Chapter 8
Lily sat quietly by the drawing room window, staring out at the blooming gardens as she awaited their guests along with her aunt and mama. The pit of her stomach coiled nervously as she thought of the rumors that were beginning to gain more traction by the day.
What am I to do?
Just that morning, her mother had received a letter from her father stating that they needed to hurry and find a match for Lily.
Her pulse raced a little with anxiety as she wondered whom she would be forced to marry.
Would the man be as horrid as Lord Gall, or would she find someone agreeable who would allow her to be herself?
“The guests have arrived, my lady,” the butler announced from the doorway, addressing Lily’s aunt before disappearing again.
Feeling her heart jolt, Lily turned to the rest of the room.
Julian.
She felt her breath catching a little as she looked around the neatly decorated room with its pastel pinks and light greens.
The man would have made an agreeable husband if he were on the marriage market.
At least with him by her side, she would have been afforded the protection of his title, along with his fierce sense of propriety.
Heat crept up the back of her neck as she recalled the way he had defended her honor and punched out Lord Gall. He had been so dashing in his mask with his slightly messy hair blowing in the breeze. If anything, she had to admit to herself that she did not find his appearance disagreeable at all.
“Lord Barnard.” Lily’s aunt came to her feet, drawing Lily’s attention away from her own thoughts.
Julian entered the drawing room with his mother and sister in tow, his eyes landing on Lily first as she seemed to take her in before turning to her aunt and mother.
“Thank you for your invitation, Lady Brewster.” He bowed respectfully to the older women before inclining his head in Lily’s direction. “Miss Prescott.”
A second wave of heat spread over her skin, kissing her cheeks as she curtsied. His eyes took in the light blue dress that her mother had chosen to bring out her eyes before moving to the plaited bun at the back of her head and finally stopping on her face.
What is he thinking?
He was far more handsome than she had recalled, with his hazel eyes appearing more green against the blue of his navy coat.
“Shall we all be seated then?” Aunt Margaret asked and gestured for the group to come in.
Lily quickly shook her head and cleared her throat, making her way to a settee in the middle of the room. Had she missed the rest of the greetings? Her eyes quickly wandered to his younger sister and mother, who seemed to exchange a knowing look while the faintest of smiles played on their lips.
She felt a little sheepish for allowing herself to be so distracted, but she chalked it up to the scandal with Oliver that was still prevalent at the back of her mind.
“Shall we start with tea? Dinner will be served shortly, but I think we do have some time for tea and possibly a walk. That is, if everyone is up to it.” Aunt Margaret took her seat beside her sister, smiling knowingly at Lily as she gestured for the butler to bring in the tea.
Can she be more obvious?
Lily fought the urge to roll her eyes, knowing exactly what her mother and aunt were up to.
They had gotten it in their heads that a simple walk in the gardens would be all it took to convince the viscount that he needed to marry her.
Lily, however, was less convinced and knew that their efforts were futile.
“I doubt that there will be time, Aunt Margaret,” Lily said, unable to suppress her outspoken nature.
Her mother forced a stiff laugh while glancing around the room. “Of course, there will be time, Lily, darling, do not be silly. She is ever such a worrier when it comes to keeping to a schedule.”
Groaning inwardly, Lily accepted the cup of tea held to her by the butler and stole a glance in the direction of Julian.
His eyes seemed fixed on her, and she felt a wave of frustration at not being able to ask him what he was thinking.
“I think a walk in the gardens would be lovely, although I must agree with Miss Prescott that I loathe being tardy,” Juliette added politely, offering Lily a kind smile that warmed Lily’s heart.
A moment of kinship passed between them, and Lily found herself hoping that she and Juliette would be friends.
Their mother spoke up next, and Lily found herself pausing with the cup lifted to her lips. “I hear that congratulations are in order, Miss Prescott. You must be so happy to be engaged?”
“Engaged?” Lily lowered the cup, her voice barely above a whisper.
Had the news of Oliver reached their ears? And if so, why did they still think that she was engaged? Was he telling everyone that the marriage was still going ahead? Her pulse raced with a mixture of anger and confusion.
