An Agreeable Arrangement (14 page)

Cassie had left Squire Stewart stranded. She did
not care how angry it would make him. She knew he
would be resourceful enough to find a ride home. If
not, the long walk would do him good.

Upon her return to Stewart Hall, she swept into
her room and prepared for bed. For a few moments
she kept her mind busy on her task but soon it wandered to thoughts of the squire. Confronting him tonight had not been easy. Her words had been uttered
in anger, not in the loving manner that might have
convinced him of her affection.

Maybe she had pushed him too far. How could
she have known he would react in such an unpredictable manner? Fighting with Roger was more
than she thought possible.

Poor Roger. She hoped he was not badly hurt. She
had not thought to inquire about him before leaving
the premises.

The squire’s behavior had outraged her. Perhaps
she, too, had acted rash. Dousing him with a drink
was not the act of a civilized lady. If he had continued with his tirade, she didn’t know to what extreme
she would have retaliated.

The sound of thundering footsteps interrupted her
thoughts. They grew in intensity. Seated at her dressing table, Cassie could feel the floor vibrate as someone climbed the stairs.

Layette ran to the door and shrieked out in alarm
when it flew open with such force that the handle hit
the wall.

“Get out of the way” It was the unmistakable voice
of Julian Stewart. “I don’t care how she is dressed!”

“Pardon, s’il vows plait.” Layette backed from the
squire toward Cassie. “I must object! Zis eez no way
to receive a gentleman!”

“It’s quite all right. As it happens, Squire Stewart
is not a gentleman,” Cassie remarked, not at all surprised at his presence.

“If you please, my lady.” He took a moment to
draw in a breath. “I shall wait to speak to you in the
library … at your convenience.”

Julian ran down the stairs and steamed into the
library. He stripped off his jacket, still reeking of spirits, and tossed it aside. It was uncomfortably warm
in here. He swung open the window and tore the cravat from his neck. He unbuttoned the top buttons at
the collar of his shirt and pulled away the material
from his sweat-and-spirit-soaked skin, allowing the
evening air to cool him.

Maxwell appeared. “Is there anything you require,
sir?”

“Have tea brought in for Lady Cassandra when
she arrives.”

“I shall see to it at once,” he said and disappeared.

Impatient for Cassandra’s arrival, he could not sit
and wait for her. He paced from the window to the
desk and back again. He tread the well-worn path for
nearly an hour and consulted his watch on an average of every three minutes.

Where the devil was she?

Cassandra stood in the doorway, a picture of calm,
dressed in a simple long-sleeved blue gown with a
round neckline. Her hair was bound at the neck, hung
loose on her back. Short hairs formed soft curls,
framing her face.

He knew better than to snap at her, demanding to
know what had taken her so long. That temper of his
had not done much for him this evening. He would
try to restrain that beast.

“Did you wish to speak with me?” was her polite
inquiry, without so much as a reference to the scene
they played only an hour ago.

The squire smiled and sketched a shallow bow, bidding her welcome.

Cassandra entered the room seemingly unafraid
with her hands clasped in front of her and her chin
held high. A maid bustled in and left a tea tray on the
table. Cassandra waited for the maid to leave before
seating herself on the sofa. She remained quiet, waiting for the squire to speak.

“In all my years,” he began, “I find your actions
very disturbing.”

“Sir, it seems that you have been out of sorts all
evening.” She took up her cup of tea. “Perhaps if you
had some tea”

“Out of sorts? I am not out of sorts!” His hands
had clenched into tight fists. “And I don’t want any
tea!”

“Perhaps you need a touch of sherry to calm your
nerves?” She looked up at him sweetly.

A small knock sounded in the moment of silence.

Julian yelled at the door, “What is it?”

The door creaked, swinging open only a few
inches. Maxwell did not enter, only leaned toward
the room. “Sir? I thought perhaps there might be a
problem?”

“No!” Julian had not meant to respond so abrupt.
He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
He took a breath and held it, endeavoring to gather
his scattered thoughts. “Everything is fine, Maxwell,
please leave us”

“Yes, sir.” The butler inclined his head and retreated.

“Out of sorts,” Cassandra whispered as if confirming she had been correct all along.

Perhaps she had been. “Maxwell is not used to
hearing me … has never heard me, speak to anyone
in that manner.”

“You were not speaking. You were shouting, sir.”

“I was not-” He broke off his sentence when he
detected the volume of his voice creeping upward.
Julian began again, this time with practiced calm. “I
apologize for my outburst”

“Kind apology accepted” Cassandra took another
sip of tea and glanced at him over the rim of the cup.
Setting the cup and saucer on the mahogany table,
she moved to warm herself at the fire.

“If I may be so bold, what has brought on this bout
of temper?”

Julian noticed the illuminating glow from the
hearth caress her face. The flickering fire sparkled in
her eyes. She looked more beautiful now than ever.

He stood next to her, taking in the graceful lines of
her face, the curve of her cheek, the pout of her lips.
He fought the temptation to wrap his arms around
her and kiss her but only for the moment.

“I must apologize for my behavior earlier this evening. I think I have finally come to terms with myself. A man of my years should know better.”

“Exactly how should one of your advanced years behave?” She stared at him with those dazzling blue
eyes.

He could feel it starting. Her eyes were mesmerizing him. Just a little longer he told himself. He had to
wait until the time was right.

“You know, you were quite right when you said I
should know exactly what I want in life.” His glance
flew from her eyes to her lips and back again. “It
has taken me all this time to realize exactly what I
desire.”

“And what is it you desire?” Her words so soft,
they lingered in the air between them.

