Chapter 18 #2
Because he watched them closely, Lyness saw when Lady Juniper’s hand tightened on her husband’s arm, her smile small but unmistakably genuine. “How kind of them. Thank you, ladies. I will pass your concern to my sister-in-law.”
“Yes. Very kind of you both.” Jack’s jaw flexed. “A private conversation, if you please, Eastwood? A family conversation.”
Lyness inclined his head. “Of course.”
Mrs. Holly, who had been drinking in every second, seemed to suddenly remember she had other guests to annoy and scurried off, fan fluttering wildly. Mrs. Rothingham wrinkled her nose at them, but then went on her own way, too.
With a lighter heart now that the most difficult part was done, Lyness took one step forward before his mother caught his sleeve.
“Lyness,” she whispered fiercely, “what have you done?”
He covered her hand with his own, his voice low and steady. “Something necessary, Mother.”
Her eyes searched his face while her own wore confusion, worry, and then, slowly, maternal understanding softened her features. She gave one short nod and stepped back. “I must have that conversation about the Leeds gardener. Do send for me if you need anything at all, Lyness.”
“Thank you.” He squeezed her hand before letting her go to pursue more pleasant conversation.
Doubtless, she worried still, but she also seemed to understand there was a great deal at play.
And she had been ready to defend Lady Emily herself.
That she trusted Lyness to handle it gave him leave to relax a little more.
He fell into step with Jack and Lady Juniper, on the lady’s free side, as they went toward an area in the garden tucked behind a hedge, away from the tables and amusements, where few people stood.
Juniper spoke quietly as they crunched along on the gravel path, barely loud enough for the men to hear. “If you truly care for her, Mr. Eastwood, this is the moment to be brave.”
He did not falter in step or mind. Certainly, not in his heart. “And so I shall strive to be, my lady.”
And then they stood out of sight of most, in as much privacy as could be found at present, where their private reckoning began, and where he defended not only his plan or Emily’s name, but the fragile, powerful hope he had carried for her since the moment he knew was falling in love with her.
Emily had never disliked sunlight before, but the thin beam spilling across the carpet and onto her pillow felt as though it had arrived with opinions. None of them helpful. The sun was far too bright and too awake that afternoon.
Unlike her.
She shifted slightly, wincing when her head throbbed, and realized someone had place a damp cloth on her forehead. The scent of lavender clung to it. Juniper’s doing, surely.
A soft rustle sounded nearby, and then Juniper’s voice, gentle but certainly alert, reached her. “Emily? Are you all right, darling?”
Emily forced her head to turn toward the light. “I cannot tell at present.”
Juniper was at her side in a moment, blocking the offending sunlight and smoothing the blanket. She also inspected Emily closely, as though looking for evidence of her health upon her face. “How do you feel?”
Emily swallowed. “As though I was trampled by a horse, then dragged behind it for several miles.”
Juniper pressed her lips together, eyes dancing even as she winced. “The doctor said the headache would linger. And the dryness. I suppose we cannot be surprised, then. But you are home and safe.”
Safe. How fragile the word felt.
Emily tried to sit up, and Juniper supported her by quickly adjusting pillows behind her back. “Slowly, dearest.”
The room swam with less violence than the night before. She breathed carefully until the dizziness subsided. “What time is it?” she asked, knowing her room faced westward. “Have I slept the whole day away?”
“It is to be expected, given you did not sleep at all last night. It is a quarter past two.” Juniper moved away to fetch a cup of warm peppermint tea. As she handed it to Emily, she said, “There is something you must know. Something important.”
Emily’s stomach dropped. “Oh no. Did I do something strange because of that horrible drink? Was I terribly ill-mannered? Did I cause a scene?”
Jack’s voice came from the doorway. “No. But someone else created one.”
With a sharp turn, Juniper gave him a look full of warning. “Jack, not like that.”
Clutching her blanket, Emily tried to ignore the prickle beneath her skin. “What has happened? Please, Jack. Tell me.”
His face was unreadable as he stepped fully into the room, but his shoulders held tension she rarely saw. He cleared his throat. “Emily…you are engaged to be married.”
Her mind went perfectly blank. She stared at him. Then at Juniper. Then back again.
“I beg your pardon?”
Juniper took her hand. “To Mr. Lyness Eastwood.”
The sensation of someone pouring cold water down her spine made her shiver. Lyness Eastwood. Not his brother. Lyness.
