Chapter 6

Chapter Six

J ulianna stared wide-eyed at Mr. Kaye’s question. They’d made it through four rounds of comments and questions, and, other than finding out that Lord Bingham slept with a sock full of cinnamon bark, all the other statements had been fairly benign.

“I am not sure that is a yes or no question,” Beth said, her eyes dancing with humor. “Perhaps you need to rephrase it, Mr. Kaye.”

“I suppose that is true. All right, how about this? Do you swim in your dress?”

Julianna sputtered. That sounded even worse.

Lord Bingham cleared his throat. “What he means to say is what sort of bathing costume do you use?”

Beth snickered. “That is not a yes or no question either.”

“Well it is better than the way he stated it. At least my question does not leave one to wonder if she wore anything at all.”

Julianna’s hand flew to her chest. “I beg your pardon.”

Lord Bingham had the grace to appear chagrined.

Beth burst into laughter and Julianna narrowed her eyes. She was deriving far too much pleasure from seeing Julianna squirm. Where were her oh so proper manners? Perhaps the cold air had begun to freeze her good sense.

Mr. Kaye held up his hands. “I think it’s time we simply start the guessing now.” His face was mottled red, the same embarrassment she felt evident in the way he shifted from foot to foot.

“But she must answer the question,” Beth insisted.

“Fine.” Julianna cast her a look of challenge. “No.”

“No to which question?” Lord Bingham asked.

“Yes.” Her lips twitched at his confusion.

Mr. Kaye glanced at her. “Are you saying yes to his question or mine?”

“Yes.”

“Jule, you are making no sense.”

“That is not a question, dear sister, and now I believe everyone’s questions and answers are up. Now you must choose which of my three statements was false.”

Mr. Kaye grinned. “My guess is that you cannot swim.”

“I can attest to the truthfulness of that one,” Beth divulged. “Although my sister is not a strong swimmer, she can keep herself afloat.” Mr. Kaye frowned, but Beth continued. “I believe it is the one about not liking plum pudding. You like everything that is sweet.”

“And you, Lord Bingham?” Julianna asked.

“I think I shall have to rely on your sister's knowledge of you and agree that you do in fact like plum pudding. Besides, how can you not have danced with a general if your uncle is one?”

Julianna crossed her arms in triumph. “You are all wrong. I can swim and I do not like plum pudding, but I have never danced with a general.”

“But I saw you with Uncle Waverly.”

“Yes, but he was not a general at the time.”

All three groaned and Julianna chuckled.

“I cry foul,” Mr. Kaye said. “Whether it was before or after his service he has at one time been a general so it counts.”

“Here, here,” Lord Bingham agreed, rubbing his left hand against his trouser leg. Odd that he did not put his glove on. It would keep the hand warmer than simply being held.

Something wet landed on the end of her nose and Julianna looked up. A mistake as several more droplets landed in her face.

“Oh dear.” Beth scurried toward the carriage. “Where is the driver? It has been far more than ten minutes.”

Even though the carriage sat awkwardly on the ground they all agreed that it would be drier within than to stand in the freezing rain. Once within, however, it was quite the task to seat themselves without sliding into whomever sat nearest the left side door.

Mr. Kaye suggested they all squeeze themselves on the backward facing seat since it still sat evenly on two wheels, but that was a complete impossibility without one of the sisters sitting on the other's lap. In the end Lord Bingham offered to sit on the sloping seat allowing Julianna to sit next to Mr. Kaye with Beth on her other side.

“Well isn’t this cozy,” Mr. Kaye said. “Boy, girl, girl, boy.”

Lord Bingham rolled his eyes. “It would be far cozier if the postilion would return and we could be on our way in a carriage with seats that all sat upright.”

“I agree,” Beth said, glancing at Lord Bingham’s left hand. Leaning forward, she pulled his glove from his grasp. He looked at her in confusion until she silently opened the end toward him. Hesitantly he slipped his hand into it, then nodded.

The interchange was strange, but it appeared Beth had grown tired of watching him strangle his glove with one hand.

“Do not mind his Lordship. He becomes cantankerous when things are not squarely on the threes and nines,” Mr. Kaye leaned over and whispered.

“I heard that,” Lord Bingham said, eyeing his friend.

Mr. Kaye did not look the least chagrin.

“The threes and nines?” Julianna asked.

“Yes, everything must square up with the clock and the seat he is on is most definitely not a straight line from three to nine.”

Beth smiled. “If you’d like, I can switch places with you, Lord Bingham.”

He peered at her, his eyes growing soft. “You have already done me one kindness today, thank you.”

She had? What kindness was this? Julianna glanced at Mr. Kaye, a question in the tilt of her head, but the sound of pounding hooves and rolling wheels stole his attention.

Lord Bingham leaned his head so he could see out the window. “It is the driver.”

Beth sighed. “Good. I was beginning to wonder if they were going to leave us here to freeze.”

“I would not have let that happen.” Lord Bingham exited and reached out with his left hand. Beth took it and Julianna saw a look pass between them. It was like watching a beautiful play acted out on a stage where the heroine peers into the hero's eyes with wonder and he holds her gaze with tenderness and admiration in his own.

Julianna let out a long slow breath and let her body melt with the lovely feeling. Warmth seeped into her back and a hand came up to rest on her arm.

“They do look good together,” he said.

She should pull away from Mr. Kaye’s touch. She’d not meant to rest her back so much against his chest as they waited to exit, but the heat emanating off him felt good in the cold and she tried to convince herself that warmth was the only reason she enjoyed his closeness.

“They do.”

