Chapter 15

Chapter 15

“Arguing? The two of them? Are you sure?” Emily asked, after Juliette had told her what she had observed at the exhibition the previous day.

The two of them were sitting in the garden, enjoying the morning sunshine. Juliette had waited until the two of them were alone to tell her cousin what she and Alexander had seen. But there was no doubt in her mind as to the tensions between Nicholas and Lavinia – something was not right, and Juliette was determined to find out what.

“Yes, we both saw them. They were really going at one another – though quietly, thinking no one was watching them. I’ve never seen such a look on Nicholas’s face. He was straining under the pressure – I could tell he wanted to shout at her. She was whispering something to him – almost as though she was threatening him,” Juliette replied.

In the hours following her return from the exhibition, Juliette had imagined perhaps a dozen different scenarios – another woman, another man, a change in fortune, the breaking of a scandal. Anything was possible, but what had truly surprised her was her own feelings towards what she had seen.

A few weeks previously, she would have been delighted – as unpleasant as it was to admit it – to see Nicholas and Lavinia on the verge of breaking their betrothal. She might have imagined herself stepping into Lavinia’s shoes, comforting Nicholas over the tragedy of the split, and placing herself in line for his recovery.

But now, her feelings were different – remarkably so. She still cared about Nicholas, and if Lavinia was the one at fault, or making threats, then Juliette would do all she could to help. But as for positioning herself as the alternative, Juliette was no longer of a mind to do so. Something had changed – her feelings had changed, and now it was no longer Nicholas who held her affection, but Alexander.

“But what’s it all about, you think?” Emily asked.

Juliette shook her head.

“I don’t know. But I intend to find out,” she replied.

“And what does Alexander think? Doesn’t it bother him?” Emily said, and Juliette looked at her curiously.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

She could not imagine Alexander caring about her feelings towards Nicholas. He had made the facts of their ruse clear. It was just that and nothing more. Juliette had felt foolish for assuming Alexander felt something more for her, and now she had no intention of making the same mistake again – despite the fact of her own feelings towards him.

“Well, if he has feelings for you, might he not be hesitant in expressing them if he thinks you’re still holding out in hope of Nicholas realizing his love for you?” Emily replied.

Juliette had not thought about it like that, and her cousin’s words now caused her to pause and consider. It made sense, of course. If Alexander did have feelings for her, then her own apparent feelings for Nicholas would surely be a barrier to their expression.

No man would risk humiliation in such a way, and Juliette had given no indication of her own change of feelings towards Nicholas. She thought back to the moment in the shrubbery when they had kissed, and to his words. There had been a definite sincerity in his voice, such as to make her wonder if what he said was true.

“Well… I suppose so, but…” Juliette began, even as she realized she might have unwittingly hurt Alexander – if he truly did have feelings for her.

It was all so complicated – a love triangle that was not meant to have happened.

“You don’t feel the same about Nicholas, do you? Not anymore,” Emily said, and Juliette shook her head.

“No, I don’t. I was foolish to wait for him as I did. But I think – in my defense – I was really waiting for a man to fall in love with. I just thought it was him. I know it doesn’t make sense, Emily, but… well, do you think I should make it clear I no longer feel that way about Nicholas?” Juliette asked.

Her cousin smiled.

“Ask yourself this, Juliette. If Nicholas and Lavinia were to break their betrothal, and if Nicholas was to present himself in opposition to Alexander, who would you choose? The man you’ve waited for all this time, or the man who appears to have so unexpectedly turned your world upside down?” she asked.

Juliette blushed. It was true – meeting the stranger in the orangery had changed everything. At that moment, a seed had been planted, and now it had blossomed into something more than she could ever have believed possible. She had not meant to fall in love, and yet she had done – she was.

“Alexander,” she admitted, and Emily smiled.

“Then you’ve answered the question,” she replied.

At that moment, the butler stepped out onto the terrace, announcing the arrival of a guest.

“Miss Henrietta Humphrey,” he said, and Juliette and Emily rose to their feet to greet their friend, who now appeared in the garden, wearing a yellow dress and matching bonnet.

“How lovely to see you, Henrietta,” Juliette exclaimed, for she had recently sensed something of a distancing between herself and Nicholas’ sister, though she had not known the cause of it.

Henrietta greeted them warmly, apologizing for the fact of their having not seen one another properly in weeks.

“It’s been so chaotic – what with Nicholas’ return, and meeting Lavinia,” she said.

Tea was sent for, and the three women spent a happy hour or so catching up on one another’s news.

“And you’re pleased with the betrothal?” Juliette asked, when the subject of Nicholas and Lavinia was once again broached.

A shadow came over Henrietta’s face, even as she nodded and smiled weakly.

“Yes… well, that’s one of the reasons I came, actually. I wanted to ask if you knew much about Lavinia? No one seems to, you see,” Henrietta said, looking somewhat concerned.

Juliette was surprised. She had assumed Henrietta would know all there was to know about her brother’s new prospect. But it seemed Henrietta was entirely in the dark – as was the rest of the ton. Juliette and Emily looked at one another.

