked, completely befogged, and a little intrigued.

“I am the head of the Moonrakers Ladies Society. We convene weekly, and talk about books, and other issues of importance, whilst drinking brandy.”

“Ah, I see,” the Duke said. “My mother used to do that with her lady friends, minus the books…she liked to convene and be like their little queen, while they told her the current on-dit. They might have their tongues wagging about what was printed in The Times right after your first attempt at marrying Freddie. I see now that you are not intent upon marrying Lord Charles Tempest.”

“What? Whatever do you mean? Are you saying that I was mentioned in The Times? That we…that our wedding that wasn’t…was mentioned in The times?” Julia asked horrified. She swallowed thickly, and reached for her tea. Freddie watched as she shakily brought the teacup up to her lips. It was a bloody wonder she didn’t spill any of it.

“Aye, in the scandal section. I wish I could give my thanks to those women who sniff out scandal and gossip for them.”

“Well, I don’t have any such feeling of gratitude. Those women are dreadful. They speak lies!” Julia said, her face colouring up, as her passions were riled.

Freddie wanted to plant a facer on his own father. The fact that the Duke looked so much like him, showed Freddie how he looked when being such a pugnacious arsehole. And he didn’t like it one bit. From now on, he vowed not to be such a nincompoop.

“I do apologize. I hadn’t meant to offend you, Lady Julia. It is quite apparent that you love my son. I had worried when I saw the article that he would have his heart broken, but without those women, I would not have found out about Freddie until possibly your family published the announcement of your marriage to him, and I am content to know that I shall now be present when the two of you are married.

“I am normally a recluse, and have kept to myself up in the Highlands, since well…since Freddie was born, though I did hire men to search for you, Freddie, and they didn’t turn anything up. I even hired a few Bow Street Runners, who were obviously not worth what I paid them, because they didn’t find you or your mother. Once I read that article that mentioned Freddie in The Times, I sent word to have my London Townhouse opened and aired, and to have those in Gloucestershire at my estate there to be ready for me, and I set off, bound for Wiltshire. I was determined to find you and hoped beyond hope that my quest wouldn’t be fruitless. You will never know how relieved I was to clap eyes on you, Freddie. I have never been so happy to see anyone in all of my life.”

“Well, my dear, it had a positive outcome, so I see no harm in it,” Beatrice said. “Alas, the time has quite escaped all of us. Our day must start.”

Freddie sighed. What exactly would Beatrice’s day entail? She hardly left her sofa.

“Indeed, and we should take our leave of you, Lady Tisbury. Your hospitality has been unparalleled. It does you justice,” the Duke said gallantly.

They all stood up and went their separate ways, and as much as Freddie was to loathe it, he would have to take his father back to Wilton Park.

He followed Julia from the Breakfast Room, and gripped a hold of her arm. Pulling her back to him, he wanted to throttle his father, as he caught sight of the tears in her eyes.

“Have we become a laughingstock of the ton, Freddie?” she asked, in a small voice, gazing up at him with her beautiful blue eyes. His stomach sunk. He wished he could make it all better for her.

“I think you might have become that as soon as you accepted my proposal of marriage, Julia, my love.”

“I do not care about that. I only seek to…oh, it doesn’t matter, anyway. I suppose they will think I am a faithless woman, who is as fickle as they come.”

“You are not fickle, Julia.”

“And how do you think some regard me? Either way, I am not painted in a favourable light, am I? I love you desperately, Freddie, but some must think I am an utter little chit for forsaking Charles the way I have done.”

His heart sunk. Was she still having second thoughts? Did she still wonder what life would be like if she had turned away from him?

She must have seen the look on his face, for she quickly rushed out, “Pray, don’t misconstrue my words, Freddie. I don’t regret the choices I have made. I only wonder how others will view them.”

“Devil take them all. Why do you care what others think of you? You are allowing them to have power over your life—over our lives. Don’t give them that control. We are in love. We have done nothing wrong, and if you had chosen Charles out of some sense of misplaced duty, you and I both know you would have regretted it, until your dying day, and that’s not a hell I wish on anyone, least of all you.”

