His Michaelmas Mistress (9 page)

“I suppose he wants to feel as if he is one. I daren’t suppose what he intends to do.”

They came to an abrupt halt, and Simon’s horse let out a long whinny.

“Does he intend to steal our trinkets?” Simon asked.

“Oh, really, Simon. Now that’s a bag of moonshine, and you know it,” Julia said.

Simon grinned. “Well, you never know,” he jested.

“You there, Lady Julia, step on down from that fancy little horse cart.”

“It is a curricle, Lord Axbridge, and you know that. Whatever are you trying to do? If you think I am going to go with you while you have that silly mask over your face, you have another think coming, sir!”

Freddie sighed, and removed his mask. “Damnation, Julia! How did you know it was me?” He took the foolish looking mask off, and tossed it away.

“I would know you no matter what sort of disguise you tried to wear, you silly man.”

He groaned. “Well, my order still stands. Remove yourself from that curricle at once!”

“I shan’t,” she said stubbornly.

“You will,” he said sternly.

“Make me,” she replied sweetly.

He sighed heavily, and came toward her. Dismounting, his horse, he moved over to her. “Step down, now,” he ordered.

“You have become rather highhanded, Freddie, and you know what? It doesn’t look at all good on you. Now, do be a good little Mouse and scurry off, would you?”

“No. I have decided that if I want something in life, I might as well take it. And I’ve never wanted someone quite as much as I want you, Julia.”

A delicious thrill raced through her. Her heart soared with the love she felt for Freddie. Alas, he’d have to suffer a little bit more before he could claim his heart’s desire.

“Go with him,” Ruby whispered. “Dash it, all, Julia, don’t be daft. Jump down into his arms, and let him take you wherever he wants to go.”

Freddie grinned. “I like her spunk,” he said.

“I don’t have spunk, Lord Axbridge. I am a wallflower,” Ruby countered matter-of-factly.

“Well, then, you’re a spunky wallflower, Miss Massey.”

Ruby laughed nervously. “Do go with him, Julia,” she urged.

“You stay right where you are, Julia,” Simon said. “Lord Axbridge, you are being impossible. Julia cannot go with you. Not unless she is married to you, and right now, she isn’t your lady wife. You shall ruin her reputation.”

“I think that is the whole idea, Simon, dear,” Julia laughed.

“You told me once that you wanted me no matter where I came from…does that still stand?” Freddie asked hopefully.

“It does,” she said.

“I am a bastard, Julia. My Da and his whore of a wife, are at this moment being taken to New Bridewell. I found the buggers poaching on our lands. They thought I owed them a living. I was nearly tempted to do away with them. Fortunately, Tiny and Lucky were there, and made sure that I didn’t have any accidents. They will appear before the local magistrates in due course, and everyone there will know exactly what kind of pitiful stock I hail from. I am ashamed of him, Julia. He is a frightful beast.

“Now, mind you, my dear Ma was from the same class, and I ain’t ashamed of her, never have been. She tried hard, she did, but she had the entire world against her, and she was of a frail constitution, and so she wasn’t long for this world.”

“I know all of that, Freddie,” Julia said softly.

“Aye, but you don’t know how my Da behaves. You don’t know how rotten he really is.”

“I don’t care how he behaves. I don’t give a toss, Freddie.”

He cleared his throat. “And here I am forgetting what I am supposed to be doing. This is a kidnapping, my darling.”

“Oh, it is, is it?” she asked.

“Aye. Now, come along.”

“I threw myself at you once, and you threw me out on my arse, and now you think you are going to claim me? Sir, I am not that easy, nor am I that weak willed. You didn’t see what was right in front of you on our wedding day…so I think you should suffer a little while longer. You can go to the work of wooing me and winning me again, Freddie. This is the lazy way out, and you know it. I like a challenge, so you should to. Rise up to it, Freddie.”

With those last words, she left Freddie behind in a billow of dust.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Julia. You had that big brawny beautiful man wanting to steal you away,” Ruby said.

“And ruin me,” she sighed. “I shan’t be ruined on his terms. I shall be ruined on my own terms, and right now…I need a little romance, and a little bit of fun,” she said devilishly.

“And if he’d really wanted to be a brute, he could have had you, Julia. None of us would have been able to do a thing to stop it. Think about that one.”

“I know. That is why I love him so much. He’d never raise a hand to me, or use his strength against me or mine. No, he is a gentleman at heart.”

“He is a bloody dream. He is perfect, isn’t he?” Ruby sighed. “He wants to claim you because he thinks he has lost you.”

