An Agreeable Arrangement (18 page)

Julian’s smile gave Cassie reason to smile. She
glanced about, wondering if anyone had observed her
reaction.

No, no one seemed to notice.

Edward placed Cassie’s hand in the crook of his
arm and led her to the other side of the room. Passing
through the guests, felicitations surged from wellwishers for their upcoming nuptials.

Edward and Cassie met Julian and Lorna at the bottom of the grand staircase.

“Dear sister, you resemble a goddess,” Edward
crooned. “Comparable only to my lovely bride.”

Lorna blushed.

“I hear the waltz beginning and I believe we are
long overdue for our dance” Edward extended his
arm to his sister. “If you will excuse me, my dear” He
gave Cassie a regal nod before heading for the dance
floor.

Throughout the evening, Cassie alternately kept
company with Edward and the squire. She had a better time than she ever thought possible.

Removing to the terrace, Cassie stood alone. If
Julian could maintain an impenetrable exterior, so
could she. Their love seemed as if it were a dream.
Their kiss as if it had happened ages ago.

This was a new life, her life with Edward.

“Am I disturbing you?”

Cassie peered over her shoulder. There stood Julian. The moonlight cast a shadow across his face,
sculpting his prominent nose and classic, handsome
profile.

“Not at all.”

He stepped into the cool night air. “You see, we can
do it,” the squire encouraged. “We can still be friends.”

“Yes.” She smiled. “I suppose we can contrive.”
And at that moment perhaps they both believed it.

He knew that being alone with her may not have
been wise. But he was quick to extinguish the
warning.

He wanted to be alone with her and he would have
accepted any excuse he might possibly grasp. He
wanted only to share her company.

“The evening has gone well, don’t you think?” He
gave himself permission to gaze at her. Any man
would have taken the same opportunity.

He wanted only to look upon her.

The golden curls atop her head, soft and shimmering, the halo of an angel. For truly, in his eyes, she
was an angel.

“I thought so” She met his appreciative stare.

Julian hadn’t steeled himself for that. Not her catching him at a vulnerable moment of admiration. Now
he had to face her and those eyes. Again, those eyes.

The guests and the music from the ballroom had
disappeared. All he knew was the two of them, here,
together in the night’s air.

The counterfeit, warm smile faded from his face,
his breathing deepened. Julian gazed into her alarmed
eyes. He knew she could feel what was happening between them. He could no longer hold his ground and
began to near.

“I’m afraid I can’t help myself any longer,” he
whispered. Julian swept Cassie into his arms and
brushed his lips against hers.

He wanted only one kiss.

“We cannot,” she whispered but her tone held regret and longing. “Please-”

Was that a summons for him to continue or a plea
for him to cease action?

“We mustn’t … If someone should see us … You
must stop . . ” She glanced into the ballroom, afraid
that someone had seen them.

He stepped back, placing a considerable bit of distance between them. A wayward breeze between
them cooled his ardor.

“I beg your pardon. I am very sorry, I-”

“There is no excuse. We cannot … there would be
a scandal if we were found!”

He took another step back. Clearly he could not be
trusted in her proximity. He couldn’t even trust himself.

“You must promise me,” she implored him. “We
deny our feelings because it is what we must do, do
we not?”

“It is our duty to continue.”

“But we must be successful. You must help me”
Tears filled her eyes, making them glisten in the
moonlight. “You know that I never wished to marry
Edward. I believe I made that clear the day I arrived at
Stewart Hall”

Julian almost smiled as he remembered her slapping him. He never imagined they’d end up in a situation such as this.

“Even though marriage to Edward is not what I
desire”-she paused and Julian felt his heart break
as he stood before her-“I am willing do so”

It would be more difficult for him than for her. She
would have Edward to love her. After the wedding
they would move to her beloved Hedgeway Park.

In a year’s time the squire was certain that Lorna
would marry. Which left Julian alone, trapped in the
mausoleum of Stewart Hall. Which wasn’t nearly as
bad as losing the woman he loved.

The thought that Cassie could be relatively happy
with Edward by her side in the home she treasured
was comforting to Julian.

“I do not know how I am to proceed, knowing that
you are ..” Cassie worked on strengthening her
composure. “We must never be alone. Do you understand?”

Julian nodded, he knew exactly what she meant.
Coming out here, being alone on the terrace with her
was a mistake. The guests’ conversation and the
dancing music from the ballroom seemed to have resumed. The squire realized how foolish his action
had been.

“I am to be married!” Her words were spoken in
an emotional plea. “Please, you must promise me”

“As you say, this is difficult enough for us” Julian gave a shallow bow of his head. “I give you my
word.”

“Until we meet again … in a more public venue.”
Cassie dipped a curtsy and left the terrace.

Julian watched Cassandra reenter the ballroom.
He dare not follow directly. He did not want anyone
to have the slightest notion that anything untoward
had happened.

He watched her take Sir Horace’s arm as he escorted her onto the dance floor. After a few moments, Julian thought it safe to proceed. Edward met
him the instant he stepped inside.

“I say, Julian, had a go at one of the guests, did
you? Aren’t you the downy one?” Edward swiped his
upper lip, indicating that his brother should mimic
him. “For heaven’s sake, Julian, wipe that lip paint
off your mouth or everyone will know.”

The squire drew a handkerchief from his coat
pocket and removed the stain. The smudged rouge
told him of his indiscretion.

“Glad to see you have it in you, old man.” Edward
slapped his brother’s midsection with the back of his
hand.

The squire eyed his brother. Edward would not
have been so jolly about the news had he’d known it
was Cassie who’d been kissed.

On his return to Stewart Hall, Julian once again
isolated himself in the library. He peeled off his coat, tore the cravat from his neck and tossed them both
aside.

He poured a glass of brandy, lifted the glass to his
lips and froze, remembering that evening and those
few precious moments he shared with Cassie.

He had promised her. He had given his word. He
would not interfere. And by God, he was as good as
his word.

He set the untouched glass on the table then sat at
his desk. Closing his eyes for only a few seconds, he
could clearly hear Cassie humming a song as they
danced.

He jerked awake. Julian did not wish to fall asleep.
He’d dream of her. He always did.

The squire donned his spectacles and pulled that
day’s correspondence toward him, determined to answer every missive upon his desk.

The sound of voices woke Julian and he raised his
head off the desk.

He heard Cassie’s voice.

Julian pushed himself up and moved to the door,
pulling it open just an inch to peer through.

“Thank you for seeing me home safely. I am sorry
to make you leave the ball so soon” Cassie stood
with Edward at the end of the foyer.

“No matter, my dear. My bachelor days are numbered. This will give me a chance to stop by the
clubs, play some cards. I shall not be staying out late
once we’re wed”

“I’m glad I did not ruin your evening, then.”

“I never regret the chance to share your company.”
Edward led her to the staircase. “I wish you a good
night, my dear.”

Edward took Cassie into his arms for a kiss. Julian
could not make himself watch the painful scene. He
leaned back and closed the door.

Not more than a minute had passed before a small
tap sounded from the door. Whoever it was did not
wait for him to answer. The door ever so slowly opened
and Loma slipped through the narrow opening. Julian
had never seen her look this miserable.

“Julian?” she whispered in a guilt-filled voice and
moved toward the hearth where he sat in a leather
chair.

“Shouldn’t you be headed to bed?” The squire
straightened, concern for his sibling overshadowing
his personal problems. “What troubles you, poppet?”

“Tonight at the party,” she whispered in the same
soft hush. Her cheeks flushed with a deep, dark red.

“Did someone act improperly?” Julian’s temper
began to rise at the thought of some young buck
making advances. He would see the fellow
thrashed!

“I believe so,” Lorna answered coolly.

“I demand you tell me who is responsible for the
outrage!” He stood, readying himself to rush out of
the house that very night and see justice done.

“You,” she said directly, her eyes accusing him.

Julian froze at the accusation.

“I saw you … on the terrace … you and Cassie.”
The shock in her young voice and that she had witnessed his duplicity. “You’re in love with her, aren’t
you?”

