He had not once mentioned Miss Everet or any kind of attachments, but it did not make sense to her that Eleanor would mention the matter if it was not true. Was it simply that he was a private man, or was there more to the matter than any of them knew?
The questions began to make her head ache as the carriage rattled on toward her aunt’s home in Mayfair.
Only one thing was certain: her aunt and mother would stop at nothing until she was married.
Chapter 7
It was the following day that Julian sat at breakfast with his mother and sister. They had been too occupied with the chatter of all the suitors who had sent cards asking to call on Juliette. Julian had been grateful for the silence until a letter had arrived that made his mother gasp.
“Well, is that not lovely?” she exclaimed, looking up from a note that the butler had placed in front of her.
“What is?” Juliette asked inquisitively, craning her head from across the table in an attempt to sneak a glance.
“Lady Brewster has invited all three of us to dine with her and her family. Miss Prescott and her mother will also be in attendance.” She raised a hand to her throat, sighing happily as she placed the note back down.
Julian said nothing, thinking instead of the day before when Eleanor had made such a big scene of hanging on his arm. Had Lily thought anything of it, and what did it matter if she had? He quickly reminded himself that he had never intended to court her, so her thoughts did not matter.
“Shall we attend, Mama?” Juliette asked with a not-so-subtle glance in his direction.
“Of course we will. It would be rude of us not to attend. Lord and Lady Brewster are prominent figures in society after all. I shall send a note at once accepting the invitation on our behalf.” She glanced at Julian before continuing, “This could be a wonderful opportunity for you to get to know Miss Prescott better, Julian. She is such a lovely young lady.”
Julian’s fingers clenched around his knife and fork. “I hesitate to remind you, Mama, but I shall choose my bride in due time. And I shall thank you all for not thrusting anyone in my direction.”
His mother’s face fell after exchanging a look with Juliette. “It is a pity that you will not leave the past behind, Julian. Just because…” His words cut her off sharply when he spoke again.
“I will not hear of it, Mama. It does not matter what happened in the past; the matter is settled. I shall choose a bride in good time. Love has nothing to do with it,” he said harshly.
Hushed silence descended on the room as his mother and Juliette looked at their plates. It was not until some moments later that his sister broke the silence again.
“I do not think that you would have anything to concern yourself with, Julian,” she glanced hesitantly at her mother. “Miss Everet told me last night that Lily is already engaged to be married. She has a fiancé back in New York.”
Frowning, Julian ran his hand over the stubble that had begun to form on his chin. They had not spoken very much, but he was almost certain that Lily would have mentioned it if she had been engaged. She had danced with him freely without so much as a mention of any prior attachments.
A mixture of relief and confusion flooded his mind. If it were true, it would mean his mother would let the matter rest. Yet the thought of her even dancing with another man made the pit of his stomach knot uncomfortably.
Juliette once again broke the silence with her chatter. “So, if your only objection is being thrown in Miss Prescott’s direction, then you have nothing to fear.” She sounded pleased at having delivered the news.
The rest of the breakfast passed in relative silence until the butler announced that Mr. Southampton had arrived for his weekly ride with Julian.
***
“Are we going to talk about the tension that I witnessed between you and Miss Prescott at the gallery?” Benedict asked as he pulled his horse up beside a stream to drink.
The chestnut mare dipped her head, drinking deeply from the cool running water as Benedict held onto the saddle.
A light breeze blew through the tall grass, promising to bring a hot summer. “I do not know what you are referring to,” Julian grumbled, dismounting his white and gray stallion. The country road they had chosen on the outskirts of London was all but deserted as Julian looked both ways.
Benedict scoffed. “Come now, Julian, you cannot pull the wool over my eyes. There was definitely something between the two of you. Miss Prescott seemed to steal glances in your direction at every opportunity, and your eyes were all but glued to her,” he laughed.
“You have it all wrong. Miss Prescott is merely an interesting acquaintance; besides, she is engaged to be married.” Julian shook his head.
“And who told you that?” Benedict asked with a frown deeply etched into his brow.
“Eleanor told Juliette yesterday that she has a fiancé back in New York,” Julian replied as he reached up and placed his palm flat against the horse’s muscular neck.
Throwing his head back, Benedict laughed from the pit of his stomach, causing Julian to tighten his face as he frowned.
“I do not understand what is so funny?” He asked when Benedict finally stopped laughing.