“He never lost me, Ruby. I have always been loyal to him, and the sooner he realizes that…the better off we both shall be.”

“Julia, he is giving chase,” Ruby said, looking behind them.

“Oh, he is, is he? Well, he can try to catch us, but he’d better not get his hopes up. And as I always say, if you’re going to have the devil to pay, you might as well enjoy the ride.” She urged her horses to go faster, as they raced toward Lark Hall. She could hear Freddie calling to her on the wind. She wouldn’t stop. It would be a cold day in hell before he stole her away when she didn’t want to be taken!

She was laughing, and Ruby looked as if she was so scared stiff, she couldn’t make any noise. Simon was ahead of them now, and they had turned onto the road that would take them to Lark Hall, when a most mysterious sight awaited her. She came to another abrupt stop, and sighed, realizing that Freddie would certainly catch her this way.

“Am I seeing correctly? Do those carriages belong to a duke, and look at those outriders. He has a full retinue of men with him. Why has he stopped in the middle of the road like that?” Ruby asked.

“I haven’t the faintest idea. Mayhap, he needs directions,” Julia laughed nervously. She didn’t recognize the coat of arms on the carriage, but she knew it belonged to a duke. “I can’t imagine why they haven’t gone down to Lark Hall that would make the most amount of sense. They could find plenty of helping hands there.”

“Indeed,” Ruby said.

“What the bloody hell?” Freddie muttered, drawing up alongside them.

“I am sorry, Freddie, dear,” she said coyly, “but we can’t play our little games anymore. It looks as if whomever is in that carriage needs some assistance.”

One of the outriders came toward them, and as he started to speak, she groaned.

“Scottish this far South?” she muttered beneath her breath. Fortunately, he didn’t have a thick brogue, or so she thought.  

“Are ye locals?” the man asked curtly.

“Not much for manners, are they?” she muttered, beneath her breath.

“Are ye sayin anythin important, Missy? If nae, ye should remain quiet, and let the menfolk talk.”

She bristled indignantly. Let the men talk, her English arse!

Freddie let out a noise resembling a growl.

“I think you should mind your manners, sir,” Simon spoke up, probably seeking to keep Freddie from pulling the man off his horse and doing bodily harm to him.

“And why is that, laddie?”

“Because you are addressing a noblewoman. Lady Julia Lovett, is the daughter of the late Earl of Tisbury, sister to the current Earl of Tisbury.”

“Is that so? Ma apologies, ma lady,” he said, a little contritely. “And who are ye, laddie?”

“He is my cousin, Master Simon Lovett,” Julia said.

“Ah, I see. Again ma apologies, sir. And who are ye? Her bodyguard?” he asked.

“Who I am is none of your bloody business, mate. State what you want, and then, off with you.”

“Ah, I see. Nae yer bodyguard, then. By the sounds of it, ye must be a footman or a groom,” he said, with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Steady on, Freddie,” she said, low enough so the Scotsman couldn’t hear, but she knew Freddie would. It was like poking a bear. It wouldn’t end well for the Scotsman if he kept annoying Freddie.

The carriage door opened, and a loud boisterous voice boomed out to them. “What is taking so long, Hamish? I would like to be on my way.” There had to be something wrong with her hearing, because the voice…the voice that came from the carriage sounded like a more polished and refined version of Freddie’s voice.

“Ah am sorry, Your Grace. I was about tae ask this lady, her cousin and her manservant whit road we had tae tak tae reach Wilton Park.”

The man’s brogue was thickening. Nerves had to play a role with that. Soon, he would be impossible to understand.

“They are looking for directions. You were right, Julia,” Ruby said happily. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” She blushed, and she dropped her eyes down so she looked at her feet.

“Ah, I understand, now,” Freddie said. “Mate, you should tell His Grace that he’s come on a fool’s errand. He will have to go to London in order to see Lord Lumley. I bought his estate from him, as he was cleaned out.”

Hamish’s face lost all of its colour. He looked a little panicked. He turned his horse around, and went back to the carriage. Hopping off his horse, he ran over to the carriage, and started to converse in a hurried tone with the Duke.

“I do wish they’d make haste. I would like to return to Castleton Court. I feel quite tired all of a sudden,” Julia said.

Freddie gave her a look of concern, and dismounted his horse, handing his reins to Julia’s groom, he ran over to the carriage.

Now, she wanted to know what was afoot. “Hold these, Ruby,” she said, handing her the reins, and the driving whip. She carefully stepped down from the curricle, and dashed over to be with Freddie.

