Twice Upon a Time (A Danby Family Novella) Page 5

  Pulling the other shirt on, he turned back to Pen. “What if someone else had accosted her the night she left the theatre? Think how easy it was to pluck her off the streets.”

  Pen fingered his nose, jiggling it back and forth. “You possess a horrible memory, Jul. There was nothing easy about it. I still can’t believe my nose was unbroken.”

  Julian tucked the ends of his shirt into his waistband. “My point is Felicity is no match for two men wishing her harm.”

  “Three. You forgot to count yourself.”

  His anger flared. “I wish no harm to come to her.”

  “Neither do I.” Pen rose from the seat with a frown. “I am not without sympathy for her, but I don’t know what more it is you want me to do.”

  “Nothing more,” Julian snapped and returned to his trunk to retrieve his shaving kit.

  “I suppose I could make certain she has a good meal before she leaves.” When Julian replied with only a grunt, Pen sighed and moved toward the door. “Do you wish to see her off?”

  “No.”

  As the door to his chamber closed, the truth of his response hit him. He didn’t want to see Felicity off, because he didn’t want her to go. Returning her to the life she had been living the last three years was unthinkable, but even more troubling was the selfishness brewing inside him.

  He didn’t want to let her go. He wished to run with her and keep her. Shaking his head, he moved to the washstand and poured water into the bowl. Felicity would never abandon her mother and sister nor would he ask her to do so.

  Julian lathered his face and set the razor to his whiskered jaw. Although, there was nothing barring him from inviting her family along. After the fortune he’d made in India, two more ladies under his care would hardly be a hardship. He had planned to rent rooms in Town, but he could just as easily acquire lodgings in the country. Perhaps someplace warmer, given the ailment afflicting Felicity’s mother. In the carriage, she had mentioned a trip to Bath when she returned to her family to allow her mother to take treatments for her arthritic limbs. Of course, he couldn’t move the ladies into his home without creating a scandal even his grandfather would be unable to stifle.

  Julian slowly lowered the razor and stared at his reflection in the looking glass. His gaping mouth was the perfect companion to his wide eyes.

  He could marry her.

  Thunder and turf! Why hadn’t that been his first thought? A smile spread across his lips and warmth infused his chest. Felicity was not cut out to be a mistress, but she would make a charming wife.

  Grandfather would be pleased, too. Julian would have a wife, one who would keep him in England rather than returning to ‘that godforsaken, malaria-infested underbelly of the world’ as Danby’s letters often accused Calcutta of being. Julian held more fondness for his home these past five years, but he would never dream of exposing Felicity to the dangers of India. And seeing as how it was already settled that he couldn’t live without her, it appeared he was home for good.

  Julian rushed through his grooming and hurried to find her before she stepped foot on the coach for London. He rapped sharply on the door, but heard no movements inside. Impatient with waiting, he tried the handle and found the door unlocked. The chamber was also empty. No trunks or anything indicating Felicity would be back.

  Panic swelled inside him and he raced for the stairwell.

  Damnation. If the coach had left already, he would be forced to hire a horse and ride in this frigid weather. He reached the bottom level of the inn and shot out the door to the empty coaching yard. A stable boy was huddled in an overcoat two sizes too large, his breath creating a puff of fog.

  “Did the post depart already?” Julian asked.

  “No, sir. She hasn’t arrived yet. I think she might have run into some trouble.”

  “Perfect!” Julian suppressed his gleeful smile when the servant turned a bewildered look in his direction. “Perfectly inconvenient, that is.”

  He didn’t wait to observe the boy’s reaction and dashed back up the stairs into the welcoming warmth of the inn. The private dining room was toward the back of the building off the tavern. Julian suspected he would find Felicity there enjoying a last meal before Pen packed her off to London.

  He burst through the door, causing all of the occupants to jump. Felicity’s gaze lingered on him a moment then shifted to the bowl of porridge in front of her.

  “Good morning, Mr. Beckford,” Miss Nibbs offered. Her friendly smile lent her an attractiveness Julian had not recognized last night.

