Sir William, Mama, and the doctor were soon closeted in the dressing room with Papa, and Julia found herself alone with Mr. Douglas in the dining room.
“I wish you to be assured, Miss Maitland, that none of the expenses for Sir William’s consultation will fall upon your family.”
Julia would have been inclined to argue this point, but something in his expression convinced her that that would be a total waste of time. Instead, she replied, “In that case, may I thank you from the bottom of my heart, for I have heard of Sir William’s excellent professional reputation.”
To her surprise, Mr. Douglas looked very embarrassed and, after hesitating, he said, “Miss Maitland, if you will promise not to tell anyone else? What I told you is not the full truth of the matter.”
She indicated her agreement, although perplexed at his remark.
“It was Kit who was adamant that I should take my own coach all the way down to Bath, though he would not tell me why. Only at the end of my stay at Morancourt did he inform me that he had arranged for Sir William to be available to make the return journey north with me to Derbyshire, to visit your father. Kit insists that I should take all the credit for the arrangements, but has refused to let me pay any of the expenses.”
Julia had to smile to herself at his barely concealed indignation at his son’s insistence.
“I do not like ‘sailing under false colours’ in this matter, but my only role has been to provide the transport for us back to Derbyshire, and then to return Sir William today to Derby, so that he can take the stagecoach south and get back to Windsor.”
“Why does he want to go to Windsor, Mr. Douglas? I thought that his main consulting rooms were in Bath?”
“It is true that he practices from there, but I have been told that he is the chief physician-in-residence to His Majesty the King,” said Mr. Douglas, this time with pride in his voice.
Julia was speechless at this information, for she had no idea of that connection. What would Mama say? Julia suspected that her mother’s opinion of Harry Douglas was going to increase several hundredfold when she heard all this.
“I have a commission from K—I mean from Mr. Hatton—to pass on some information only to you in private, Miss Maitland. Is your aunt, Mrs. Harrison, still staying here with you? If so, would it be possible for both of you to visit Norton Place tomorrow?”
Before Julia could reply, she heard her aunt and her sisters calling for her in the hall, and she took Mr. Douglas from the dining room to be introduced to Aunt Lucy. She was clearly very intrigued to meet him, although unable with both Sophie and Harriet within earshot to acknowledge her previous acquaintance with his younger son as she might have wished.
Upon hearing of the invitation from Mr. Douglas, she immediately agreed to go with Julia to Norton Place on the following day, and the only problem was resisting the protestations from Sophie and Harriet at the news that they were not to be included in the party. Mr. Douglas took their dissent in good part, and promised that they might visit him on another occasion.
Sir William did not emerge with Mama and the physician from the dressing room for some time but, when they did, it was easy to see from her expression that the news was much better than before.
On becoming aware of the eager audience waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs, Sir William said, in an avuncular style, “Well, ladies, Mrs. Maitland will tell you the details, but I am confi dent that Mr. Maitland’s doctor can carry out my instructions, and that the results should be beneficial. Now, Mr. Douglas, we had best be on our way if I am to catch the stage south from Derby today.”
Mama was indeed very gracious to Mr. Douglas as they left, as Julia had foreseen, and said as soon as the front door had closed, “My dear Lucy, it is such better news as far as Lewis is concerned. And Sir William has told me that he has strict instructions to render his bill for payment only to Mr. Douglas, who took all the trouble to arrange that consultation, and no charge at all is to fall upon us. That is so generous of him!”
Her eldest daughter then intervened. “Did you know, Mama, that Sir William is a personal physician to the king himself?”
There was a stunned silence, as Julia had anticipated, and then a hubbub of sound as everyone asked questions at once, and some minutes passed before order was restored. When Aunt Lucy told Mama of the invitation for Julia to visit Norton Place with her aunt the next day, Mama was all smiles and gracious agreement.
They travelled together in Aunt Lucy’s chaise—much more comfortable than the last time I took this journey, thought Julia—and on the way her aunt inquired what Julia thought the purpose of the visit might be.
