An Honorable Wish (A Lady's Wish 2) (23 page)

Read An Honorable Wish (A Lady's Wish 2) Online

Authors: Eileen Richards

Tags: #Historical, #Romance, #Fiction, #Regency, #Victorian, #London Society, #England, #Britain, #19th Century, #Adult, #Forever Love, #Bachelor, #Single Woman, #Wishes, #Gambling Den, #Ruined Man, #Country Estate, #Secret Disgrace, #Secret Wish, #Gambling Mistress, #Heart Risk

BOOK: An Honorable Wish (A Lady's Wish 2)
3.57Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
“I’ll see to getting a special license. I’ll have to ride to Lancaster for it,” he said.
“See about ordering furniture while you’re at it. And have the maids clean. You can’t bring a new bride into this house the way it is.” Lady Danford stood.
Tony got to his feet as well. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Try not to make too much of a tangle this time, Son.”
Tony stood staring in the doorway long after Lady Danford had left. His heart pounded in his chest. Juliet was pregnant with his child. He was half afraid, half hopeful. Providence had seen fit to let them have a child together—surely that meant something.
If he was going to be the man he wanted to be, he had to make this right. He had to convince Juliet that they belonged together. No child of his would be raised as a bastard. She would marry him, and that would be that.
He felt hope for the first time in weeks.
Chapter Twenty-Four
J
uliet stared at herself in the mirror. She pulled at the gaping fabric at her breasts. “I look ridiculous.”
“It’s not my fault you stopped growing so early,” Sophia said. “We can always stuff them again.”
“Never. Again.”
“Besides, it doesn’t appear to be important to Tony.” Sophia smacked Juliet’s hand away from the bodice of the riding habit. “That’s all that matters, isn’t it?”
“Maybe I’ll have something made.”
“There’s no time to have a proper one made. There is no time to lose. You and Tony need to make up and be married as quickly as possible. If you’re pregnant—”
Juliet hung her head. “I’m not.”
Sophia lifted Juliet’s chin with a finger. “When did you find out?”
“The day after Mrs. Dellwood’s visit.” Part of her had wanted a baby to ease the way with Tony; the other part had hoped she wasn’t, even though it made reconciliation harder for her.
She hated having to choke on her own pride.
Sophia had a calculating expression on her face. “Does anyone know?”
Juliet shook her head.
“Excellent. Then there’s still time for this plan to work.” Sophia grabbed the hat that went with the habit and jammed it on her sister’s head.
“Ouch! What plan?”
“It’s best you don’t know. Come, I’ve had the horse saddled for you. Today you’re going to be riding without the groom leading you around the park.”
Juliet felt a bit dizzy. “Are you mad?”
“You’re ready. Trust me.”
Juliet had a very bad feeling about this. She didn’t feel ready. Yes, she’d been on the horse by herself every single day. She’d even managed to walk Lucy around without the groom holding the reins. But that was it.
“I thought we’d take a ride through the back pasture,” said Sophia.
Juliet blanched and shook her head. “No. I’m not ready.”
“Of course you are. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll be right there.”
There was definitely something going on. Sophia was never this nice to Juliet unless she was planning something. “Do you swear?”
Sophia met her eyes in the mirror. “Really, Juliet, do you think I’d let something happen to you?”
“Swear to me that you won’t. Swear it on Mother’s grave.”
Sophia looked away. “And they accuse me of being the melodramatic one!”
Juliet just stared back at her sister.
“Fine. I swear on Mother’s grave that I won’t let anything bad happen to you. Are you satisfied now?” Sophia picked up her gloves. “Now can we go for a ride? We are letting a beautiful day get away from us.”
Juliet followed Sophia to the stables, still unable to shake the feeling that something horrible was about to happen. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Sophia; surely she wouldn’t do anything to really hurt her. Would she?
“Do you think we can postpone this until tomorrow?” Juliet hated the fear in her voice, but something inside her was screaming to be cautious.
“No. Now come on. We’re late.”
“For what?”
“If we don’t get going we’ll be late for tea. I intend to have a decent ride.”
“You can always get Mr. McDonald to ride with you.” Juliet refused to move off the steps.
“He’s busy and it wouldn’t be proper. See, you have taught me something.”
“I’m not a dog to be ordered about,” Juliet muttered. But she followed. She really didn’t have a choice. This whole riding nonsense had been her idea.
A stupid idea, now that she thought about it. What was she supposed to do? Ride up to Horneswood without a chaperone and throw herself at Tony’s feet? The more she thought about it, the more she hated the idea. Acting like a hoyden was what had gotten her into this mess in the first place.