  “Good morning, miss.”

  Her smile widened and her magnified eyes blinked in rapid sequence before she lifted her book to bury her nose in it again.

  “Have a seat,” Pen said, sweeping his arm to indicate the empty chair beside Felicity.

  Lord Keswick sipped his tea, his intense stare focused on Julian. He was a serious fellow, a bookend to Pen’s silliness.

  Julian slid into the seat beside Felicity and placed the napkin over his lap.

  Pen pushed a plate of bread at him. “I am glad you have arrived. I’ve given some thought to our conversation above stairs.”

  “I believe I was unreasonable and harsh,” Julian replied. “I beg your forgiveness.”

  His cousin waved off his apology. “No, you were correct.” Pen’s gaze flicked to Felicity. “Miss Halliday?”

  She looked up, perhaps a bit warily in Julian’s estimation.

  “My cousin and I do not feel it is safe for you to return to your work in London.”

  “Oh?” The stubborn tilt of her chin made Julian smile. She would be a challenge to manage, especially when he possessed no desire to tame her.

  Pen pushed away from the table and stood. “Allow me to finish before you rip me to tatters with your sharp tongue.”

  Her lips settled into a hard line and she nodded once.

  “I have mulled over our dilemmas, and frankly, it seems we need one another.”

  Lord Keswick looked up at Pen, the color draining from his face.

  Pen moved around the table to approach Felicity. “You see, Miss Halliday, my grandfather is determined I will marry and fulfill my duty. To this point, I have managed to circumvent his attempts to arrange a marriage on my behalf, but I feel certain Keswick is correct that Danby’s letter is another ruse.”

  Julian frowned. Pen hadn’t believed him when he had pointed out the same probability. Keswick apparently had more influence over Pen.

  “I am unenthusiastic about entrusting my fate to my grandfather,” Pen continued. “I would rather know what it is I am getting into rather than leaving myself at his mercy.”

  Keswick stood. “Lee, no.”

  Pen glanced at him quickly, but returned his attention to Felicity. “Miss Halliday, it seems you need a husband as badly as I need a wife. Might I persuade you to marry me?”

  “No!” Felicity, Keswick, and Julian shouted at the same time.

  Pen’s brow wrinkled as he looked around the circle of faces. “No?” His frown deepened when he looked at Julian. “Why are you objecting? I wasn’t offering for your hand.”

  Felicity turned her amber gaze on Julian, waiting.

  He licked his lips. He hadn’t imagined making an offer of marriage with an audience present, and all manner of eloquent wording abandoned him. “You cannot marry Miss Halliday because I want to marry her.”

  Felicity’s breath hitched.

  “You can’t marry her,” Pen said.

  “Why not?” Felicity and Julian asked as one.

  His cousin sputtered, his face changing to a shiny red. “Well, because I saw her first.”

  Julian placed his arm around her shoulders. “Actually, I saw her first five years ago and that night in the alley. Besides, unless I am mistaken, she favors me.”

  Felicity met Julian’s gaze and nodded.

  Pen narrowed his eyes, signaling a battle of wills would soon ensue, but Julian woul
d win this one. He refused to surrender Felicity, especially when she cared for him in return.

  A soft clearing of a throat at the end of the table drew everyone’s attention. Miss Nibbs lowered her book. “My Lord Penlow, may I be so bold as to offer an alternate solution to your dilemma since it appears Miss Halliday’s has been rectified.” She leaned forward. “You are accepting Mr. Beckford’s proposal, are you not?”

  Felicity turned a bright smile on him, making his insides melt into a puddle of uselessness. “I accept.”

  “Just as I had gathered,” Miss Nibbs said with a nod.

  Pen sat in a chair at the end of the table beside the lady and propped his elbow on the table. “Go on, Miss Nibbs. What is your suggestion?”

  Spots of pink colored her round cheeks and she dropped her gaze. “It is just that you need a wife, preferably someone you know, and I no longer wish to be a burden on my brother-in-law.”

  Pen’s eyebrows rose. “Indeed. I hadn’t given your situation much consideration.”