Coming to her rescue, her aunt spoke up. “Thank you, Mrs. Sinclair, but I can assure you that our Lily is not engaged. In fact, she has come to London to find herself a husband,” she announced proudly.
Her pulse shuddered again as she glanced at Julian, his expression unreadable. Why would it matter to him in any case when he was already engaged to marry Miss Everet? She felt her body tensing again when the conversation continued.
“My apologies, Miss Prescott, it would seem that I have been misinformed. I wish you all the best this Season.” Julian’s mother lifted her cup slightly as if she were toasting before taking a sip.
The entirety of the conversation made Lily uneasy, but she found herself liking Juliette even more when she provided a distraction.
“I can understand your reservations about being late, Miss Prescott, but I would so love it if you would show me around the gardens before dinner.” She offered another warm smile of reassurance.
“It is settled then,” Her mother spoke up before Lily could respond. “There shall be a walk in the gardens as soon as we are done with our tea.”
The fact that she had not mentioned who would be walking in the gardens did not go unnoticed by Lily.
***
“I am afraid that we have been the victims of a plot, Miss Prescot.” Julian placed his hands behind his back and strolled along beside her.
Stealing a glance at his face, Lily attempted to ascertain what he was thinking, but once again found herself at a loss. His handsome features never gave anything away, and she wondered if he had taught himself that skill or if it had always been part of his nature.
“I am afraid that you are right, my lord. Subtlety has never been a strong quality when it comes to my mother and aunt.” She turned her focus ahead of them and watched his sister while pulling her light blue shawl tighter around her shoulders.
Why does my heart beat like this?
She took a deep breath, keeping her gaze on the path ahead of her as she chalked the reaction up to nerves. There was something about him that made her pulse race whenever she looked at him. He was devilishly handsome, more handsome than a man had a right to be.
The spring sun shone down on them despite the slight chill in the air, a reminder of things past, even with the promise of newness ahead.
Juliette walked ahead of them, leaving enough space between her and them for a private conversation. It was puzzling to Lily that his mother and sister seemed to be in agreement with thrusting them together when Julian was already engaged.
“Do you miss America, Miss Prescott?” His question drew her attention back to their own conversation.
Swallowing hard, she frowned slightly as she looked at the green grass beneath her shoes. It was still not clear to her if Julian knew of her past or not. “I miss the flowers,” she said without thinking.
“Any flowers in particular?” he asked, his voice carrying a tone of intrigue.
Allowing a slight smile to touch her lips, Lily looked ahead as they walked.
The sweet scent of early spring hung in the air, igniting the images in her mind.
“One in particular, the cardinal flower. I also enjoy a small variety of flowers known as Rocky Mountain Columbines, but red cardinals are my favorite.”
She stole a glance in his direction, noting the slight smile on his lips that spread to his eyes.
“I cannot say that I am familiar with any of those. Can you describe the cardinal flower?” He seemed genuinely curious, making Lily wonder if he had an affinity for botany.
“It is not a usual flower in the sense that most people like roses.” A pang of regret seared through her chest as she recalled all of the roses that Oliver had given her.
She had mentioned to him that she loved the red cardinal flower, but he had never listened.
“It has a long stalk with many petals, almost like butterfly wings when they land on a flower.”
Julian nodded, the slightest of smiles tugging at the corner of his mouth. “That does sound lovely. I cannot say that I have ever seen one, but I am certain that a specialty shop, or perhaps even a botanist, would have some.”
The notion made Lily pause slightly as she wondered if there was a gentler side to the man after all. “Thank you, my lord, I shall be sure to ask. Do you have a favorite flower?” She regretted her briskness when they had danced, making a note to apologize to him if the matter ever came up.
He seemed thoughtful for a moment as he chewed the inside of his cheek. “I would have to say that I have always admired bluebells; it is rather impressive how they look like bells.”
“Bluebells?” Lily chuckled despite herself, relaxing a little in his company.
Why was I so nervous?
She began to enjoy his presence and the deep baritone of his voice. There was something utterly manly about the way he spoke and presented himself, yet the hint of gentleness was apparent whenever they were alone.
A light breeze picked up and blew over them, carrying the scent from his coat.
He smells like old books and tobacco.
