The Shadows: Regency Romance (Ladies, Love, and Mysteries) Read online

  Lady Catherine, who had not heard about Mrs. Law, frowned but glanced toward Lady Haddington.

  “I do like the sound of such an idea,” she said as Lady Haddington began to smile. “Ann?”

  Lady Ann nodded. “As do I,” she agreed, and Miss Seymour murmured her own agreement. “I think it will bring us a very interesting Season indeed.”

  Lady Haddington beamed at them all, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. “Let us hope so!” she exclaimed as Julia felt a ball of happiness settle in her stomach. “And let us pray that this will be another interesting Season.”

  “Another interesting Season,” Julia repeated, lifting her teacup in a small toast. “Thank you, Lady Haddington. This has lifted my spirits indeed.”

  2

  One Month Later

  Julia sighed inwardly as Lady Haddington continued to speak about their most recent success, feeling her heart sinking low. This was not what she had expected when she had first agreed to such a collaboration. There had been so much hope, so much excitement, but ever since then, there had been nothing other than the dullest of situations and very little had needed to be either done or thought about. She had expected there to be something of interest, or at least one situation where they would have to consider things greatly, would have to speak to others and perhaps make new acquaintances in order to further their investigation, but as such, there had been no such thing. First, there had been a poison pen letter which had been easily sorted out, given that the lady in question had recently had a falling out with her sister-in-law. Then there had been a young lady seeking to discover the name of the gentleman whom she had danced with the previous evening but had thereafter quite forgotten his name. It had been down to her drinking a little too much champagne and Julia had not quite managed to understand why the lady’s mother had not recalled the gentleman’s name either, but that, too, had been easily sorted out. There was a good deal of disappointment in her heart over what had been brought to them thus far, and she was quite certain that the others felt the same. Miss Seymour’s bright, excited face had become less and less so as the weeks had gone by, and even the news that someone else had come to them with another difficulty did not bring even the smallest smile. Lady Catherine and Lady Ann had been doing their best to be encouraging and delighted but they had not managed to continue it to the end of the month.

  “We should not be discouraged,” Lady Haddington said firmly, as though she could read Julia’s mind. “Things will start slowly and I am sure that, within the next few weeks, we will have something much more intriguing.”

  “I am sure we will,” Lady Catherine agreed, trying her best to be as cheerful as she could, but not quite being as convincing as she perhaps hoped. “This evening’s soiree looks quite lovely, Lady Haddington.”

  Lady Haddington smiled but Julia saw that it did not reach her eyes. “I thank you,” she said, looking around the drawing room which was filled with a good few guests. “There is something quite lovely about hosting a soiree in one’s own home.” Her smile softened as she caught sight of her dear husband, Lord Haddington, who was returning her gaze from the other side of the room.

  “Thank you for the invitation,” Julia murmured, turning her head to glance toward her companion, Mrs. Law, who was, much to Julia’s displeasure, standing quietly in the corner with a glass in her hand. Mrs. Law had continued with her imbibing over the last few weeks, giving Julia more difficulties than she had anticipated. It was difficult to converse or dance with gentlemen when she had no companion with her, for she had seen how they glanced around her, looking for someone standing near to her, but then thinking her quite improper when they saw no one present. Her brother had attended alongside her on one or two occasions and Mrs. Law had made certain not to touch even a drop of liquor on those evenings, but aside from that, she had simply fallen back into her usual habits.

  Never had Julia been more grateful for her friends.

  “There will be a few gentlemen and ladies that you do not know as yet, I think,” Lady Haddington continued, catching everyone’s attention. “I would be glad to make any introductions required.”

  “Thank you,” Julia murmured as the other young ladies also gave her their thanks. She did not feel any spark of excitement, however, finding her spirits still quite dulled. It was not only that their little group had been given nothing of particular interest to discover, but also Mrs. Law’s lack of consideration for her role as Julia’s companion, as well as her brother’s continual indifference as to what Julia did. His desire for her was to marry and yet he made no particular attempt to encourage such a thing. Sighing inwardly, Julia looked about the room and, seeing the other young ladies begin to move away so that they no longer stood in a small huddle, found herself drawing near to Miss Seymour, who was standing with a tiny smile on her face.

  “You look pleased, at least,” Julia murmured as she came to stand beside her. “You did well with our last success.”

  Miss Seymour glanced across at Julia, then shrugged. “It was not particularly difficult,” she said, her voice rather rueful. “Indeed, it was quite simple.”

  “Then you do not feel the same frustration as I?” Julia asked, looking across the room and battling her own feelings. “I long for something more profound, something more confusing so that we might puzzle over it, pry the knots apart, and end up finding the answer.” She sighed and shook her head. “I am being quite foolish, I know.”

  Miss Seymour shrugged. “It is understandable, at least,” she replied calmly. “I confess that I have a good number of things on my mind and that, as such, my thoughts are often tangled enough as it is.”

  “Oh?” Julia did not want to pry, did not want Miss Seymour to speak of what she did not wish to, but at the same time, she wanted to ensure her friend knew that she was there, ready to listen to whatever it was that was on her mind.