  She stole a quick glance at Keswick. “Yet, I have given yours much thought, my lord. Perhaps we could reach an agreement that benefits us both. I do not require much. A good book in my hands, and I am as happy as a lark.”

  Pen smiled kindly at her. “Miss Nibbs, you possess a heart of gold. I think we might just be able to reach an agreement.” He sat up straight and clapped his hands. “Finish your meals, everyone. We are headed to Gretna Green.”

  “An elopement?” Felicity’s scandalized tone gave Julian pause, but then she reached for his hand and squeezed. “How very exciting. May I send a post to Mama to inform her?”

  “That sounds like an excellent idea.” In fact, it gave Julian an idea of his own.

  “Just be quick about,” Pen snipped. “We haven’t much time to make it across the border and back to Danby Castle before Christmas Eve. Grandfather is likely to be angry enough about the elopement. I don’t want to add fuel to the fire by not arriving at the appointed time.”

  Julian couldn’t care less about the Danby Christmas Eve Ball or Grandfather’s temper, but he agreed with his cousin. He wanted to reach the border as soon as possible, because now that it had occurred to him to make Felicity his wife, he couldn’t wait.

  ~10~

  FELICITY snuggled into Julian as he tucked her against his side and pulled the blanket around them. She was grateful Lord Penlow and his new bride were traveling with the Earl of Keswick. The privacy afforded Felicity the opportunity to revel in her newly married status.

  Julian kissed the tip of her cold nose. “Are you prepared to meet the entire Whitton brood?”

  “I’m uncertain.” The annoying flutter of uneasiness she had been plagued with periodically since leaving Scotland returned. “What if His Grace is displeased by our union? I worry so about being a disappointment.”

  Her husband pulled her closer and nuzzled her ear. “You could never disappoint anyone, my love.”

  “But I have brought nothing to the marriage. Surely your grandfather expected you to make an advantageous match.”

  Lightly grasping her chin, he tipped her face up. His blue eyes overflowed with affection and filled her with such hope, she thought she might burst. “You bring everything to our union that I could ever want, Felicity. Grandfather is not so hardened as to oppose a love match. And I do love you, my darling, quite madly.”

  His lips captured hers, his kiss as gentle and coaxing as it had been on their wedding night. Breathing deeply, she savored the scent of his cologne, an exotic and understated fragrance with a hint of spice running through it that warmed her insides. She wiggled closer and opened her mouth on a sigh when he hauled her onto his lap. Their tongues brushed together, stirring her desire even more. Winding her arms around his neck, she hugged him tighter, flattening her breasts against his hard chest.

  With a soft groan, Julian eased her away, breaking their kiss. “We’ve just turned onto the drive.”

  “Oh!” She scrambled off his lap and smoothed a hand over her hair, her face flushing with heat.

  When she reached for her bonnet, Julian held out his hand. “May I offer my assistance?”

  She handed it to him and allowed him to secure the hat in place. He kissed her once more. “Until later,” he whispered as the carriage rolled to a stop.

  A ridiculous smile spread across her face as she contemplated what the promise of later meant. On their wedding night, Felicity had begun to babble about procreation and anatomy to fight against a fit of nerves. Julian had listened with patience and then suggested she allow him to provide a demonstration to compliment her lecture. She had to admit a demonstration was exactly what had been lacking.

  The carriage door opened and a liveried servant lowered the steps. Julian climbed out first then offered his hand to her. Felicity held tightly to him as she joined him on the drive, her breath catching as she took her first glimpse of Danby Castle. Torchlight flickered in the frigid breeze and golden light danced across the stone façade. Fat snowflakes fell from the twilight sky, some catching in her lashes before melting.

  When Lord Keswick’s carriage rolled to a stop in the drive, Lord Penlow and his traveling party clambered out. The baron laughed at something the earl whispered in his ear before they walked toward the castle doors, both men beaming at one another.

  Lady Penlow wandered over to Felicity and Julian, a contented smile on her face. When she caught Felicity looking at her, she raised her book. “I finished two hours ago. I hear His Grace has an excellent library. Do you think the duke will mind if I browse through his collection, Mr. Beckford?”

