Page 3 of Indecent Desires of a Proper Lady
Juliet squeaked a little in embarrassment.
“Oh, Margaret, do forgive me. I do not wish to cause you any kind of pain. I am simply infuriated that this man does not know how wonderful you are! He is too blind to see, and I call him a fool for it. I wish he would simply stay away and leave you be!”
Margaret smiled. “Thank you, Juliet. Now I say we take our breakfast and leave men behind.”
She began to butter a piece of toast even though she did not really feel like eating. Juliet looked at her for another moment, and then pulled the pot of jam next to her.
“I suppose you are right. They are foolish beings after all.” Juliet giggled.
“Who are foolish beings, My Love?” Margaret’s brother Leonard’s loud, deep voice filled the room, and Margaret was glad that at least he had not heard her mention the name of Charles.
Juliet grinned. “Men. Who else could we be discussing who would fit under that description?”
Leonard laughed and kissed his wife on the head.
“You are quite right, My Dear. How could I have thought otherwise? Good morning, Margaret.”
Margaret wanted to hate her brother for so many reasons. He had teased her relentlessly over the years, but in the end, he turned out quite well, always being kind to her and never pushing her to do something she did not want to do. He never discussed marriage with her, and so she felt free to allow her heart to latch on to whoever it wanted. Even though no one else had caught her interest since she was a child. Leonard was also very loving and tender to his wife and new child.
“Good morning, Leonard.”
“And so, what do you two ladies have planned for the day?”
Juliet began, “I do not know, but I am certain I will be taking young George out to the gardens, if Margaret will join me.”
“Of course. And you, Brother? What will you be doing?”
Leonard was shuffling through a few letters he had brought to the table. Juliet highly disapproved of reading correspondence during mealtimes, but at breakfast she was a little more lenient.
“I have another appointment with Charles. He is coming by in a little while.”
Margaret’s heart clenched painfully. Would there be no end to his appearances? He would sweep in the room and look around in that handsome, lordly way of his. Margaret always felt weak under his gaze, and she dreaded each of the moments that he arrived. She wanted to stay tucked away in the library, lost in a book, but she knew that she would not be able to resist sharing at least a few words with him or getting another glimpse of him.
Juliet glanced her way and then said, “Darling, when will these appointments be finished? Charles has been coming nearly every day. Has he nothing else to do?”
Leonard chuckled and looked at his wife. “Have you grown tired of him, My Love?”
Juliet looked down. Margaret wanted to giggle. Juliet had always had trouble with lying.
“Of course not. Charles is wildly entertaining, but I was simply curious. How does he have time to work on his other ventures when he is so constantly here?”
Leonard nodded. “Once we have everything organized for the new wine variety, he will be traveling a lot more, attempting to sell to different areas, setting up auctions, that sort of thing.”
“And how long do you expect that to take?” Margaret tried to take all emotion out of her voice. She’d never wanted to mention Charles very much, since her brother had discovered her childhood love for him, and so she did not want to give him any clues to her continued, womanly affection for him.
Leonard shrugged. “A few more weeks, I should think. Then, Juliet, you shall be rid of him.” He took his wife’s hand in his and kissed it before pouring himself a cup of tea.
Inside, Margaret bemoaned her fate. Even if Charles did go away to work on the business elsewhere, she knew that she could never truly be rid of him.
* * *
Philip Winston awoke to the sound of clanging. At first he thought it was something inside of his head, for his headache matched the feeling of pans banging together inside of it, but when his eyes flickered open, he merely saw a maid lighting the fire in the hearth of his rented room. He sat up with a bit of effort, wincing as he did so.
“Good God,” he breathed. “The Lord has punished me rightly enough now, I say.”
At his words, the maid jumped. He held a hand out to placate her.
“Do continue, young woman. Do not let me frighten you.”
