Page 55 of Lord Trafford's Folly
“Why do you say that?”
Brendan shrugged. “I know of one subject that stirs my emotions to that degree. My wife. Her happiness. Her safety. How she will react to something I have done. Your expression was not typical.”
“I informed her we will wed.”
Brendan made a snorting sound. “And how did she respond to that?”
“Uh … she initially turned me down.”
Brendan’s lips quivered with suppressed laughter. “You were forced to persuade her?”
Julius shifted, uncomfortable to admit what had happened. “I was. And I did.”
The baron leaned forward, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What precisely did you offer the young lady?”
Julius dropped his gaze to his gloved hand, his fingers still drumming on his knee. Looking back up, he realized he was revealing his tension. Julius was not someone who shared his problems with his friends, preferring to distract rather thanexpose his vulnerabilities. He rolled his shoulders and decided to try a fresh approach.
“Miss Gideon received a letter from that ghastly Lady Astley and was distraught, so I offered to marry her, which she declined. She did not wish to trap me and was thinking of leaving the realm to escape the gossip!”
Julius clenched his teeth, realizing he had given away much with the frantic tone of the last words.
Brendan cleared his throat. “And leaving the realm—that would be a bad thing?”
Julius raised his head to glare at his friend. “Yes!”
“Why?”
He continued to glare while trying to find an explanation. “Because …” An explanation did not arrive.
Brendan arched an eyebrow, awaiting his reply.
“Because I am responsible for the damage to her reputation.”
His friend gave a hollow laugh, averting his gaze to the front window of the carriage. “I recall being a complete arse when I proposed to Lily. I even accused her of providing me with an alibi to trap me in marriage. It was not my finest hour.”
Julius could not help himself—he winced. Brendan must have noticed within his peripheral vision, snapping his gaze back. “What did you do?” he demanded.
Julius squirmed like an errant schoolboy in his seat. “I may have … told her it was a marriage in name only.”
“Which means what, exactly?”
Julius found the signet ring on his finger, awkwardly twisting it through the fabric of his glove in determined agitation. “I told her I could not promise I would not pursue other women in the future.”
Brendan groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “You fool!”
“I do not know! I might. It was best to be direct and leave my options open.”
His friend groaned again. “Julius … it is time for you to grow up!”
“I never planned to marry! At least I am offering her the protection of my name. She will have her independence to pursue her goals.” Julius defended himself, even while appalled at how he was handling the situation. But Brendan did not understand how the idea of marriage made him cold with dread. It was futile to attempt an explanation.
The carriage drew to a halt, and Julius peered out to find they had stopped in front of the vicarage. Flinging the door open, he jumped down to the roadway without waiting for the steps to be put in place. He needed to walk away before he confessed his reservations about the arrangement he had suggested. There was nothing to be gained by discussing his muddle, and discussing any of it had been a mistake.
Leaping from the carriage had been dramatic, but impractical. He was forced to wait on the street for Brendan to disembark. Neither of them spoke. Brendan appeared to have something he wished to say, but his lips remained sealed while they approached the vicarage door.
Julius used the knocker to announce them. After a minute or two, the door swung open to reveal a buxom housekeeper of advanced years.
“May I help you?”