“Did Mr. Douglas give any indication to you?”
“No, he didn’t. There may be some news about the smugglers, although Mr. Hatton could have sent a letter to you about that.”
“Will I like Norton Place, Julia?”
“Yes, I think so. I had expected it to be rather—how can I say—brash? But that was because I was prejudging the house through Mama’s eyes, for she was determined to look down on Mr. Douglas as someone who ‘bought his own furniture’—a self-made man.”
Her aunt chuckled. “I doubt whether you will be having that problem with your mother in the future, after what happened yesterday!”
Julia laughed and agreed. With a pleasant and sympathetic companion beside her, the journey passed very quickly and the chaise was soon coming to a halt in front of Norton Place. Julia had forgotten to ask Mr. Douglas whether Jack would be at home, but there was no sign of him in the house as Mr. Douglas led the way to the drawing room.
Much to Julia’s amusement, for the first half hour she was quite sidelined, as their host and her aunt soon proved to have many views in common, and conducted a wide-ranging conversation over various topics. It was only when the butler came in to ask if tea should be served that Harry Douglas turned to Julia and apologised for his lack of attention.
“Now, Miss Maitland, first of all I have a note to give to you from Kit. He asks that you should read it through first, and he told me that there were some parts that you could then pass on to us.”
There was a real twinkle in his eye as he said this, and Julia suddenly wondered how much Kit had told his father about their relationship.
However, the letter was already in her hand, and she skimmed it quickly. The first half was very intriguing, and the last page so intimately heart-warming that her aunt and Mr. Douglas must be able to see her blushing.
“What is the news?” said Aunt Lucy, coming to her rescue.
“Well, Kit—Mr. Hatton—has spoken to Mr. Whitaker, his farm manager, about whether he had had any suspicions about the estate land or buildings being used for smuggling. Mr. Whitaker told him that he had come to think that might be the case, and that he had wondered if Mr. Jones, the husband of the housekeeper, knew more about it.”
“Did you meet Mr. Whitaker or Mr. Jones?” Aunt Lucy asked Mr. Douglas.
“Yes, both of them, and they did not seem to me to be dishonest men. But perhaps I’m wrong?”
Julia continued, “Mr. Hatton goes on to say that when he asked Mr. Jones about ‘free traders’ operating on the estate, he confessed that when he came back many years ago from being a soldier in France, he had become involved in smuggling with Isaac Gulliver. But he said that he had finished with that when he was given charge of the farm at Morancourt by Mr. Henry Hatton.”
“So he knows nothing of what is happening now?”
“No, he does. Indeed, he had already heard from Mr. Gulliver that we had been to visit the earthwork at Eggardon!”
Mr. Douglas looked puzzled, so Julia explained about her visit with Mr. Hatton to the hill fort, and the man whom they had met there claiming to be a priest.
“Apparently, Mr. Hatton says that Isaac Gulliver is a very unusual smuggler. His men are kept constantly at work smuggling wine and other goods, mostly through the village of Burton Bradstock. Some wear Dorset smocks, as used by farm workers, and with their hair powdered like wigs, as a kind of livery to identify them. They are forbidden to offer any physical harm to the revenue men. It is his dislike of violence that led to his opposing another gang, which started operating in the area around Bridport about eighteen months ago.”
Julia then remembered that Aunt Lucy knew nothing about Frank Jepson, and so explained briefly, without mentioning any connection with the Brandons, what was known about him.
Then she went on, “Aunt Lucy, there was something that I did not tell you when we were at Morancourt. A young man called Jem, who proved to be the brother of Martha, your personal maid, was brought into the kitchen there with an injury to his leg. Mrs. Jones, the housekeeper, did not know who he was, and he refused to acknowledge his sister. Martha asked me not to mention him or his injury to you.”
“Why not? Did she suspect that he was up to no good?”
“Probably.”
“Was that the same brother that she had told us about on the journey down to Dorset, who had been a miner near Radstock?”
