Brr.Even the rug beneath her feet exhibited the autumn chill. She spied her slippers across the room and dashed to retrieve them as well as her wool dressing gown she’d draped over a chair the night before. Parliament was starting on the eighth of November, less than a month away. The rest of the month would fly by during another whirl of balls with anyone who remained in Town before the mad rush toward the end-of-the-year parties, especially the house parties outside of London.
She and Sarah would go visit their father sometime around Christmas or just after.
Meanwhile, despite recent events, Julia was determined to continue to do what she could for the poor, particularly since they would need warm clothes and more blankets as the temperatures continued to drop. The Thames might freeze over again for a Frost Fair as it had in February. Even London’s poorest children from Dark Entry, Cat's Hole, and Pillory Lane went to it in droves. Although dressed scarcely more warmly than for the rest of the year, they’d hoped to sell any little thing they’d found or made, including twig-and-acorn dolls, or something their parents had managed to buy in bulk, such as apples.
It had broken Julia’s heart to see the rags they wore in the below-freezing temperatures, while those well-off around them drank hot cider wearing fur from head to toe. Before the bitter cold set in again, she must do her part to help them.
That night, with Mrs. Zebodar, she stepped into yet another splendidly furnished home for a well-attended ball. Julia was determined to make up for the failures of the last few disasters.
“Six dances,” Mrs. Zebodar said, eyeing the crowded room. “That seems like one too many.”
Julia only smiled, secured a partner for the first dance, a Scotch reel, and then prepared to make her disappearance. And for the first time in far too long, everything went smoothly. She had a necklace and earrings in her reticule before the third dance. The rest of the evening passed by slowly, however, with her missing the earl’s distracting presence.
The following day, she returned to Rundell, Bridge, and Rundell to sell her ill-gotten gains and attempt to retrieve Jasper’s cravat pin. Instead of receiving a goodly sum for the sparklers, however, she was told her custom was no longer welcome as there was some doubt as to the ownership of the pieces.
“Our store is a reputable one,” Mr. Bridge said. “You seem like an honest young woman, but the scope and number of items you’re bringing us is raising eyebrows with my partner and his nephew. We sold a piece the other day to one who claimed to be the original owner.”
Julia swallowed back her fear, glad Mr. Bridge hadn’t secured a constable to take her in for questioning.
Deciding not to inquire about the earl’s cravat pin, she hurried home with the baubles weighing heavily on her heart. No matter how beautiful, jewelry was useless to her until she found a new place to pawn them. She would have to go somewhere with a less respectable address.
It occurred to her it would be better to amass more and get rid of it all at once. She could deal with the pawnbroker less often and give the poor a large influx of funds before the year’s end.
With that in mind, she hid the jewelry in her armoire’s bottom drawer, less thrilled with what had once seemed a perfectly easy and sensible scheme. Now Jasper was involved, and Julia could only wish without any real hope that he might come up with a way to put off Lady Chandron without resorting to bedding her.
***
WHEN JULIA ENTEREDthe foyer of another strange home for a dinner party the following evening, she spied Jasper through the open door to the drawing room. Her heartbeat sped up at the same time as her hope for an opportunity to secure anything more for the poor was dashed.
Since the married hostess would provide Julia with a dinner partner, she had brought no chaperone. Immediately, she considered that an egregious error considering how her reason flew out the window when encountering the earl.
Unsure whether she wanted him to behave or not, she entered the drawing room, glowing with candlelight and abuzz with happy voices. To her dismay, she realized he was escorted a young lady, and instantly the shine went off the evening.
Lady Arabella Doulton, a dark-haired earl’s daughter, had been linked with at least two other noblemen that Season. Both of them reportedly were overcome with disappointment when she’d moved on, at least according to theMorning Post. Even Julia, who was on the outside of the quality set, recognized the woman’s popularity, for her looks and her fortune.
As everyone was circling the room meeting the other guests, it was inevitable the earl and his lady would reach her soon. Their hostess had not yet told her with whom she would be partnered, leaving Julia feeling every bit the shabby-nab, standing by herself.
As expected, Jasper and Lady Arabella came over.
“Do you two know one another?” he asked before making introductions.
Also as expected, the earl’s daughter had no interest in speaking with a scrub, and she soon rumped Julia, giving her a good view of her backside as she wandered off.
“What a pleasant companion,” Julia remarked.
“I’m not with the lady for her kindness,” Jasper returned evenly, raising an eyebrow, leaving her in no doubt why he was with the beauty.
With Lady Chandron to be taken care of and now Lady Arabella in his sights, her favorite rake was going to be quite busy. She should give him the cut infernal and examine her shoes until he gave up taunting her and walked away.
However, the smirk upon his handsome face was a warning he wasn’t finished with her yet. In fact, he was staring at her, waiting for something. When he was close enough to touch, Julia saw it — his sapphire cravat pin, nestled in the folds of his elegant neckcloth. Her gaze flew to his.
“Is something wrong, Miss Sudbury?” he asked, knowing full well the reason for her look of surprise.
“No,” she said. “It seems everything is quite right.”
He was plainly the reason she’d lost her pawning privileges at Rundell, Bridge, and Rundell. Yet knowing he’d retrieved his father’s pin, she was glad of it. She only wished she could have returned it to him, redeeming herself a little in his eyes while putting a smile on his face.
“Who is your dining partner this evening?” he asked. “Some eager, artless young man?”