Tony’s feelings for her were probably gone now. He’d find a less childish woman. He’d find a woman with breasts that would fill out a riding habit. She fiddled with the bodice of the habit she’d borrowed. “I look foolish.”
“Do stop worrying about it. There is no one here to impress. This is the final test. If you do well, we’ll order a proper habit from the village. I think a nice dark blue would be lovely on you,” Sophia said.
Juliet blew the feather drooping down from her hat away from her face. It kept tickling her nose. “No feathers in the hat. I hate feathers.”
“But they are the fashion. You must be in fashion.”
“God forbid I save some poor bird his feathers.”
Lucy was already saddled and ready to go when they got to the stables. She nudged Juliet, looking for her treat. “Here you are, sweet thing.” Juliet held pieces of apple in her hand for the horse to take. She rather liked having a horse for a pet. Lucy really was sweet and had proven to be an excellent listener over the past few weeks.
“She’s taken a real shine to you, miss,” the groom said, holding the reins. “Just take her real easy, just like I showed you. Miss Lucy will take good care of you.”
Juliet smiled her thanks as she settled onto the horse’s back and smoothed out the skirts of her habit. She accepted the crop from the groom. “I’ll need this?”
“Just a gentle tap will do the trick. It’s just to get old Lucy going. Don’t worry about getting lost. This old girl knows her way home.”
Juliet’s eyes got bigger. “We aren’t going that far, are we?”
“Just riding to the back pasture, that’s all,” Sophia said with a smile. “I want to let the horse have his head.”
“I’ll just watch and let Lucy eat some grass.”
“Good idea, miss,” the groom said. “Come on back when you’ve had enough. I’ll be here.”
Juliet tapped Lucy on the rump with the crop and the horse lurched forward. Juliet allowed herself to get used to the rhythm of the horse as she followed the mare Sophia was riding.
It was actually quite nice, ambling along like this. The spring day was warm and humid from the rain the night before. The fields were lush and bright green.
As they climbed the hill behind the Lodge, Juliet could see Horneswood. Where was Tony? Was he out helping a tenant? The estate and its lands needed a great deal of work before they could be profitable. Was he working too hard? Was he getting enough rest?
If he was anything like her, he wasn’t sleeping well at all.
“It’s not a bad house, Juliet,” Sophia said. “Although a bit small for my taste and way too far from London.”
“I never wanted the same things as you.”
“For which I’m thankful, even as I question your sanity for wanting to marry a sheep farmer,” Sophia said. “Now that you know you’re not carrying his baby, you could walk away from this whole mess. You don’t have to marry him.”
The thought had crossed her mind. People would talk, but they had no proof that things had gone as far as they had. Juliet imagined her life without Tony and found it a very lonely road to nowhere. If she didn’t marry Tony, she wouldn’t marry anyone else.
“Do you have a plan?” Sophia said. “You really can’t call on a man at his home without a chaperone. Even with a chaperone it is chancy.”
Juliet sighed. That was true enough. She hated the rules that kept her from being able to be open and knock on his door, demand that he make things right. “I don’t know.”
“I don’t see him out and about anywhere.”
“Why would he be?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Sophia said. “I guess I hoped we’d accidentally run into him if we rode this way.”
Juliet’s luck wasn’t that good. She’d have to make a point of seeing him. Perhaps a note to meet at the Fairy Steps or by the pond, someplace special to them both.
A note might work. She thought about what she might say. Should she beg for forgiveness? Make a joke of it? Or just pour her heart out?
None of her ideas were appealing.
She was so lost in thought that she didn’t realize until it was too late that Sophia had plans of her own.
Sophia’s crop landed hard on Lucy’s rump, causing the horse to jump and then take off like a shot. Juliet screamed and pulled hard on the reins.
Lucy raced down the hill, slinging up mud and grass into Juliet’s face. She fought to control the animal, but her fears overwhelmed her—just like the last time she’d found herself clinging to the back of a racing horse.
They were headed for the river. If Lucy threw her into the river, she wouldn’t be able to get out. The waters were still foaming from last night’s rain.
Oh, dear God. She was going to die.
She was going to die never having told Tony how much she loved him or how sorry she was for not believing in him.
Juliet closed her eyes and prayed for the first time in a very long time.
 