“Yes, it was. Kit has since traced him after another conversation with Mr. Jones. Jem had been lodging in the village, and working with several other men for Frank Jepson with good pay, smuggling goods into Dorset on the coast near Bridport. When he injured his leg carrying a heavy load, Jepson threatened to break his arm, or worse, if he told anyone how the injury had happened.”
“That Frank Jepson sounds to be a nasty piece of work,” said Mr. Douglas.
“Yes, and he stopped paying Jem as soon as he hurt himself, because he was of no more use to the smuggling gang. Kit thought that it would be safest for Jem to go back to stay with his mother at Radstock as soon as possible, so that he was outside Frank Jepson’s reach. Kit gave Jem some money to keep him going until his leg heals and he can get a job as a miner again near Radstock.”
“So what is Kit doing now about the smuggling gang?” said his father.
“He has had a long discussion with his friend James Lindsay, who is close to being able to prove that the smuggling gang using the buildings at Morancourt is under the control of Frank Jepson. The revenue men have already found several other places on the estate where contraband goods are being hidden.”
“What are those?” said Mr. Douglas.
“Apparently they found that someone had dug along the slope of the hill above one of the lynchets that we saw on our walk on the way to the old castle. Contraband had been hidden underground there, not long ago, before it was concealed by being covered with earth.”
“And is Kit involved personally in the hunt for Frank Jepson?” said Aunt Lucy.
“No, Sir James has told him that would be unwise. Kit says only,” she blushed, “that I should not worry about him.”
Aunt Lucy smiled at her niece. “Mr. Douglas, I believe that you have another son living with you here?”
“Yes, ma’am, that is my elder son, Jack. But I have sent him to work at my mill in Leeds, to learn more about managing the business.”
Julia was very surprised at this news, and her host, foreseeing her question, said, “It will be good for Jack to be busy elsewhere for a while. I have appointed a new manager for our farm here, with more up-to-date ideas. You will know about that, Miss Maitland, as you spoke to me before about the practices introduced at Holkham.”
“Yes, sir,” said Julia dutifully, but with a twinkle in her eye to match the smile from Harry Douglas.
“You are lucky, Mrs. Harrison, to have such a lively niece!”
“I know that, Mr. Douglas, but I have formed the opinion that your younger son is a very worthwhile young man as well.”
Mr. Douglas looked very pleased at this remark, and again Julia wondered what Mr. Hatton had told him about her stay at Morancourt.
“That reminds me, Miss Maitland. Kit asked to give you something—I have tried to wrap it carefully for you, but I am not very neat-fingered at such things!”
Harry Douglas turned to a side table, picked up a small package, and gave it to her. Julia unwrapped it slowly and found herself looking at a book. It was La Passerelle.
“Oh no!” She could not stop the expression escaping her lips. “That belongs to Kit.”
Aunt Lucy looked at her with concern, as did Harry Douglas, but before either of them could say anything, Julia smiled at them tearfully.
“It is just—oh, it is the most wonderful present that anyone could have given to me, but I really cannot accept it.”
“Why not, Julia? What is it?” said her aunt.
“You will know, Aunt, if I tell you that this book is the real La Passerelle!”
Mr. Douglas still looked confused, but Aunt Lucy visibly relaxed at her recognition of the name.
“Mr. Douglas,” she said, “perhaps Julia would like to go and sit for a while to examine the book in your library. There is something that I wish to discuss with you.”
Julia was inclined to rebel at this explicit instruction, but decided that it was best to do as she was asked. Fully fifteen minutes then passed before her host came to the door and asked her to rejoin them in the drawing room.
“Please take the book home with you, Miss Maitland. You can look after it for Kit until he is next back here at Norton Place. I have had a very useful conversation with Mrs. Harrison, and hope that she can come here again before she returns home to Bath.”
On the way home in the carriage, Aunt Lucy said, with a half smile, “Am I the only person who thinks that Mr. Douglas might have been getting his elder son out of your way?”
