Lord Heartless (18 page)

“Milady?” He turned to Juliet.

She shook her head.

“Nothing for you, my dear?”

“Champagne does not sit well with me, duchess.”

“Of course.” She winked.

Across the back of the dance hall, she saw the dowager signal to her. “If you will excuse me. I must see to the dowager.”

“Certainly.”

Making her way over to the dowager, Juliet sat down upon the empty seat by her side.

“I thought you might like this.” She pressed a flute into her grasp. “They won’t give us old biddies anything more than water with the zest of a lemon, but I think it suits you right now.”

“Bless you.” Juliet took the glass and sipped.

“So far, so good.” The dowager leaned toward her. “Lord Montague seems to be having his ear bent by the gentleman from the Privy Council. I can’t recall his name.”

“I am not sure either. I do not wish to interrupt, but I have had my fill.” She grimaced.

“I am sure you are ready for your feet to be up, my dear.”

“Lady Montague, mind if I have this dance?”

The dowager’s hand tightened around hers. Looking up, Juliet came face-to-face with Lord Scarborough.

“Evening, Lord Scarborough,” the dowager began. “My daughter-in-law is fatigued. In fact, we were just about to signal his lordship and retire for the evening.”

“Fatigued, madam? Why, you have spent so little time upon the dance floor. You are young. Shall we throw caution to the wind? Or are you afraid that your country life is not match for the dance moves of the ladies of London?”

Juliet’s face grew hot. “I do not wish to dance, Lord Scarborough, but thank you.”

“Come.” He ignored her words. “That dress was made to be seen, besides, I have some questions that only you can answer.” He reached down and took her arm. The dowager’s cane came down upon his hand.

“You are forcing yourself upon my son’s wife.”

A sneer pulled the flesh of his lips from his teeth and Juliet grew alarmed. “I am merely returning the favor your son showed me. Come.”

The ladies gasped as he shoved off her cane and hauled Juliet to her feet. She wrestled her arm from his fingers. Giving the countess a reassuring smile, she glowered at the man towering next to her. “Very well, one dance and no more.”

She refused the arm he held out from her and kept her distance as they walked onto the dance floor. Turning to face him, she saw the dowager stand and raise her cane above her head. Juliet knew she had signaled Landon. One move around the dance floor and her husband would come to rescue her.

The music began. Lord Scarborough stepped up and placed a hand upon her waist. She put hers lightly at his shoulder and he grasped her free hand. Anticipating the opening chord, she rose on the balls of her feet and he took that moment to pull her close. Her eyes widened and she braced her arm against his, shoving him back. “Lord Scarborough, I do not wish to be held so tightly.”

“Why?” His eyes narrowed. “Because I am not as wealthy as your husband I am below your standards?”

“How dare you, sir?” Juliet spoke loud enough to garner the glances of the dancers who stood beside them.

“Come now, there is much we can discuss.” He pushed her through the first steps of the waltz and spun her beneath his arm.

“Really, I doubt that,” she told him curtly.

“Tell me, with your husband so embroiled in his new business for the crown, does your bed grow cold? Have you thought of seeking other pursuits?”

Juliet’s feet stilled. “You have gone too far. Good evening, Lord Scarborough.” She dropped her hands and took hold of her skirts to walk away. Looking across the dance floor, she could see the duchess and the dowager on their feet, their expressions worried. Suddenly, a hand encircled her upper arm in its viselike grip. Juliet cried out as Lord Scarborough turned her around to face him.

“What did you do? Cry and crawl into Montague’s bed? Could it be you claimed to be with child? We all know that he spent a week out at Holly Grove. Did he seduce you like he has done before or was it the other way around?”

Juliet raised her hands to cup her cheeks, hoping to hide her embarrassment. “How dare you?”

“How dare I?” He put his hands to his hips and made a big show of looking around the floor as the eyes of the Ton were all upon them. “Come now, tell all of us, for I find it hard to believe that a snip of a country girl could snare a rake known as Lord Heartless.”

“Ours is a marriage of love,” she cried. “You heard me tell the queen thus.”

“Ah, such an innocent lie. We all know that Lord Montague has no heart to love.”