“You,” he whispered. He let loose his control and
gave his heart permission to act. His lips took hers.
The wanting, the longing he had felt, momentarily
extinguished with the touch of her lips.

Julian wrapped his arm around her, pulling her
near. Cassandra’s hands swept over his shirt and encircled his neck. He kissed her smooth, lightly
scented cheek and trailed kisses down her neck. She
sighed his name.

Cassie felt herself melting in his arms. Trapped in
his embrace, she smelled a trace brandy in the air,
blending with his scent. This was what she wanted,
this was what she craved, this was what she had been
fighting for.

“You’re not pulling away” Her breathing was labored. “Do you no longer consider this wrong?”

He released her, easing back. He trapped her hands within his. “I have tried to act indifferent as I
watched you with other men. I found myself growing
quite …”

“Jealous?” She smiled.

“I would hate to think that but I suppose you’re
right. It disturbed me to see your attentions being
spent on other men” His hand moved to her face and
he cradled her jaw. “I just never would admit to myself how much I cared for you. I’ve never had these
kinds of feeling for anyone”

“You mean in love?”

“Yes.” The light in his eyes glowed brighter than
the fire. “Completely, madly, passionately, desperately, in love. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize.
I wish to marry you, if you’ll have me?”

“With all my heart” She wrapped her arms around
his neck and kissed him.

“You shall be married by the end of next week”
The squire delivered a tender kiss in the palm of her
hand. “Just as your father wished.”

A jubilant smile danced across Cassie’s face. Moistness gathered in her eyes, making them sparkle even
more. The tears escaped, trickling down her face.

“Why are you crying?” He frowned. “I thought
this would please you?”

“They are tears of joy”

“Tears for happiness?” he mumbled and shook his
head. Julian pulled her tighter to him, in a warm, comforting embrace. “I don’t know if I shall ever understand women.”

On a cloud of ecstasy, Cassie floated off to bed.
Everything felt right, the way things were meant to be.
As she donned her night rail, she realized there might
be, most probably would be, some talk going around
town.

She, who had been engaged to Edward, now marries his brother-the two of them living under the
same roof for all these months now should rush into
marriage. It didn’t matter in the least. She would be
spending the rest of her life with the man she loved.

Cassie sank into the soft bed and pulled the coverlet up to her smiling face. She lowered her eyelids
but found the exhausting and exhilarating events of
that evening did nothing to help her sleep. She lay in
the dark, dreaming of what it would be like to spend
a lifetime in Julian’s arms and in his bed.

Julian rocked his head back and a smile of satisfaction graced the squire’s lips. For the first time in
his life, he was truly happy. Happy for himself,
happy for Cassandra and happy for their fathers, who
were not here to witness their union. From now on,
life would be quite different.

A chorus of voices from out in the hallway disturbed his tranquility. Echoing though the library doors from the foyer, the mumbles became ringing
cries and ecstatic shouts. Julian strode with increasing interest to the door and pulled it wide open.

“What’s all this, then?”

The crowd of servants gathered in the foyer, most
in their bedclothes. They parted, revealing a man.

Julian felt the blood drain from his face.

His brother Edward had returned home.

Julian remained rooted in shock. The house servants stood around the newly returned master. Edward tried to get a word in, but couldn’t manage
among the enthusiastic greetings.

“Edward!” The squire’s strong voice reverberated
within the foyer.

It took a few minutes for the staff to calm. A path
opened from Julian to his brother. Edward politely
bowed at the staff, thanking them for his warm welcome. He left their protective circle and headed toward the squire.

With a smile, Edward strode past his brother and
down the hallway into the library. Julian followed
and closed the doors behind him.

“What the devil is going on?” the younger Stewart
asked, throwing a puzzled look over his shoulder.

“You’re alive,” Julian whispered. He still found it
hard to believe.

“Of course I am. Why shouldn’t I be?” The brothers stood in silence for a few moments. “I’m afraid I
still don’t understand what all the to-do is about.”

He lifted a decanter and poured himself a spot of
brandy before dropping into a chair. Edward finished
the maneuver by propping his feet on the low table in
front of him.

“We all thought you were dead.”

“Dead?”

“I’ve hired men, they’re out looking for any trace
of you.”

“What? Don’t be absurd! I haven’t felt more
alive in my life!” He lifted the snifter to toast his
joie de vivre and took a generous swallow. “I don’t
understand. Why on earth would you think I was
dead?”

“The ship you booked passage on from the continent, King’s Quest, sank.” Julian informed his obviously oblivious brother. The squire still could not
believe he was here. “Why didn’t you contact us? Let
us know you were safe?”

“It never occurred to me. Just took a brief detour,
that’s all. I do it all the time. What does it matter anyway?”

“Matter?” There were times when Julian really had difficulty understanding his brother. “There are
many of us who are concerned about your welfare.”

“Dead?” Edward smiled and took it all in stride.
Actually, it seemed to have amused him.

Julian took on an air and announced, “With
your … absence I had to advise Lady Cassandra to
make another match and marry”

“What?” Edward dropped his feet to the floor and
sprang upright in his chair.

“It is her father’s wish she marry before her birthday.” He clasped his hands behind his back and
stepped toward Edward.

“She hasn’t made a match yet has she?”

“Well, not officially.” Julian expected their recent
plans were now at an end.

“The reason I postponed my departure home was
to take a side trip to purchase an engagement present
for her.” Edward reached into his inside coat pocket
and produced a dark green velvet box. Pulling open
the lid he unveiled an emerald ring. “Do you think
she’ll like it?”