Julia looked puzzled for a moment, then said slowly, “Do you mean that Harry Douglas has deliberately sent Jack away so that my mother, or even my father, can’t pursue the idea of his being a suitor for me?”
“Or perhaps Kit Hatton asked him to consider the matter. It would certainly be a good idea from his point of view?”
Julia blushed, considered, and then replied, “I certainly was very surprised to hear that Jack had been sent to Leeds, for Mr. Douglas once told me that his late wife did not wish either of their sons to work in trade.”
“Perhaps Mr. Douglas has decided that Jack is better suited to that than any other occupation. For the moment, I suggest that we do not tell your mama that Jack is no longer living at Norton Place.”
“Aunt Lucy, I do believe that you have missed your true vocation as a matchmaker!”
“No, my dear, I just wish you to be happy, and I have been receiving some good advice this afternoon!”
Julia’s cheerful frame of mind on returning to Banford Hall did not last long, for Emily had called in their absence, to say Julia was invited to visit there on the following day.
“On my own?” said Julia, dismayed at the thought of another visit.
“No,” said Mama in a disapproving tone. “Emily has told us that her aunt and uncle insist that your Aunt Lucy should accompany you on this occasion.”
Her elder daughter stared at her in amazement.
“But—”
“Yes, I know, the Earl and Countess have never met Lucy, but I did not feel that I could insist that I should go with you instead. I suppose that I am not grand enough for them!”
And with that, her mother swept out of the room, leaving Julia and her aunt looking at Harriet, who had been standing quietly by during this conversation.
“Did Emily say anything else to you that she did not tell Mama?”
“Only one brief message for you, Julia. She said to tell you that the Jepson link had been established. She told me that you would understand what that meant.”
Aunt Lucy seemed about to ask a question, but then said, “One day, Julia, you must tell me the whole story, not just part of it.” And with that, she left the room, leaving the two sisters together.
“I suppose that you can’t tell me, either?” said her younger sister.
“For the moment, no, but I will one day, I promise. It must be good news, or I hope it is, for, if not, I might be about to receive an unwelcome marriage proposal that I would find very difficult to refuse.”
During the drive to Cressborough Castle the next day, Julia could sense that her aunt was bursting with curiosity about the relevance of the Jepson connection and Emily Brandon. But instead she remarked on how fine they both looked, wearing their most stylish dresses at Mama’s insistence.
“Do you think, dear aunt, that one should dress in one’s best finery just because one is to visit an earl and countess?”
Aunt Lucy looked at her for a moment, thinking how well the blue dress fitted her slim figure and suited her colouring.
“No, my dear. But you have told me that they have both always been very pleasant to you, so perhaps we would have worn the same clothes even if your ambitious mama had not intervened.”
Aunt Lucy was very taken with the imposing entrance to the castle, though she said quietly to her niece that she was beginning to sound too much like her sister, Olivia. They were received with the usual formalities, and found Emily with her uncle and aunt in the drawing room.
Julia introduced her aunt, and the Earl said, “You are most welcome, Mrs. Harrison. We are very grateful for your kindness to Emily in Bath a few weeks ago.”
“It was a pleasure,” she replied, smiling at Emily as she took a seat opposite her hosts.
The Countess did not waste any time in coming to the point. “Julia, first of all, we owe you a most sincere apology. As you know, we had been encouraging you to believe that Dominic would be willing to marry you—an alliance that both the Earl and I favoured, as we had explained to you previously. Instead, we have discovered this week that Dominic was married a few days ago in London without our consent—to a young woman whose past history has been far from blameless, and who will not be a welcome addition to our family.”
Julia glanced at Emily before the Countess continued. “Emily has told me that you know that Dominic had been seeing this young woman in London, contrary to our express instructions and wishes. We have also discovered from Freddie that Dominic had been getting deeper and deeper into debt.”
Julia nodded, as some sort of acknowledgement was apparently expected.
