Page 14 of A Marquess' Season of Secrets
“I tried to eavesdrop when I left, but they were talking in hushed tones,” said Kersey. “I couldn’t hear a thing.”
Juliana lifted her arms above her head and gave a satisfying stretch while she thought about what her maid had said. What were her parents up to now? She didn’t trust their excitement one bit.
“You didn’t bring my hot chocolate,” Juliana accused, seeing the woman’s empty hands.
“I was still making it when they called me. I’ll bring it to your room once you’re done speaking to your parents. You might need it to calm you down.”
“You think it will be that bad?”
The woman shrugged. “I do not know, Milady, but I would tread with caution. You would think someone had gifted them a lifetime of money from the way they were behaving.”
Juliana groaned. “Oh, no. What have they done?”
Did they try to rob someone? Steal from the bank? Cheat at gambling? All sorts of thoughts went through Juliana’s head, and each was worse than the last one.
“Do not get yourself worked up, Milady. Rather, go and speak to them.”
Juliana nodded, bouncing off the bed and landing on the floor with both feet. “Wish me luck, Kersey. Hopefully, this is something that I do not have to worry about.”
“May Providence smile down on you, Milady.”
Juliana drew in a deep breath and expelled it slowly as she left the room and made her way to her parents. She could tell something significant was going on the second she stepped into the drawing room.
“Why all the smiles?” she asked, making her tone as light as possible.
What she really wanted to do was demand to know what they were up to or what they had done. Juliana knew her parents too well and believed their happiness was caused by something materialistic.
“We have wonderful news, dear!” her mother said, hardly able to keep still.
“Indeed? What news would that be?”
“Take a seat first, dear,” her father insisted. “This news might shock you. We wouldn’t want you fainting away from shock and happiness.”
Oh, heavens, give her strength. The news was about her, but she didn’t have a clue what it could be. Did they get her into a money-making scheme? No, they wouldn’t do anything so drastic. Juliana’s parents loved money, but they loved her more ... she hoped.
She sat down and held onto the armrests for support. “I’m sitting. What is this wonderful news?”
Her mother clapped her hands with glee and even offered up a prayer of thanks to the heavens. Juliana was no longer worried but scared.
“Mama, Papa, why are you so happy?”
“Well, it all started with an invitation from the Countess of Somersby,” her mother said. “I was so surprised, but your father and I went to see her.”
Juliana didn’t know any of this. “When did she invite you?”
“A few days after we had dinner with her and Lord Somersby. The invitation said not to speak a word of it to you, which naturally confused us, but who are we to go against the dowager’s wishes?”
So far, the story wasn’t making any sense to Juliana. “Why did she want to see you?”
“Well, it wasn’t the dowager, but Lord Somersby who wished to see us,” her father explained.
“Why?” Juliana pressed.
“This is the best part of the story, dear,” her mother said, now bouncing slightly in her chair. “Oh, my love, can I tell her?”
The viscount smiled. “Of course, my dove.”
The viscountess blew a kiss to him and turned to Juliana. “Lord Somersby was quite taken by you and confessed that he has not been able to stop thinking about you. He asked for your hand in marriage, and your father and I said yes! Is that not wonderful news? You will become the next Countess of Somersby, dear!”