“That is true. Why don’t we just runaway, Freddie? We could both flee to London, and be married as soon as our special license was issued.”

“We couldn’t do that. You deserve more than that. As much as I am tempted, Julia, we can’t shut the rest of the world out. You have a family that adores you, and I’m quite certain they want to see you marry me.”

She sighed. “I want to be married by Michaelmas. So make all haste to ensure that, sir.” She stood up on her tiptoes, in an effort to lock lips with him, and still couldn’t make it. Sighing, she stood on his feet, and he laughed, as he pulled her close and lifted her so her feet dangled off the ground. “You are my beloved, Mouse,” she murmured.

“Aye, and don’t ever forget that,” he said, as he claimed her lips.

They stood together for a few more blissful minutes. His father broke their reverie with a loud clearing of his throat.

*****

Julia was under Freddie’s spell.

She was bewitched by him, and she never wanted to come out of the dreamy haze his presence had cast her into. They stood in the room that looked like a basilica. It was a riot of coloured marble while the Three Graces stood watch over them. It was one of the prettiest rooms in Castleton Court, and if they were married outside of the church, this would be a perfect room to be wed in.

She clung to Freddie. She was serious about them running to London and marrying there. Her heart pounded in her chest, as she thought about losing him. She wanted him so badly, their hopes couldn’t be dashed now. Even though the Duke had interrupted them, she didn’t want to let him go, and yet, she had to. He wouldn’t like staying for the meeting with the ladies from the villages of Castleton and Maidstone.

“Oh, now this is a lovely room,” the Duke exclaimed.

“You haven’t seen the one hundred and thirty six foot Ladies Long Gallery yet. Now that is a sight to be sure,” Julia said. “You should also take a walk around our grounds, we have a few Follies you might be interested in exploring. One of them is not for the faint of heart. You have to be in excellent physical shape to climb it, and the view of the River Avon is glorious, and you can see Lark Hall as well. On a sunny day it gives one of the most beautiful views in England.”

“I…why don’t the two of you show me?” he asked. “We have a few hours before your Moonrakers arrive.”

She looked ruefully down at her dress. “Allow me to fetch a bonnet, and some walking boots, and I shall join you,” she said. “I do hope you are ready for it, sir.”

“I think this old body of mine will be able to conquer anything the two of you throw at me. We Scots are always up for a challenge!” he said, with a cheeky wink. She detangled herself from Freddie, and reluctantly left. As she dashed away, she heard the Duke say, “I think she can do that by herself, Freddie. Freddie! Oh, how we need to get the two of you married.”

She giggled.

Apparently, Freddie had decided to play a game of chase, and the thought made her heart soar. She laughed, as she quickened her pace, and darted a glance behind her. He was pursuing her! What did the man think he could do once he caught her? They could not add fire to the scandals that already surrounded them.

He caught her and scooped her up and put her over his shoulder. Her arse was up in the air, and he had the audacity to tap it!

“Freddie, put me down!”

“I will. Once we get to your bedchamber.”

“You…you cur! You churl…you popinjay, you blackguard...”

“Keep throwing insults out at me, you know you love it.”

“Mama, knows you were in my bedchamber,” she hissed, as he carried her up the staircase, “and she won’t stand for you coming into my bedchamber again. Not to mention the fact that you acting like the hugest arse in the world by snubbing your father. You are being quite rude to him, and it doesn’t do my heart a bit of good.”

“He might be my father by blood, but I don’t have to accept that or even like it.”

“Oh, Freddie,” she sighed, going limp. “There is no hope for you. If you don’t at least try with your father…then, then, I shall lock you out of our bedchamber on our wedding night.”

“I’d pick the lock or break the door down,” he said dismissively.

“Aye, but you wouldn’t force me to sleep with you. Not if I didn’t want to, so picking the lock or breaking the door down would get you nowhere, and you know it.”

He groaned. “You women are insufferable sometimes!”

“Aye, but you wouldn’t be able to live without me.”

“That is true.”

“So you will at least try to reconcile yourself to having the Duke being your father?”

“I will try,” he said sullenly. From what she could see hanging over his shoulder, they were about to reach her bedchamber. He placed her down on her bed, and then, turned away.