“Mrs. Harrison, we asked you to escort Julia today rather than her mother because Emily has told us that we can rely entirely on your discretion. You can understand that we are not anxious for all the details of this matter to get around society here in Derbyshire.”
“I understand, Lady Brandon,” said Aunt Lucy.
“But Julia, we wish to ask you something further. Emily has told us that Dominic may have got into seriously bad company. That he may, unbelievable as it seems, have taken it upon himself, together with a London acquaintance, Mr. Jepson, to sell contra band goods to his society friends, to make money to pay his gambling debts. Is there any truth in that, to your knowledge?”
Julia took a deep breath and glanced quickly at her aunt, who was observing her with a certain amount of relish.
“My lord, Emily may have told you that Mr. Hatton was our host in Dorset. Various events occurred whilst I was staying there with Mrs. Harrison that indicated that unauthorised activities might be taking place in the buildings at Morancourt. I have heard since from Mr. Hatton through—through a friend—that a close relative of Mr. Jepson was involved in smuggling various valuable goods from France despite the blockade in the English Channel.”
Julia had to feel sorry for the Earl and Countess, who looked so stricken at this confirmation of the news they had dreaded.
The Earl explained, “Emily has found out that Dominic was drawn into this illegal trade by one of our own employees, who has a connection with this fellow Jepson. We are both leaving for town tomorrow, to bring Dominic and his—his new bride—back to Cressborough to make their home here, since he clearly cannot be trusted to live sensibly in London.”
“I am so sorry,” said Julia. “This must all be most upsetting for you both. But please do not concern yourselves about me. There was no formal engagement, and I had been keeping an open mind about the suggestion.”
Her aunt intervened. “My sister, Mrs. Maitland, had, as you know, been very happy at the possibility of a marriage to your heir, but I am sure that Julia and I can inform her of the situation without revealing anything that you might prefer not to be disclosed.”
Emily had been sitting listening to this conversation, but now could not contain herself any longer.
“Well, I think it is all for the better, for Julia could find herself someone far more suitable than my silly cousin. Freddie would never have been so stupid!”
“Emily,” Julia said swiftly, “you are being very loyal to me, but it is so easy for young gentlemen with plenty of money to be led astray in London.”
Both Julia and Aunt Lucy noticed that the Earl looked rather uncomfortable at this remark, and could guess the reason.
“Once Dominic is here at home away from bad influences, I’m sure he will settle down, for he is not an unkind person. Indeed, he was very pleasant and very fair in discussing an alliance with me. Although I only saw Christina once in the distance, when I went to the Vauxhall Gardens with Emily and Freddie, she looked to be a most beautiful girl, and may have a very pleasant personality for all we know.”
“You are most charitable, my dear,” said the Countess, “and I hope that Dominic will realise in time how much he has lost by his thoughtless behaviour.”
“Can I suggest,” said Aunt Lucy,” that it would be sensible, once the young couple has settled here, if Julia is seen in their company, to confirm that there is no ill feeling?”
“Of course,” said her host, “that is an excellent idea, and Julia will always be welcome here in any case, as a friend of us all.”
It was, Julia reflected on the return journey, one of the most extraordinary visits she had ever made. Aunt Lucy insisted on knowing all the details about the smuggling ring that she had not already heard, and they discussed how to present the news to Mama and Papa when they got back to Banford Hall.
Mama took the news that Dominic Brandon preferred a young woman from London to her own daughter very badly. She was reluctant to believe that the Earl and Countess had known little about the situation, and would have liked to blame Julia, although Aunt Lucy was having none of that.
Papa was more sanguine, despite saying nothing to Mama, since he knew very well that Julia would be quite delighted at the news.
Mama proved, however, to be nothing but adaptable. Over the next few days, Mama was often in Papa’s room, and Julia was sure that they were discussing her future prospects.
