Julia. The almost unconscious maneuvering that had enabled him to spend most of the afternoon alone with her the day before. The strange need to justify himself to her. Thehurt rather than anger he had felt when she had refused despite everything to promise not to marry Freddie. The kisshe had been unable to resist. The anxiety—anxiety?—hehad felt when he saw her speak with Malcolm and Les andthen witnessed her asking Freddie to walk outside with her.Everything was pushed to the back of his mind, to be dealtwith later. He owed Camilla his full attention. And he really did rejoice in her joy. He had been the one who hadhad to deliver to her the news of her Simon’s death in battle. It was a day he did not care to remember.
It was only after breakfast, when the general family excitement had died down a little or been carried to other parts of the house and Camilla and Malcolm had gone offsomewhere together, that the earl’s thoughts returned inevitably to Julia. Where was she? He wandered in and outof all the daytime apartments and even strolled out onto theterrace, but there was no sign of either her or Freddie. Theearl could not be sure when Uncle Paul had had breakfast.He had not thought to ask him. But whenever it was, thetwo of them must have been gone for a few hours.
He stood on the terrace and clenched his hands into fists at his sides. He could remember all too clearly another rideJulia had taken with a man and the way it had developed.Was the same thing happening between her and Freddie?She had freely admitted that Freddie had kissed her at thelake—for all of ten minutes.
She was making up to Freddie. Quite recklessly. She was going to marry him. Just out of spite. Though perhaps thatwas a rather conceited idea. Freddie was a marvelouslyhandsome man and had a great deal of charm and skill inhis dealings with women. Julia would not have a chanceagainst him if he turned the full force of that charm on her.It was altogether possible that she really was in love withhim.
He could kill, the earl thought. And stopped to consider the feeling. Why? Because Freddie was taking advantage ofan innocent woman and he himself felt responsible for her?He was not, as she had been at pains to remind him morethan once. And Freddie meant honorably. He would marryher. That was the whole point of his pursuit of her. Therewas no rationality, then, in this murderous mood.
And yet reason could not dispel it. He could kill Freddie, he thought. If Freddie had touched her or persuaded herinto a marriage that she would regret then...
The thought could not be pursued. Camilla and Malcolm were coming toward him from the direction of the stables,and he unclenched his fists and smiled. But they were notsmiling in return. Camilla looked anxious.
“There is something wrong, Daniel,” she said. “We thought we should speak to you about it.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“Freddie’s carriage is gone,” Malcolm said. “And so are Julia and Freddie, of course. But no one else.”
The earl felt instant alarm.
“We overheard them last evening,” Camilla said, “planning a journey to Gloucester for today. Julia wanted to visit Uncle’s solicitor and persuade him to come back early. Ithink she has decided not to marry any of the cousins.”
“The woman needs throttling,” the earl said through his teeth. His hands were back in fists again.
“But she refused to go alone with Freddie,” Camilla said. “He was going to arrange it so that another couple wentwith them. They wanted to do it all secretly so that no onewould dissuade Julia from doing what she had decided todo.”
“But no one else is missing,” Malcolm said. “All the girls are here and so are Les and Gussie. And all the unclesand aunts, of course. Even Julia’s maid is still here. Camillachecked.”
“God!” the earl said.
“They must have gone alone after all,” Camilla said. “The earliest they can arrive home is this evening. By thattime Julia will have been dreadfully compromised. I can’tunderstand it, Daniel. She seemed quite adamant about notgoing alone with Freddie. And she seemed equally determined that she was not going to marry him.”
“The trouble with Julia,” the earl said, “is that she will not recognize that rules and conventions apply to her just asmuch as to anyone else. It doubtless seemed more convenient to her this morning that just the two of them go. To Gloucester, did you say?”
Camilla nodded. “I think we should do something, Daniel,” she said.
“Of course I must do something,” he said. “I am going after them. Perhaps I can cover up for the fact that she hasbeen alone with him all day.”
“I knew you would say that,” she said. “I will come too, Daniel. Don’t say no. Think about it. It would be just asshocking for everyone to see that she has been with twogentlemen all day. You will need me if we are to avertdreadful scandal.”
“We had better leave without delay,” Malcolm said. “We can discuss the story we will tell when we are on the way.And we will hope that we can find them easily when we get to Gloucester so that they will not after all come drivinghome alone tonight.”
The three of them hurried toward the stables without delaying to go inside to change clothes.
They talked as they traveled in the earl’s carriage, devising a story they might tell to explain the disappearance of five of them in two separate carriages for a whole day,wondering why either Freddie or Julia would behave so irresponsibly. Camilla confessed herself very puzzled overJulia’s behavior since the night before she had seen the fullimpropriety of traveling alone with Freddie. Malcolmagreed that something did not seem quite right.
“Daniel,” Camilla said eventually, her voice troubled, “Freddie would not have tricked her into coming alone withhim, would he? Or forced her?”
The earl closed his eyes. The ghastly suspicion had been growing in his mind too, and yet behaving recklessly andwithout thought was so typical of Julia.
“Can he be so desperate for Primrose Park?” Malcolm said. “Can his debts be that bad? It seems to be commonknowledge that Freddie does play deep and gets himselfinto trouble on occasion. Would he do this to Julia,though?”
“I find it hard to believe of him,” Camilla said. “He has a reputation for wildness and he has always been up to somemischief during the summers, even since he has grown up.But Freddie is no villain. But then Julia is not so lost to allconduct as to do this. I just don't understand.”
The earl surprised them all suddenly, himself included, by pounding one fist against the door frame and splinteringwood.
There were too many emotions chasing themselves about in her head for her to feel as terrified as she knew sheshould be feeling. Freddie was going to rape her, she toldherself. When they reached Gloucester, he was going totake an inn room and keep her there for the night so thatshe would be thoroughly compromised, and for good measure he was going to rape her.
