Page 89 of A Marquess' Season of Secrets
“Yes. She is safe in her stable, awaiting your return. We will collect her after we are married.”
“I will not marry you, Lord Somersby,” Juliana told him. “I have made that abundantly clear.”
Ralph chuckled, the sound cold and distant. “And I have made it clear that you have no choice, my lovely. Oh, how I have missed the fire in your eyes. I knew from the moment I met you that you were the woman for me. Mother will be pleased that I have brought the Lynn bride home.”
The earl was either mad or sane with an evil heart; those were the only two options to explain his behaviour. Closing her eyes for a moment, Juliana tried to recollect her thoughts.
Everything had happened so quickly, especially when her memories had flooded back into her mind like the sea trying to fit itself into a river. It had been painful and sudden, but she was glad for their return.
Now, it was a matter of making sense of how Ralph had found her and what would become of her if she did not escape this madman.
“Why do you hide your hair under that cap?” Ralph asked. “You are with me now and not the duke. There is no need to act like a prim servant.”
Juliana sucked her breath in at the mention of the duke. In the panic and confusion of the moment, she had momentarily forgotten about her life in Wallingford.
What will the duke think when he finds me gone? Will he believe I have run away?
Juliana was supposed to meet the gentleman Lady Stratford believed could be the key to unlocking her past, but Ralph had been there instead. How had he known where she would be?
“How did you know to come to Wallingford?” she asked him. “You seem to have had knowledge of my whereabouts, but how did you come by that information?”
Ralph looked pleased with himself as he sat back and stretched his legs out. Juliana had to move her body into the corner to avoid touching him.
“Well, I have to admit it was by luck. I happened to be passing through Wallingford and stopped at a tea shop for refreshment. I overheard a lovely young woman complain bitterly about her servant. I have had my fair share of dealing with unruly servants, so I thought to give her advice as well as flirt a little. Are you jealous?”
Juliana snorted. “Why on earth would I be jealous?”
“Your fiancé flirted with another woman,” he explained. “I would be livid if a man flirted with you. You are mine alone.”
Juliana rolled her eyes. “Saying something over and over again will not make it real. Now, get on with the story. I need to know how you found me.”
“Well, this young lady seemed rather friendly and all too ready to tell me about her servant. She described the woman as a temptress with red locks and amber-coloured eyes. That alone caught my attention. I do not know of many women with those particular features. In fact, I only know one— you.”
Juliana looked away, frowning. What were the odds of a town like Wallingford having another servant with red hair and amber-coloured eyes?
“Have you managed to figure out who the lady was?” Ralph asked.
Juliana knew, but she didn’t want to believe it. “The woman was Lady Eleanor Stratford, and I am the servant she spoke about.”
“Precisely!” Ralph exclaimed. “How intelligent you are, my dear. That was another thing Lady Stratford complained about. She doubted you were a mere servant, you know.
No typical servant reads and speaks French like a native, plays the pianoforte, and does mathematical equations with ease. However, this wasn’t enough to prove that you were the servant. I suspected it, but I didn’t have enough information.”
Juliana was already putting the pieces together and didn’t need the earl to tell her what had happened. However, she needed to hear it.
“I take it that Lady Stratford told you everything I had confided in her about my memories?” she asked.
Ralph nodded. “How odd it was to find out that you had lost your memory! She did not believe it, but I knew you would not lie about such a thing.
Lady Stratford told me everything she knew about you until I was certain that the servant she spoke about was you. However, I still had to know for sure, so I had the estate watched. Imagine my surprise when my men came back and told me that you were indeed living under the Duke of Kensington’s roof!”
Oddly, Juliana had experienced moments where she had felt that someone was watching her, but whenever she looked, no one would be about.
“I think I can tell the rest of the story,” she said. “You contacted Lady Stratford and told her that you were my fiancé. She saw this as her opportunity to get rid of me, so she arranged a meeting. Only I did not know it was you, which was why she refused to give me your name. She said I would know who you were the minute I saw you.”
“And you did,” Ralph replied smugly. “You memory came rushing back and caused you to faint. I didn’t expect that to happen, but it worked out well as I was able to carry you to my carriage without a fight.”
Lady Stratford had tricked her. Juliana rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming along. The sun was setting, which meant she had been unconscious for several hours. Had people noticed her absence?