  Miss Seymour sighed heavily and looked away. “My father is insisting that I marry,” she said softly. “He has told me that I have this Season to find a suitor, else it will be a gentleman of his own choosing.”

  “Oh.” Julia felt a sudden swell of fear in her own heart, as though she, too, were afraid that this was something her own brother would do. The thought of being married off to someone of her brother’s choosing was a terrifying prospect indeed, for she knew he was not a considerate gentleman and, as such, would not even think of what sort of character a gentleman might have. He would look solely at the financial aspect of things and, of course, the title and standing of the gentleman in question. Whether the gentleman was a drunkard, a gambler, or a cruel-tempered sort would make very little difference. Miss Seymour, she knew, held much the same concerns.

  “Then we must set our minds to helping you find a suitable gentleman,” she said firmly, realizing that Miss Seymour’s eyes were now filled with tears. “No more of our attempts to find mysteries or puzzles from others in order to solve them. Our intentions should solely be focused on you.”

  Miss Seymour put a hand on Julia’s arm, her eyes turning beseechingly toward hers. “No, you must not,” she said quietly. “You know that my father thinks very poorly of me, do you not? He does not think me worth a great deal and I cannot tell just how much my heart and spirits were lifted with last Season’s circumstances. I felt as though my intelligence and my wit were being put to use, that I was able to do things that my father would never expect of me.” Her chin lifted, her eyes clearing. “I would like to continue with our endeavors, regardless of how little they might be. It is for my own courage and self-assurance which, whilst selfish, mayhap, are things that I must cling to.”

  “I understand,” Julia answered gently, her heart aching for her friend. “But let me help you where I can. Surely there must be someone that you have an interest in.”

  Miss Seymour’s face twisted suddenly and she looked away, making Julia’s heart ache all the more.

  “I would not speak of it,” she murmured as Julia patted her hand. “It is quite
impossible and…” Closing her eyes, she forced a smile to her face as she squeezed Julia’s fingers. “I will be quite all right.” Giving herself a slight shake, Miss Seymour opened her eyes, her smile a little brighter. “And we must hope that something of importance comes to us in the next few days. Otherwise I fear you will become even more frustrated than you are at present.”

  Hearing the levity in Miss Seymour’s voice, Julia allowed herself a small smile, although her heart was still filled with concern for her friend. “I must hope so,” she answered with a shrug. “Although I fear that we may not be blessed with something as intricate as last Season… however, I do not want anyone to be struck down in the same way as Lord Haddington, of course.” A little embarrassed at her inability to explain herself properly, Julia let out a long breath. “Goodness, I hope you understand what I mean, Miss Seymour.”

  “I do,” her friend assured her, a little twinkle in her eyes. “I well understand, Miss Hawkins. But for the moment, why do we not take a turn about the room and see who else is present this evening? It may be that a quiet conversation or a new acquaintance will bring us precisely what we are looking for.”

  Miss Seymour’s words were not to come true, however. They walked together, talked to a good many people, and greeted one or two new acquaintances, but there came nothing of interest from anyone. There was plenty of discussion as to who had appeared in London, which new debutantes had caught society’s eye, and even one or two murmurs of gossip as to which young ladies had already made a mistake that might cost them their reputation. Julia had no interest in such things and found herself bored with such conversation, although she forced a smile to her face and feigned interest as she was expected to. One or two gentlemen complimented her, suggesting that they hoped they might have a dance with her at the next ball, and Julia accepted such compliments graciously, but nothing truly caught her interest. Silently, she began to wonder whether or not Lady Haddington’s endeavors were to come to anything, or if she herself ought to, as Miss Seymour was required to, focus on finding herself a suitable match and leave all such mysteries behind. After all, whilst it engaged her mind and filled her with a sense of satisfaction, it would give her no security or stability for her future.

  “Unless I become a spinster and decide to spend the rest of my days following after Lady Haddington,” she muttered to herself, as Lady Haddington caught the attention of her guests by asking them to come through to the music room, where there would be a short performance by two young ladies. Everyone began to hurry through almost at once, clearly eager to find a good seat in order to watch the performances closely. Julia smiled to herself, remembering how nervous she had been as a young debutante, expected to play and perform for the beau monde in order to show the various gentlemen of the ton that she was very accomplished and, therefore, someone that ought to be considered by them. Not that it worked, she thought ruefully, turning her head to see if her companion was in a fit state to join them.

  “Good evening.”

  Her breath caught, one hand instinctively pressed against her stomach as a gentleman stepped out from the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on hers, sending a shiver all through her. She did not know what it was about him, but there was something sinister in his eyes.

  “Good evening,” she managed to say, seeing no sign of her companion and, with the room slowly emptying, fearing that she would soon be alone with this unknown gentleman. She had not been introduced to him and, thus, knew it was not at all appropriate for her to continue their conversation. Turning around, she made to walk into the music room, only for the gentleman to hurry to come alongside her.

  “I do not think we are acquainted.”

  Her breathing was still rather ragged, her heart pounding furiously as she looked up at him. “No,” she answered tightly, trying to set aside her feelings of fear and anxiety, for there was no reason for them. “We are not.” She turned her head away, but the gentleman was clearly unwilling to bring an end to their conversation.

