He held up his hands. “I’m trying.” Dropping them again, he strode from the room and out the door. He entered the stable, pleased he had fed Juliet’s horse before knocking on her door. No doubt she hadn’t thought as to how the Thoroughbred would survive. Did the Juliet in his dreams really exist, or was she merely what he’d hoped she would be? From the morning he first woke from a dream of her, he’d known she would come, despite three generations of Kingmans being born with no sign of a Finch returning to Northampton.
He busied himself getting the horse ready. His brother expected him back to go over the books fromThe Majestic’slatest cargo, but that would have to wait. Juliet needed his help. He hoped her reception at the ladies’ school would go well. If not, he’d find her other employment. His mother might have suggestions. He’d introduce Juliet to his mother eventually, but he wondered if she’d dress as nicely as she did for the duchess. Not liking his own answer, he focused on his task.
Finally, with nothing else to take his time, he walked his own horse and Juliet’s outside into the bright sunshine. Hearing the door to the cottage close, he stepped around the side to find her coming toward him in a deep purple dress that made the dark highlights in her hair stand out.
She caught him watching her and gave a timid smile. “This is my best day dress. I hope it will do.”
It took him a moment to respond. It wasn’t the dress that caught him off guard, but the mixture of boldness and nervousness she exuded. He could tell she was trying to embrace her new circumstances with a positive attitude, and it humbled him. “I believe the duchess will think you an admirable role model.”
Her relieved smile was his reward, and it caused his heart to race. Swallowing hard, he cupped his hands and assisted her in mounting. Once gaining his own horse, he led them down the road toward the estate.
After a while, he had them slow to a walk again, so they could enjoy the crisp day.
“You know more about my great-aunt than I do. How is that?”
Her sudden question surprised him. “Why, what do you know of her?”
She shrugged. “Not enough, I’m discovering. I was told she’d run off with a footman, married, and bemoaned her poor judgement the rest of her life, haunting Brambling Cottage with her unhappiness as she paid for her sin.”
Shocked by her statement, he was grateful Orinda didn’t hear it. “What do you mean by sin?”
“By marrying a common footman. At least that’s what my grandmother said. My mother said she married a footman in protest against the earl her father chose for her husband. Mother said he was quite a bit older than she was and had unusual habits.” She waved in the air with one hand. “I have no idea what that means. It could mean he liked to eat his dinner while bathing.”
At her chuckle, he glanced at her, unable to reckon her humor with the terrible aspersions she cast on Orinda’s character. Or rather, her mother and grandmother had cast.
Her smile faded and she became thoughtful. “But that’s not what I read in the first page of her diary.” She turned her head to look at him. “She said she was in love and she couldn’t wait to marry. The page ended with her saying she was to be Mrs. Miller, but his best friend might be against it. I guess she actually married her footman after all.”
“Tradesman.” He looked forward again. “She married a tradesman. He and his partner owned a shop in London. They were very successful. When he moved out here, he bought Brambling Cottage and the surrounding land. He sold much of the timber and eventually farmed.”
She didn’t say anything at first, and he gave her time to ponder the facts. As they came to a fork in the rode, he pointed to the right.
Finally, she spoke. “I’m glad my great-aunt was happy and comfortable. I think I see now why my mother and grandmother told such horrible stories about the cottage being haunted. They wanted their version of the story to be a warning.”
He raised his brows and stared at her. “A warning about what?”
“Never to shirk your duty to your family. That was very important to my elders. They were to marry the man chosen for them.” She met his gaze. “But that was a different time. Now we are able to marry for love.”
He couldn’t quite keep a smirk from forming. “And did you marry for love?”
“No. After two seasons, I did not happen upon that tender emotion, so I settled. I married for companionship and children. I suppose it may have been better to become a spinster because when I didn’t produce the required heir within the first year, thecompanionship drifted away as well.” She turned her head to focus on the road, but not before he noticed the moisture in her eyes.
His chest tightened at the experiences she already had, but he admonished himself, recognizing she wouldn’t be riding beside him if she hadn’t made the choices she had.
As the trees gave way to the open fields of Silver Meadows, he sensed her stiffening. But once they rode through the stone columns at the entrance to the drive, she looked about to break. He pulled his mount next to hers and laid his hand over both of hers.
She halted, but didn’t take her gaze from the sprawling home with two large wings rising four stories at least. “It’s very large.”
“It must be. It’s a school after all.”
She didn’t move, not even a blink.
“Juliet, look at me.”
Finally, she pulled her gaze from the house, her eyes a true mixture of blue and green and her brows lowered. “I’ve never requested work before. I don’t know what to do.”
He wished he could give her the courage she needed, but if his dreams were correct, then she already had it within her. She simply hadn’t needed to use it. “You never spent the night in a haunted cottage before, but you did it. You never had to make your own morning meal, but you did it.”
Her lips quirked up. “I never had to dress myself before, but I did.”
