Page 59 of Lady of Fortune
Her breath caught in her throat. She dearly wished she had the opportunity to speak to Eddie of this alone, but she would have to tell her parents eventually anyway, so why not do so now?
“And you, Edward,” Lord St. Albans finally said, and Julia started at her father’s use of Eddie’s full name. “Do you feel this… same connection with my daughter?”
“I do,” Eddie responded, and warmth flooded from Julia’s cheeks down to her toes, but then he said nothing else, which somewhat worried her. Was this not the time for him to make a declaration of love, of a commitment to her at the very least? “However, I do understand that you would want what is best for Julia, and I will follow whatever decision you come to.”
Julia’s head swiveled toward him sharply. What was he talking about? That they would follow the decision of herfather? Certainly not.
Her father looked back and forth between the two of them. “Julia, could your mother and I speak with you alone for a moment?”
Julia opened her mouth to tell him that no, she would not step away from Eddie, that anything the Earl chose to say to her, he could do so in front of him, but Eddie reached a hand around Julia’s back and pulled her to his side for a quick moment, and she leaned into him, appreciating the comfort, even if it didn’t last long.
“It’s fine, Julia,” he said with an encouraging smile. “Talk to your parents.”
“Might I add something?” The Duke said, stepping forward, and Julia glared at him, wishing he would understand that this was not his place to become involved. Why would he not retreat and leave the two of them alone? He stepped toward the Earl and murmured something in his ear. Julia’s father looked somewhat astonished, but he smiled thinly, nodded, and then motioned Julia forward, walking with her and her mother deeper into the gardens, while Eddie stayed behind with the Duke of Clarence. Oh, Julia would very much enjoy hearing what the two of them had to say to one another.
“Well,” her father said once they were out of earshot of the other men, weariness within his tone, “All is not lost.”
Julia turned to him sharply. Her father was typically quite understanding of her and whatever direction she decided to take. Why was he choosing now to become rather cold?
“What are you talking about?”
“Despite witnessing the fact that you have dallied in the gardens with Eddie Francis, the Duke is still willing to court you, and would very likely marry you. It’s a miracle, truly. Otherwise, you might be well and truly ruined.”
Julia stared at him incredulously. Marry the Duke? Had she and Eddie not just declared their intentions to one another, in a somewhat roundabout way?
“Father, I have no wish to marry the Duke,” she responded impatiently. “I love Eddie. I wish to be with him. Not the Duke.”
“You would choose a jockey — a former stableboy — over a duke?” he said, his eyebrows raised high.
Julia narrowed her eyes at him before turning to look at her mother with a silent plea, finding that Lady St. Albans was looking at her with an expression filled with pity more than anything.
“I choose love,” Julia said fiercely. “I choose a man who is loyal, loving, and will do anything for me. Isn’t that what you have always wanted me to find?”
Her mother bit her lip while the Earl’s gaze remained stoic.
“Of course we do,” he said, looking as though he was attempting patience. “But I believe you can find such a man fromwithinthe nobility. You simply have to look a little harder.”
“I have met nearly every man of thetonand feel nothing even close to any of them as I do for Eddie,” Julia said, her anger growing. “I have loved Eddie for ten years. I do not understand why you’re acting like this. You have always said that it doesn’t matter what class a person is from, that we are all people, and all deserve to be treated with respect.”
“Of course they do,” her mother said gently, stepping forward and placing a hand on Julia’s arm. “And we are not suggesting otherwise. Eddie is a wonderful young man, we have always known that. But Julia, are you sure he is the man for you? You may have had some fun together renewing your acquaintance these past couple of weeks, but that is hardly the foundation of a life together. He is a jockey. You will never be sure of your life nor what is to come in the future. With a man like the Duke, you could rest assured in the knowledge that you will always be provided for, that you will always have a home, and your husband will have a much greater chance of living to see his grandchildren.”
Julia’s eyes blurred with tears. Of course, she knew Eddie’s profession was dangerous. But it was part of who he was, and she wouldn’t change it for anything, just as she knew that he would never ask her to give up her own love of riding.
“Has he offered you marriage?” her mother asked now, and Julia paused for a moment.
“Not directly,” she said slowly. “But if he had the opportunity, I am sure he would.”
Her father made aharrumphsound and turned to look back toward Eddie and the Duke in the distance.
“If that is the life you choose, Julia, you are of age and therefore, I cannot stop you,” he said, taking a deep breath. “But I want you to think about this for a moment. Decide if this is the life you truly want, or whether you are giving into a momentary impulsive emotion. Will you give me that, at least?”
Julia slowly nodded. “Will you give me a moment to speak to Eddie?”
“We will,” the Earl responded after sharing a glance with his wife. “Take the chance to tell him goodbye — for this evening at the very least — and we will all speak of this again tomorrow. We are fortunate that Clarence has promised not to say anything to anyone else. He is a good man, Julia.”
“I realize that,” she said, holding her head high. “But just because a man isgooddoesn’t mean he is the man forme.”
Her father opened his mouth to retort, but her mother placed her hand on his arm.
