Penniless until the earl.., p.11
Penniless Until the Earl's Proposal, page 11
‘I may not have the benefit of your experience, but I loved him more than life itself, and I know that I shall never forget him.’ Her anger melted and she sighed, lowering her eyes. ‘I shall probably never love you, Marcus. I shall probably never love any man, so if,’ she said, her face pale and tense, ‘knowing this, you still want to marry me, and if you will promise to secure the Endcliffe estate, then I accept. However, you must realise that whatever it costs to get the estate back on its feet, it must be considered a loan. Richard, I am sure, will pay it all back, given time—and good harvests and investments.’
Marcus understood what she was saying and was full of admiration for her steadfast loyalty to the man who had brought her to near ruin. But Richard Sinclair was her brother, and whatever he was guilty of, she would cloak his sins and utter no words that would dishonour him in any way. He smiled a strange, crooked smile and placed his fingers gently beneath her chin, tilting her head, forcing her to meet his gaze. ‘I am sure he will, Juliet, but believe me when I say that marriage to you will be payment enough. However, there is something I should mention, and do not think too ill of your brother. He told me that should you decide against becoming my wife, he intends on selling this house to cover his debt to me.’
Juliet stared at him aghast. ‘He—he said that?’
‘Yes. You see, he doesn’t want you to feel under any obligation to me. So, Juliet, you do have a choice.’
Shaking her head, she tried to absorb what he had said. ‘But—but we have discussed selling the house and Richard decided against it at this time. I—I had no idea he would do this.’
‘Despite his weakness for gambling, you are his sister and he loves you enough to not force you into an unwanted marriage. Knowing this, will you still agree to marry me?’
Lowering her head, she turned from him, biting her bottom lip as she considered this new turn of events. Marcus watched her, praying she wouldn’t change her mind. At last, she turned and looked at him, her mind made up.
‘I am indeed grateful to Richard—that he would do this for me, but no, it makes no difference. Selling this house would be a mere drop in the ocean to what he owes his creditors. I have made my decision. I will marry you, Marcus. Indeed I will be happy to be your wife.’ Her lips trembled into a smile. ‘We hardly got off to a good start, and I made my resentment towards you quite plain.’
He grinned. ‘And the reason for that, your brother has just explained to me. I did not lock you in that cupboard. I thought I was doing you a favour. I merely closed the door so you would not be found, and it stuck.’
‘And to make matters worse, you forgot about me and went home without another thought for me.’
‘For which you have my most profound apology.’
‘When I recovered from the ordeal, my mother told me I would forget it. The memory would fade. It was like a nightmare, but it was not real, though for a long time I dreamt I was still in that cupboard.’
‘I regret my thoughtlessness for being to blame for you having to endure such a terrible experience. You were a quiet, shy child as I recall, a little like Adele is now.’
‘I enjoyed meeting her in the park. She is such a charming little girl.’
He nodded, a troubled look entering his eyes. ‘She is and I love her dearly. Unfortunately, I have been apart from her too long. My mother has had full charge of her since Elizabeth, my wife, died. It is my intention to make up for the time we have both lost, and to do that I must spend as much time with her as I am able. I am impatient to involve myself fully in the running of the estate, but my mother refuses to let me take Adele to Mulberry Hall until I have found myself a wife.’
‘I see. I am beginning to understand your hasty proposal to me,’ Juliet said, her tone resentful once more.
‘I would have proposed marriage to you regardless of my mother’s demands.’
‘You would?’
‘Yes. You are an original, and I find you considerably more interesting and amusing than any of those simpering young ladies who were present at Lord and Lady Wyatt’s dinner party.’
‘Is that a compliment?’
He nodded, smiling. ‘The first of many. But I have to ask you how you feel about becoming Adele’s stepmother. She was quite taken with you when you met in the park, which is unusual for Adele. She has never reached out to anyone the way she did to you that day. Her care is my concern, and it would help me a great deal knowing that the person who will share her upbringing with me is someone I can trust. Of course, a governess will be found for her in due course. Looking after Adele, worrying about her, wearies my mother, and finding the right nursemaids to care for her has often proved a problem in the past. You may find looking after her demanding, and it will require all your patience.’
‘What can I say other than I will do my best to take care of her and make her happy? Children have never played a part in my life, but I am sure we will get along just fine.’
‘So you will accept my proposal of marriage?’
She nodded, lowering her eyes. ‘Yes,’ she said softly. ‘It would be foolish of me to refuse.’
‘I couldn’t agree more. Now,’ he said, drawing her closer, ‘I think a kiss is in order to seal the matter. Do you not agree, Juliet?’
Tilting her head, she looked at him, her eyes wide. ‘Yes, I have no objections.’
Something clenched painfully in the region of Marcus’s heart as he took her hands and lowered his head to hers, having wanted to kiss her since they had met at the Ruskins’ house. His lips captured hers. Her mouth was soft and the texture beyond his imagination. He had wondered what it would be like, suspecting that her lips would be sweet and warm, but he could never have guessed at the powerful desire it would awake within him the moment his mouth touched hers.
