CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Julia arrived back at Harding Hall on a cold, wet afternoon. She was looking forward with great anticipation to a hot bath and a cup of tea – not to mention the welcome she was sure to receive from Charles. She had missed him sorely at Westbourne Hall. They had both decided it was better not even to write to one another, to avoid raising any suspicions about their relationship.
Julia had to admit there was something very exciting about their secret romance. It added a delicious hint of danger to every move she made. The moment she took off her wet coat, she rushed to the library, where Charles would surely be waiting.
He was not there. No matter. Julia went to knock on the door of his study instead. She was so eager to see him that she did not even stop to think what the servants would make of her desperate quest to find him.
Charles was not in the study either. Julia made her way upstairs, checking in rooms at random, wondering why he had not been ready to greet her. She felt no alarm until, finally, she made her approach to the schoolroom. The note of panic in the voices which spilled out into the corridor immediately filled her with fear.
She pushed open the schoolroom door and found Charles and Miss Kelsey standing in the middle of a great confusion. The door of every cupboard was open. The tablecloth had been pulled from the table, revealing its bare legs. A window had been flung open and was letting in an icy breeze.
"What on earth is the matter?" Julia asked. Charles turned towards her with fear in his eyes. He held out his hands as though he were about to embrace her. Julia took a step back and shook her head, willing him to remember that Miss Kelsey was watching his every move.
"Julia," Charles said hoarsely. "Annabelle is missing."
"Not missing, exactly," cooed Miss Kelsey. "You know how fond she is of hide and seek. This may yet be one of her childish games. I will go and check her bedroom, my lord –"
"Do not presume to tell me when I ought to begin worrying about my own daughter," said Charles sternly. "It is not like Annabelle to run off without telling anyone where she was going. Think, Miss Kelsey, what was the last thing she said to you before you dozed off?"
"Oh, she was babbling on about those fairies in the garden again," Miss Kelsey said dismissively. "Rest assured, my lord, we will find her before ten minutes are up."
Charles strode past Julia, taking care to let his arm brush against hers. There was a pain in his eyes that Julia longed to soothe with a loving embrace. She followed him out of the room, letting Miss Kelsey go in the other direction toward Annabelle's bedroom. When they were alone, Julia caught hold of Charles's arm.
"No harm will come to her," she promised him. "Charles, calm yourself. You will do no good to Annabelle if you let yourself panic."
Charles put his arms around her and let his forehead knock against hers. "This is not the homecoming I wished for you," he said. "I am sorry, Julia. Let me welcome you back now." He lifted her chin, raising her lips to his, and kissed her warmly. Julia sighed with happiness. Too soon, Charles let her go.
"Now I am ready to conduct a proper search," he said. "You've really are a wonder, Julia Mallory."
"What shall I do?" asked Julia. "How can I help?"
"Don't trouble yourself," said Charles, much more cheerful now that he had kissed her. "I'm sure Miss Kelsey is right and we will find her in a few minutes. I'll ask Larkin now to have the maids search the house. You go upstairs and unpack your things. Make yourself comfortable. I don't want you fretting about Annabelle."
Julia did as he asked, leaving her bedroom door open a crack so that she could hear what was going on in the house. Annabel's name could soon be heard in every room. As Julia unpacked her things, the calling voices only grew more frantic. Eventually, she gave up on unpacking entirely, and went downstairs to join the search.
She found Charles grey-faced in the drawing room, talking in a low voice to Mr Larkin.
"It seems she is nowhere in the house," he was saying grimly. "You say there was a door left open in the kitchens?"
"Miss Graham cannot apologise for it enough," said Mr. Larkin. "She is very frightened."
"It was not her doing," said Charles. "My flighty little daughter will do what she pleases, after all." He glanced up and saw Julia. "Ah, Julia. It seems we have not found her as quickly as we hoped."
Julia saw Mr. Larkin look up, puzzled, at Charles's use of her first name. She widened her eyes at Charles, hoping that he would take the hint.
"Well, Miss Mallory," Charles continued smoothly, "perhaps you will be of most use in the kitchens. If Miss Graham is upset, she will want someone to talk to. Please assure her that I do not blame her at all for leaving the door open. It was a mistake any of us might have made."