The memory fluttered at the edge of her mind—dancing with him, his patience and steadiness, the warmth of his hand against hers.
Then everything blurred after the lemonade.
Like a story someone had half-erased. But Lyness had hurt her the night before, at his home, had he not?
He avoided looking at her and speaking to her, even though everyone else hovered and asked after her health, he stood apart.
“Engaged?” Emily whispered. The word felt foreign on her tongue. “But…how? I do not recall speaking to him about such a thing. Or to anyone else. We were not even courting.”
“No. He did not speak to anyone about it either. Until he made the announcement.” Jack grimaced. “He declared it this morning at Lady Lockwood’s garden party.”
Juniper added quickly, “To stop the gossip from harming you. It was already spreading. The implication that you had slipped into the night with Lord Hartwell was circulating. As we feared it would.”
“We? But no one told me…” No one should have needed to tell her, Emily realized.
She had been so shocked by the events of the night before, so foggy from the laudanum, so exhausted from the ordeal, that she did not once think of the repercussions to the evening.
Emily pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. “Oh no.”
“It is all right, Emily. Take a deep breath in. Slowly.” Juniper squeezed her fingers. “Mr. Eastwood acted to protect you. Truly, your brother discussed the possibility of such a thing last evening. With both Lord Hartwell and Mr. Eastwood.”
Folding his arms, Jack said with a deep frown, “This is not exactly what we decided upon, however.”
Emily’s thoughts stayed on what Juniper was saying rather than her brother’s complaints. “Protect me? But how could he…? Without asking? Why did no one speak to me of this first?”
“We thought it best not to worry you while you recovered.” Jack said, and when she turned to look at him, unable to say a word for the hurt she felt, he shifted uncomfortably.
“It was for the best, Emily. You were not in a position to make any decisions. And now Mr. Eastwood is downstairs. He asked to speak with you as soon as you woke.”
Her heart stumbled over itself. “He is here? To see me?”
“Yes,” Juniper said softly. “And he is terribly concerned for you.” Juniper rose, slowly. “If you are unable to speak to him, I will send him away. If you would like, I can help you dress, too. But you deserve to hear the explanation from him directly, Emily. As soon as possible”
Emily tried to gather her thoughts, but they scattered like startled birds as she realized both her brother and sister-in-law waited upon her decision. She pointed to the door. “Out, Jack. I need to dress.”
He gave a stiff nod, touched his wife’s shoulder briefly, and left.
The ladies wasted no time in getting Emily out of her night things and into a comfortable day dress. It was not the stunning gown she would prefer to greet the news of an engagement in, but given the circumstances, speed was a higher priority than her appearance.
“What did Jack mean,” she said as Juniper fastened her gown at the back, “that this is not what they decided upon? They, who? You? Him? The other men?”
“Lord Hartwell, Mr. Eastwood, and your brother spoke at length last evening,” Juniper explained as she finished tying up the ribbons at the back of the gown.
Then she gestured for Emily to sit. They needed to put her hair up.
“They were concerned about your reputation. I was only told this before the garden party, but they decided amongst themselves that Lord Hartwell would marry you to preserve your honor. Really, I should not tell you more. But I do think things have worked out better than one could expect.” Juniper pulled pieces of Emily’s braided hair this way and that, until it looked less like she’d slept in it and more like it was a deliberate style for an afternoon at home. “That is the best we can do for haste.”
Standing, Emily smoothed her gown and went toward the door, but Juniper hurried to catch her with a hand on her arm.
“Listen to me carefully, Emily. Before you go in there to speak to Mr. Eastwood.”
Turning, Emily looked into her sister-in-law’s eyes. “I truly hope you are about to impart something miraculous to me, Juniper. I cannot tell you how addled my mind is, and I feel as though I am being tossed about in the wind.”
Without hesitation, Juniper folded Emily up in her arms, embracing her with a gentleness that made tears prickle at Emily’s eyes.
“If I could undo everything that happened last evening, I might well try. But we are here now, and the most important thing for you to remember, my dear, is that we love you. Your family. Your brother. Me. You did nothing wrong, and we know that. My advice to you now is that you listen to what Mr. Eastwood has to say, and then you decide what it is you want. Please. Do not think of anything other than your future happiness. If you cannot bear to think of the future he offers, then tell me so. We will find another way.”