As she approached the carriage, she heard all of them talking, and it sounded as if they were trying to talk all at once…and they were all trying to get a word in edgeways, while Freddie sounded as if he was about to lose his temper! Hamish’s brogue had thickened even more so and she was having a bloody hard time understanding the man!

“What is going on, Freddie?” she asked softly, coming to stand beside him. She unconsciously slipped her hand into his. If he was holding her hand, it was less likely he’d try to plant a facer on someone.

Freddie glanced down at her. His eyes were quite wild. She was worried for him. He looked afraid, and she’d never seen that particular glint in his eyes before.

“He…” Freddie stammered. “It isn’t true. It can’t be true. None of this makes any bloody sense. It’s all a bag of moonshine…it can’t be real.” She reached over and pinched him. Hard. “Bloody hell, woman!”

“It’s real, Freddie. Trust me,” she said, smiling sweetly at him.

“I like this young lady,” the man from inside of the carriage said. He leaned forward, and the sunlight spilled into the dark carriage and illuminated the duke’s features.

Now, she was the one that felt weak. “He…he…”

“You Moonrakers aren’t exactly the best conversationalists in all of England, are you? Still,” the Duke said, “A pretty and charming face warrants me to afford you a forgiving and gallant manner.”

“Why…why does he look so much like you, Freddie? He could be your twin, except he has at least twenty years on you. So…why does he look so much like you, why?” she asked a little desperately.

“I can answer that question, Lady Julia,” the Duke said. “He looks like me because he is my son.”

At the Duke’s shocking announcement, Julia could have been blown over by a feather.

“Come again?” she asked weakly.

Freddie couldn’t quite believe what was coming out of this man’s mouth.

“Is that what you were trying to tell me when you kept saying you were a bastard?” Julia asked, in a small voice.

Freddie almost laughed. Julia truly was the only woman for him.

“No, my dear. He is not a bastard by birth. I was married to his mother, well before he was born. And Hamish should have seen the resemblance as soon as he laid eyes on you.”

“I…I am sorry, Your Grace,” Hamish stammered.

“I keep telling you that you need spectacles. You shall certainly be getting a pair after today’s comedy of errors. I will personally see to it.”

“Aye, sir,” Hamish looked down and away from them. “I need tae gie ye ma apologies, sir. I dinnae see yer face clearly enaw tae make out th’ strikin’ resemblance ye shaur wi’ His Grace. An’, th’ Duke is quite reit, I dae require spectacles. Mah pride wouldnae allaw ma appropriatin them afore.” Freddie snorted. The man was so nervous, it was like he was speaking another tongue. He’d heard Scotsmen from the Highlands speak before and none had had such an unintelligible accent.

“But…I don’t understand, Freddie. You were raised…”

“In the London slums,” Freddie supplied, the muscle in his jaw flexing. He wanted to rail at the man who claimed to be his father. What’s more, he wanted to get off the bloody road.

“Aye, that is unfortunate, but I can explain,” the Duke said hurriedly.

“I don’t want your explanations, mate. I don’t want anything from you, sir. I believe you’d be best resting here for the night, and then making the long journey home.”

“I won’t leave until I settle things between us, Frederick Michael Andrew Guy Hamilton.”

“You are mistaken, sir, that is not my name.”

Freddie had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. His mother used to call him Frederick Michael Andrew whenever she wanted to reprimand him. She had never used the Guy name, though, and she’d certainly never used the surname, Hamilton. She had told him that he had the last name of his reprobate of a father, which was Smith. When he’d enlisted in the Army, he’d decided to use her maiden name of Merriweather to distance himself from the man he’d always believed was his sire.

None of it made any sense, and he wanted to know how a woman like his mother could have possibly been allowed to marry the Toff that sat in front of him. There was no way they would have allowed her to cross such rigid social barriers. No way in hell.

“Oh, but I am not. You were christened with that name, and therefore, that is your name, Son.”

“Can we…can we go back to Lark Hall, now? I feel bone weary for some reason,” Julia said weakly.

“Bone weary from this man’s utter tosh, more like, my love. Come along, Julia. I shall walk with you the rest of the way back to Lark Hall.

“Is that the name of that lovely little Queen Anne Manor House?” the Duke asked.

Little? What the bloody hell did he live in, if he was calling Lark Hall, little? Now Freddie felt a dizzy from it all. Mayhap, he’d need smelling salts when they reached Lark Hall.

“I can’t…I can’t leave Ruby with the curricle,” she said.