Julian’s legs lost their strength and gave way,
dropping him back into the chair. How could he deny
it? “Yes … yes … I do love her.” He closed his eyes
and clapped his hands over his face. Tears came to
his eyes.

“Does this mean she doesn’t love Edward, she loves
you?” Lorna laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Why don’t you stop the wedding?”

“I can’t … I gave her my word”

“But, you love her. Isn’t that all that matters?” Lorna
looked upon her eldest brother.

“No, I’m afraid it doesn’t. It’s what we both have
to do,” he confessed.

Julian could see it in her eyes. Lorna now realized
she no longer wished for a suitor like Edward as she
had always dreamed about. He was what she wanted
in a man. Someone who could love her deeply and
completely.

And maybe that’s what the squire neededsomeone to care for him. If Cassie could find some
happiness without him, why couldn’t he manage the
same?

Indeed, perhaps it was time he found a new wife.
The night was still young …

Maxwell entered the room with a tray of coffee
and set it on the table next to the desk. “I believe it is
your wish to work throughout the night again, sir?”

“I was … but I have changed my mind.” Julian
pulled his discarded cravat from the floor and tried to
shake the wrinkles from it.

“Have you, sir?”

“You know, Maxwell, I used to be like you” Julian
straightened his collar and wound the linen around
his neck.

“Were you, sir?”

“I used to have the same stern face.” The squire
patted Maxwell’s cheek. “The same straightforward,
stalwart stance” He patted Maxwell’s chest in male
camaraderie and imitated the butler’s upright posture.

Maxwell’s eyes continued to look forward and never
once wavered.

“I just want to thank you for your efforts.” Julian’s
head moved from side to side as he spoke.

“I’m sure I don’t know to what you are referring,
sir.”

“You know very well to what I’m referring.” Julian
shook his finger at him. He moved near Maxwell’s
ear to whisper. “That little tryst you planned for Lady
Cassandra and me” He backed away, his lips curled in an offish manner, his eyes seemed to move about.
“Very clever plan”

“You credit me with more ingenuity than I am capable”

“I think not. I believe you were only looking out
for my welfare.” Julian tried to tie the neckloth into
some semblance of its previous knot. “But it was
wrong, Maxwell. We should not have met.” He pivoted toward the butler and pointed at his limp linen.
“Do you think you could possibly .. “

“I apologize, sir. I lack the proper skills for that
type of delicate work. Perhaps I should send for
Postlewait.”

The squire groused and pushed the remaining
lengths of linen into his vest. “That’ll do”

“Perhaps if you had a good night’s sleep, sir. Tomorrow evening might find you in better form, and
I’m sure your valet would be delighted to sculpt your
cravat into a spectacular-”

“I’m in fine form now, what?” The squire shrugged
on the dark blue jacket he’d worn earlier at the ball.

“I am only voicing concern for your extended late
night hours. I do not believe you have spent a single
night in your bedchamber since-”

“Will you have the carriage brought around?” Julian brushed at the wrinkles he just noticed in his
jacket sleeves. And he had the devil of a time trying
to get them to disappear.

Maxwell headed for the door and turned back at the last minute. “May I inquire if you will be returning to your study tonight?”

Julian raised his head regally and surveyed his surroundings. “I should say not. I”-the squire made a
grand gesture high in the air with his arm-“shall become a man about town”

In the hours before daybreak, a light but insistent
rapping came at Cassie’s door. It woke her from a
light and troubled slumber that had not come easy.

“What is it?” she asked from her sleepy state. The
latch clicked open. Maxwell entered.

“Pardon the hour, my lady. An emergency has
arisen. I believe the squire is seriously injured.”

The news brought Cassie directly awake. Donning
a robe and slippers she hurried out of her room after
the butler.

“A disturbance at White’s,” he explained.

Two footmen carried a limp body up the stairs.
Cassie rushed over, and Maxwell followed with the
candelabrum. The footmen paused for an instant before moving on.

“Julian!” she gasped and shot a stern look at
Maxwell.