Tony had just returned to the stables when he heard a woman scream from the direction of the Lodge. He turned his horse and galloped until he saw something that stopped his heart.
Juliet was on the back of a runaway horse heading toward the river. If the horse didn’t kill her, the water would. It would take her and his child.
Tony spurred his horse faster, leaning forward to make more time. He had to reach her.
Dear God, let him get there in time.
If she died, he might as well die with her.
He surveyed the banks of the river between the two estates. It wasn’t wide, but the river had a fast-moving current due to the recent rain. The banks were thick with mud.
It would make it too hard for the horse to cross. He grew desperate trying to find a way to save her. “Pull on the reins, Jules. Pull hard as you can!” he shouted.
God, let me get to her
.
Tony urged his mount faster, but he knew he wasn’t going to make it. Sophia was racing down the hill behind him as well.
Time seemed to stand still as he watched Juliet finally get her horse to stop, only to be slung off and into the mud at the edge of the river. She lay there, unmoving.
Tony’s heart stopped.
Sophia stopped her own horse and dismounted as best she could from the sidesaddle. “Juliet, are you all right?” she asked.
There was so reply.
“Tony! Help me!” Sophia cried.
He forced his horse through the rapidly moving water and dismounted. “What the hell are you two doing?”
“Riding,” Sophia said.
“Juliet doesn’t ride.” He knelt down and started checking her for broken bones.
“I . . . can’t . . . breathe,” Juliet whispered.
“Your breath was knocked out of you when you fell. Take it slow and easy. Let me see if anything is broken,” he said as he tenderly ran his hands over her. She seemed none the worse for wear, as the mud had eased her fall.
Juliet sat up carefully, wincing in pain.
“You’re going to be bruised pretty well tomorrow, I’m afraid.” Tony wiped some mud from her cheek. “Now what the hell were you doing racing down the hill? And with child too! Do you even care about the baby?”
Sophia backed up toward her horse. “I’ll just be going and let you two get on with it.”
“Sophia! Don’t you dare leave me!” Juliet shouted.
“Sorry, dear. I have other plans,” Sophia called out as she galloped away.
“I’m not with child.” Juliet’s voice was small and filled with pain.
Tony plopped down beside her in the mud. “You aren’t? But Grandmother said you were.”
Juliet frowned. “Why would she do that?”
“Let’s get you out of the mud and back home. You’re not badly hurt, are you?”
“Not from the fall,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry, Tony. I’m so sorry I didn’t trust you, believe you.”
He stilled at her words, afraid to feel hope, afraid to feel anything. “I’ve given up gambling. I had before I came home. I couldn’t risk it anymore. I was becoming my father.”
“I should have had faith in you.” Juliet wiped at her tears, spreading more mud on her face. “I behaved childishly. I am so very sorry, Tony, that I hurt you so.”
“I wanted to tell you so many times, but I was afraid.”
“Ian told me you bought the house and made it right. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did. I couldn’t bring my bride to a house I’d won in a card game. What kind of husband would that make me? Besides, it was the right thing to do.”
“It was the honorable thing to do.” Tears coursed down Juliet’s cheeks. “You are the most honorable man I’ve ever known. I only hope that I can make myself worthy of you.”
Tony’s eyes welled up. He thought he’d never hear those words from Juliet.
“Do you think I can get out of this mud now?” she asked.
“Let me take you home.” He stood and pulled her up and into his arms. His mouth found hers, brushing her lips softly, easily, savoring the taste of her. He was afraid he was dreaming. “Come to Horneswood with me?”
“But what will everyone say?”
“They’ll be glad I got that special license yesterday. I love you, Jules.”
She removed her muddy gloves and caressed his face. “I love you.”
The words fell so easily off her tongue. “Are you certain, Jules? I couldn’t bear it if this were just an infatuation.”
“I’m such an idiot. I let the fairy tale keep me from seeing the real you. I love you, Tony. I don’t want the fairy tale. When I heard what you’d done, I thought you were a gambler, a man who really didn’t care about anything except the next game.”
“Like my father.”
“Like my brother. When Mr. Bartleby told me about the bet, all my fears took over. I couldn’t see beyond them.”
“I should have told you myself. I won’t keep anything from you ever again. I promise.”
“Don’t make a promise you can’t keep, Tony.” She looked out at the land across the river and at Horneswood. “It’s a good house.”
“It’s not as grand as the Lodge,” Tony said. He didn’t think Juliet cared for such things, but he wanted to be sure.
“It’s probably just as well. I don’t know anything about running a house. You do realize that, don’t you?”

Other books

Lions by Bonnie Nadzam
Damaged 2 by Ward, H.M.
Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper