Chapter 1- Off to London

Juliana goes to London to stay with Frank and his WIFE! yes he got married!

Chapter 1

“Miss Juliana! Miss Juliana! Where are you? The coach has arrived to take you to London. Your bags have been loaded up and everything Miss Juliana.” Olivia called to her loudly. Juliana had heard her the first time she had called but could not bear to leave her life long home just yet for a new life in London. Memories of the time she had spent in this library with her father flooded back, sadness overwhelmed her but getting up from her seat in the window she pushed the sadness away and focused on the new life ahead of her in London with Lord Carlyle. Lord Carlyle, her heart fluttered at the thought of him but it shouldn’t he was now a married man and she shouldn’t still feel this way after all this time. Olivia called to her again and this time Juliana answered.

“Coming Olivia… I’m going…” she almost whispered to herself running a gloved hand along the dusty shelve as she left.

~

The coach ride was long and boring and Juliana expressed her boredom numerous times to Olivia. Olivia suffered in silence, travelling, especially long distances, did not agree with her and neither did Juliana’s incessant complaining. Finally the coach stopped outside Lord Carlyle’s town house and she had to face her future after a long and agonizing wait. She was handed down from the coach by a burly foot man and stood on the busy street waiting. Juliana did not like cities except when visiting was absolutely necessary, but the happy hum and bustle of London did not annoy her as much and she believed she could get used to it with time. The footman invited them in graciously and carried their luggage in for them. It was late evening by now and the butler informed them loftily that Lord and Lady Carlyle had already sat down for dinner and would Miss Lucas care to join them. She agreed that she would indeed like to join them but could Olivia be provided with some food in their rooms. He nodded grudgingly and passed the order on to an awaiting maid before announcing her to the dining room.

She floated into the room gracefully, maintaining a courteous smile as she found herself being stared at by Lord Carlyle’s piercing ice blue eyes warmed by the numerous candles that lit the room; Lady Carlyle however was not there as far as she could see.

“Miss Lucas, charmed I’m sure. It’s been a long time hasn’t it, please join me I’m sure you must be hungry.”

“Yes I am thank you my Lord, is your wife not joining us?” she asked maintaining her courteous manner  as she sat down at his left hand, nodding her thanks to the butler as he placed a bowl of soup in front of her.

“Rebecca was not feeling well so she retired early, she sent you her apologises.” He stopped quickly on this conversation line, and Juliana watched him closely for his reaction at her mention of his wife. He had completely stopped talking and was staring down at his food as if he had gone off eating; she got the impression that something about his wife was worrying him.

“Are you ok my Lord?” she asked softly, startling him out of his daze and he stared at her in surprise as if just seeing her for the first time.

“Oh… yes Miss Lucas I am fine.” He murmured lifting his brandy glass to his lips downing it in one, before holding it out for a refill. Dinner continued in this silent dazed manner until the brandy bottle was empty and Lord Carlyle cursed loudly.

“My Lord, are you hurt?” Juliana asked surprised by his use of such a foul word.

“Stop calling me ‘my Lord’ I hate it, that’s who I am at parliament my name at home is just Francis Carlyle but I would much rather you called me Frank after all we are related in a way, Juliana…” he stared at her blatantly.

“Thank you… Frank… that would be much easier, but I believe it is time for both of us to retire.”

“Of course, excuse me however I don’t feel like retiring just yet and Wells should be back soon with another bottle of brandy.”

“Good night then my Lord, Frank… good night…” Juliana was just opening the door when a high pitched scream echoed through the house. Frank leapt up as if he had been stuck with a hot poker, spilling the remains of brandy on the table.

“The baby,” he rasped, “Rebecca.” She stared at him surprised, Rebecca was pregnant? A maid hurried by carrying bloodied towels and a footman leapt down the stairs calling for a messenger boy to go for the doctor. Still Frank didn’t move so Juliana’s sensible side took over and she left Frank to panic on his own and went to help Rebecca.

 Up in the ornate bedroom servants stared at her in surprise as Juliana took Rebecca’s hand and told her who it was softly. Rebecca smiled at her weakly and Juliana gestured for one of the hovering maids to pass her a bowl of water and a cloth. As she sat stroking the sweat from Rebecca’s forehead she felt the grip on her hand tighten slightly and realised Rebecca was trying to ask her something. She bent down close to Rebecca’s mouth and listened carefully.

“The baby?” she murmured and Juliana shook her head slowly, Rebecca’s eyes closed and she seemed to relax into the bed. It was as if she felt she had nothing left to live for now the baby was dead and she didn’t want to keep trying. Juliana got the feeling that her patient was not going to last much longer and the servants seemed to agree as they stood around in respectful silence. Putting Rebecca's hand down gently, she addressed the waiting staff softly,

“I am going to talk to Lord Carlyle, please inform me when the doctor arrives and keep Lady Carlyle as comfortable as possible.”

“Yes Miss Lucas.” Came the reply and she nodded to them thankfully before leaving quietly. Down in the hallway Wells, the butler was waiting for her. She looked at him questioningly and he led her willingly to Frank’s study, where he sat in darkness knocking back glass after glass of high quality French brandy.

“Frank, Rebecca is dying you need to go and see her before it is too late.”

“Did the baby make it?” Came his strained voice from the darkness. She couldn’t make a reply to the pain in his voice, but where she stood in the lit doorway he could see her shake her head when her hair glinted in the dim light.

“Please just leave me alone Juliana.”

“I’ll be upstairs if you need me… I’m sorry Frank.” She hurried away in a flurry of skirts, meeting the doctor on the stairs as he came back down; she must have just missed him as she had gone in search of Frank. “What’s happening Doctor?”

“She has died I am afraid Miss… were you close?”

“Its Miss Lucas sir and no we weren’t close at all we just met this evening. What was the cause?”

“Massive lose of blood trying to give birth too early. Her whole pregnancy was very risky if you ask me, she was not built to bear children but he insisted on having a child. Would you like to tell Lord Carlyle or shall I?”

“I think it would be best if I did, thank you Doctor. Can I leave it with you to inform an undertaker for me, I don’t believe that Lord Carlyle will be up to it.”

“Of course Miss Lucas, may I be so bold as to ask your relation to Lord and Lady Carlyle?”

“Lord Carlyle is my guardian.” She wasn’t surprised when the straight laced looking doctor looked shocked, she would be one of the first to admit it was an unusually close age gap between guardian and charge. He nodded his goodbye after that and Juliana hurried back down the corridor to Frank’s study. She stopped in the doorway again pausing there, until feeling her eyes on him; he looked up and whispered in a hoarse voice for her to come in. She sat down hesitantly unsure of what she was going to say, she’d been the one being told someone had died before but had never had to tell anyone it herself.

“Umm Frank I’m very sorry but Rebecca didn’t survive the birth either…” he looked dazed for a moment and then in the dim light she saw something that surprised her in his eyes, freedom not sorrow. That was what had changed about him before; he had looked trapped, like a caged bird.

“Finally,” He whispered and that one word made her realise he had never actually loved his wife, but had married her out of a sense of responsibility to his family name and a need to carry on that same line. Yet when she had told him about the baby he had seemed truly devastated, maybe he had grown to like the idea of having a child. Juliana no longer felt she understood how Frank worked, something she had fooled herself into thinking she did know.

“Would you mind leaving now please?” he asked the sharp edge of his voice making her react quickly.

“Of course, I am very tired anyway,” she excused herself and once she had said it she realised it was true, “I will see you in the morning Frank.” She stood and in her tired daze, did something she hadn’t done since her father was alive, bent down and kissed him on the forehead. As she straightened Juliana realised exactly what she had done but Frank didn’t seem  to mind or even to have noticed, so she hurried away silently to her room.

~

A crash awoke Juliana with a start, but looking through the open adjoining door to Olivia's room she saw that her maid still slept soundly. She slipped out of bed silently drawing her dressing gown around her and crept down the hallway and stairs cautiously, stopping nervously every now and again listening intently for another sound. It wasn’t long before she heard a soft curse coming from the direction of Frank’s office. Glancing at the grandfather clock in the hallway and seeing the time was well past 3 o’clock in the morning, she reasoned that no-one else would still be awake now and had to reassure herself that no-one would hurt a genteel lady, but picked up an empty candlestick anyway to protect herself. She hadn’t seen most of the house so began her search in Frank’s office, the only room she knew well and discovered she didn’t have to look much further. The burnt down fire only gave out a very dim light but she could see a tall man stood in the middle of the room hopping about on one foot holding the other in pain and a small footstool lying toppled over on the floor. He dropped his foot and stood still, staring at her and her raised candlestick in surprise.

