“Would you excuse me a moment?” she murmured before she rushed away, and, concerned by her reaction, Julia followed after her quickly to explain.
She found Melanie in the dining room, staring out the window and into the rear yard. “Melanie?”
The woman held up one hand and after a few long moments, slowly turned. She slumped against the window frame, her expression defeated. “He promised me he wouldn’t bring you any further harm.”
Julia had not realized her ruin would be so obvious to others. She wasn’t exactly ashamed of herself but she knew that proper girls would never have enjoyed a romp on the floor with their intendeds so much. Melanie certainly would never do it if she ever found a man to marry. She glanced down at her hands. “I suppose you despise me for being weak.”
“I cannot believe he would do this.” Melanie’s fists clenched at her sides. “I will never forgive him for treating you with such disrespect! I thought I knew him.”
Alarmed by her high color, Julia moved closer and pitched her voice low. “He did not harm me. He did not even seduce me exactly. We were celebrating his success and it just happened. I suppose I should not have gone to see him alone, and at night, but I am not sorry I did.”
Melanie’s stare was incredulous. “You should have been married first.”
Julia nodded. “He will marry me.”
Melanie bit her lip, appearing to struggle with her emotions. Eventually she said, “He knows the danger. What if something should happen to him before the words are spoken? What happens to your future then if he’s ruined you for anyone else? You’ve already run the gauntlet of mean-spiritedness.”
“Shh, shh, shh.” Julia hadn’t thought of any of that at the time but rushed to comfort Melanie, who was working herself up into a terrible state. The woman was shaking with anger and it was all directed at her brother. It was surprisingly sweet of her to be concerned but entirely unnecessary. “Don’t be cross. He did not ruin me without permission. It was lovely actually.”
Melanie took a great gasping breath and held her hand up to her mouth. “Well, that is something. I could not have borne any more disappointments today.”
Julia rubbed her arms. “Tell me why you are angry with Teresa?”
After a moment, Melanie straightened. “My cousin likes to pretend that she is my parents’ daughter, even to me, and I am tired of how she speaks as if she knows them so well. They treat her like a pet, spoiling her with gifts and such. She has no more value to them than what she’s willing to do for them in return.”
“I thought I had imagined her slip of the tongue.”
“No, but we’ll be gone tomorrow and then you and Valentine can both get on with your lives, with the shop, without any more interference from the family.”
“I am sorry to hear that. I had hoped we could all be friends but at least you and I understand each other better now.”
“We do indeed. I do wish my brother had waited for the wedding or at least for banns to be read on Sunday. A sister does not like to imagine her brother’s armors.” She shuddered, swallowed, and hastily pulled on the strings of her reticule, revealing the pouch hidden inside. “I have the money with me. We can see Valentine together if you like, and I can explain to him that our father caught you by surprise and that you’d never intended to keep it, as Father likely will claim.”
“I’d like that. Valentine thinks the world of you.”
Imogen edged into the room, her expression one of disbelief.
Julia ignored her friend for a moment. “If you’d not been with me that day, I don’t know what I’d have done. I would have worried I wasn’t good enough to marry your brother. You saved me so much anxiety.”
Imogen drew closer, her gaze fixed on Melanie. “Are you saying you actually approve of the match, Miss Merton? Because I’ve been led to believe you’d tried everything in your power to stop it.”
“Stop it? I told him to marry her three months ago.” Melanie appeared shocked. “I disapprove of the circumstances, of course I must, but Julia has the makings of a good wife. He cares for her. I’m certain she might, one day, learn to curb her more reckless tendencies.”
Julia grinned, remembering Valentine’s assurances last night that she need not change. “I will always try to be the best wife he could ever want.”
“Make my brother happy.” Melanie drew close, her face serious and determined. “Because his happiness is all that matters to me anymore.”
“I will. I promise.” She laughed suddenly, as a warm glow filled her at the thought of her intended. She embraced Melanie quickly. “You won’t even have to dare me to look after him.”
Fourteen
Valentine met with his father in a private dining room in the hotel. He chose this place for the distance between them and his future bride. Lovely, gloriously wild Julia. His heart skipped a beat at the memory of her lying over him on the parlor floor, and the lack of concern that had given her.
He stood as his father entered the small chamber. As usual his father was dressed in stern black and white with a red-striped waistcoat to offset the bleakness. Immaculate. A figure to intimidate. Not for the first time did Valentine wish he’d been born into another family. One that embraced after a prolonged separation. Any affection had been left to the servants to dole out sparingly during his childhood.
Tea had been delivered, and small cakes, none of which he needed. He held out his hand to his father reluctantly and they shook in a perfunctory manner.
When his father sat, a smug smile graced his face. “I take it you’ve come to your senses.