Page 46 of A Lovely White Christmastide
Julianna’s eyes widened, but she quickly covered her surprise before Caleb turned to glare at her.
“I have been gone only a sennight and you have gotten yourself engaged?” The pitch of his voice rose with each word he spit out.
She shrunk back, the ice from before now creeping around her heart. Mr. Kaye quickly came to her aid, placing a protective arm about her shoulders.
“You will not speak to my intended in such tones.”
“She is not your intended. You have not asked her father, I have!”
Julianna swallowed hard and gathered her courage. “My father would never have given consent if he knew I did not wish it.”
“A woman’s feelings have little to do in matters of matrimony. It is a business transaction.”
A sardonic laugh escaped Mr. Kaye. “With views like that it is no wonder Julianna rejected you.”
Caleb clenched his fist. “Do not use her name so informally, sir.”
Uncle Waverly stepped between them. “Gentlemen, please.”
“Step out of the way, Uncle. This is not your fight,” Caleb growled.
“Neither is it yours.” The steel in Uncle Waverly’s voice brooked no argument and for the first time all morning Caleb retreated a step. Even though Uncle Waverly was several decades older, Julianna had no doubt his size alone would carry him easily through any altercation.
Uncle Waverly crossed his arms. “She told you no, Caleb, and you must take that as your answer, whether her father gave permission or not. She is of age and can make her own decisions.”
Caleb’s jaw clenched, then he glared past their uncle at Julianna. “This is not the end of it.”
Slapping his hat on his head, he stormed out.
A sigh shuddered out of Julianna and she deflated in Mr. Kaye’s arms. He wrapped them about her and pulled her to hischest. She trembled and a tear escaped before she could stop it. Her loud sniffle filled the room.
“You are all right.” He rubbed her back.
“My apologies,” Uncle Waverly said from behind her. “If I had known he would be so aggressive I would have told the servants not to let him back in until after you returned to Hayworth Hall.”
She shook her head against Mr. Kaye’s coat, too embarrassed to let her uncle see her cry. “No, that would not be fair. He has just as much right to be here with family for the holidays as I do.”
“Yes, but he cannot conduct himself as poorly as he did this morning. Family or not, I will not stand for incivility.”
A handkerchief appeared out of the corner of her eye and she gratefully took it from her uncle. Mr. Kaye released her to repair the damage her tears had done. Feet shuffled, the clock ticked, and her uncle cleared his throat as she tried to put herself to rights.
“I suppose congratulations are in order,” Uncle Waverly finally said.
Julianna froze. Mr. Kaye’s declaration. What would he tell her uncle?
“Thank you, General.”
She peeked at Mr. Kaye and he cast her that lopsided smile that told her to play along. Pasting a bright smile on her face, she reached out and clasped his hand.
Her uncle’s eyes twinkled. “I suppose when two people know they are meant to be together, they need not wait. You know your aunt and I only courted a fortnight before we became engaged, and since I was to ship out ten days later we skipped off to Scotland, which of course is not a far journey from here.”
Julianna’s eyes widened.
“Sorry, that was probably more information than you were expecting.” Uncle Waverly ducked his head.
Was that why her father and uncle disliked one another? “Did my—” she began to say, but Uncle Waverly cut her off.
“When do you plan on having the banns read?”