Freddie looked behind them to find that the groom had already taken the reins from Ruby.

“Not to worry, Julia. The groom has it well in hand. She and your prized curricle and horses will be fine.”

“Oh, that is a relief,” she murmured.

“I had hoped to continue onward to Wilton Park, but if you’re going back to Lark Hall, I shall accompany you,” the Duke said.

“I do not wish to put you out of your way, sir. As for making your way to Lark Hall, you might be more comfortable staying with another one of your mates. You toffs all know each other, don’t you?”

“Who the ruddy hell are you calling a toff, Son? I am no toff. I am a Scotsman.”

“A toff in a kilt, same thing,” Freddie countered.

Julia started to laugh. Nervously at first, and then, her laugher grew. She had tears welling in her eyes. She took the back of her gloved hand to her eye, and wiped it. “I think…I think I might pop a lace on my stay. The two of you are so much alike, it is rather amusing. And he didn’t even raise you,” she hiccupped. “Oh, my head is starting to hurt. I must away. I think I need a tipple of brandy.”

“The two of you climb into the carriage and we shall take you back to Lark Hall,” the Duke said. “I shan’t allow you to scare me away, Freddie. Not when I’ve traveled almost non-stop for days. I won’t lose you…I lost you once, I shan’t lose you again.”

“I think you’d better listen to the Duke, Freddie. Besides, don’t you want to know if his story is fact or fiction?”

“It is fact, Lady Julia. I have the necessary documents to prove it.”

“Well, there you have it, Freddie. You are just like Charles…you are the younger son of a duke.”

“Not younger son, Lady Julia. He is my only legitimate child, and to my knowledge, I have no by-blows, blowing around England or Scotland,” he said, with a cheeky smile.

“Not only does he have the same handsome visage, he has a sense of humour, just like you,” Julia muttered. “This is rather disconcerting.” 

Freddie couldn’t listen to it any longer. He greatly doubted the man before him truly was his father, and yet, the similarities in appearance were striking, and one would have to be the village idiot not to notice it. He couldn’t give that much thought any longer, he was starting to worry about Julia. He had never seen her this pale before—not even on their wedding day that wasn’t.

“Oh, God. If this is true…if it can all be proven, my biggest nightmare has come to pass,” he groaned.

“And what is that, Son?” the Duke asked, as Freddie helped Julia up into the carriage and followed her, so he sat beside her on the seat opposite the Duke.

“I’m the son of a bloody toff. Tiny and Lucky won’t believe it. Neither will Doc or Mole…nor the Colonel…he won’t believe it either. Not only that, but I can’t believe it, and if I can’t believe it…how will they?”

“Well, believe it, Freddie. Not only are you my son, you are my heir. You are going to be the Duke of Bowdon and Lydney someday.”

Julia stared at him with her sky blue eyes wide. “My God, Freddie, you’re his heir. Freddie, you are going to be a duke!”

“Someone like me can’t be a duke,” he said.

“Oh, I beg to differ. My family doesn’t have much choice. Of course, there aren’t many of us left. I had two younger brothers, and they both died in weird twists of fate. My middle brother was with his lady love when her husband came home. He decided to escape, by climbing out of the window during a storm, and he slipped and fell. The fall killed him. ‘Course if the fall hadn’t killed him, the husband would have.

“My youngest brother died after serving in the Napoleonic Wars. He liked his brandy, and he decided to smuggle over a good deal of the French stuff. Whilst on the ship back to England, he got roaring drunk, fell overboard and drowned. They died three days apart.

“Exactly two years later, my sister died in childbirth with her babe, and six months later, my mother and father both perished in the same fever within days of each other. So you are the last of us, Freddie. Some say my family has been cursed…I think we’ve merely been victims of life, hard such as it is.”

“Your brothers sound like they were a bit daft,” Freddie said bluntly.

“I suppose they were,” the Duke laughed.

“I rather think they were victims of stupidity,” Freddie declared.

“You are probably right,” the Duke agreed.

“One was a libertine, the other one was a drunk,” Julia whispered.

“I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I wager that your sister was the smartest one out of the lot,” Freddie said. 

The Duke looked a little taken aback at first, and then he chuckled. “Aye, she was rather.”

“And you…I take it you either stayed home all of the time…or you thought your actions out beforehand?” Freddie asked.

“I…” the Duke tugged at his cravat in a nervous gesture. “I liked to stick close to home. Those who know me, are perplexed that I decided to travel this far.”

“Ah, I see. So you never thought to pursue my mother and me,” Freddie snorted. Resentment boiled within him.

