Chapter 1
White’s, London
One year later…
Milton Sutton, Earl of Langley, strode through the doors of White’s after a year’s absence.
To be on solid ground and not standing on the swaying boards of a ship was a welcome change.
He handed his cloak to a servant, took a brandy from the tray of another, and scanned the tables for his friends.
Taking a sip of his drink, he finally spotted them sitting near the hearth and began to make his way in their direction.
Most were all too familiar faces from the days of his youth.
Frederick Maddox, Viscount Beacham, and Digby, Viscount Osgood, were both happily married long before Milton had left on business for his father.
That Richard Cranfield had wed shouldn’t have surprised him either, since it was inevitable they all must do so at some point in their lives, so their titles would go on with their heirs.
The Chadwick brothers were laughing at something Milton couldn’t yet hear.
George looked resplendent, as was his usual custom when it came to his clothes.
His older brother David, who was in line to inherit the duchy, was far more relaxed.
George had managed to get his brother from his country estate, which must have taken a miracle.
The other gentleman seated with them looked familiar, but he couldn’t place the name.
Viscount… something. Milton really had been gone a long time.
He approached the group of friends with a welcoming smile. “Seems like some things never change,” he murmured in greeting.
“Are my eyes deceiving me or has our long-lost friend finally decide to return from his journeys?” Richard joked lifting his glass in a silent toast toward Milton.
“Milton!” George chimed in. “It’s good to see you. Thought maybe you forgot where to find home.”
Milton shrugged good naturedly. “As if I could forget.”
Digby took a sip of his drink. “What’s it been? A year at least?” he asked.
“More or less,” Milton answered with a nod.
Frederick waved to the empty space. “Pull up a chair and join us. There have been lots of changes since you’ve been gone.”
Milton lifted a brow. “I’ve read from the correspondence that reached me that Richard is now married. What else have I missed?”
George happily clapped his hands. “Richard’s little sister is finally engaged to this fine gent,” he proclaimed with a grin before he gave the man seated next to him a good slap to his shoulder. “We’re all very happy for them.”
The chair Milton was pulling over rattled on the floor and he took a firmer grip on it before it tipped over.
George seemed unaware of how uncomfortable Milton had become, and the men around him were absorbed in their drinks.
Milton finally sat, afraid his legs might buckle from such news.
He had hoped… no… he should have never held out hope that Josephine was still unwed.
“Nothing has been made official,” the gentleman stated, looking toward Richard.
Richard cleared his throat. “As Frederick mentioned, you’ve missed a great deal. This is Philip, Viscount Upton, who has been escorting Josephine to events this Season. Philip, meet Lord Langley.”
Philip nodded. “A pleasure.”
Milton acknowledged the man, but his focus was on Richard. Bloody hell! He really had been gone too long, if Josephine was to possibly marry.
David stood. “Perhaps we should give Richard and Milton time to catch up. I for one wouldn’t mind a game of billiards. Does anyone care to join me?”
The men agreed, and after their friends left, including Philip, Milton turned his angry gaze to Richard. “Why didn’t you write me of such news?”
“And where exactly was I to send such a message?” Richard snapped.
“The last letter I received months ago stated you were getting ready to leave the Americas and would be sailing to France. How was I to know when you would arrive back in England or if you were still at sea? Besides, who Josephine sees isn’t any concern of yours.
You told me you couldn’t ask for her hand when I confronted you before you left. ”
“That didn’t mean I didn’t still care for her,” he fumed as he relived his last encounter with Josephine, as he had every night since he left England’s shores.
He couldn’t have offered for the lady, not when his family was facing complete financial ruin.
Milton glanced at his best friend, knowing he had even kept the truth hidden from Richard and the rest of his friends.
His pride kept him from revealing to them and Josephine the full truth of the matter and why he would be gone for at least a year.
He had been desperate to save his family fortune and vowed he wouldn’t return until he had done so.
Richard gave him a grim look. “Then you should have made your intentions known and done something about it. She’s now practically spoken for, Milton. Be happy for her.”
Silence stretched between them. “Does she love him?” Milton asked softly, though his heart was breaking all over again at the thought of losing Josephine so completely.
Richard arched one brow before he finally answered. “They are… well suited for one another.”
Milton frowned. “But does she love him?” he repeated.
Richard sighed heavily. “To be honest, I don’t believe Josephine is capable of loving someone again. The last time she gave away her heart, she became completely broken. She never really recovered.”
Such a statement told Milton much, and he hated that he was the cause of Josephine’s broken heart. “You knew I had to leave from the little I told you. My father’s estate depended on me to keep it afloat.”
Richard lifted his glass to his lips and drank. “You made your decisions that were in the best interest of your family. Josephine is about to make hers.”
“Then there’s still hope I can make amends,” Milton replied, thinking that perhaps if he could just talk to Richard’s sister, then he could persuade her to not marry anyone else but him.
Richard leaned forward in his chair and pointed a finger at him. “I won’t have you opening old wounds, Milton. She barely survived your rejection of her last year. Let the past stay where it belongs and let her move on.”
Milton swiped a hand over his eyes. “I can’t.”
“Whyever not?” Richard asked with a scowl.
Surely his face betrayed his feelings for Josephine, but he still voiced his thoughts aloud. “Because I still love her.”
“Bloody hell, Milton,” Richard swore before sitting back in his chair, clearly frustrated by their conversation.
“I know… if I could just talk to her. Maybe then, I can begin to mend the rift between us.”
Richard shook his head. “It’s more than just a disagreement you had with her, my friend. You left a hole in her heart that is as wide as the ocean.”
“And I’m certain that a lot of groveling on my part will be required,” Milton declared before pressing onward. “Where is she?”
Richard gave another heavy sigh before he finally answered.
“Still here in London, but not for long. She will be traveling soon to Brighton with our distant cousin Julia Elford as her chaperone. She’s to meet Philip’s family who reside there.
Josephine will be staying at Julia’s townhouse.
They’ve been waiting for word that it has been readied for them to arrive before they left. ”
“Then Upton hasn’t formally asked for her hand in marriage?” He hated to ask but still held his breath, hoping Richard had yet to give his blessing.
“No, but I expect him to do so before he leaves for Brighton by the end of the week. You may still have time to convince her. Otherwise, you’d best be prepared to open your own place in the countryside so you can be near at hand to do… as you said… grovel at her feet.”
“Then you wouldn’t object to Josephine becoming my wife?”
Richard smirked. “You’re one of my best friends, Milton, but before I give you my blessing, you need to convince Josephine of your intentions. She’s very bitter, with good reason, so you’d best be prepared to do whatever it takes to win her heart again.”
“She’s worth whatever I must do to earn her love.”
“Hurt her again, and you’ll answer to me. Understood?” Richard warned, but Milton could see he was pleased with the prospect of Milton winning over his sister.
“Understood. Shall we join our friends for a game or two?” Milton asked, while Richard stood.
The two men shook hands and went into the other room to join in a game. But Milton was already thinking of how he would handle his first meeting with Josephine, and if the lady would even allow him past the front door. There was only one way to find out.