Page 32 of The Duke and the Spinster

Chapter Thirteen

Lady Juliana’s laughter broke the spell of shocked stillness that had fallen on the room, and, suddenly, everyone was talking at once. Lady Eleanor rushed to fold her sister into a hug, and Lady Delbarton came forward and took Garrett’s hands.

“Thank you, Your Grace. I truly wondered if you could achieve it, but it seems that you can work miracles.”

Garrett felt suddenly embarrassed. What would they say when he asked…? As he would, as soon as the chaos of the family reunion calmed somewhat.

“There were challenges, my Lady, but we are here. And Lady Juliana’s reputation is still intact. Apart from my coachman, I do not believe that anyone other than us, and Lady Bellinghaugh, is aware that Lady Juliana was away from Upper Nettlefold for two days.”

Conversation rolled on, tea was called for, and Garrett watched with some amusement as Lady Juliana attempted to answer all of their questions.

Especially as she did so without mentioning Lord Fondleton. They had agreed, on the riverbank, that mentioning his actions would not be wise – for they had no way to manage the implications of revealing that she had spent that short carriage ride in his grasp. Garrett would find a way to deal with him – later. Hopefully after he had changed everything with a simple question.

When they all settled back onto seats, he found himself seated beside Lady Juliana on a couch – an arrangement he was well pleased with. Finally, conversation slowed, and ran down. He took a very deep breath. He was about to do something he had not expected to do for years to come – yet it was the right thing to do, the thing he wanted to do. The last 24 hours had made that abundantly clear to him. If all went as he hoped, he would have to thank Lady Bellinghaugh one day. It was time to speak.

“Lord Delbarton, I have a request to make, if I may.”

“Of course, Your Grace – after what you have done for us, ask anything, anything.”

Garrett smiled, wondering if anything truly covered what he was about to ask.

“My Lord, do I have your permission to marry your daughter? If Lady Juliana will have me, of course.”

Beside him Lady Juliana gasped, clutching the edge of the seat. Lord Delbarton looked rather taken aback, but, after a less than subtle prod from his wife, regained enough composure to answer.

“Why of course, Your Grace, of course.”

Garrett turned to Lady Juliana, just as Lady Eleanor leapt up, ran to her sister, and enveloped her in her arms.

“Oh Juliana, that’s wonderful, wonderful. I’m sure you’ll be ever so happy!”

Lady Juliana untangled herself from her sister’s grasp.

“Please Eleanor, give me a chance to speak!”

Fear overwhelmed him in that instant – for she had not said yes, and her face was full of doubt – how could he live with it if she refused him?

~~~~~

Juliana was reeling. He had said… he had just said that he wanted to marry her. Her – the clumsy, socially inept disaster with the straw-coloured hair! He could not mean it, could not. Surely he was just doing what he saw as the honourable thing, the silly man. She could not, simply could not, after he had saved her twice, allow him to throw away the rest of his life for her benefit. It was ridiculous. How could she say it? What could she say? He was sitting there, not a foot away from her, waiting.

She met his eyes, and, for a moment, everything else faded away. She wanted to say yes. It came to her, clearly in that stillness that she wanted to say yes because she loved him. It had crept up on her, bit by bit, through every minute that she had spent with him. But she would not be selfish, for surely he could not truly want her.

Then Eleanor flung herself upon Juliana, almost knocking the breath from her lungs.

She pushed Eleanor away, trying to breathe, trying to find calm in the midst of it all. He was waiting – she had to say something. As was typical of her, what came from her mouth was not a set of nicely planned words at all, and she flushed with embarrassment, even as she spoke, hearing herself.

“Your Grace! I… you do not mean it, not truly. You are just doing what you think you should, being honourable, aren’t you? For you are always honourable. There is no need – whilst we spent long hours alone, no-one knows but us, and you were everything honourable then too. There is no need, no need for such extravagant action.”

She was blushing, her parents and sister were staring at her, open mouthed, and the Duke just sat there, holding her gaze. She waited for his reaction, her heart aching. But she had needed to say it, needed to ask – she would not be bound to a man simply for an overblown sense of honour. Then he did what she least expected. He laughed. That rich, mellow sound, full of warmth and joy. Confusion filled her. He reached for her hands, smiling.

“My dear Lady Juliana, of course I mean it. It has nothing to do with ‘doing the honourable thing’ and everything to do with you. And your reaction just now is a perfect example of what I love about you. You do not seek your own advancement at others’ expense, you care more for my sincerity than my title, and you still, no matter how often I tell you otherwise, cannot imagine that I find you beautiful and delightful, just as you. Of course I want to marry you.”

Juliana felt tears rising in her eyes. If he truly meant it…

Her mother spoke, quietly but firmly.

“After words like that, Juliana, how can you say anything but yes? Do accept the man, rather than make him miserable. Honour is a thing to be treasured, and I suspect there’s a measure of love in this as well, a large one.”