Chapter 13

Chapter 13

“Emily – there’s something waiting for you in the morning room,” Juliette’s mother said, as Juliette and Emily entered the dining room for breakfast the next morning.

Emily looked surprised, but Juliette could not help but smile, believing she knew what it was her cousin was about to receive.

“A token of his affections,” she said, and Emily blushed.

“Oh, may I go and see?” she asked, and Juliette’s mother nodded.

“I should’ve told you after breakfast – I knew you wouldn’t settle. Go on, then,” she said, and Juliette and Emily now hurried to the morning room, where they found the largest arrangement of flowers Juliette had ever seen.

The perfume of the blooms filled the air, and Emily let out a cry of delight at the sight – a vision in cut flowers of every possible color.

“Look, there’s a card – “ To my dearest Emily, how I delighted in your company last night, and how I long for it again. May these flowers serve as a reminder of my deep affection – until we meet again. With love, Gregory” – isn’t it wonderful?” Emily exclaimed, after she had read the card out loud.

Juliette smiled, shaking her head, even as she could not help but think how lovely the gesture was. There was no doubt as to Gregory’s feelings for Emily – true and genuine feelings, expressed in word and deed. She was glad her cousin had found the happiness she so deserved, and there was no doubt in her mind as to his suitability.

“I’m so happy for you, Emily. It’ll be a proposal next,” Juliette said.

“Do you think so?” Emily asked, and Juliette nodded before leaning forward to sniff at one of the roses, its sweet scent filling her nostrils with its perfume.

“Why not? You deserve it – and so does he. If the two of you are in love, why hold back?” she asked.

Emily pondered for a moment.

“You’re right – and I’d say yes. He’s simply a delight. I can’t describe it any differently, Juliette. The way he makes me feel. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. You must feel the same way about Alexander,” she said.

Juliette smiled. She did feel the same about Alexander – much to her surprise. But as for those feelings, being like nothing she had felt before, that much was different. Juliette had felt the same before – about Nicholas. Those feelings, too, had gone unrequited, and now she was cautious about admitting as much, particularly given the strange circumstances in which those feelings had arisen.

“Well… it’s… complicated,” she said, and her cousin looked at her curiously.

“How can it be complicated, Juliette?” she asked, and Juliette sighed.

She had not wanted to tell anyone about her deception, but Emily was different. They told one another everything and given the unexpected feelings she had had at the soiree the previous evening, it seemed now was the time for honesty.

“Well… you see… please don’t tell mother – don’t tell anyone. But it’s not all as it seems – Alexander and I, I mean,” Juliette replied.

Emily looked at her curiously.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“After Nicholas’ return, Alexander came to see me – he had a proposition,” Juliette replied, and now she explained what had happened.

She told her cousin everything – how she and Alexander were pretending to court one another in the hope of making Nicholas realize what he had lost and to keep Alexander’s mother from questioning his lack of progress towards matrimony.

She concluded with the fact of what had happened in the garden at Lady Rankin’s house the previous evening. Emily listened without interrupting, though there were several points in the explanation when she raised her eyebrows in surprise. When Juliette had finished her tale, Emily shook her head and put her arms around her.

“Oh, Juliette – what a tangled web you weave. And all for Nicholas,” she exclaimed, stepping back and placing her hands on Juliette’s shoulders.

“I don’t know why I didn’t tell you sooner. I suppose… well, I rather liked the fact others thought it was true – about Alexander and me, I mean. And as for Nicholas… well, I don’t know why I did as I did. The more I think about him, the more uncertain I am as to why I waited for him.

But… well, it’s him and Lavinia I’m worried about. There’s something not right about it. That’s the other reason for this ruse – I thought if he thought my intention was for Alexander, he might… tell me more about what happened in Europe,” Juliette said.

Saying it out loud – explaining the bizarre situation she now found herself in – only made the whole thing sound more ridiculous. It had made sense, at first, but Juliette had not reckoned on her own feelings getting the better of her. The stranger from the orangery had become a friend, and that friend had now become an intimate. She had not wanted to admit to him the kiss they had shared had been her first, and it was certainly not as she had expected it to be.

“My poor cousin – but what are you going to do?” Emily asked.

Juliette had been asking herself the same question.

There had been no agreement as to how long they would keep up the pretense – nor as to how it would be broken off when the time came. Indeed, the whole thing now appeared ludicrous, even as Juliette did not know how to extract herself from the arrangement made. Nicholas’ jealousy was one thing, but Juliette now found herself with unexpected feelings towards Alexander – feelings not easily pushed aside.

“I don’t know. Last night, when he kissed me, he told I was different to other women. There was such sincerity in his voice. I really believed he meant it. And when he kissed me, it felt as though… he really wanted to kiss me,” Juliette said, and Emily smiled.

“Then perhaps he did. Or perhaps he doesn’t yet know his own feelings. Give it time. You barely know one another yet, do you? You can’t expect him to fall in love with you in an instant. But what does this mean for you and Nicholas?” Emily asked.

Juliette shook her head and smiled.

“Nicholas and I… well, it was an empty dream. A false hope. I don’t think it was Nicholas I was waiting for. I think I was waiting for the man I believed Nicholas to be. He was what I thought a man should be – the man I was going to marry. But when he returned from Europe… it was nothing like I imagined. I felt dreadfully foolish, and perhaps that’s why… oh, why does it have to be so complicated?” Juliette exclaimed, shaking her head and sighing.

Emily slipped her arm into Juliette’s and patted her hand.

“Come now, Juliette – try not to worry. I tell you what, let’s forget all about men for the morning. I think it’s high time we were measured for new dresses, don’t you?” she said, and Juliette smiled.

“But we were measured for new dresses just the other day, weren’t we? That’s when we bumped into Alexander and Gregory,” she said, and Emily smiled back at her.

“A woman can never have too many dresses, Juliette – you know that. Come along. Let’s ask your mother if we can use the carriage – and we’re not allowed to talk about men for the whole morning,” she said, raising her finger to her lips.

Juliette laughed. She was glad to have confided her secret to Emily. Her cousin was like a sister to her – her dearest friend and closest confidante. But the sharing of the problem was not its resolution, and despite her promise not to mention men again for the rest of the morning, Juliette found herself thinking ever more deeply about her growing feelings for Alexander and what they would mean for the ruse they were engaged in.