  “Lord Atherton,” he said, grasping her arm and turning her slightly, bowing as she came to a stop. “You are quite lovely, my lady.”

  Normally, Julia would accept such a compliment without hesitation, thanking the gentleman in question for his kind words and then continuing with the conversation, but for this situation, she felt entirely unable to do any such thing. The way he had taken her arm and had practically forced this introduction upon her gave her a sense of fear. She wanted to step away from him as quickly as she could but was a little afraid that he would not allow her to do so.

  “Lord Atherton,” she said as coldly as she could. “We are not introduced. Therefore—”

  “But such things do not matter,” he said with a wave of his hand as though she were being foolish to stick tightly to matters of propriety. “Not when your eyes have captured my attention so fiercely.”

  Julia forced herself to smile, her stomach tightening. Lord Atherton was a good deal taller than she, and very broad, giving him a threatening appearance as he leaned over her. His dark hair fell to just above his eyebrows, his eyes a dark green that seemed to have flashes of silver as he watched her. His lips were curled into what she thought was meant to be a sensuous smile but she saw nothing but a curled lip and a sinister expression. This was not someone she wanted to become acquainted with.

  “You must come to my ball tomorrow evening,” Lord Atherton said firmly, his hand still on her arm and, as the room became empty save for the footmen, Julia felt her stomach lurch. “I insist.”

  “That is very kind of you,” she answered, silently praying that one of her friends or even Mrs. Law would come to her aid, “but I think I am engaged.”

  “I insist,” he said again, leaning in a little more and sending her heart into a frantic rhythm. “You are much too lovely not to attend. Besides which,” he continued with a small tilt of his head, “there is more to my ball than there first appears.”

  Julia wanted to wrench her arm away from him and run headlong into the music room but knew that to do so would bring only more notice from the rest of the guests. Perhaps accepting would be the only way to remove him from her. “Then I shall, of course, attend.”

  “You do not know what I was going to say,” Lord Atherton said with a gleam in his eye. “Do you not wish to know?”

  Her throat constricted but Julia gave a tight nod, telling herself that she needed to be as open and as willing as possible, so that Lord Atherton might finally leave her alone.

  “There is a dark rumor about my townhouse,” he said, his voice dropping to barely louder than a whisper. “I have only just purchased it, you see, for no one has wished to purchase it out of fear that what has happened there before will happen to them.”

  Despite herself, despite her unwillingness to remain in Lord Atherton’s company, Julia felt a flicker of interest in her heart. “Oh?”

  He chuckled darkly and Julia felt a shudder run through her frame.

  “The story goes that if the owner of the house lives within the four walls, then, at a time of celebration, he will die unexpectedly.” He laughed again and Julia looked away, her heart resuming its panicked rhythm. “I think it to be nonsense, of course, which is why I am to host the ball tomorrow evening. I insist that you attend, my lady, for your beauty has quite entranced me.” One eyebrow lifted and Julia shivered. “And I am not a gentleman used to being denied what he wants.”

  “But of course,” she answered, filled with relief when he let go of her arm. “Might I bring a friend?”

  He laughed and threw up his hands. “Bring as many as you wish,” he declared, just as Lady Haddington suddenly appeared in the doorway, her eyes fixing immediately upon Julia. “Ah, Lady Haddington,” Lord Atherton continued. “You are to attend my ball tomorrow evening, are you not?”

  Julia swallowed hard in relief as Lady Haddington practically marched toward them both, her arm looping through Julia’s as she stood protectively beside her.

  “I
am,” she answered with a frigid smile and a coolness in her tone that told Julia she was clearly displeased with Lord Atherton’s behavior. “You are inviting Miss Hawkins to attend, I see.”

  Lord Atherton grinned, his eyes dancing with mirth that neither Julia nor Lady Haddington felt. “I am inviting Miss Hawkins,” he answered, finally having a grasp on Julia’s name. “And she has already agreed to attend.”

  “I see,” Lady Haddington answered, squeezing Julia’s arm tightly. “Now, if you would join us, Lord Atherton, we might get the performances started. After all, the debutantes are nervous enough already and we do not want them to become overly anxious.”

  Lord Atherton laughed again but, thankfully, moved out of the room and toward the door, leaving Julia and Lady Haddington behind.

  “I cannot thank you enough,” Julia murmured as Lady Haddington followed a few steps after Lord Atherton. “I do not even know that gentleman and he was more than determined to introduce himself to me—and I do not know why.”

  Lady Haddington grimaced, keeping her voice low. “He is the Marquess of Atherton,” she said softly, astonishing Julia with this revelation. “He has a good deal of wealth but uses his position, his standing, and his fortune to do whatever he wants and expects everyone to do as he wishes also.”

  “I see,” Julia murmured as they walked together into the music room, with Lady Haddington smiling and nodding to the first young lady who was sitting by the pianoforte.

  “His manner is very forward,” Lady Haddington continued in a low voice as the lady began to play. “Are you intending to attend his ball tomorrow evening?” She stopped and turned to face the pianist, although her eyes held on Julia’s face. “You need not attend.”