Page 17 of His Scandalous Viscountess
“That man has been perfectly horrible to Julia,” Ros continued. “All clingy and handsy, each time she runs into him in public. And I am just fine as I am. I shall never love again”—she pressed a hand to her heart and fought back what appeared to be tears—“after the loss of my Archie.”
Julia knew how deeply her sister still felt the loss of her beloved husband, even after so many years. Lieutenant Archibald Smith had died during the Sepoy Mutiny, as had many Englishmen.
“Do not upset yourself, Ros. I doubt Lord Wallthorpe will come to visit, anyway. Certainly, last night’s escapades will have reached his ears by now.”
Her parents looked worried at her latest statement, her mother more so than her father.
“What have you done now?”
Julia was about to deliver thecoup de grâcewhen a loud, malevolent rap sounded on the door. Her stomach plummeted, because under the circumstances there was only one person who would be knocking on her door at this hour.
John Johnson, her butler-cum-footman, opened the door. After a brief exchange, he announced their visitor. “Lord Wallthorpe to see Lady Wallthorpe, Mrs. Fairchild, Mrs. Smith, and Mr. Fairchild.”
Julia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Either the man had not yet heard of her visit to Lucifer’s, or he was so determined to have her that he was blithely ignoring all the scandal she had ignited. Unfortunately, she believed it was the latter and not the former, which meant she was damn near backed into a corner. Short of pointing a gun at him and definitively saying no, she had no real recourse to dissuade him from his suit.
Well, none that she wished to employ.
She dug deep to find some modicum of civility for the wretched man. “Good morning, Lord Wallthorpe.”
“Good morning, Lady Wallthorpe. You look particularly ravishing this morning.” He took her hand and bent over it gallantly, even as he muttered for her ears only. “Especially considering your evening activities.”
And it was then she knew that she was truly stuck. Once more, Wolf’s offer came to mind. He was a friend, and he wanted to help her.
Surely he would release me from a fake betrothal, especially one he had not really committed to?
Wallthorpe greeted the rest of her family, then settled into a chair and commenced discussing the lateston-ditswith her mother, as though he was a regular in the gossip circles. Julia found the whole conversation nauseating.
Her mother tittered at something he had said, as Julia’s father sat silently, looking incredibly bored. But then her mother looked at her and said, “I was just telling Julia how wonderful you’ve been to us while she was abroad.”
Her stepson grinned. “Well, one must always have time for family.”
Julia gnashed her teeth. “Only if family knows its place.”
“I should think that place is close to hand. When you care for someone, it is important to let them know you value them.” Then he turned and patted her mother’s hand. “As I have tried to do with your parents.”
“Yes, well, I am sure they appreciate all the attention.”
The droll tone rang through her voice, despite her best efforts to squash it.
Her mother looked increasingly angry, as Julia all but crossed the line into rudeness. And then Julia grew concerned as her mother’s familiar eyes lit with a fierceness that could only spell trouble.
Mrs. Fairchild suddenly looked at Julia’s stepson and smiled. “You know, my lord, I was just telling both my girls how important it is for them to remarry.”
Wallthorpe tut-tutted. “I strongly agree, Mrs. Fairchild.”
“Oh, do stop, my lord. I have told you many times to call me Patrice,” her mother simpered.
“As I have told you to call me Wallthorpe. I hear ‘my lord’ enough, everywhere else I go.” He proceeded with his previous train of thought. “I know my father would have wanted Julia to be cared for.”
With her stomach in knots, Julia smiled and perched on the edge of her seat. “I am so glad to hear you say that, my lord.”
Her mother shot her a startled look as her father’s head popped up from where he had practically dosed off during the insipid conversation.
“I had hoped to tell my parents in private, but since we are all family…” She shot her mother a pointed look. “Lord Wolfington has requested my hand in marriage.”
Her mother paled, even as Wallthorpe grew beet red.
Determined to wring all the drama she could from the moment, Julia waited while the silence thickened. “I was so moved by his eloquent proposal that I agreed.”
