Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

T he next morning, Judith woke up with a start. The room was filled with the soft morning light. She didn't bother ringing for Marianne and dressed herself quickly, having taken a bath the night before. Her hair had a slight wave to it, and she made sure to let a few curls frame her face.

As she headed out into the hall, she could hear the faint sounds of activity downstairs. John had recovered quicker than expected and returned to Eton the previous week, and Matilda wasn't in the habit of coming into the manor house so early.

Curious, she made her way to the landing, stopping only to stretch, feeling the friendly ache of a good night's rest, and slowly made her way down the grand staircase. As she neared the bottom, she heard the voices coming from the drawing room.

"John has recovered now and gone back to Eton, but it was quite the disaster. Without your friend, we would not have been able to bring him home—it was rather unfortunate." Matilda's voice drifted to her ears. "That incident at Eton was entirely unacceptable. What if he hadn't been there to help us?"

"I know," came Oliver's familiar voice.

Judith let out a yelp, clapping her hand over her mouth. She'd known he'd be back any day now, but to hear his voice first thing in the morning shook her. He had to have arrived in the middle of the night.

"I'll speak to the headmaster and make sure that you are authorized to remove John if need be. But in any case, once Judith is married, we will have her husband on hand to help, should I have to go out of the country again," Oliver explained.

"Good, I do not think it was right what happened," Matilda reiterated.

Judith was pleased to hear her stepmother had stood up to Oliver already.

"And it will not, I assure you. I am very grateful you were here to look after him. I'll visit him next week," Oliver said.

Judith smiled as she listened to her brother. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him until she heard his voice. Theirs had been a complicated relationship, but he was her family, and Aaron's words regarding Oliver's reluctance to be a marquess and his fears of not being as well regarded as their father had softened her toward him.

Excitement bubbled up inside her, and she rushed down the remaining steps, her slippers barely making a sound on the polished wood.

She burst into the drawing room, her eyes wide with joy. "Oliver!"

Oliver turned, a broad smile spreading across his face. "Judith!" he exclaimed, opening his arms wide.

She threw herself into his embrace, feeling the familiar comfort and warmth. "I've missed you so much," she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

He chuckled, holding her tightly. "And I've missed you too. Truly, I never thought I would, but I did."

She would have been offended by his less-than-praising words, but she knew exactly what he'd meant. In the past, she'd never missed him when he was away nor dreaded his departure, but this time, she had missed him. Perhaps it was because they no longer had parents to look out for them, forcing them to rely on one another and Matilda, their stepmother.

Judith pulled back, her cheeks flushed with happiness. "How was your trip?" she asked eagerly.

Oliver's eyes sparkled with amusement. "It was quite the adventure, but I'll tell you all about it over breakfast." He glanced at Matilda, who was watching the reunion with a fond smile. "Shall we?"

Matilda nodded. "Of course. Let's move to the breakfast room."

As they walked together, Judith couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and contentment. Having Oliver back felt like a missing piece of her life had been restored. The house seemed brighter, the air lighter.

Once seated around the breakfast table, Oliver began recounting his travels.

"The Continent is as lively as ever," he started, buttering a slice of toast. "I had some successful meetings with suppliers about new imports. And I met a young woman, Elizabeta, in Florence. She's the daughter of a merchant I was dealing with."

"Elizabeta?" Judith echoed, intrigued. "Tell me more about her."

"She's intelligent, charming, and quite lovely," Oliver said with a smile. "I'm considering bringing her back to England."

Judith's eyes widened. "Really? That sounds wonderful, Oliver. I can't wait to meet her."

Oliver nodded, but his expression grew serious. "And how have you been, Judith? I heard you're courting Lord Leeds."

Judith felt a strange mix of emotions at the mention of Graham. "Yes, we've been courting for a few weeks now. He's very kind and respectable."

Oliver studied her for a moment. "And are you happy?"

Judith hesitated, then nodded. "I think so. It's all been very pleasant."

There was that wretched word again. Pleasant . Could she not think of a better way to think of her suitor or at least to talk about him with more enthusiasm?

"Pleasant?" Oliver repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You deserve more than just pleasant, Judith."

She cringed, for she'd hoped her brother would not have noticed. Although, why did he care? He was the one who'd pushed her into all of this.

She looked down at her plate, feeling a bit unsettled. "I know. But it's still early days."

"Oliver, we ought to be happy that Judith likes him. Besides, you wanted her to wed, did you not?" Matilda chimed in and winked at Judith, who felt a rush of warmth flood her. She had an ally at this table, at least.

Oliver reached across the table and took his sister's hand in his own. "Well, yes. I do want you to get married. Can't have you turn into an ape leader, after all, eh wot?" he said with a laugh, and for a second, Judith saw the old Oliver again. "But I do think it is important that you find him agreeable."

Judith looked up and met his gaze, feeling the sincerity in his words. "I do. And do not worry, I shall not become an ape leader."

As they continued their meal, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, and Judith found herself laughing and smiling more than she had in weeks. Having Oliver back had lifted her spirits, and for the first time in a long while, she felt genuinely hopeful about the future.