She gasped and removed her hands from his, her fingers gripped his shoulders. Her entire body responded to his kiss as instinctively she arched closer. Her mouth clung to his, causing his blood to race in his veins, and warmth flooded through him. Marcus had never felt such explosive desire before, and a warning bell rung in his brain. If he did not bring to a halt this sweet moment of desire, he would be unable to stop, and before he knew it, he would have gone too far. One thing he did know was that she desired him as much as he desired her and that she would not be a reluctant bride. He tore his lips away from hers.
‘Dear Lord, Juliet, what are you trying to do to me? That,’ he said, his voice low and husky, ‘was not what your brother left us alone for.’
Juliet sighed and disentangled herself from his arms. ‘No, it wasn’t, but at least the matter of our marriage is settled now. Richard will be pleased.’
Her brother took that moment to return to the room.
‘Time to eat,’ he said, rubbing his hands, looking expectantly from one to the other. ‘Please tell me the matter I left you to discuss is now settled and we can move on.’
‘Yes, Richard. You will be relieved when I tell you that I have accepted Lord Cardell’s proposal of marriage, but you really should have told me that should I have refused, you were prepared to sell this house.’
He grinned sheepishly. ‘I wanted you to have the choice, Juliet. It was the least I could do. I am pleased you have agreed to wed, that we will be neighbours as well as brother and sister. Now,’ he said, rubbing his hands with glee, for things could not have turned out better, ‘let us go in to dinner and we can discuss the details.’
‘Of course,’ Marcus said quietly, his gaze settling on Juliet’s face. ‘It is my intention for the wedding to take place as soon as possible.’
* * *
Juliet glanced at him. A serious note had entered his voice, and he wasn’t smiling any more as his eyes held hers. Startled by his frankness, curiously she felt her nervousness subsiding despite the doubts she felt over becoming his wife. She wasn’t at all displeased by his suggestion that they marry as soon as may be. And why should she be? she thought wryly. Wasn’t this just what she wanted, an opportunity to hold on to all she held most dear?
Marcus Cardell was conscientious and considerate, a man with a strong responsibility for his estate and his daughter, whom he clearly adored and wanted only the very best. He had proven to be the solution to all her worries, yet it was imperative that she keep all her wits about her. Thoughts of Thomas stirred powerful, painful memories and emotions, especially now when she had decided to relegate him to the past.
When they had become betrothed, she had thought he would come back from Spain and they would be married. She realised now she had been living in a fool’s paradise. Nothing had turned out as she had hoped. Now she had to think about making a new home for herself—a stepdaughter and connections and what each partner could bring to a marriage as their relationship developed. She would be mistress of Mulberry Hall. Many women would be thrilled to be in her place. She knew what she had to do. She could not sacrifice her brother because of her own selfish reasons of wanting love as well as marriage. For a moment she felt as if she were suffocating. It was like being back in that cupboard.
Chapter Six
In the dining room, the three of them were seated at the table in the centre of which was a bowl filled with pink roses, each one soft and velvety and perfect, giving off the most gentle, heavenly scent. Marcus was both polite and attentive throughout the meal, keeping the conversation impersonal. The more Juliet relaxed, the more she looked at him, letting her gaze linger.
She was beginning to feel all the power of his gaze when he looked at her, and although she had sworn never to become romantically involved with any man again, she was not immune to Marcus’s dazzling good looks and strong personality. But she did wonder if it was his urgent need to find a mother for Adele rather than his desire for a wife which had prompted him to propose marriage to her. But whatever the reason, she was committed to the decision she had made, and for all she held dear, she would abide by that no matter how much heartache it brought her in the future.
After the meal, she walked with him to the door, where he turned and took her hand. ‘Thank you for the meal, Juliet. I want to assure you that Mulberry Hall is a place that will be worthy of you, and you will be able to visit your old home whenever you wish. I don’t want to give you any reason to regret marrying me.’
She nodded as she looked at him, feeling strange emotions stirring in her breast. ‘I don’t think you’ll do that. I only hope I don’t give you cause for regret. I do promise to make you a good wife and pray that we shall be tolerably happy.’ She smiled wryly. ‘After all you’ve done for me and my brother, the last thing I want is to prove a poor investment.’
Marcus looked at her sharply and his eyes suddenly flamed with anger, at which Juliet immediately regretted her thoughtless, impulsive words, and for the first time since she had known him, she felt fear in her heart. He took both her hands in his own hard grip. His eyes were dark and compelling, forcing her to look into them, and his voice was stern when he spoke.
‘Tolerably? An investment? I intend for us to be more than tolerably happy, and I never for one moment considered you an investment. I am not given to pretty speeches, Juliet, and unlike your former betrothed whom you professed to love more than life itself, at this point in our relationship, I cannot offer you that, but what I am offering you is a home, wealth and an estate to be proud of.’
‘And I am indeed grateful, Marcus,’ she said softly, wishing he had not made that reference to Thomas. Wealth and an estate were all very well and meant that she would live in comfort for the rest of her life without having to worry about how to make ends meet, but they were not at the top of her list when it came to marriage. What she wanted was loyalty and respect, to love and to be loved by her husband, and she could only hope and pray that this would come in time.