“Well… you see, we don’t really know anything, either,” Juliette admitted.

She did not like to mention what she had seen at the art exhibition, fearing Henrietta would take it as a sign all was not well – which it clearly wasn’t.

“It’s just… no one does. Nicholas tells me he’s happy, but… there’s just something not right about it. I know I shouldn’t say such things, but I’m his sister, and I’d hate to think of him getting hurt,” Henrietta said.

Juliette nodded. She understood Henrietta’s fear – it was her own, too. But there was no evidence of what Lavinia had or had not done – only a feeling.

“As do we. But what can be done? Unless he tells you the truth – whatever that might be – you’ll never know,” Juliette said.

“Yes, well… that’s what I’ve arranged a dinner – an engagement dinner. I want the two of you to come. Perhaps between us we can find out something more. I hope I’m wrong. I really do. But I have a terrible feeling I might not be,” Henrietta said, shaking her head sadly.

The dinner was to take place two days later, and Henrietta informed them a date for the wedding had been set.

“Only four weeks away – it’ll soon be here, and if he goes through with it, that’s that,” Juliette said, shaking her head as she and Emily rode together in a carriage towards the home of Nicholas and Henrietta.

“But do you think he will? I can’t see it myself,” Emily said.

“But what if he doesn’t have a choice? What if she’s blackmailing him?” Juliette replied.

She had been glad to realize Henrietta had shared her suspicions about Lavinia. Had they been merely her own, Juliette might have feared her reasoning had been clouded by jealousy. But there was more to it than that – a sense of foreboding as to what was to come – and as they arrived at the house, Juliette was determined to find out more.

“I’m just looking forward to seeing Gregory,” Emily said as they climbed out of the carriage.

Juliette was looking forward to seeing Alexander, too, and as they made their way up the steps to the house, she wondered what Nicholas would do when he saw the two of them together. Was he jealous of Alexander? And if so, what did he intend to do about it?

“I’m glad you’re both here. There’s quite a crowd of Lavinia’s family and friends. I don’t know anyone, even though it’s my house,” Henrietta said, as she met Juliette and Emily in the hallway.

Nicholas’ parents were both deceased, but Lord and Lady Summerisle – his aunt and uncle – were in attendance, along with Gregory and Alexander, both of whom now greeted Juliette and Emily.

“I don’t know any of these people,” Alexander whispered, as he offered Juliette his arm.

Drinks were being served in the drawing room, and as they entered, they almost collided with Nicholas and Lavinia, who were standing somewhat awkwardly together by the refreshment table as an older man with white hair and a large moustache talked loudly at them.

“Yes, a delightful evening – and a delightful couple,” he was saying.

Lavinia nodded and smiled.

“Thank you, Lord Chester,” she said, pulling at Nicholas’ arm as though she was keen to get away from the man, who now raised a glass of punch to them.

“I can only hope your second engagement is more successful than your first two,” he said.

Juliette’s eyes grew wide with astonishment, and Lavinia now drew a sharp intake of breath as Nicholas turned to her in surprise.

“I think you’ve had rather too much to drink, Lord Chester. You’re becoming confused,” Lavinia said, pulling again at Nicholas’ arm.

“No… I don’t think so… there was the man from Kentucky, wasn’t there? And then there was…” he began, but he did not have a chance to finish his sentence as now Lavinia dropped her own punch glass to the floor, where it smashed into a hundred pieces.

“Oh, silly me – I’m so clumsy. I’m so sorry, Lord Chester – look at your shirt, all covered in punch. We must have one of the servants bring a cloth. You sit down and don’t worry about a thing,” Lavinia said, as Lord Chester’s words were drowned out in the general commotion now occurring.

Juliette glanced up at Alexander – they had both heard the same thing, and how extraordinary it was…

“Two engagements? I knew she’d lost one betrothed in a shipwreck – the man from Kentucky. But not two – Lord Chester seemed adamant about it, though,” Juliette whispered, as the two of them now helped themselves to punch.

“But I wonder what happened to the other,” Alexander replied.

It was a mystery – one that was only growing more and more curious, and as the evening continued, so did the obvious tension between Nicholas and Lavinia. It was clear Lord Chester’s words had come as a surprise to him, too, and Juliette could only wonder as to what he was thinking.

“There’s a great deal more to this than we know,” Juliette said, and Alexander nodded.

“But it seems it’s Lavinia who has the hold over him – and not the other way around. But perhaps this past engagement had to be kept quiet. He can’t have known about it,” Lavinia said, as now she imagined all manner of scenarios, distracted by her fear of Lavinia’s hold over Nicholas, and what her intentions were towards him.

“I don’t know – it’s all very strange,” Alexander replied, as Juliette glanced over to where Nicholas and Lavinia were standing stiffly with one another, talking to Lord and Lady Summerisle.

The memory of her conversation with Emily now returned, and she wondered what Alexander was thinking. Was he holding back on his feelings because of her words concerning Nicholas?