After breakfast, Oliver excused himself to take care of some business, leaving Judith and Matilda alone.

Matilda looked at Judith with a knowing smile. "It's good to have him back, isn't it?"

Judith nodded. "Yes, it really is."

"Now, what are your plans for the day?" Matilda asked, changing the subject.

"I think I'll take a walk in the garden," Judith said, standing up. "Would you like to join me?"

Matilda shook her head. "No, you go ahead. I have some letters to write."

Judith made her way to the garden, the cool morning air refreshing against her skin. She wandered among the flowers, her thoughts drifting to Oliver, Lord Leeds, and the future. For the first time in a while, she felt a sense of clarity.

The garden door opened then, and her brother stepped out, motioning for her to wait.

"Judith, is everything quite alright? Did Aaron take good care of you while I was away? There were no issues, were there?"

Issues? Well, Aaron had kissed her and then called her a burden after placing a wager on her ability to find a husband. And that was after he'd humiliated her in front of his cocky friends. And then there was the trouble with Thomas Cornell…

It had been an eventful few weeks, but none of this mattered now. Thus, Judith simply nodded, feeling a wave of awkwardness wash over her. She didn't want to talk about Aaron at all, so she quickly changed the subject.

"Lord Leeds has been very attentive."

Oliver furrowed his brow slightly, but he let her redirect the conversation. "Do you think he will propose soon?"

"Yes," Judith replied, trying to sound enthusiastic. "I believe he will."

However, the lack of genuine excitement in her voice was evident, even to her own ears.

Oliver sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I had a lot of time to think during my trip. I'm sorry if I pushed you too hard about finding a suitor. Elizabeta has been an influence on me when it comes to matters of the heart," he admitted, his cheeks reddening.

Whoever this young woman was, she'd changed her brother.

"I just wanted what's best for you. I love you, Judith."

Judith was taken aback, feeling a warmth spread through her. "I love you too, Oliver," she said, her voice soft with emotion. "It means a lot to hear you say that. And I want you to know that you do not need to worry. You will make a wonderful Marquess of Worcester. I know Father has left large shoes to fill, but you will fill them well. And Matilda will help."

"I see Aaron has spoken out of turn," he said and grimaced, but then he smiled again. "I do thank you for your trust in me. But I am worried. Father was so popular. I always aspired to be like him, but I fear I never will get there…"

"You will," she repeated. "But you must be your own man. There is no point in aspiring to be him—you must be yourself, and people will follow."

"You're right. I must say, both you and Matilda are quite changed. She is more direct than she has ever been before, and you are bolder than you were when I left. Have you learned that from her?"

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Judith said, "Matilda and I get along very well now. We've grown quite close."

Oliver smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. Family is important, and I want us all to be closer and to listen to one another."

Judith nodded. "I want that, too."

Their conversation was interrupted when a carriage rolled down the drive and Judith spotted the crest of the Duke of Nottingham. Her heart skipped a beat, and a flurry of emotions surged through her.

"I have dallied too long. I need to get ready," she stated quickly, rising from the bench.

"You're leaving? But I invited Aaron to have tea with us to talk about the last few months," her brother said, genuinely surprised.

Judith chewed on her bottom lip and shrugged. "I do beg your pardon, but I made my plans before I knew you were returning. I'm seeing Joanna this morning."

Oliver looked slightly disappointed but understanding. "Well, alright. I suppose if you made commitments. But wait. I invited Aaron here, so the least you could do is greet him before you go."

Judith hesitated but nodded, knowing she could not get out of this. "Alright. But I must make haste."

Oliver got up from his chair, and together they walked toward the carriage just as Aaron stepped out.

"Aaron," Oliver called in an excited tone. "You are here! I am afraid I made a miscalculation when I told you to have tea with the both of us. It seems my sister already has plans of her own with the Duchess of Wells."

"What a shame," Aaron said and looked at Judith. His eyes penetrated her walls, and she felt that familiar rush that had come over her every time he was near. "I've been looking forward to talking to you again. It has been a while, Lady Judith."

Chiding herself for it, she took a deep breath and made herself look at him. Their eyes met for a brief, awkward moment. "It cannot be helped, Your Grace," she replied softly, avoiding his gaze.

"Your Grace? Lady Judith? Are you telling me the two of you have been calling one another by your titles this entire time?" Oliver sounded genuinely aghast.

Aaron flashed a small smile. "Judith," he said hesitantly.

"Aaron," Judith returned, but she said nothing further.

Fortunately, Oliver had taken charge of the conversation, thus breaking the silence that threatened to settle between them.

She nodded once more, then quickly excused herself. "Right, well. I am expected at my friend's home. Enjoy your tea."

She slipped away before the tension became unbearable.

As she made her way upstairs to prepare for her visit with Joanna, Judith couldn't help but reflect on the jumble of feelings that had surfaced upon seeing Aaron again.

She realized that despite everything, her feelings for him hadn't faded. But with Graham's impending proposal and the expectations placed upon her, the path ahead felt more uncertain than ever.