Chapter 21
Rosalind woke the next morning, feeling exhausted after a restless night.
She tossed and turned for several hours, and then she just slumbered with her body feeling sore and stiff.
Everything from the previous evening kept floating through her head, and she knew that something was wrong.
Why else would Cormac want to see her alone, away from Julian?
And what had happened between the two of them?
Rosalind had seen them standing close together, looking as if both were exchanging angry words.
She couldn’t hear what was being said, but she could imagine Julian telling Cormac to stay away.
She wanted to go back and tell him that she wanted to hear what Cormac had to say, but she’d never seen her husband’s brother like this.
It was almost scary to witness his rage.
Something in her gut told her that something wasn’t right. Cormac knew it, but he never got the chance to tell her. Would she believe it, though? What could he have to say to make her believe it?
Whatever it was, Julian knew about it, and he seemed determined to keep Cormac away.
What Rosalind wanted was to find out what was going on. She hated being treated like she didn’t need to know everything, and she hated being kept in the dark. Someone had to tell her what was going on.
Bea would. She’d gone to Cormac the day before, and she came back grim-faced, saying that Cormac would explain everything to her. She had to know something. Rosalind just had to get her alone so they could talk.
Dressing quickly on her own, Rosalind splashed her face with water and hurried to Bea’s room, adjoining the nursery. She could hear Theo was already awake, playing in the nursery. Bea was likely in there, but she would check her room first.
However, when Rosalind knocked and entered the room, she saw that Bea’s room was empty. The bed was neatly made, and there was nothing to indicate that she’d been there. There were some scuffs on the floor from something being dragged, but that was it.
Rosalind was confused. What had happened here? Bea wouldn’t have moved; she needed to be close to Theo. Entering the nursery, she found Mrs. Rivers sitting on a settee, watching as Theo played with his toys on the floor. Her son looked up and beamed at Rosalind’s entrance.
“Mama!”
“Morning, darling.” Rosalind kissed his head and looked at Mrs. Rivers. “Where’s Bea? Her room is empty.”
Mrs. Rivers’s smile faded a little and she glanced at Theo. She stood, smoothing down her skirts.
“May I speak to you a moment, my lady?”
“Of course.” Rosalind ruffled Theo’s head. “We’ll be right back.”
Theo didn’t pay attention. He was already focused on playing with his wooden soldiers again. Rosalind followed the housekeeper out of the room, and Mrs. Rivers spoke in a low voice.
“Bea’s been dismissed.”
“What?” Rosalind stared. Had she heard her correctly? “She’s been dismissed? But I never dismissed her. I would never—”
“It was Mr. Ellingham himself. He dismissed her late last night.” Mrs. Rivers looked unhappy.
“My husband and I were to help pack her things and walk her to the gate. She was crying, and it was a miserable moment. But Mr. Ellingham said he didn’t want her on the property any longer.
She was guarded closely until she left.”
Rosalind couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Why would Julian make Bea leave? Bea was Theo’s governess, and she was under Rosalind’s employ. Julian had nothing to do with her.
He was practically isolating her, sending her friend away.
“But what now? How is Theo supposed to have his lessons? You can’t look after him all day; it’s not fair on you.”
“I don’t mind in the meantime. As it is, Mr. Ellingham is getting a new governess in to give Theo his lessons temporarily.”
“Temporarily?”
“He mentioned about sending the young viscount to public school. That he’s not going to be deterred this time.” Mrs. Rivers grimaced. “I don’t know what’s going on, but he was very angry last night.”
“He can’t do this.” Rosalind felt like she was floating through the air. None of this felt real. “He knows my thoughts on everything, and he knows Bea is my responsibility. What does he think he’s doing?”
Julian had gone mad. He was already strong-arming her into a marriage that made her uncomfortable, even with his reasonable explanations, but now he was isolating her from her friends. Cormac had been pushed away, and now Bea had been thrown out. What was next?
She needed to see him. Rosalind wasn’t about to let this slide.
Storming downstairs, she searched the rooms until she found Julian in the study. He was sitting behind the desk, his feet up on the desk as he read through a sheaf of papers. The door banged shut, the sound echoing around the room, and Rosalind strode to the desk.
“Why did you get rid of Bea?” she demanded.
“Good morning, Rosalind. I trust you slept well?”
“Bea is my responsibility, Julian! And she’s very good with Theo. Why would you get rid of her like that?”
Julian sighed and tossed the papers onto the desk.
“She’d grown hysterical. I knew she was filling the boy’s head with fancies, especially with the way he kept talking. She wasn’t a good governess.”
“She is one of the best! And Theo has learned so much with her.”
“Not from what I saw. She needed to go.”
Rosalind stared at him. Julian had changed. Something during the last couple of days had shifted, and it was like she was looking at a stranger. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She shook her head, trying to get back on even ground.
“What… but you can’t do this without my say-so. You’ve already arranged a marriage for me without my input, and you’re now behaving as if you’re the one in charge.”
