Chapter 17
Chapter seventeen
Looking forward to both a hearty meal and seeing Juliet, Eric entered the dining parlor whistling a happy tune.
To his disappointment, Juliet was not seated at the table.
No need to fret, bloke, she is probably tardy because her maid is fixing her hair, he assured himself.
They had made a mess of it while ravishing each other in the tub, and having lived with dozens of ladies, he had firsthand knowledge of the time spent on intricate coiffures.
The marquess looked up from his plate to flash Eric a prodigious grin. “Good day, son.”
Normally, Eric would scowl at the presumptuous greeting, but he didn’t have an indignant bone left in him after his intimate morning with Juliet.
Alexander acknowledged Eric with a subtle nod and a reassuring smile. “Help yourself, Stone.” He pointed at the sideboard.
Too ravenous to engage in lengthy greetings or chatter, Eric strolled past the men and practically pounced on the platters, piling sausage, bacon, toast, eggs, kidneys, and pound cake onto his plate.
He carefully balanced his overflowing dish as he sat across from Emily, who was blowing on the steaming contents in her cup.
She peered over the rim. “Good morning, Mr. Stone. Did you happen to see my sister on your way here?”
This was one of those times when being a man of few words was an advantage. “No. Sorry.” Since being naked in the tub wasn’t the same as seeing Juliet on his way to the parlor, he wasn’t actually lying. However, his guilty conscience didn’t quite agree with this conclusion.
Emily gnawed on her lip. “It is not like her to be this late for a meal.”
Feigning ignorance, Eric shoved a large forkful of eggs into his mouth.
“I believe she took a walk in the garden early this morning,” Alexander said. “Apparently, she caught a chill. One of the footmen told me that her maid asked to have warm water sent up for a bath.”
“That girl and her walks.” Emily rolled her eyes. “’Tis as cold as the dickens out there.”
“Hmm?” The marquess’s brow furrowed. “I had water sent up for you, son. Cold water would freeze the devil’s bollocks today. Were you able to take your restorative soak even though the water was warm?”
Eric choked on the bacon he’d just taken a bite of. As he sputtered and coughed, the three individuals sitting around the table sat forward, their eyes wide. A footman charged forward as if he meant to dislodge the meat from Eric’s throat.
Eric composed himself and held up a staying palm. “I’m fine.”
“Such language at the table, Father.” Alexander scowled. “Forgive him Stone. I’d blame his age, but he’s always been like this.”
Chesterhill chuckled. “How was the bath, son?”
Luckily, Eric was saved from having to respond to Chesterhill’s question because Juliet sashayed into the room, bringing with her the palpable joy she radiated like a second skin.
Her hair had been restyled in a fetching fashion—long in the back and pinned up with sparkly hairpins on the sides.
Her sapphire-blue dress was loose in the bosom and landed mid-ankle.
Borrowed, Eric wagered. She wore her walking boots instead of the too-small slippers.
Despite the imperfect clothing, Juliet was, as usual, breathtaking.
“Good morning,” she said, her voice as cheery as her smile.
Emily rose and bussed Juliet’s cheek.
As the ladies surveyed the platters on the sideboard, the men ate in companionable silence. Fortunately, this gave Eric time to devise a diversion in case the marquess brought up the bath water again. Pretending to be an oaf and knocking his overloaded plate onto the floor should do the trick.
Luckily, it was the ladies who, upon returning to the table, broke the quietude with no mention of water, tubs, or bathing chambers.
“What shall we do this afternoon?” Emily asked.
As long as he got to spend time with Juliet during the day and was free to sneak to her chamber later that evening, Eric didn’t care what the plan was.
“I dare say, it might be too cold for a constitutional,” Alexander said.
“Agreed.” Emily waggled a finger at her sister.
Appearing undaunted by the gentle reprimand, Juliet shrugged. “’Tis cold right now, but the sun is bright. Mayhap it will warm up by late afternoon.”
Her optimism was just another superior quality that drew him to Juliet.
Emily wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “I vote for indoor diversions.”
While Alexander and Emily called out activities, Juliet caught Eric’s gaze and sent him a knowing smirk.
Now that he knew she favored his smile, he would beam at her every chance he got. He scanned the room. No one seemed to be paying attention to him, so he grinned and then winked at her. Her cheeks flamed scarlet. She placed her palm over her mouth as she quietly giggled.
The marquess cleared his throat, interrupting both the organizing and the flirting. “I’d like to talk business with Eric. Alexander, you should join us. After that, you young people are free to entertain yourselves.”
Sequestered with the man who’d sired, then abandoned him, didn’t sound nearly as enjoyable as leisurely time with the married couple and Juliet.
“You look terrified, son,” Chesterhill said. “Nothing to stress about. Just the matter of the gifts I promised you.”
They’d already discussed this, so the bloody aristocrat better not be reneging.
“As well as what I can do to support your boxing career,” Chesterhill added.
There was no denying that the stubborn old man was determined to make amends.
Meanwhile, Eric didn’t have it in him to fortify his boundaries.
Not with his mind on Juliet. He’d get the meeting over with so that he could enjoy her company without obligations hanging over his head.
However, he would not capitulate about everything.
While at the meeting, he would insist that from now on the marquess refrain from calling him “son.”
“Of course, sir,” Eric said.
“Perfect. Now you may return to planning your day.” Staring into the corner and wearing a dreamy expression, Chesterhill sipped his coffee.
Alexander and Emily turned the discussion back to the day’s agenda.
