Chapter 17
Julian waited at the foot of the stairs as he adjusted his cravat and fiddled with his cufflinks. He had been thrown by Eleanor’s sudden appearance at Redding Hall. Her father’s estate was nowhere near his own, and it would have taken her a very long time to walk from one to the other.
It seemed far too coincidental to him that she had just stumbled upon them. Yet there was nothing he could do without making a direct accusation, and that was something that required solid evidence.
His heart suddenly slammed against his ribs as he looked up and saw his wife standing at the head of the stairs.
She looked utterly breathtaking in her white silk gown with a silver sash and matching gloves.
Her blonde hair had been piled high in a bun of sorts that swooped to the side in a magnificent swirl.
He could hardly take his eyes off her when she descended the stairs and stopped right in front of him.
“I hope my appearance is pleasing to you, my lord?” She asked in a breathy voice as her cheeks filled with color.
Bowing low, he reached for her hand and pressed a kiss to the top. “You look beautiful,” he eventually found the words.
They had not said much to each other on the carriage ride from the estate, but it had only been because of Eleanor’s sudden appearance.
It had thrown him, especially during the ride when Lily had mentioned how kind Eleanor seemed.
He had struggled then, wondering if he should mention his suspicions or not, but he had decided to let the matter rest and keep a closer eye on events.
“Shall we?” He held out his arm, enjoying the light blush on her cheeks as she accepted. He had wanted to kiss her in the nursery at Redding Hall; there was no use denying it, but she had pulled back so quickly, he was worried that he had offended her.
An awkward silence settled between them again as they began to make their way to the front of the house, where the carriage was waiting. Things were not easy between them, but they seemed to be managing the navigation of the situation easily enough.
Julian helped her into the carriage and sat across from her, signaling for the driver to move on ahead.
The wheels jolted the carriage into motion as the horses began the steady clop of their hooves against the ground.
“Do you…” They both suddenly blurted out at the same time.
Smiling, Julian relaxed a little as he let out a breath.
She must be as nervous as I am.
“Go ahead,” he nodded to her, feeling relief set in.
Lily smiled nervously before speaking again. “How do you know His Grace, the Duke of Archibald?”
A bump in the road jostled Julian to the side, but he quickly steadied himself.
“We first met in the army, where he was a commander, but we recently bumped into each other again at the House of Lords. It was strange seeing the man in such a different setting, but then again, I think we are both fish out of water when there is no battle.”
“And his wife, the duchess? Have you met her before?” She wrung her hands together in her lap, hinting at the nervousness she was barely concealing.
The sight made Julian smile as it reminded him of her finer qualities. She was such a humble woman despite the wealth that her father had provided for her. “I am sure they will love you as much as I do. You need not worry.”
Her head snapped up at the words as her eyes grew wide.
I said love.
Panic gripped his chest as he fought to take the words back. “What I meant to say was, I am certain that they will think as highly of you as I do. Their Graces are known for their hospitality.”
Her shoulders relaxed a little as she forced a stiff smile. “Tell me about them, if you do not mind? It will put me at more ease if I know whom I shall be meeting.”
“Well, the duke is a rather boisterous man. You quickly find that he is very outspoken about his dislike for France and Spain. He has quite a few visible scars from battle, but do not allow that to throw you. He and his wife are good people at heart.” Julian explained as he recalled all the battles where they had encountered one another.
“That is a relief, I am looking forward to meeting everyone. I am still not certain about all the rules in society, but I shall endeavor to do my best this evening.” She swallowed hard before letting out a breath and running her tongue over her lips.
Her shoulders were still tense, and Julian could see that she was far more worried than she was willing to admit.
Leaning forward, he placed his hand over hers and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze of encouragement. “You will do just fine. I promise.”
The muscles in her face relaxed a little as her lips lifted into a half-hearted smile.
“I will be right by your side all evening. Allow me to take the lead, and all will be well.” He held onto her hand a little longer, not wanting to let go of the encouraging warmth.
The carriage came to a stop, jostling them both in their seats as Lily quickly pulled back her hand.
There it was again. She seemed to withdraw from him at every opportunity. He did not understand why, yet he did not blame her for still being so uncertain in the face of all they had been through. The marriage had been thrust into her lap as much as it been pushed on him.
Footmen in red livery stepped forward, pulling open the carriage door as they stood straight and proud with their powdered wigs.
Julian watched as Lily marveled at the sight of the grand mansion before them. Archibald House was one of the grandest in London, with high buttresses, dozens of windows, and splendid architecture to finish it off.
The duke and duchess came forward, welcoming them to their home as the duchess spoke first.
“Welcome, Lord and Lady Barnard. It is an honor to have you with us this evening.” Her voice was high and dignified, befitting a lady of her rank, yet Julian could not help but chuckle to himself when he saw the surprise in Lily’s gaze.
The duchess was a short woman with unassuming, plain looks.
Her light brown hair hung over her shoulders in curls while her light blue dress almost matched her pallor.
The duke, on the other hand, was a short, chubby man with thinning dark hair, a square face that boasted scars, and a large nose.
His bright blue eyes shone in comparison to the quiet look in his wife’s light brown gaze.
Lily stepped forward beside Julian and curtsied. “Thank you for inviting us, Your Graces.”
The duke’s eyes sparkled mischievously at Julian as he smiled. “An American. I did not think you would travel so far to find a wife, Lord Bardnard. At least she is not from Spain or France, I would not have forgiven you if you allied with the enemy,” he grumbled under his breath.
Jostling her husband in the ribs, the duchess motioned for him to be quiet.