“Where are your walking boots?”

“I can handle it myself. I am not completely helpless. Now, you go downstairs, and try to be nice to your father.”

“If you stop calling him that, mayhap, I will try to be cordial, and attempt to give him a tree branch.”

“An olive branch.”

“That, too,” he murmured. “It would be so easy for me to shut that door and take you, Julia.”

“You keep making promises you know you can’t keep. Your Papa is downstairs waiting for you to return, and if you don’t do that in a timely manner, he will report to my Mama. And I can tell you that you wouldn’t want my Mama to catch us in such a scandalous situation. We would never ever live it down.”

“I will do anything to keep from having your Mama come in here like a bat out of hell,” he shuddered. “One can’t possibly fight that woman. We could have used a few like her when we were fighting Napoleon. He would have known he was beat if he saw an army full of women like Lady Tisbury marching toward him. ” Sighing, he left the room, making her feel as she always did when he left—empty inside.

They had all climbed the two hundred some odd steps of the King Edward Folly Tower. Julia felt a bit winded, but both Freddie and his father seemed rejuvenated by the physical exercise.

They drank from the flask of water they had carried with them. Sighing, she moved to look over the beautiful view of Wiltshire that being up this high afforded them. They had a clear view of the River Avon, and the swans on the River painted a quaint little scene. Boats and barges could also be seen, as they traveled the waterways.

“I never thought that England was any prettier than Scotland, but the views from here are quite breathtaking, and it was well worth the climb.” The Duke grinned at Freddie and Julia.

“I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she said softly. “I have spent most of my life here. Mama likes London, but I have always preferred country life.”

The Duke nodded his head. “I, too, have always enjoyed life away from London. The Highlands are quite rugged, compared to the life you enjoy here. We are pretty much isolated where we are. And our winters are colder and harsher than the ones you enjoy here.”

Julia listened to the Duke’s words with hope leaving her heart. From the sound of it, she wouldn’t be able to abide Scotland, and what would they think of her there?

She was an English lady.

“Still, I can’t see why the two of you wouldn’t be able to split your time between here and the Highlands, and as it is right now, I have no intention of dying anytime soon.”

Relief swelled through her. She could live with that. Being away from Wiltshire some of the time, instead of all of the time, was preferable to uprooting and living there for the rest of her life.

“Wiltshire will always be here waiting for us,” Julia said, sighing heavily. “And my family might be inclined to take a holiday there. Still, Wiltshire will always be home for me.”

“Aye. And what a beautiful place to call home,” the Duke said.

Encouragement shone in his eyes. His eyes were so like Freddie’s, and for that reason alone, she was endeared to him.

“Freddie? What do you think?” she asked softly.

“I am thinking I can’t change my spots so quickly. I was raised as an Englishman. I don’t know how those up where you live in the Highlands shall view me. I might be a…what do you call them...Sissy...Sassy…oh, hell what do they call us English?”

“Sassenachs,” the Duke said.

“That’s it,” Freddie said. “They’ll call me that name, and I have to tell you…I have a temper. I will lose it, if they push me too far.”

“And I wouldn’t blame you. No, they will welcome you back as the lost son who has returned. They will not call you a Sassenach. Not if they know what is good for them.”

“And what about Julia? She has not one drop of Scottish blood in her.”

“She will be your wife. Thus, they will treat her accordingly. We are not savages…or barbarians, Freddie. Once you are a part of our family, we will fight tooth and nail for our kin.”

Julia smiled. “At least that much we share in common. My family feels the same way. We might not always show it, but we are deeply devoted to each other. That’s not the way it is for most families in the ton. Most families are strangers to each other…and in the past, I have felt so sorry for some of my bosom chums, back when we were on the marriage mart together, and their mothers and fathers pushed them into matrimony. I have watched too many of my girlhood friends marry men they despise. Mama has always encouraged me to marry, but she’d never actually force me into it.”

“I find it hard to believe that an independent woman such as you could ever have placed herself on the marriage mart,” the Duke said.