Juliet anger spilled over. She marched up to him and with an open palm slapped his face. A gasp rose from the crowd. Lord Scarborough reached out and snagged her hand. “You shall learn not to touch your betters.” He shook her hard.

“Let go of my wife.”

Landon’s voice echoed in the hall. Men moved their partners to the back and stood before them to keep them safe. Scarborough’s grip loosened and Juliet found herself in the waiting arms of the Duchess of Norfolk and the dowager.

“Come, leave the men to do this.”

“Landon,” she whispered.

“He will be safe,” the duchess murmured. “Scarborough has bitten off more than he can chew this time.”

Juliet looked over her shoulder and to see her husband remove his jacket and hand it to the duke. “You have made slanderous accusations against my wife, Scarborough. I demand satisfaction.”

Tears filled Juliet’s eyes.

“Tell me, Montague,” Scarborough asked, removing his own jacket. “Did you cheat to win Holly Grove? Was it that which pushed Lord Gilbert over the edge?”

The room began to spin. Juliet could feel the air around her grow almost too hot to breathe. She clutched the ladies hands tightly. “Please stop,” she begged. They drew her to a spot just outside the ring and the dowager gripped her arms as her knees grew weak. Her husband took a stance and sent a blow Scarborough deflected. A second bounced off Landon’s shoulder.

“Stop, make them stop. Please,” she cried.

Landon reached back, and this time his fist went square into Scarborough’s face. A sickening
crunch
followed and the man crumpled.

***

Landon shook his hand as the Duke of Norfolk shouted. “Someone clean up this mess. Lord Montague, are you all right?”

“I….” But he could not complete his sentence; the screams of women filled the air. He turned to watch his wife swoon to the floor. He rushed to her and bent down to lifted her still body into his arms. “Juliet, my love.”

“Take her to the library,” the duchess ordered. “You there, a bowl of ice water and a towel. Be quick about it.”

With the Duke of Norfolk leading the way, they moved quickly into the library and Landon gently laid her onto the couch.

“Undo her laces, my boy,” his mother called. “I will see if there is a doctor in the crowd.”

Landon rolled Juliet on her side and made quick work of the satin buttons on her royal blue gown, but the strings on her corset were too tight. “I need a knife, something to cut these strings.”

“A letter opener.” The duke pulled it from the desk blotter and handed it to him. The sound of ripping cords followed.

Landon eased her back over and took hold of her hand. “Please, my love, please come back to me.”

The door opened, but Landon did not take his eyes from her face.

“Here.” The duchess pushed a cold, damp towel into his hand. “Place this upon her forehead.”

Landon laid it over her brow and waited for her color to reappear. “If he has hurt her,” Landon growled, “there will be no place for him to hide.”

“Take heed, Lord Montague, if any harm has indeed come to your wife, there is a not a soul outside that would raise a hand to stop you from seeking restitution,” the duke said.

Landon nodded, panic churning in his gut. “Perhaps smelling salts?”

The door opened and his mother walked in.

“Step aside, Landon. Let Dr. Harden have a look,” his mother ordered.

Landon rose as the elderly man removed his coat and handed it to his mother. “Lord Montague, I am a physician at Kensington. If you please, I can look to your wife.”

“Yes, please.” Landon stumbled back. “She cannot be lost. She cannot.”

“Come.” The Duke of Norfolk put an arm to his shoulders. “I think a glass of brandy is what you need.”

He looked back. “But my wife….”

“Leave her to the ladies; they often know best.” The duke led him across the room to the sideboard and poured a small splash of Scarborough’s best into the glass. Pressing it into his hand, he commanded, “Drink. You can still see her and are within arms’ distance should they need you.”

Landon lifted the glass to his mouth and let the alcohol burn down the back of his throat. “I cannot live without her.”

“You will not have to, Montague. Women are delicate in nature. She was overwrought. Scarborough said horrid things. Your wife will be fine.”

“Landon.” His mother motioned for him to come.

“There, young man, go to her.”

Landon walked back to the couch and saw his wife’s eyes opened. “My darling.” He dropped to his knees and took her hand pressing her palm to his cheek. “You are all right?”

“This was not the way I wished to tell you.”