‘You must understand, Juliet, that I asked you to be my wife because it was you I wanted and for no other reason. The fact that your brother was hopelessly in debt was unimportant. You have told me that you will never love me, that your heart went with the soldier to whom you were betrothed to the grave, and I accept that for now, but time heals many wounds, including the invisible ones, and when it does, you will love again. When you become my wife, when you bear my name, which to me is proud and noble, I shall expect some affection from you and respect, but more than anything else, I want you to be happy.’ His voice softened when he looked at her sad, downcast face. He placed his fingers gently beneath her chin. ‘Look at me, Juliet.’
Slowly she raised her eyes to his, the candlelight shining into their amber depths. Despite himself, he was touched by the grief he saw there, which brought a bitter taste to his mouth. He sighed deeply, shaking his head slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.
‘I am a fool,’ he murmured, ‘and I have a distinct feeling that I am going to make an even bigger fool of myself where you are concerned, but you cannot live your life searching for something that is gone, that is dead. It is like chasing the wind. You have to let go, Juliet. Do you think you will be punished if, instead, you look for happiness among the living? That you will have to pay penance? For I can tell you that no amount of tears can bring back the dead.’
Juliet stared at him, lulled into a curious sense of well-being by his words as a rush of warmth and gratitude completely pervaded her and her lovely eyes became blurred, shining like stars with her tears. ‘I really do not deserve you,’ she whispered, ‘and I know you are right, only...it’s not that easy to let go.’
‘Then perhaps this will help,’ he murmured, and very slowly he lifted his lean brown hands and placed them on either side of her face. His eyes darkened as he leaned forward, and at his touch Juliet trembled slightly, with nerves or excitement, she didn’t know which, but she did not draw away from him as he placed his mouth on her soft, quivering lips, cherishing them with his own slowly and so very tenderly. His gentleness kindled a response and a warm glow spread over her, but also a fear began to possess her, a fear not of him but of herself and the dark, hidden feelings he had aroused.
When he finally drew away, she remained unmoving, as though still suspended in that kiss, her lips moist and slightly parted. She gazed wonderingly into his eyes, and for the first time since she had met him, the grief was gone from hers, which were very bright with unshed tears. ‘How do you think your mother will feel about a marriage between us? She might not take too kindly to you marrying your penniless neighbour.’
‘My mother will be delighted. She was not only impressed by you when we met in the park but the way you interacted with Adele and she with you. In fact, my daughter has spoken of nothing else since.’
‘Really? I look forward to meeting her again and getting to know her. I—I must insist on a modest wedding, Marcus. I don’t want any fuss.’
‘It suits me perfectly. The sooner we leave London, the better I shall feel.’
‘Then what can I say. I hope I shall be worthy of Mulberry Hall, and I promise to do my best to make you a good wife and stepmother to Adele.’
Marcus’s lips twisted in a thin smile. ‘I am sure you will, but I have to admit that it does nothing for my pride or self-esteem, knowing it’s my wealth and not my charming self that you want. However, I do think we both have something to give.’
His face suddenly became a hard, inscrutable mask, and something Juliet could not recognise flickered behind his eyes, and again she sensed in him something purposeful, something vital that made her feel uneasy, and it came to her that Marcus Cardell was not a man to run afoul of. Ignoring this moment of insight and preferring to think instead of the kindness he had shown her and her brother and his obvious sincerity, she fixed him with a steady gaze. Yes, she would marry him. With everything collapsing about her ears, it was the perfect answer to the many problems that beset her.
But how different it had been when she had loved Thomas, with all the passionate intensity of her youth. How she had yearned to marry him, to learn all the overwhelming joys that love had to offer. But this was to be a different kind of marriage—positive and cold. It was to be a union of two people drawn together by circumstances. She wouldn’t think about what would come later but would be content for now, knowing the Endcliffe estate and her home was safe.
* * *
Marcus’s news of his forthcoming marriage to Juliet Sinclair was warmly welcomed by his mother. The fact that Adele liked Lady Juliet and was happy to be in her company was an added bonus and a great relief to her. She had a few qualms about the part Marcus was to play in assisting Lord Sinclair to clear his debts, but she was sure this would be overcome in time should the young man abide by his promise to keep away from the gaming tables.
When Juliet arrived at the house to be presented to her once more, she received her warmly. Attired in a hyacinth blue gown, Juliet stood watching her future mother-in-law, pale with apprehension. Marcus sighed with relief as his mother smiled to put her at her ease, her eyes tender, for she was determined to befriend this lovely young woman who had brought her son once again to the brink of matrimony. Although he wondered how his mother would feel if she knew that beneath Juliet’s pleasant exterior, with her soft feminine elegance, there was a will every bit as strong and stubborn as his own.
* * *
Juliet entered the Cardell townhouse with trepidation. She was surrounded by wealth: oil paintings of ancestors and country scenes on the walls, carved furniture gleaming with polish, marble underfoot and chandeliers above.
