Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
At the same time as the Duke was poring over his sea of documents, Julia and Poppy were spending their morning outside with many of the other guests, soaking up the glorious sunshine.
Three days. That was all that remained of the party, and of her uncle's patience, and of whatever window of opportunity the arrangement with Leander was supposed to produce.
Julia tipped her face toward the warmth and told herself that three days was enough.
It had to be. She had managed entire Seasons of her father's chaos on considerably less.
Around the back of the orangery, where their aunt was busy chatting with the ladies from her bridge club, there was a winding path that led through a small courtyard, past a vast hedge maze, and into a little private garden area with a beautifully painted gazebo.
It was extremely far from the main house, which loomed in the distance, and both girls marveled at the extent of the estate, which would be impressive even for a country house, let alone one situated in the heart of London.
They had meandered down here quite by accident after deciding to take a break from the gaggle of older ladies.
They now found themselves completely alone, separated by the orangery from the hubbub of the main garden.
Julia had brought her book outside, and Poppy sat in bliss with the sun on her face, enjoying soaking in the rays.
“Oh, Julia, wouldn’t it be just perfect to do this every morning?” she sighed. “Even at home, our gazebo was never like this, with the sunshine in just the right spot.”
Looking up from her book for a moment, Julia felt a pang of sadness for the home they would never see again.
In all the madness and chaos that had happened since they’d left for London, she hadn’t thought much about their house.
She supposed it probably had new residents now; she wondered if they’d kept all the servants on and if they’d left the garden the way she had always tended it.
She wondered if they had children. Would those children play in the same spots she and Poppy had?
Would they sit in the gazebo and draw together, laughing until the sun set?
Poppy seemed to notice she’d brought the mood down. “I’m sorry, Julia. I didn’t mean to complain. Our home was wonderful.”
“No, you’re right.” Julia smiled faintly. “The sun never did quite hit the right spot. Perhaps if we’d had a full-time gardener, he could have moved the gazebo for us. We never thought to ask Father when we were young.”
“Do you think he would have done it?”
Julia shrugged. “I never could predict what he was going to do. One day he’d be as kind as anything, promising us the world, and the next he would be gone, out drinking until late into the night and having forgotten everything that he’d said the day before.
But if you had asked him, Poppy, I think he would have moved the gazebo. You were always his favorite.”
Poppy smiled sadly. “That doesn’t count for much now, it seems. I wonder if the new family will move it.”
“Perhaps one day we’ll go and see,” Julia comforted her. “Wouldn’t that be nice? I’m sure they wouldn’t mind us going to take a look around our old haunts. We can comment on all the changes they’ve made to the furniture and see if our childhood secrets are still hidden away in the garden.”
“I’d like that very much.” Poppy squeezed her hand, then sighed again. “For now, I just want to enjoy this moment. Just the two of us, like it always was, before we have to go back to the party again.”
“At least the Burbanks aren’t there anymore,” Julia replied. “Dinner tonight will be a marked improvement without Miss Burbank staring daggers at me from down the table.”
“Do you know why they left?” Poppy asked curiously. “Everyone seems to have a different opinion.”
Julia had an inkling, but she wasn’t going to share it with her sister, because that would mean admitting she’d spent time alone with the Duke after the mishap in the parlor.
She felt a bit guilty after having agreed not to keep any more secrets, but this was a little different.
It wasn’t Poppy’s secret to share, nor, really, would she be able to properly explain herself.
Everything that had happened last night felt like some sort of dream in a bubble, something private to just herself and the Duke, and she wouldn’t even know how to begin to formulate that to someone else.
She chose to just shake her head mutely, not trusting her words to come out in the right order.
“Oh, and you know what everyone else is talking about this morning?” Poppy nudged her, a playful smile dancing across her face. “You and the Duke.”
Julia sat up, startled. “What about us?”
“Your courtship,” her sister clarified, and Julia relaxed. “It seems like your plan is working; it’s all anyone is discussing besides the departure of the Burbanks. Hopefully, it means Father will catch wind of it soon!”