Lily inhaled deeply, shutting her eyes for just a second as she became lost in the scent.
“Oh yes, they are very impressively bell-shaped. The name leaves nothing to the imagination, and I like that,” he said decisively.
Shaking her head, Lily looked ahead of them, breathing more easily in his presence.
“I hope you do not mind me asking, Miss Prescott, but is it your mother and aunt who wish you to marry, or do you hope for a husband as well?” The question caught her off guard as she sucked in a breath.
“I…” she stammered at first, but found her outspoken nature taking over again. “My mother does want it more than I do, I must confess. If I had things my way, I would not marry so soon.”
Her answer seemed to placate him as he nodded. “And what is it that you want?” The question startled her more than the first, but she quickly composed herself.
“I want to be free, unburdened by the expectations of others. In short, I wish to be myself, nothing more, and nothing less…” She breathed the last word as she emphasized it.
Pausing for a moment, Julian seemed as if he wanted to say more, but simply nodded again and walked on.
A comfortable silence settled between them, and Lily found herself completely at ease, wanting to know more about him. If nothing else, it would be nice to have another friend she could rely on. “And I hear that congratulations are in order for you and Miss Everet. Have you known each other long?”
He stopped fully this time and frowned as he looked at her. “Miss Evert and I…” His words trailed off as a young man wearing a tweed jacket and stained breeches came running toward them.
“Miss Prescott, you must come at once!” The young man yelled before even reaching them.
“Who is that?” Julian stepped forward, protectively placing an arm in front of her as if it were a shield.
“It is the stable hand.” Lily’s heart began to race as he drew nearer.
The fear in his voice was palpable as he looked at her with wide eyes before bending over and bracing his hands on his knees. “It is Ecclesia… Miss… Prescott.” He explained breathlessly with sweat beading his brow.
Placing a hand on Julian’s arm, Lily gently pushed it aside and came forward. “Has something happened to her?” Lily asked and raised a hand to her chest. She could feel the color draining from her cheeks as her heart skipped a beat.
The stable hand quickly nodded. “We have tried… everything, but I am afraid she is not doing too well.” He came up straight again despite his labored breaths. Even beneath his cap, Lily could see that his hair was matted from sweat.
“Oh, Lord, please no,” Lily gasped and began to move forward, but found herself being held back by a strong hand. “Go, I shall be there in a moment.” She said to the young man before turning to Julian.
His brow was furrowed with concern as she searched her face. “What has happened? Who is Ecclesia?”
Juliette joined them, her eyes filled with concern as she looked from one to the other. “What has happened?”
Lily held back her tears as she fought for breath. “Ecclesia is my favorite horse. Something has happened, and I must attend to her at once.” She felt a hot tear spilling from her eye despite her best efforts.
“I see,” Julian said firmly as he clenched his jaw. His hand remained firmly on her elbow as he addressed his sister. “Run back to the house and tell them that assistance may be needed in the stables.”
Juliette nodded without complaint and set off toward the house at a run.
Turning back to Lily, Julian let go of her elbow. “I shall go with you. Lead the way.”
Lily did not need a second prompting as he turned from him and set off at a run, lifting her hem as she went.
They ran over the grass and through the gardens, closing the distance between them and the stables in no time at all.
“Ecclesia!” Lily wailed as she entered the stables and spotted her horse lying on its side in the middle of the walkway.
Several horses around them neighed in fright as she and Julian shot past, but she did not care as she fell to her knees at the horse’s side. “What happened!?” She sobbed.
The stall hand shook his head almost tearfully as he placed his weight on the weight mare when she began to wretch.
“I do not know, ma’am. I am here alone, and I have done everything I knew how.
Mr. Heady will be back soon, but I do not think she will make it that long! ” His voice was filled with panic.
“Oh no!” Lily leaned forward and began to examine the mare’s stiff neck as she kicked her hooves.
She is choking…
Full-bodied panic set in, and Lily froze as white foam began to froth from the horse’s mouth. She knew exactly what needed to be done, but not a single muscle in her body wanted to comply with her thoughts.
Ecclesia’s body began to convulse as she fought for air, yet Lily sat back on her haunches, watching in pure shock as her beloved mare choked.