“Do not pay any attention to my husband, Lady Barnard. All he can speak of some days is the war, but I am sure you can understand, what with Lord Barnard being a military man himself.” Her kind smile seemed to set Lily more at ease as they
Rolling his eyes, the duke shot his wife a loving glance of admiration. “And here I thought that you love my passion, Your Grace. Shall we escort our guests inside before Spain decides to infiltrate us?”
Julian laughed, but quickly noticed how Lily flinched at the joke.
Had she been offended by the duke’s blatant dislike of the other countries?
He had not said anything bad regarding America, but that did not mean that Lily had not taken offense to the man’s stance.
Offering his arm, he guided her inside behind the duke and duchess.
They were guided across the grand entrance hall that was almost as big as a dining hall. The chandelier above their heads boasted the finest crystal teardrops, while the marbled floor beneath their feet reflected the splendor of all above.
They entered one of the parlors, and Julian was relieved to see that among the twenty-two well-dressed guests were Benedict and Miss Arabella Tremaine.
His heart suddenly dropped when Eleanor waved enthusiastically at them from across the room.
She had mentioned that she had been invited, yet Julian had hoped that it was not true.
Why is she everywhere that we go?
He stiffened beside Lily as she came sauntering toward them.
“Lord and Lady Barnard, I was wondering when you would be arriving.” She shot Julian a charming smile that made him clench his jaw before looping her arm through Lily’s.
“Do you mind if I steal your charming wife? We have ever so much to catch up on before dinner.” She began to pull Lily away before waiting for an answer.
Looking toward Benedict, Julian quickly sought Arabella, but it seemed as if she were a few steps ahead of Julian, as she had already begun to make her way toward Lily and Eleanor.
An inkling of relief set in as he headed toward Benedict.
He had not had many encounters with Arabella, but she seemed to have Lily’s best interests at heart.
“Ah, Lord Barnard, I was wondering when you would be arriving. It is not like you to be fashionably late.” Benedict chuckled to himself and sipped from his glass of brandy.
“Do not start with me, Benedict, and have I not told you to call me Julian as you have always done?” Julian grumbled a reply and angled his body toward the ladies, where Eleanor was chatting away to Lily while Arabella listened with a scowl.
What is she saying?
He watched on helplessly, wishing he could cross the room to listen.
Lily did not seem to mind what Eleanor was saying, yet he had noticed that Lily seemed oblivious to any of Eleanor’s faults.
Whether it was because of her kind heart or some other reason, it did not bode well if Eleanor truly wanted to create trouble.
He still did not want to believe that Eleanor had tripped Lily on purpose, but there had been that movement beneath the table.
Benedict’s voice broke through his thoughts and drew him back to their own conversation. “You can stop staring at her now, you know. She is already your wife.”
“I do not know what you are referring to,” Julian grumbled again before accepting a glass of champagne from a passing footman.
“Of course not,” Benedict shook his head in amusement and looked to the side where the duke was loudly discussing his disdain for Spain and France.
“Come now, Your Grace, not every man or woman who visits the continent is a spy,” an older gentleman with white hair and a handlebar mustache spoke up.
The duke huffed loud enough for everyone to hear and pushed out his chest. “Mark my words, my lord, any man who associates with people who sympathize with Spain or France is a traitor themselves. Why would any noble person of good standing want to visit a country that does not agree with our King and Queen?”
“Are you saying that we cannot even be acquainted with a person who chooses to visit the continent, Your Grace?” The older man seemed indignant.
“Certainly not. Why would anyone make such a foolish error? Guilty by association is what I am saying, Lord Devenport.” The duke nodded definitively.
Stepping forward, the duchess suddenly appeared and placed her hand on her husband’s arm. “Come now, Your Grace, let us not discuss such matters this evening. I think we should head into the dining hall before the food grows cold.” She smiled at her husband despite the scowl creasing his brow.
The guests began to join their partners and headed toward the doors just as Benedict leaned in and whispered in Julian’s ear. “The duke makes a good point, though I do not think that anyone who wishes to visit the continent is a spy.” He chuckled again before moving away from Julian.
Lily disappeared from view, and Julian scowled when Eleanor suddenly appeared at his side. “Miss Everet, have you seen my wife?” He asked stiffly while looking over her head.
“She went to powder her nose before dinner, my lord. I do not think we should wait for her. I am certain one of the other gentlemen who does not have a partner will escort her in.” Eleanor reached for his arm and began to pull him forward before Julian could protest.
Craning his neck, Julian attempted to search for her, or at least spot someone he knew would escort his wife.
Please let Benedict find her.
He turned his gaze ahead, not wanting to make a scene as the couples of lesser ranks waited for him and Eleanor to follow the queue.
The walk to the dining hall was short, yet it felt like a lifetime as Julian wished he had held back and waited for his wife.
Candles lit the inside of the dining hall, causing the crystal glasses and gold-rimmed plates to gleam in the light, yet all Julian could think of as he took his place beside Eleanor was the fact that his wife was not with him.
Panic gripped his chest when Benedict entered with Arabella on his arm.
Where is she?
The panic was replaced by relief that once again vanished when he realized that Lily was left to enter on her own with no escort. His pulse began to race as lords and ladies whispered to one another around the table.
“Why is she not with her husband?” The lady beside Eleanor pursed her lips in disapproval.
“And did you see, she entered before Lord and Lady Darcy, who outranked her?” another lady remarked, adding fuel to the fire.
Panicking, Lily headed toward the nearest seat, not noticing the names that had been placed in front of each glass.
Lily…
Julian’s heart ached for her as he wished he could go to her side and escort her to him.
“It is not her fault, my lord, she does not know the responsibilities that come with being the wife of a viscount,” Eleanor leaned in close and whispered to Julian.