“I…my father told her to leave or he would let her brother who had been caught for poaching, hang. She did as he demanded, but I don’t think he supposed she would flee with you in her arms. The guilt weighted on him heavily, and we didn’t know where she had gone off to until recently when I saw your name mentioned in The Times. I hoped you were my son…as I recognized the name Merriweather, as your mother’s maiden name, though they had only listed you as Frederick Merriweather, Baron Axbridge, I had to hope it would turn out the way I prayed it would. Thankfully, she never changed your other names. Your mother’s mother was Scottish, and she had married an Englishman, while in service in London. They returned to Scotland after they were married.”

“I have to say, I’m finding it hard to believe this whole Banbury story. Why should I believe that you…a son of a duke was allowed to marry my mother? What was she? The scullery maid?”

“She was one of the maids, aye. She and I secretly eloped. By the time my parents knew about it, there was nothing they could do—and I didn’t return home until her belly was full with you.”

“So…you weren’t always a recluse,” Freddie snorted.

“No…I wasn’t. Where is your mother?”

“She’s dead. She’s been dead for many years. She died when I was a small child.”

The Duke looked as if he might have a heart attack at his words. “She’s dead?” he said hoarsely. “And…and what fate awaited you in her absence?”

“The slums weren’t too kind to me, mate. I had to go out and work for a Master Chimney Sweep when I was five. I was, as they say, a climbing boy. I’ve had more fires lit beneath me than I care to count. I barely remember that time, except to this day, I do not like enclosed spaces. Fortunately, I became too big for that dangerous work. After that I found employment as a Dustman’s assistant, and after that, I became an errand boy for a kindly woman who was known as Mrs. Robinson, who actually gave me protection against the man I believed was my father, and his wife, my horrid stepmother. After that, I enlisted in the Army, using my mother’s maiden name, instead of my Da’s surname of Smith.”

“Your Da?” Now, the Duke looked like he was going to go into a thundering rage.

“The no good piece of shite that my Ma shacked up with once she ran from your lovely family’s embrace. Except, I think she went from bad to worse. I think she thought to flee him as well, but her health went downhill fast, and she died.”

“Leaving you at his mercy.” The Duke’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. Why the man was so indignant on his behalf, befuddled Freddie. He barely knew him. Therefore, how could he possibly be angry about his upbringing?

“Aye.”

“And I trust this pitiful blackguard is dead now as well, and burning in hell.”

“Oh, no. Enoch Smith is the picture of health. He is being taken to New Bridewell, as we speak. Prison is the only place for that sodding bastard.”

“What crime did he commit?”

“Strangely enough, poaching,” Freddie laughed. “He poached off my lands, thinking that I owed him a living.”

The Duke’s blue eyes, so much like his own, crackled with fire. “I shall see that bloody bastard hang.”

They rumbled to a stop. “Oh, thank heavens. We have arrived. I don’t think I’ve been so pleased to see Lark Hall,” Julia said softly. “You are now on Lovett Lands, Your Grace. I pray you will like them.” Freddie could see she struggled to remain cordial with the man.

“And this house is your family home, Lady Julia?” he asked softly.

“Oh, no. This is my uncle’s home. He is the Honorable Edward Lovett. My family home is Castleton Court. Once we alight, you might be able to see it from here. It is a majestic sight to see on a clear day.”

The Duke nodded his head. “I think…if possible, I should like a good stiff drink.”

“Uncle Edward keeps the best brandy. We are Moonrakers after all,” Julia said softly.

“I rather thought more of a glass of whisky,” the Duke said.

Freddie bit his tongue. He wanted to tell the man that he would take what was offered to him, and yet, somehow, he couldn’t make the harsh words pass his lip. The Duke looked as if he’d had all of his hopes dashed. He almost pitied him.

“Can you ever forgive me?” the Duke asked softly. Their carriage door was whisked open by Hamish. “You pick the times, Hamish! I am not done talking to my son!”

Hamish’s eyes widened, and he promptly shut the carriage door.

“You can’t blame the poor devil,” the Duke sighed. “He is an orphan, and he was taken in by my father right after we lost you, Frederick. We call him by his Christian name, but he does know his place within the household.”

“His manners need improving,” Freddie said.

“Aye, they probably do,” the Duke gave him a faint smile. “You never had the opportunity to answer my question. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I…I don’t know if I am in the position to forgive you, sir. You have not done ill by me. You did ill by my mother. You said yourself that your father didn’t think she’d leave with me. Do you think she was the kind of woman to abandon her own child?”