Eric lost track of everything but the crackling air ensconcing him as he and Juliet exchanged longing-filled glances.
He was so distracted by their secret communications that Emily’s unexpected gasp startled him.
It must have also surprised Juliet because her mouth opened wide, forming a perfectly shaped O.
A frowning Emily held a missive in her hand. Since it had not been there moments ago, Eric assumed the butler had delivered the message while he’d been otherwise engaged.
“Jules, did you ever send the letter to Mother and Father letting them know you are here?” Emily asked, her voice slightly squeaky.
Juliet paled.
“Is something amiss?” Chesterhill asked.
“Only an unmitigated disaster,” Emily said.
Juliet’s shoulders caved forward, and she seemed to shrink to half her size. Eric ached to comfort her, but instead he sat like a lobcock, trying to make sense of what was happening.
“Perhaps you had better read the message to us,” Alexander said.
Emily nodded. “’Tis from our mother.” Her hands quivered as she read:
“Dearest Emily,
Brace yourself, for I have rather shocking news. It pains me to inform you that Juliet was kidnapped by a masked man who roams London performing nefarious deeds. No one has heard from or seen her in days—”
Juliet dropped her forehead into her palms and moaned. Luckily, Eric managed to stifle his sounds of dismay.
Alexander rolled his index finger. “Go on, Kitten.”
Nodding, she continued, “Lord Riley spoke to your father. It seems that this deplorable masked man accosted Juliet when they were at the theatre. The horrifying encounter was so indecent and violent that the Dowager Countess Riley is inconsolable and has taken to her bed.
Our devoted Calvin said that this man, who is known as Knight Roamer, followed Juliet home when she snuck out for one of her early morning constitutionals.
That girl and her walks. This is why I have insisted for years that she have a chaperone.
Why, oh why does she persist in defying me?
Now look at what has happened. What will people say? We are ruined.
Armed mobs have taken to the streets searching for your sister. Lord Riley has offered a generous reward for Knight Roamer’s head. He will not rest until Juliet is safe and Knight Roamer is dead. What a heroic gentleman Lord Riley is!
You must come home at once and console me. I have yet to confess my greatest fears to your father, for I dare not think about what this blackguard has done to our golden girl.
Now, I must carry my vinaigrette with me everywhere. Every time I think about how your sister’s careless actions have ruined the Coldpepper name, dizziness overtakes me. What is to become of Maria? She will never make a suitable match after this.
I am crying too hard to write more.
Your Heartbroken Mother”
Emily laid the letter beside her plate and glared at Juliet. “Why did Esther insist on taking a letter into town a few days ago?”
As his heart pounded against his ribcage, Eric desperately sought Juliet’s gaze to no avail because she was staring at her plate, her skin the color of ash.
“I don’t understand,” Chesterhill said. “No one kidnapped Juliet. She is right here enjoying our morning meal.”
“Indeed,” Emily said. “And now an innocent man might die.”
Emily was correct. This was an “unmitigated disaster.” Although the mob would have a hard time murdering Knight Roamer since he was also “right here, enjoying our morning meal.”
“The contemptible villain hardly sounds innocent to me,” Chesterhill said. “However, he isn’t guilty of kidnapping Juliet.”
Juliet lifted her chin defiantly. “Mother always has her smelling salts with her. She can’t blame me for that. And Lord Riley is not heroic. He is an unprincipled coward. Knight Roamer is the hero. The letter I sent was to break my engagement.”
Riley was also a depraved malefactor. The worst of the worst. A devil whose soul was beyond redemption.
“Well, I suppose that is something,” Emily capitulated.
“There is an easy solution to this debacle,” Alexander said.
“Ladies, write to your parents and let them know that Juliet is safe and well, and that she was not abducted. While you are at it, tell them that she is not marrying that deplorable jackanape. They will be so relieved that she is safe that they might not care that she broke her engagement. If they still insist on the damnable match, Father and I shall meet with them to discuss the matter.”
From the things he’d heard the last few days, Eric doubted that father and son would convince the Coldpeppers of anything involving their daughter’s happiness. But that didn’t mean they shouldn’t try. Of course, he would also do everything in his power to help her.
“That poor innocent man.” Unshed tears glistened in Juliet’s eyes. “He was simply trying to help me.”
Unfortunately, now Eric had to tell her of Knight Roamer’s true identity so that guilt and worry didn’t destroy her joyful nature. And he needed to do it before this ended in a shite storm of a catastrophe.
Juliet stood. “Please excuse me.” She turned and fled from the room.
Emily tossed her serviette onto the table. “Pardon me.” She rushed after her sister.
Chesterhill sighed. “Coldpepper is a good man, but he has his hands full with his cantankerous wife and three spirited, albeit lovely, daughters. I’m glad that Charlotte was not as feisty and diffi…
Well, bloody hell.” He winced. “Daughters. I dare say the more spirited the chit is, the more she wraps herself around your heart.”
“Excuse me.” Eric pushed his chair away from the table and stood.
Chesterhill waved a dismissive wrist. “I’m sure this will all work out. Coldpepper will not insist on the marriage in the end. No father can deny a daughter her wishes. Let the sisters talk and write their letter. Meanwhile, this is the perfect time for us to discuss our business.”
This was the worst possible time to have their meeting because Eric needed to confide the rest of his secrets to Juliet—immediately.
Alexander approached from behind and clapped Eric on the back. “Let’s head to the study, Stone. Afterwards, we can check on the ladies.”
Pushing aside what his conscience was telling him to do; Eric begrudgingly followed the men.