“Oh, but I did,” she laughed. “I danced, and I flirted with the best of them. During those terrible years we were at war, I was a silly young chit thinking only of balls, love letters, dancing, riding in Hyde Park, and being welcomed at Almack’s. I found, after a few dizzying Seasons that the quiet life such as it is here, suited me so much better. Wiltshire is my safe haven. It is the place where I have always been able to be myself.”

“And I won’t take that away from you, Julia. Don’t fret, love,” Freddie said softly.

“I shan’t. I won’t ever worry again, as long as you are with me, Freddie. I won’t flinch or flee. I shall be stalwart. Home will be wherever you are.”

“And with your stubbornness, I am quite certain you will be able to handle anything that the Scots throw at us,” Freddie said.

The Duke laughed. “I wouldn’t be so certain of that, but you are right. The two of you shall survive anything that comes your way.”

Her eyes went to the barouches, curricles, one phaeton, a landau, a pony trap, and a one horse gig that made their way toward Castleton Court.

“Freddie, what time is it?” she asked nervously. They’d been having such a good time that she feared it had quite gotten away on them.

“Uh, oh,” he said, looking at his watch. “We have let the time slip away from us, Julia.”

“Those are the ladies arriving, and I am going to be late, and look at me, I look an absolute fright!”

She was about to dash away, and Freddie stopped her before she could make her escape. “You are flustered. Haste makes waste, remember that, dear? Now, you will walk sandwiched between my father and me. I don’t want you taking a tumble down the flight of steps.”

“And you think you are more surefooted than me?” she snorted.

“Aye, I do. I have had a lot of practice scaling various buildings, and mountains. So aye, I am better on my feet than you are, and you look a little peaky.”

She would have argued with him, but as it was, they had precious little time to spare. She didn’t really want to have her meeting, in the state she currently enjoyed. She was hot and sweaty. Her hair was a mess, and she was altogether too flushed looking for most of the ladies that were in her Society. They were bluestockings, despite that, they were not rebels.

“Why don’t you simply tell everyone that you’re going to have your meeting outside today?” the Duke said. “It’s unseasonably warm, and the sun is out…and a little bit of fresh air never did anyone harm. You could have the tables and chairs set up in the Roman Temple Folly…that way if the heavens did open up, no harm would be done.”

They were nearly at the bottom, and Julia was glad for it, because her feet and legs ached terribly.

“That is a good idea, Your Grace. And my appearance shall be explained. We shall tell them we were all enjoying the lovely weather.”

“Capitol,” the Duke said.

“Aye, splendid,” Freddie said sullenly. She wished he would snap out of his perpetual state of being in high dudgeon. He had to accept the fact that he was the Duke’s son. Besides, wasn’t it an improvement compared to the wretch he used to think was his father?

“I shall have to tell the servants to get it ready,” she said, gratefully accepting Freddie’s hand, as he helped her alight the last few steps.

“I think you should go and sit over there on that stone bench, Julia. You look quite worn out. I will go and tell the servants what they need to do. I will have them bring some bread, cheese and some fruit with the brandy as well, as I’m feeling a tad bit peckish.”

“But Freddie…” she began, before he cut her off.

“I assume there is no rule against men attending these bluestocking meetings?” Freddie asked.

“I suppose not,” she said thoughtfully. “Men have been considered bluestockings as well…so I guess it wouldn’t do any harm. And I am quite certain that the ladies would love to meet your father, as long as he has no objections?”

“Indeed not. I know how gossip spreads in these little villages. We should put any rumours to rest. I wouldn’t want any fudges to start,” the Duke said.

“Oh, heavens no,” Julia said.

Freddie silently left. She and the Duke strolled toward the stone bench that Freddie had urged her to go and sit on.

“I don’t think I will ever win him over. He is as stubborn as I am, and he resents me terribly,” the Duke said.

She sighed. “Give it time, sir. You have only just arrived. He hasn’t had time to get used to you being in his life—and Freddie is awfully stubborn. A character trait I assume, he inherited from you. You must forgive him acting so harshly—he’s had a difficult last few weeks…as have I.”

These last few weeks had been a little too dramatic for both she and Freddie. She had been faced with a ghost of her past, and he had been faced with a ghost of his past except there was one difference, this ghost wouldn’t go quietly.