“Tell me?”

“I am with child. Our child, Landon.”

His eyes widened. He placed his right hand over her belly. “Our child,” he repeated, and she nodded. Landon looked back at the doctor.

“Is she well?”

The doctor smiled. “Oh yes, she will be fine. I have given my card to the countess. I would be more than happy to take care of your wife when her time comes.”

“Thank you, Doctor, thank you.”

“I will call for your carriage,” the duke said, a look of relief upon his face. “I look forward to hearing about his birth.”

“Of course, Your Grace,” Juliet said. “Thank you.”

She rested her hands upon her husband’s face and he leaned against her palm.

“I thought I had lost you,” he said.

“Never.”

“I love you, Juliet.”

“Oh, Landon, I have waited so long to hear those words from your lips.”

“Then I shall say them every day from now on until I die. I love you. More than I have ever loved before.”

“Let no one call you heartless ever again,” Juliet declared as he bent down to claim her lips.

***

Landon shifted the large arrangements of roses to his other hand and knocked upon the door. “May I enter?”

“Come,” Juliet called.

He pushed the door open and watched Alexander scramble from the chair beside the bed to help him. “More flowers, Father?”

“Not from me this time.” He handed his wife the card.

“The Duke of Norfolk. How lovely, he and his wife are such dears.”

“They are coming next month to see you and Gil,” he replied, his eyes moving to the little bundle that lay sleeping in her arms. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

“Not today,” Juliet replied.

“All right my little country mouse, I love you.” Landon reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the jeweler’s velvet.

“Landon?” She gasped as he opened the box for her to see a dazzling blue sapphire surrounded by square-cut diamonds. He took it from the box and she held out her hand to slide it into her finger. “Only one other has worn this. Not my mother, nor my father’s mother before her. They say the Montague Sapphire was given by Henry the Seventh to one of my great grandfather for his help in the War of the Roses and, according to legend, destined for only the woman brave enough to snare a Montague’s heart. That woman has now arrived.”

Her eyes widened as she gazed down at the bobble gleaming on her finger. “Landon, this is worth a king’s ransom.”

“It is nothing compared to being able to win your heart. Juliet, my sweet, Juliet. Your name lingers on my lips like the first taste of the morning dew, sweet, unforgettable.” He took her hand and slid his finger against the gold band as he pulled her close and administered a soft kiss upon her cheek. “What was it Shakespeare said? ‘You are the sun’ and I worship you?’”

“Come here, Alexander.” Landon watched his son move toward him and he took the seat next to his wife’s bed and pulled his son onto his lap. “You are to be a great man, did you know that? You shall have the special job of helping young Gil grow into manhood. As firstborn, you have been granted my title.”

“But what about Gil, Father? He is more your son than I.”

“Never, Alexander.” Juliet reached out and he put his hand in hers. “You are both our children. There is no half, only whole. You have already been granted your name and title. Gil will have my father’s title, and is to be master of Holly Grove.”

“May I ask a favor?”

“Of course, Alexander.” She smiled.

“May I too call you mother?”

“Always, my sweet, always.” She patted the bed and opened her arms for Alexander to climb against her.

“See that, Gil,” he said to the sleeping babe. “We are brothers.”

And to no one’s surprise, the infant in Juliet’s arms seemed to smile.

Growing up in Virginia, Tessa loves nothing more than to be immersed in a good story. She would often rewrite books that didn't end as she imagined. Finally with the nudging of friends, she decided to create her own wonderful worlds to share. Tessa lives on a five acre farm with her husband, one child, a spoiled bovine, a cat, and dog.

Life is never dull.

You can visit Tessa at:

http://tessaberkley.wix.com/tessaberkleyromance

Rugged Hearts by Amanda McIntyre

Rugged, quiet, hardworking, Wyatt takes his position as head of the Kinnison family seriously. But the scars of betrayal by the women to whom he once trusted his heart now prompt his stark, simple game plan, and no one in hell is going to convince him any differently. What matters most, besides the welfare of his brothers, is to manage the ranch left to him and never risk his heart again to something as foolish as love—but after meeting Aimee, Wyatt begins to realize that a man should never say never to a determined second grade teacher.