When Beth’s feet hit the ground she turned and Julianna jolted upright, not wanting her sister to see how she was nearly cradled in Mr. Kaye’s arms. If for one moment Beth thought she was in danger of making a ninny of herself, she’d completely switch from older sister to stand-in mama. In some ways her sister reminded her of a mother hen, always needing to take care of everyone around, especially her. And that was a huge problem.

When Beth focused on applying herself to others’ needs she completely disregarded her own. That simply would not do. This was her one chance to find the freedom and happiness Julianna knew she desired. If Beth lost that chance due to something she did—if she refused to allow Lord Bingham near enough to win her regard because she thought she needed to protect her—Julianna would never forgive herself.

“Allow me to help you.” Lord Bingham reached into the carriage and grasped Julianna’s hand.

Once they were all outside, the transfer of people and possessions went quite smoothly. The promised they were in good hands with the new driver before going to work with another man on the broken coach.

As promised, the inn was not far off. When they arrived they were treated to a hot meal and a fire, warming themselves from the inside out.

“What now?” Julianna asked. “We have lost the better part of the day.”

“Well, we cannot stay here,” Beth insisted. “I would much rather travel late than be stuck overnight without Mrs. Barker for propriety. She will be sure to fret until everyone is in a tizzy. Plus, think of how frightened Aunt and Uncle Waverly will be. ”

“Your sister is correct.” Lord Bingham moved his utensils to sit directly parallel to one another on the right side of his plate. He then set to spacing them exactly the same distance from one another. “We need to push on if we wish to reach Kendal before your uncle sends out servants to scour the roadsides for an overturned carriage.”

“Or worries we have whisked you both off to Scotland,” Mr. Kaye said before popping a piece of bread into his mouth. His eyes danced as they bounced between Lord Bingham and Beth.

Julianna kicked his shin under the table. If he was not careful his blatant comments would undermine everything they were hoping to foster between her sister and his friend. Knowing her sister, if she felt forced, she’d shy away from forming any intimate feelings as quickly as a young colt did from a bridle.

Mr. Kaye’s smile fell and he blinked at her in confusion. Thankfully he did not question her.

After the meal the ladies excused themselves for a moment.

“Jule, it is not polite to kick people under the table,” Beth said once they were out of earshot of the gentlemen.

“How did you…”

“Because the force of your kick was powerful enough to bump his foot into mine.”

Julianna let out an embarrassed giggle. “I had not realized how forceful I’d nudged him, but he deserved it for such a cheeky remark.”

“And yet you did not look at all opposed to such a scenario when you were all cozy with him in the carriage.”

“I was not?—”

“Oh come now, Jule, I saw it with my own eyes. You need to be careful. Sweet talking gentlemen like Mr. Kaye are not always as they seem. We must not allow men we hardly know to win our affection so quickly. I promise you; it will not turn out well.”

“Not every man is like he who we do not name, Beth.”

“I never said they were, only that one day is barely a speck in a lifetime. Best to make sure that speck does not darken the rest of your life.”

“But what if that speck is the only bright spot I have seen in years? What if it is only the beginning of happy days to come? One day can also be the catalyst for years of joy.”

Beth slowly shook her head. “Why do I bother arguing with you?”

“Because it’s more entertaining than if we kept silent.” Julianna cast her a wide grin. Beth reluctantly smiled. “Besides, you need my sunshine to brighten your doom and gloom.”

The smile slipped and Beth wrapped her arms around her middle. “Have I become that disagreeable?”

Julianna wrapped an arm about her slim shoulders and squeezed. “Not disagreeable, but I have worried about how distrustful and fearful you have become. I know why you worry, but not everyone is out to hurt us. And if Aunt Waverly invited these two gentlemen, she must have some sort of trust in their character. Let us try to give them a little grace before we deem them cads, shall we?”

Her sister did not immediately respond, but when she finally lifted her bowed head a glimmer of light showed in her eyes. “I suppose we can. Only be careful, Jule. It is the least we both can do.”

“Agreed.”

When they finished their business and returned to the men, Julianna noticed a basket slung over Mr. Kaye’s arm.

“From the cook,” he said. “To cut down times at stops.”

Lord Bingham gestured for Beth to precede him out the door and Julianna and Mr. Kaye followed. After a moment she pulled Mr. Kaye back to give them space.

“Did you have to make such a forward comment?” She asked quietly

“I was only trying to plant a seed.”

“Yes, well, if you had not noticed my sister, like your friend, prefers to move as slow as molasses on a cold day. If you heat things up too quickly though, she might get runny. If you follow?”

“Entirely, but if she is cold, then my friend is completely frozen at the moment. A good thaw is what he needs. Perhaps if we apply the right heat to both they will drizzle smoothly and evenly together.”

“Not too much and not too little?”

“Exactly.”

She tipped her head in his direction. “And hopefully onto the same crumpet.”

Mr. Kaye smirked. “All this talk about food is making me hungry.”

Julianna laughed. “But we just ate.”

“Does not matter. Crumpets and molasses are a weakness of mine. I could eat them the moment a full five course meal finished.”

“I see. Perhaps the cook has packed something tasty in the basket.”

He nodded. “One can only hope.”

“Are we agreed then that minimal pressure should be applied to our cold molasses companions?”

His gaze flicked to where Lord Bingham was helping Beth into the coach. “Agreed. I shall be more careful about my nudging so as not to put us both in a sticky situation.” His eyebrows rose at the pun and she giggled.

How had she gotten so lucky as to have such a diverting co-conspirator? Mr. Kaye slipped the basket onto his other arm and offered his free one to her. She took it, not bothering to shy away from his cheery gaze. Beth’s warning sounded in the back of her mind, but she ignored it. She had one chance, and she would not let it slip away without a concerted effort on her part, molasses sister or not.