Desire In His Eyes (11 page)

Harrison recalled images of Juliette climbing the mizzenmast, Juliette wearing the key to his cabin around her neck, and Juliette sewing closed the tops of all the socks she was supposed to be mending. In spite of himself, he grinned. “Yes, I’ve noticed that about her.”

“Believe me, if Juliette had come to New York to be with a man, I would know about it.”

Harrison was still not totally convinced. “But you didn’t know she had stowed away on my ship, or that she was leaving London at all.”

“That’s true enough,” Jeffrey admitted reluctantly. “I’m impressed that she could keep a secret of that magnitude from me. But I would know if Juliette were in love. She would have confided in me. I’m sure of it.”

Harrison gave Jeffrey a long look. “What are your interests in Juliette?”

“What are yours?” Jeffrey countered.

After a tense silence, Harrison finally said, “Listen Jeffrey. I did not ask for the responsibility of Juliette’s welfare, but I did get her to New York unharmed. As soon as I arrived, I sent a cable to Lucien to let him know that his sister-in-law was safe. She is now happily ensconced at the home of her childhood friend. What more do I need to do?”

Jeffrey held up his hand in concession. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

Harrison stood.

“Good, because I need to visit my sister in New Jersey. As I mentioned, she has not been well.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Jeffrey commented. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Thank you, but no.” He could not help himself from asking, “So what are you going to do about Juliette? Are you taking her directly back to London?”

Jeffrey hesitated before smiling. “First I thought I would wring her pretty neck for putting herself in such danger and scaring her sisters and me half to death. My main concern was to ascertain that she had been on your ship and that she had arrived safely. But I suppose I shall have to bring her home. Colette and the rest of them would have my head if I returned without her.”

“She won’t go.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I wanted to send her on my next ship back to London, but she left for her friend’s home before I could stop her.”

Jeffrey’s broad grin spread across his face. “That’s my Juliette.”

Harrison bristled at the possessiveness in Jeffrey’s words. Quickly changing the subject, he asked, “How was your voyage?”

“Sea travel is not my favorite, but it was fine.”

“Where are you staying?”

“No where at the moment, since I just arrived this afternoon. Can you recommend a nice hotel?”

Harrison shook his head. “You are more than welcome to stay at my house. I’ll be leaving for the New Jersey shore on a steamboat tomorrow, but my staff will take good care of you for as long as you stay. Come with me now, and we’ll get you settled. Then you can pay a visit to Juliette quite easily. I live only a few houses away from the Dunbars.”

Jeffrey could hardly refuse.

“Oh, Juliette, that looks lovely on you!” Christina clapped her hands with glee as she admired the elegant gown of blue silk that Juliette wore. “Doesn’t it look lovely on her, darling?”

Maxwell Dunbar nodded in agreement with his wife, but barely glanced in her direction. A large, barrel-chested man, Maxwell Dunbar kept his dark, intense eyes fixed squarely on Juliette. Uncomfortable with her friend’s husband’s stare, Juliette continued walking with them into their elaborately decorated dining room.

“Thank you very much for lending the gown to me,” Juliette said as she took her place at the lavishly set table.

“You are most welcome. Now we shall have to host a party to introduce you to all our friends.”

“Oh, Christina, that really is not necessary—” Juliette began.

“Of course it is,” Christina insisted. “My dearest friend has come all the way from London to visit me. And you are the sister-in-law of an earl! I simply must show you off to all my new friends.”

“While I’m wearing your clothes!” Juliette laughed at the absurdity of it.

Christina patted her softly rounded belly and smiled. “Well, I certainly cannot wear my gowns now, so you might as well enjoy them.”

“You mustn’t even consider having a party for me in your condition,” Juliette protested. “I won’t hear of it.”

Maxwell chimed in with a too-bright, too-eager smile. “Miss Hamilton is quite right. You should be resting, Christina.”

“I suppose you are both correct. Besides, anyone who is anyone is out of town,” Christina admitted cheerfully. Her light brown hair curled in ringlets around her face and her brown eyes sparkled. “But since your trunks were misplaced while they unloaded the ship, I’m happy to have you wear my gowns for as long as you need them.”

When she arrived at the Dunbar residence three days ago, Juliette had confessed to Christina just how she had come to be in New York and how she had slipped away from the
Sea Minx
in a hired carriage. Leaving the ship that morning had been quite a difficult decision. Juliette regretted leaving Robbie and the other crewmembers in such an abrupt manner, but she knew she had to break free or she would end up as Mrs. Harrison Fleming. She did not dwell on Harrison’s reaction to her departure. She had had to put that to the back of her mind.

Her friend, however, realized that Juliette simply could not tell everyone that she had left London without the consent of her family or that she had stowed away on a clipper ship with dozens of sailors without a proper chaperone. Christina had stressed the importance of not revealing those details to anyone, especially her husband. Even as reckless as Juliette was, she understood the necessity to hide her scandalous behavior. So they led Maxwell Dunbar to believe that she had been under the protection of the captain of the ship, with the blessings and good wishes of her family. And was it not a terrible shame that her trunks full of clothes had inadvertently been lost on the dock? Juliette’s story seemed more acceptable that way.

While Christina had been astonished by Juliette’s outrageous and unorthodox mode of travel, Juliette had been equally shocked to learn that Christina was expecting a baby. Had Christina mentioned that little fact in her last letter, Juliette would have thought twice about descending upon her friend in such an unexpected fashion. And Juliette had been surprised by more than just Christina’s pregnancy. She had known that Christina’s parents had quickly married her off to a wealthy American, but Juliette had had no idea just how wealthy. Their lavish and ornate Fifth Avenue mansion displayed their vast prosperity in a staggering manner.