“I’m worried about him – about Nicholas. I don’t think Lavinia’s right for him. There’s something wrong about the whole thing. He deserves much better – I’m sure there’re any number of women out there who’d delight in being on the arm of Nicholas Humphrey,” Juliette said.

Alexander looked at her curiously.

“And you count yourself among them?” he asked, but Juliette shook her head.

“No, not at all,” she replied.

It was a decisive break, and in speaking those words, Juliette felt something of a closure on what had been. She had pined for Nicholas – she had longed for him, waiting for his return in expectation of what would be. But she had come to realize it was not the fact of Nicholas himself she had been waiting for, but what he represented.

Nicholas was no longer the man she was in love with, and though her feelings for Alexander were still in their infancy, she had come to realize it was possible for a heart to change – her heart had changed, and it now favored Alexander. He appeared surprised at these words, and a slight smile came over his face, as though he had not expected her to say such a thing in response to his question.

“I see… I’d thought… well, isn’t the whole point…” he began, but Juliette interrupted him.

“No, it’s not that… I just don’t want to see him get hurt. We were childhood friends. That means something, doesn’t it?” she said, and Alexander nodded.

“It certainly does. But you don’t… want to marry him?” he asked, raising his eyebrows, and Juliette laughed.

“Absolutely not,” she replied, and it appeared her words brought Alexander a sense of relief.

***

“It’s very strange – I’d never met this man, Lord Chester. But he’s certainly caused a ruckus, hasn’t he? Lavinia’s face was a picture of anger for the rest of the evening,” Henrietta said, shaking her head.

She had asked Juliette to spend the night, the two of them retiring upstairs to Henrietta’s bedroom after the engagement dinner was over. It had been an awkward affair, and there could be no denying the atmosphere created between Nicholas and Lavinia following Lord Chester’s bizarre revelation.

“But two engagements? I just don’t understand it,” Juliette said, shaking her head.

“Neither do I. I knew she had a betrothed from Kentucky, though how they met is anyone’s guess. He died crossing the Atlantic. But as for the other one, I don’t know anything. She’s a mysterious character – and so is her mother. Did you talk to her?” Henrietta asked, and Juliette shook her head.

“No, I didn’t. But I saw her – she was watching everything and everyone, wasn’t she?” she said, and Henrietta nodded.

“Like a hawk. It’s as though she’s got ambition for Lavinia. But… oh, Juliette, I’m so worried. I know you and Nicholas have always been close, and I suppose I rather thought… well, that you and he might…” she said, her words trailing off as Juliette shook her head.

“I waited so long for Nicholas. But in the end… well, I suppose it wasn’t meant to be,” Juliette replied.

There had been a time when such words had seemed unimaginable, and yet now, to utter them was something of a relief. Juliette had spent so much of her formative years waiting for Nicholas and denying herself the chance of happiness in the process.

But his return from Europe had brought with it the unexpected accompaniment of Lavinia, and coincided with a change in Juliette’s feelings, too. The look on Alexander’s face had said it all – he had been glad of her words about Nicholas, surprised even – and now there lay open the possibility of something more.

“No, I suppose it wasn’t. But I still don’t know if this is meant to be, either. I just don’t trust her, Juliette. I’m so worried about him,” Henrietta said, sighing and shaking her head.

Juliette reached out and took her hand in hers and squeezed it.

“Would you like me to talk to him? He might listen – he might tell me the truth,” she said, but Henrietta shook her head.

“I don’t want him to think there’s something wrong. It’s kind of you, Juliette, but you’ve obviously found your happiness with Alexander, and I wouldn’t want him to think anything untoward,” Henrietta replied.

Her words struck a chord with Juliette. She had found a sense of happiness, albeit unexpectedly. In agreeing to Alexander’s plan, she had not sought an alternative to Nicholas, but in opening herself to the possibility of something different, Juliette had come to realize just what she had been missing.

Happiness had so long eluded her – in the present, at least. She had lived her life in the hope of happiness, and with Nicholas’ return not yielding that which she had sought, the time had come to decide what she wanted for herself.

“No, you’re right – I have found happiness with Alexander. It’s been unexpected, but… I think it’s what’s right,” Juliette replied, and Henrietta smiled.

“And I’m happy for you, Juliette – just as I want to be happy for Nicholas and Lavinia, too,” she replied.

They talked for a while longer before Juliette said goodnight to Henrietta and went to her bedroom. It felt strange to be sleeping in the same house as Nicholas, even as during their childhood it had been a frequent occurrence.

That night, Juliette tossed and turned, trying to put thoughts of Nicholas and Lavinia out of her head. But try as she might, she could not help but worry as to what was soon to occur – the wedding, and the possibility Nicholas was making a dreadful mistake. Would he see the error of his ways, or would he marry Lavinia under threat of scandal?

“I couldn’t bear to see him hurt,” Juliette thought to herself, but in her heart, she was also glad Alexander would not be hurt, either – glad to think he knew the truth as to her feelings, and wondering what would come next.