Despite the hope that Papa’s health would improve with Sir William Knighton’s advice, Mama still seemed determined that Julia’s marriage should not be delayed very much longer. Her younger sisters tried to cheer her by making various outlandish suggestions as to possible suitors living in the county, but Julia could not joke about the matter anymore. She could not know what influence Papa was having on Mama’s social ambitions for her daughter, so it was with considerable surprise that Julia heard her mother one morning telling Papa that “Julia should make a visit to Norton Place to see Jack Douglas, my dear.”
Julia demurred strongly at this, but Mama eventually persuaded Papa to write a note to Harry Douglas, asking if he would like to bring his son over to Banford Hall instead, as Papa was not yet strong enough to make the journey to visit his friend.
Julia quite expected the reply to this suggestion to be negative, as she believed that Jack Douglas was still in Leeds. She was therefore surprised and very unhappy that the message came back that Mr. Douglas would be delighted to visit Banford Hall in a few days’ time.
Harry Douglas arrived at the appointed time, but Jack was not with him. After the usual pleasantries, Mr. Douglas told Mama firmly that he wished to speak to Mr. Maitland in private. Mama took him up to Papa’s dressing room and came back almost purring with satisfaction, saying to her daughters, “I expect that Mr. Douglas wishes to discuss a financial settlement with your father.”
“I don’t see why he would,” said Harriet firmly, “since that should surely wait until Julia has said that she will agree to marry Jack Douglas.”
“Well, I think that Jack is a perfectly good catch. I liked him well enough,” said Sophie.
Julia said nothing, misery being piled upon misery. Her only hope seemed to be that Papa would not agree without consulting her first.
After about an hour, Mr. Douglas came down the stairs and into the drawing room, and spoke much more firmly than was his habit to Mama.
“I understand that you would favour my son marrying your eldest daughter, Mrs. Maitland?”
Mama looked rather taken aback by his blunt way of speaking, but replied, “Why yes, sir, of course, if Mr. Maitland is agreeable.”
No mention of what I might want! thought Julia. “Very well. I am leaving now, and Lewis—Mr. Maitland—wishes to speak to Miss Maitland in private. Good day, ma’am, ladies.”
He had hardly left the house than her mother was chivvying Julia to go and see her father. Aunt Lucy tried to protest, for she could see how angry her eldest niece was feeling, but Mama as usual brooked no opposition.
Julia walked slowly up the stairs, went into the dressing room, and shut the door. To her surprise, her father was looking very cheerful and sounded more decisive than usual.
“Now, Julia, I want you to do exactly as I tell you. Harry Douglas has invited Aunt Lucy to take you to Norton Place for a light luncheon tomorrow. Your mother would have liked to go with you, but I have not agreed to that.”
“What is the purpose of the visit?” said Julia resentfully.
“To consider whether you would accept the option that he is offering to you.”
“I do not need to go to Norton Place to tell you that. You really mean the option that Mama favours, and with the biggest financial settlement attached!”
“I suggest you wait and see what the offer may be. It could be trying out your Norfolk theories on his farm, perhaps?”
“I don’t feel like joking,” she replied.
“No, maybe not. When you return, we can have another private talk together if you wish.”
And Papa would tell her no more than that. Julia, not often given to total despair, spent the rest of the day in deepest gloom. She found it very difficult to believe that her father would be happy about an alliance with Jack Douglas, but what other options were there, and what else could he mean?
Before they left the following morning, Julia insisted in wrapping up La Passerelle and taking the package with her, for she was determined to return it to Mr. Douglas, whatever he or her aunt might say.
The journey was made in Aunt Lucy’s comfortable chaise and, as soon as Banford Hall was left behind, her aunt turned to Julia.
“My dear, I cannot believe that your father would have agreed to any alliance with Jack Douglas without your consent.”
“Then why would Harry Douglas have said what he did to my mother?”
Aunt Lucy opened her mouth to reply, then she paused and looked at Julia and shut it again without any words coming out. This was so unlike her aunt that Julia fixed her with a determined stare and said, “What were you going to say?”
“What I was going to say was that you should consider what Harry Douglas did not mention yesterday.”