"So Lady Annabelle has made her way out of the house?" Julia asked. A sudden, most unpleasant thought occurred to her. Her skin began to prickle with fear.
"It seems so," Charles sighed. "Though why she wanted to play outside in this weather is beyond me. Larkin, have the footmen search the grounds as we discussed. If she is not found soon, I will send for a constable."
"A constable?" repeated Mr Larkin. "Do you think that is really necessary?"
"I certainly do. I intend to take every precaution until Annabelle is safely back inside."
Mr. Larkin bowed. "I will go and see to things at once," he said.
And Julia was alone with Charles once more. She had been longing for just such a moment all week, but now that it had arrived, she could not enjoy it. Rather, her heart was racing, and she struggled to breathe evenly.
"Charles," she said, "there is something I must tell you."
"If it concerns Annabelle, say it at once."
"It does concern her," said Julia, "or rather, I fear it may. Charles, I am afraid I have not been entirely honest with you. That is, I have never lied to you, but neither have I told you the whole truth."
Charles frowned. "I thought we knew everything there was to know about each other."
"I told you everything that was in my power to tell. But now that Annabelle may be in danger, I can no longer hide my past from you."
"It did not escape my notice that you never speak about the past," said Charles, nodding thoughtfully. "But whatever it is, Julia, surely it cannot affect Annabelle now?"
"I truly hope you are right," said Julia. Charles was looking at her with such patient understanding that it almost broke her heart. She wanted more than anything else to stop talking, to hold him in her arms until Annabelle returned, to keep her shame forever a secret. But she owed him more than that. She owed Annabelle more than that.
"My name, as you know, is Julia Mallory," she said hesitantly. "But that is not all I am. I was born the illegitimate daughter of the late Duke of Westbourne. He never acknowledged me. I was raised in poverty by my brother after my mother died." She stopped, unable to go on. Her confession was even more painful than she had imagined.
Charles took her hands. "Julia, my sweet Julia, do you really think I would judge you for the actions of a man you never met?"
Julia blinked back tears. "It is not my father's actions which trouble me now. My brother is a cruel and dangerous man. He has already committed crimes against the Westbourne family. I cannot know, but I am terribly afraid, that he has now committed a crime against you. He has never forgiven me for leaving him. He never forgave society for allowing him and my mother to care for me in poverty while my father lived a life of luxury. He has a grudge against the aristocracy that can never be erased."
"But what has all this to do with Annabelle?" Charles asked.
Now the tears were flowing freely from Julia's eyes. "Edmund has already come to Chiltern once," she confessed. "It was he who accosted me on the road to the village. He threatened me. I hoped they were empty words – I never dreamed he might turn against you or your family..."
Slow horror dawned on Charles's face. "Did you say Edmund? Edmund Mallory? That blackhearted rogue? Julia, tell me this is some sort of joke – that man cannot be your brother."
All Julia could do was nod. "I see you've heard of him."
"Heard of him?" Charles repeated incredulously. "Half of London has heard of him. Mallory's gaming hell is one of the most notorious dives in London." He passed a hand across his eyes. "I've been there myself on occasion. Do you – do you really mean to tell me that is where you lived?"
"I avoided the gaming hell as much as possible," said Julia. "I never approved of Edmund's work or his business practices. You cannot know how hard it was for me to escape him, but escape him I did. All I want now is to live a respectable life."
"So this is what comes of taking the word of a Duchess!" Charles exclaimed. "Only imagine if I had gone to a mere Countess in my search for a governess – she would have recommended me a demimondaine!"
Julia flinched. She did not know what reaction she deserved, but his mocking words hurt her deeply. Charles saw her pain and relented.
"I do not blame you for this," he said. "Although I wish you had told me sooner. Especially after Edmund threatened you. This puts matters in an entirely new light. I will have Larkin send a runner to the police station at once." He left the room without another word. Julia stood a moment, trembling, not knowing what to think. Charles had barely begun to absorb the news, but his reaction so far had not been promising.
Had she destroyed his faith in her for ever?
It was unbearable to simply stand around waiting to find out what would happen next. Julia dried her eyes and went to the kitchen to find Felicity Graham. At least they would be able to comfort one another.