“Aye, the wedding that wasn’t…isn’t that what the two of you call it?”

“Yes. And Freddie won’t stop worrying because the man who came back and objected to it is still in the area. He has had a hard time believing me. I keep telling him I shan’t ever have my head turned by Lord Charles, but when Freddie gets one thing in his skull, it is terribly hard to convince him of anything else. I think I have finally put his concerns to rest, or at least I pray I have.”

“I hope you have. That lad has a hard time trusting people. I take it from what we talked about last night, the only group of people he trusts with his life, are the men that were a part of The Angles of Death with him. I met two of them, they are good men.”

“Oh, indeed, they are. They are the best. They are his mates for life. He knows they won’t ever betray his trust. There are very few people in this world that you can trust with your life, and he trusts them explicitly. They educated him by teaching him how to read and write, and they gave him the social manners he needed to get by.”

The Duke’s eyes hardened. “He should have had all of that before he entered the Army.”

“You can’t keep bemoaning what he missed out on. I think that is part of what is placing the wedge between the two of you. He feels as if he isn’t good enough to be your son, and that is through no fault of his own. Freddie thinks you are only reuniting with him because you have no other recourse. Your line is dying out—and he is your only hope. Mayhap, if he didn’t think that…if he thought that you wanted him for what and who he is…and not just to be his heir—that might make him feel differently.”

“Freddie runs things a little like he is still in the Army. I have never seen servants move with such haste,” he mused.

“Oh, aye, he has that effect on people. They are a little afraid of letting him down. His size assists him in many of his endeavors.”

“I hear he rescued you the first time you met?”

Julia laughed. “My Cousin Rose and I were a little in need of rescuing. Although, I fancied at the time that I had it all in hand. I did not,” she chuckled. “He showed up with Tiny and well, he was carrying his axe on his shoulders, and they both said, Boo. There was lightning, thunder and rain, so they had the perfect ambiance for such a thing. They caused the travelers that were harassing us to flee in terror, and saved us from a grim fate. My uncle was on his way. However, there is no telling if he would have arrived in time.”

The Duke smiled. “I wonder how many times in his life he has struck terror in other men’s hearts.”

“Freddie isn’t a man to trifle with, Your Grace. Not by a long shot.”

“It does my heart good to see that my son has turned into the proper kind of man. He has honour, compassion and loyalty, to those he holds dear. That is in such scarce supply these days. I have seen many of my Scottish friends look upon the dandies they have raised with remorse. At least I can look at my son with pride.”

Rose and Iris led the women out to where they were. Julia and the Duke moved to the Folly, and settled themselves on the chairs that the footmen were still bringing out and arranging.

“It is a lovely day to spend outdoors,” Iris said. “Mama decided not to come today. She was still a bit tired from last night. She decided to send Ruby in her stead…now, where did she get off to?”

Julia laughed. “She is probably hiding somewhere, or attempting to blend in with the wall hangings.”

“She does like to become one with the wallpaper,” Rose said. “There is nothing to fear here. Well, except for Tiny. He and Lucky are back from Devizes, and they saw us on the road to Castleton Court, and decided to join us. That’s probably another reason why we won’t see Freddie. He has reunited with almost all of his mates. We saw him as we made our way out here. He looks to be in high dudgeon, and since Micah insisted in coming with me, he is probably in the house talking to him.”

“Lewis is here as well. He was interested in our meeting. So, I expect we shall see him soon,” Iris said.

“I hope Lewis brings him to his senses,” Julia said.

“Oh, aye, he might. But as they all back together again, I don’t think we have much hope of seeing them out here. Their voices were booming through the Ladies Long Gallery, as they started gabbing away,” Iris said. “They tend to gossip more than we women do. Apparently, Enoch Smith and his wife attempted to get away from Tiny and Lucky several times during their journey to New Bridewell. The Parish Constables were afraid of Enoch and Madge, and told them that they were leaving all responsibility to them. They left them before they even reached the prison. I only hope that Papa serves them with a fitting punishment. For Freddie’s sake, mayhap, he will send them to Australia, for a few years. That would get them out of Freddie’s hair altogether. We heard that you had a bit of a difficult time with Lord Charles yesterday.”