“I think he may already know,” Julia said, and took out the note that she’d kept carefully tucked away in the folds of her dress. “I found this on the windowsill last night.”
Poppy read it and her eyes widened. “You didn’t tell me about this! Father sent you a message?”
“Keep your voice down,” Julia urged, scanning the garden for signs of any rogue passersby. “I still don’t know what to do about it. The only reason he’s contacting me has to be because of the Duke.”
“Surely you should go to meet him?” Poppy queried.
Julia shook her head. “I don’t know if that’s a promising idea. I’d have to sneak off alone, and the Duke might wonder where I’m going. Not only that, but he expects me to share Father’s location with him. I feel like I’m betraying someone’s trust either way. I really don’t know what to do.”
Poppy looked at her sympathetically, handing the note back. “Follow your conscience, Julia. It’s always led you right so far.”
“That’s the problem. I just don’t know what it’s saying this time.”
“Well, give it some time,” her sister replied. “Maybe things will become clearer in a day or two. I say! Is that a small boy over there?”
Her sudden exclamation caused Julia to turn and look, and sure enough, there seemed to be an incredibly young boy - too young to be left alone - tottering around next to the corner of the hedge maze.
He looked dirty and ruffled, not unlike most young boys his age who had been out to play, but even from this distance, she could see a scrape on his knee.
He seemed to be disoriented, looking around for help.
“Excuse me!” Poppy called, hurrying over towards him. Julia quickly followed suit. “Are you alright? Do you need help?”
The boy saw them approaching and promptly burst into tears. “I’m l- l- lost! I can’t find Papa!”
“Oh, it’s alright.” Julia knelt down beside him and brushed some of the dirt and leaves from his clothing. “We’ll help you find him. What’s your name?”
“Benjamin,” he sniffed.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Julia, and this is Poppy. You’re going to be fine, Benjamin.” She turned to her sister. “Poppy, could you go and check at the party to see if you can find his parents?”
“I don’t have p-parents,” the boy sobbed. “Just Papa. And Uncle Leander.”
“Uncle Le-” Julia’s brain short-circuited for a moment. “You mean the Duke? Is he your uncle?” She hadn’t known that the Duke of Pridewell had any siblings. Then again, she supposed, she didn’t know very much about his life at all.
“I’ll bring him here,” Poppy offered, then hurried off and left Julia with the crying boy.
Julia sat down on the grass and offered for the little boy to sit down with her. “You’ve hurt your knee.”
“It happened when I f-f-fell,” he explained, his sniffles subsiding a little as he spoke.
“I was playing hide-and-seek with Papa. I hid up a tree, and then he went away to look for me, but he didn’t come back.
I couldn’t get down, and then I fell. I tried to look for him, but I couldn’t find him anywhere. ”
“Oh dear,” Julia commiserated. “Well, let me take a look at it.” She inspected the scrape but couldn’t see any evidence of lasting injury. “I think it’ll be okay after a little bit. We’ll find your uncle, and he’ll bring you back to your papa, and everything will be fine.”
“You’re nice,” the boy sniffed. “I’ve seen you with Uncle Leander.”
“Yes, we’re - friends.”
“I like Uncle Leander.” Benjamin seemed to have forgotten about crying now, his tears almost completely gone.
“He always brings me the best sweets from far away. And he lifts me really high into the air, and I pretend I’m flying.
I love it when we stay here at his big house, and he lets me explore every room, even though Papa says I shouldn’t. ”
“You stay here often, then?” Julia asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
The boy seemed to be remarkably comfortable talking about the Duke, which surprised her.
Based on his normal demeanor, she hadn’t expected him to be particularly fond of children.
The more she learned about the Duke, the more mysterious and contradictory he somehow became.
“Yes,” the boy said proudly. “Uncle Leander says I’m his favorite, and I’m allowed to stay any time I like.”
Julia wondered who Benjamin’s father was to enjoy such privilege with such a quiet and private person. A close brother or sister?