  Julian offered his free arm to Lady Penlow as she reached his side then escorted her and Felicity up the stairs. “I’m certain you are welcome to browse as long as you like.”

  “Lord Penlow says there is to be a Yule Ball this evening. Do you think it would be too ill-mannered of me to steal away to my chambers early?”

  Julian chuckled. “I believe there will be so many kin underfoot it is unlikely anyone shall notice, my lady.”

  Felicity held tighter to her husband as they passed through the entrance. The castle was alive with servants buzzing about. Cheerful voices rose in celebration, and the lively sound of a violin carried on the air.

  “What is going on?” Julian asked the butler. “Surely the ball hasn’t begun already.”

  “No, sir. Lady Isabel was married today, which has everyone in high spirits.”

  Julian drew back. “Cousin Izzie is old enough to marry?”

  “Quite so, sir. Now, if you will follow me, Mr. and Mrs. Beckford. I am under strict orders to deliver you to His Grace the moment you arrive.”

  That sounded dire, indeed. Felicity’s legs quivered as she said goodbye to Lady Penlow and followed the straight-backed servant with her husband by her side.

  “You have nothing to fear,” Julian reassured her as they passed into a darkened corridor that could as easily lead to a dungeon as any place.

  “How did he know we are married?”

  “I wrote to Grandfather before we left for Gretna Green. I required his assistance with an important matter.”

  She didn’t have time to question him further before they arrived at a set of double doors. The butler knocked lightly and was bid to enter. The door swung open with a faint creak, and bright light spilled into the corridor.

  “Come,” Julian murmured. “Grandfather will be anxious to meet you.” He escorted her inside with his hand on the small of her back. His firm touch and unshakable confidence lent her the strength she required to approach one of the most powerful men in England.

  The duke sat behind a substantial desk made of dark wood, but he rose as she and Julian entered his domain. Her gaze darted around the room, noting paintings of the hunt, rich leather chairs, and wall coverings tinted by cigar smoke. She imagined many important conversations and life-altering decisions had been made in the room, and she wondered what pronouncement His
Grace would make about her marriage. He couldn’t force them to dissolve their union, could he?

  As Danby rounded the desk, the warmth of Julian’s touch faded as he moved forward to greet his grandfather.

  “Julian, you are home at last.”

  Felicity gasped when the duke threw his arms around her husband, and she took a step forward, thinking His Grace meant to wrestle him to the floor. Not that she worried for Julian, necessarily, but Danby was much spryer than she had imagined.

  Julian’s laughter eased her concern. When he too wrapped his arms around his grandfather and pounded his back as Danby was doing to him, Felicity looked away. She had never seen men embrace one another, and it felt a little too personal to witness.

  The men’s hug was brief, and Julian stepped aside to allow the duke to view her. His dark eyes fixed on her, his expression like stone.

  “Your Grace, I would like to present my wife, Mrs. Julian Beckford. Felicity, this is my grandfather, Duke of Danby.”

  She knew enough to curtsey in the presence of a duke and did so with her eyes downcast.

  “Milne, you may see to your next duty post haste,” Danby said.

  “Yes, Your Grace.”

  Felicity watched the butler disappear through the doorway and wished she could follow.

  “Mrs. Beckford, please come forward.”

  She turned back toward the duke, her knees knocking together, and took a tentative step. Julian smiled reassuringly at his grandfather’s side.

  “You are the young woman who cared for my daughter in her illness?”

  “Yes.” She cleared her throat. “Yes, Your Grace.”

  The duke held his hand out to her, urging her to approach. “Alice was a sweet child who lost none of her kindness even as a grown woman. It was a shame she was taken from us before her time.”

  Felicity nodded and placed her hand in the duke’s. The threat of tears made it too difficult to speak.

  Danby lifted her hand to his lips to place a respectful kiss on her gloved knuckles. “I think you share a kindred spirit with my Alice. Tenderness flows through your veins.”