“What was that?” Julia said resentfully.
“You must tell me, my dear, not I you.”
Julia was already so upset that this remark put her into a really bad temper and she turned her face away to look fixedly out of the carriage window, and she refused to say anything for the rest of the journey. If she had glanced at her aunt, she would have been even more infuriated to see that Aunt Lucy was smiling to herself.
In his usual jovial way, Harry Douglas was waiting to welcome them at Norton Place by the bottom of the steps leading to the front door. Julia had intended to thrust the package containing La Passerelle into his hands as soon as she arrived, but her aunt’s firm grasp of her arm prevented that. Julia found herself inside the house and walking beside Mr. Douglas along the corridor to the salon without having any option in the matter.
Once they were there, her host said to Aunt Lucy, “Have you said anything to Miss Maitland since yesterday?”
“No, sir,” said her aunt.
Julia looked from the one to the other, mystified.
“You will have heard your mother, Mrs. Maitland, say that she would favour my son marrying her eldest daughter, if your father agreed? I imagine that you were not happy about that?”
She stared at him, then replied, “No sir, I was not—no one seems to think of consulting me about my own future! I wish to return La Passerelle to you now.”
“Indeed. Now, please do as I ask. Take that package into the library, and leave it there if you wish. And when you are ready, come back and join us in the salon here.”
He spoke calmly, and Julia’s wrath was changing now to a dull ache of sadness, and she did not move.
“Julia,” said Aunt Lucy, “please do as Mr. Douglas requests.”
Julia glared at her and at last turned on her heel and walked along the corridor and into the library. She went across the room to the table by the window where she had seen the Book of Hours on her first visit to the house, and put the package down. She looked down and let her hand rest on the book for several moments, remembering that day. She raised her head and was about to turn to leave the room when she jumped in alarm, for there, reflected in the glass of the window, was a tall figure standing in the shadows beside the door, watching her. It was only when she turned to face him that he stepped forward into the light and she realised who it was.
He looked at her gravely. “My father tells me that you are very unlikely to want to marry his son, Miss Maitland. Does that apply to me, or are you willing to make an exception for a gentleman who, as you know, may never be able to waltz very well?”
Julia was at a loss for words. It had been such an emotional few hours since Mr. Douglas had visited Banford Hall to see her father, filled with sadness and fear for the future.
Kit Hatton walked slowly across the library towards her, then stopped just beyond touching distance and said, “I understand that Mr. Maitland and your mother are happy with the proposition that my father put to them yesterday, that you should marry me.”
It was only then that Julia realised what Aunt Lucy had meant in the carriage. Harry Douglas had asked Mama if she would favour his son marrying her eldest daughter. But he had not said which son.
“Come, my darling,” said Kit. “Everything really is all well for us both now.” And he opened his arms to her as she wept tears of joy and relief. She had dreamt so many times of kissing Kit Hatton, but the reality surpassed what she had hoped for, and needed, and wanted.
Eventually they turned their attention to more practical matters. Kit told Julia how Aunt Lucy and Harry Douglas had collaborated together to pass on the news about Dominic Brandon’s marriage, and Kit had set off immediately from Dorset to travel to Norton Place.
“About ten days ago, James Lindsay confronted his cousin Patrick about the connection with Dominic Brandon, and Patrick revealed many details about the distribution network for contraband that Dominic had been organising. Frank Jepson was caught by the revenue men a few days later as he landed with a large cargo of contraband at the bay near Morancourt. I wrote to your aunt, and she passed that information on to Emily Brandon, who told the earl and countess.”
It was quite half an hour later when there was a firm cough in the doorway, and they both turned around to see Harry Douglas and Aunt Lucy standing side by side, regarding them with expressions of amusement and affection.
“Well, my dear,” said her aunt, “are you still going to return La Passerelle to Mr. Douglas?”
“No, Aunt,” said Julia meekly, “for Kit has told me that the book belongs to both of us from now on.”