“Hang my family,” he said, and his smile was a bit brighter. “They’ll see I cannot be controlled.”
“If you’re certain then…” She hesitated because it was as if she couldn’t say the word. Like something was catching it in her throat. But she shoved past the resistance. “Yes.”
The moment the word was out a wash of deep regret poured over her. Even as Laurence snatched her forward for a kiss, she wanted to let out a scream and run from the room. Run from what she’d just agreed to.
But she forced herself to stay. She kissed him back and pretended away the fear. It was natural to be nervous about suchthings, after all. He stood and took a long drink of the whisky he’d abandoned when he went to one knee.
“Would you like to celebrate here or go tell your sisters?” he asked.
She blinked up at him. She knew what he meant by celebrate here and in that moment she didn’t think she wanted to do that. It felt different now, now that she was apparently this man’s fiancée and not just his lover.
“My sisters,” she said, and got to her own feet. “You’re so kind of think that I’d want to share this with them.”
“Of course.” He offered his arm. “Let’s ask for your carriage and we can head to Arabella’s now.”
She followed him from the room. She held his arm as he asked Stevens for the rig, she was aware of being helped into it and riding across town. She even talked to Laurence as they did so. But it all felt unreal. Like she was asleep and none of this was real.
And worst of all, she was certain if the feeling was that of a happy dream or a nightmare.
They were lucky because when they arrived at Arabella and Silas’s home a short time later, they found that Evie, her husband Vaughn and their aunt Caroline were all there together, apparently having a family evening. Arabella’s butler, Barnaby, went to announce their arrival and that left Julia and Laurence alone for a moment.
“Should we have the butler announce us as viscount and viscountess?” Laurence asked with a laugh.
She tensed before she could stop herself and forced a smile. “Oh, I think that would only confuse them, my dear. Let me tell them directly before we tease.”
The light in his eyes faded a fraction and he released her arm. “Very well.”
They were led to the parlor where the family had gathered after supper and when they entered the room, Arabella parted from Silas and came toward her. “Julia, is everything well?”
There was so much true concern on her eldest sister’s face that Julia caught her hands and squeezed. “Yes.”
But she must not have looked it, for Arabella still appeared worried even as she stepped away so that the others could greet them. There was hesitance from all her family toward Laurence, but if he noticed, he gave no indication.
“We’re surprised but happy to have you here,” Silas said. “Castleton, I don’t think you’ve visited us before.”
“It’s such aquaintlittle home,” Laurence said. Julia flinched at the dismissiveness of that supposed compliment. “No, I suppose it would have felt inappropriate before, when Julia and I were merely lovers. But now it’s less so.” He looked at her and in that moment she realized what he was about to do. She caught her breath to stop him, but he said, “Julia and I will marry.”
Her shoulders rolled forward and she could barely look at her sisters. She’d wanted to tell them herself, more carefully, but here he had blurted it out on only his terms. There was a stunned silence in the room and then Silas broke it by stepping forward and extending a hand.
“What news. Many felicitations, you are a lucky man.” He looked toward Julia and she could see he didn’t feel as friendly as he sounded.
But it broke the dam of the rest of the family and they all approached, one by one, to shake Castleton’s hand and squeeze her arm. She could feel each one of them trying to read her,pouring their concern over her in their expressions. She wanted to explain, but how could she with Laurence holding her arm and grinning at every word being spoken?
As if he were aware of that, Evie’s husband, Vaughn, stepped forward. “I think this calls for a few drinks. Why don’t we gentlemen retire to Silas’s billiard room for a moment to do that and let the ladies chat? I’m sure Julia would like to tell her sisters every romantic detail of the proposal.”
“Ah yes,” Laurence said. “That would be very fine, my lord.”
“Excellent,” Silas said with a long look at Arabella. “I’ll lead the way.”
Silas and Vaughn each paused to buss the cheeks of their wives. Laurence didn’t come to Julia. He merely smiled at her and then followed the others out the door.
When they were gone, her knees felt like they gave way a fraction and she wobbled on her feet. Arabella caught her arm and drew her to the settee where her sisters and aunt crowded around her.
“Oh, dearest,” Evie said. “I thought you were going to end things with him tonight. How in the world did this happen?”
Julia let out her breath and hated that it trembled and revealed far too much to these wonderful, observant women. “I-I was. But as soon as I said I thought it was time for our relationship to change, he agreed and immediately launched into a proposal.”
“Did you feel forced to say yes?” Arabella pressed, as gently as her bold sister had ever been.