“Juliana?” he asked speech considerably slurred.

“Frank?” she asked dropping her raised arm in surprise.

“Yes, what are you doing down here…” he took in her apparel with approval, “wearing that?” She blushed in the dark, gently placing her candlestick on a nearby table.

“I thought there were burglars in the house and came to investigate, it didn’t occur to me to put on any more than my dressing gown, I regret that decision now.” She sensed more than saw him grin at her in the dark and scowled back, her concern at him being hurt evaporating. Her disgusted scowl made him laugh, though it came out as more of a gargled snort when he tried to suppress it, which in turn made her turn to leave.

“No please,” he gasped between laughs, “stay and have a drink.” He grasped at her hand tightly to stop her from leaving, pushing her towards the decanter and glasses on the side board. Stumbling over the rug, she picked up a glass with a shaking hand, surprised by his strength and suddenly feeling very vulnerable and scared. She could feel his gaze on her as she poured herself a couple of fingers worth of straight brandy; needing the courage it would provide her.

 Frank gestured for her to sit on a small sofa and sat down next to her. Sipping her drink she kept her eyes averted from his, until the fiery heat of the brandy made her eyes water and she had to ask him if he had a kerchief. He shook his head, looking very sorry even though it was only something trivial then started to untie his cravat with skilled fingers. Once he had undone it he handed it to her, letting his shirt fall open to reveal the light sprinkling of hair on his chest. She stared at the cravat in her hand confused before looking to him for an answer. He used a hand to take it from her again and gently wiped each of her eyes with it. Juliana smiled back gratefully, relaxing a bit.

“Could you put this on again for me?” he asked staring at her blatantly. She nodded mutely, no longer feeling scared just needlessly shy taking it back from him and shuffling closer to wrap it round his neck. Craning his neck he tried to watch her do it, the crossed eyed face he was pulling instantly making her feel more comfortable. It was as if he knew she needed to be reassured. Suddenly he moved his head, the cravat slipping from her grasp and planted a light kiss on her lips. Now she looked at him, staring at him in wonderment, as fiery heat spread through her cheeks. Her blush made him grin wolfishly and he kissed her again more firmly gathering her into his arms. Juliana didn’t know what to do, until it really began to sink in what was happening.

“Frank,” she managed to say between kisses, “please…”

“Please what?” he whispered teasingly.

“Stop!” she gasped pushing him away and struggling to her feet. He did just that staring at her in shock; no-one had ever refused him before. She stared back in the dim light, captivated by his dazzling blue eyes and tried hard to ignore the tears welling in her eyes. “I’m going…” she whispered. “I have too…” With that she turned and fled back up to her room, clutching her dressing gown around her.

“Good night,” Frank whispered after her, sinking back into his arm chair and knocking back the remnants of his brandy. He was already dangerously drunk but he no longer cared; that unborn child had meant everything to him. After two years of being caged into marriage to a girl he didn’t love, they had finally found common ground when they visited her sister and met the numerous children her and her husband had, and they decided that maybe having a child would help their marriage. It had helped slightly, they both had loved the idea of the baby despite the risk to Rebecca because of her poor health; but they had never drawn closer or found it any easier to talk to each other. Now he was free from marriage he had just scared away the only woman he had ever really felt anything for remotely. He was a drunken idiot.

Reviews

[nora]

hmm. things are moving really really fast in this story. i mean, shes moved to london, 2 people died, and theyve already kissed just in two chapters! thats a lot in a very shoirt space of time. you might want to slow things down a little bit? just a suggestion :)
also, he is such a manwhore!! haha, he kissed a girl hours after his wife died xD

[funeralmoon]

its rushed a little bit but other than that good story line and nice detail.. keep it up. :)

[Bachman]

The footman invited them in graciously and carried their luggage in for them. It was late evening by now and the butler informed them loftily that Lord and Lady Carlyle had already sat down for dinner and would Miss Lucas care to join them. She agreed that she would indeed like to join them but could Olivia be provided with some food in their rooms. He nodded grudgingly and passed the order on to an awaiting maid before announcing her to the dining room.

That part confused me, did she mentally tell him?

And I totally knew it...man w****s. :rolls eyes:

Lynn