“Someone has to look out for Theo’s future.”
“Not when you’re going against everything that is making him flourish! Just because you have a different idea doesn’t mean you can force it on him!”
Julian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Rosalind, there’s no need to get hysterical…”
“I’m not hysterical, I’m furious!” Rosalind shouted, which made him jump. “I am making my point because nobody seems to be listening to me. That is not me being hysterical, this is the result of you completely ignoring what goes well in this household.”
“Rosalind…”
“No, Julian, enough!” She placed her hands on the desk and leaned over, aware that Julian was glancing at her hands. She didn’t care that he didn’t like it. “Theo is not going to public school. He’s even expressed himself that he doesn’t want to go. He loves Bea, and he wants her to stay.”
“It’s not up to a seven-year-old boy what he does and doesn’t do, even if he is a viscount.”
“Have you told him Bea’s gone? That you sent her away because you didn’t want him influenced by someone who loved him?”
Julian’s eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to make me feel bad for doing the right thing?”
“The right thing? All I see is you taking over when you don’t need to. And you’re isolating me from my friends. First Cormac—”
“Who?”
“You know who I’m talking about. The Earl of Ravensmuir. He’s a good friend, and he’s looked out for me since I’ve been here. Sending him away makes it look like you’re threatened by him when he’s done nothing to warrant that.”
Something flickered behind his eyes, so quickly Rosalind almost missed it. Then Julian sat forward, his expression stony.
“I have my reasons that you don’t need to worry about.” His voice was even, but Rosalind could hear the anger. “Don’t question me on it. I’m doing this for your benefit.”
“How is it for my benefit when it looks like you’re cutting us off from our new life?”
“New life?” He scoffed at that. “Did you think you were going to stay here for the rest of your days? That’s not possible.”
“Why not?” Rosalind argued. “I love it here, and Theo does, too. We’re doing well here, and we’re beginning to integrate ourselves into the lifestyle up in the Highlands. Why wouldn’t we want to stay?”
“You two belong in London, and you know it.”
“No!”
Julian slammed his hands onto the desk, making Rosalind jump back in surprise. Then her brother-in-law stood, glowering at her as he leaned on the desk herself.
“You are going to do as you’re told,” he growled. “You’re my responsibility, and I’m going to make sure you and Theo get what you deserve. He is going to school with the other children, just where he needs to be. And you’re going to marry Sir Crispin and be settled as his wife.”
“Even if we don’t want any of it?” Rosalind demanded.
“You didn’t say no when I talked to you about the marriage arrangement yesterday.”
She snorted at that. “You barely gave me a chance to give my opinion.”
“But you agreed to the marriage, didn’t you?”
“Well…”
“Then it’s sorted. You can’t go back on it now, especially when you know it gives you the security that you need.” Julian straightened up, dusting himself down. “Anyway, is that all? I’ve got a lot to do before we head back to London.”
Rosalind’s jaw dropped. “What? Already?”
“Of course. That’s where we should be. Not in the middle of nowhere. London is your home, and you, Theo, and I are returning in a few days.”
Rosalind could feel her head shaking before she comprehended anything else.
“No! No, you can’t! Theo and I are happy here!”
“You can’t stop me. You are going, and that’s the final word on it.” Julian smirked as he sat back down. “You know this is the right thing to do, Rosalind. Stop arguing and do as you’re told. Now, if you’ll excuse me?”
Rosalind didn’t want to leave, but then she heard a movement behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Medford in the doorway.
Julian’s valet was loyal only to him, and he would forcibly remove Rosalind if she didn’t move. He shouldn’t put his hands on her, but with the way Julian was behaving it made her wonder if she should be so confident that he wouldn’t physically harm her.
Julian was scaring her now.
Hurrying from the study, she stumbled through the house and out into the gardens.
She made her way through the bushes and came upon a stone bench by the fish pond.
From there, she could see Ravensmuir perfectly, shining brightly in the morning sun.
Normally, it would look grand, but right now it seemed to be muted, as if it knew what was going on.
Rosalind sank onto the bench, wishing she could go over and talk to Cormac. He’d been about to tell her something, she knew that much, but Julian had stopped him. Bea must know what he was going to say, which was why Julian had dismissed her.
She was losing people who knew the truth, and Rosalind felt as if she was left open and vulnerable.
But there was also Theo she had to think about. Julian had claimed he loved his nephew and would never let him get hurt, but after last night and this morning, Rosalind was beginning to think this might not be right.
Something was wrong. But without proof, she couldn’t accuse Julian of anything. He would simply laugh at her and tell her to stop being hysterical. That seemed to be the way he went when a woman raised their voice. Rosalind hated it when he did that.
Also, she knew she wasn’t safe. She didn’t want anything to happen to Theo, and if she confronted Julian with nothing, Theo would be in danger. Julian was becoming dangerous, and she didn’t really know why.
She was certain, though, that Julian was not the friend and caring relative he made himself out to be.