Nor had Juliette been prepared for Christina’s husband. With his gray hair, avaricious eyes, and gaunt features, Maxwell Dunbar was older than his young wife by at least twenty years. His overt attention to Juliette made her skin crawl.

Although Christina had never uttered a negative word about her new life and seemed quite satisfied with her situation, Juliette’s heart grew heavy at the thought of her friend married to such a man and now having his baby. She merely said, “Well, again, I thank you for being so generous with me and for having me in your home.”

Maxwell Dunbar said, “We are happy to have you here. Especially now. It’s wonderful for Christina to have some company.”

Christina beamed her wide grin at Juliette. “It’s true. The timing of your visit couldn’t have been more perfectly arranged. Everyone has gone to the shore in Newport or Long Island or New Jersey for the summer months but I don’t feel comfortable traveling at this point, and I wished to be near my doctor. And now you are here to keep me company!”

Juliette nodded with a bright smile, but inside her stomach tightened with a familiar dread. She loved Christina to be sure, and her friend had been nothing but kind and welcoming since her surprise arrival, but Juliette did not just journey across an ocean to be the companion of an expectant woman. If she had wanted to do that she would have stayed at home with her sister Colette, for heaven’s sake!

She had come to America to have adventures and explore the country and see all there was to see. She had not planned on spending all her time at Christina’s home, beautiful as it was. It was only meant to be a stepping-stone to further adventures, just what those adventures would entail she hadn’t quite thought through yet.

It seemed as if she were constantly escaping those who would confine her.

“So, tell us more about life on the clipper ship,” Maxwell encouraged her, his flinty eyes glittering. “How was the crossing?”

“It was an exciting adventure,” Juliette managed to say.

A sudden and intense longing to be with Harrison overcame her as she recalled the
Sea Minx.
For a moment she could barely breathe while thinking of the feel of his strong arms around her, holding her to his chest. Thoughts of Harrison had frequently come upon her like this, in startling and unexpected moments since she had left him, leaving her unsettled and full of yearning. However, on her second day at the Dunbars, she had been most relieved to discover that she was
not
going to have a baby. Now there was nothing to tie her to Harrison Fleming, except her private memories of the two incredible weeks on his ship. Again, an odd sensation of yearning coursed through her and it was with a great effort that she forced herself to continue her description. “Sailing on a clipper ship is quite beautiful, like flying on a cloud, if you can imagine such a thing.”

As they finished a rich supper of roasted quail, the Dunbars’ butler, Ferris, entered the dining room. He cleared his throat before stating, “Mr. Dunbar, there is a gentleman at the door. He claims to be a friend of Miss Hamilton.”

Juliette could not miss the pointed look Ferris gave her. Surprised by the butler’s insinuating manner, she almost blushed. He made it seem as if she possessed an inordinate amount of male friends visiting her. But then her blood tingled.

Good Heavens! Harrison had found her! He must be here to take her home. She said a silent prayer that he would not cause a scene before dragging her back to the ship. Noting that both Christina and Maxwell were looking to her for guidance, she instinctively nodded her head.

“The only person I know in New York would be Captain Fleming,” she explained hesitantly.

Ferris looked down his long nose at her. “It is not Captain Fleming. This is an English gentleman who claims he is a Lord Eddington, from London.”

“Jeffrey!” Juliette exclaimed loudly, while jumping to her feet.

Christina giggled at Juliette’s reaction. She turned her attention to her butler. “By all means, Ferris, please show Lord Eddington into the front parlor, since Miss Hamilton is obviously acquainted with him. We shall join him there momentarily.”

Ferris nodded in assent. Juliette pressed her hands together nervously. As happy as she was to see Jeffrey, she needed no explanations as to why he had come to New York, and that fact induced a twinge of fear within her. He had come to take her back to London. He would also inevitably describe to her how hurt and worried her sisters were about her. Juliette’s heart sank. She did not possess the strength to bear the recriminations and disapproval that were sure to come from Jeffrey.

“Who is this lord, Juliette?” Christina asked in a singsong tone, as if she suspected a romance. “Is he someone you met on your sea voyage?”

“No. I’ve known him for quite some time. Lord Eddington is a close family friend.”

“Did you know he was visiting New York?” Christina asked.

“No, I had no idea he intended to come to New York.” Juliette shook her head helplessly, her stomach in knots. “I suspect he is here with news of my family.”

“Well, then,” Maxwell said anxiously. “Shall we join Lord Eddington now?”

Sensing that Maxwell was overly impressed with the prospect of meeting a member of the London aristocracy, she smiled. Jeffrey was the illegitimate son of a powerful duke who, out of guilt, had a courtesy title bestowed upon Jeffrey when he turned twenty-one. She did not think now would be the best time to explain this to Maxwell Dunbar.

As he escorted the two women to the elegantly furnished parlor, Juliette felt Maxwell Dunbar’s hand on the small of her back. Her spine went rigid at his touch. Just as they reached the entrance, Maxwell’s hand squeezed her. She turned and flashed him a disdainful glance. He gave her a sly smile, while Juliette fought the urge to slap him. She knew she could not remain in this house much longer, if he were going to behave that way.

Jeffrey stood up as they entered the room, looking for all the world as if he were a guest who stopped by the Dunbars’ everyday. As handsome as ever, he exuded charm and good humor. The familiarity of his presence and the understanding gleam in his eyes almost brought tears to Juliette’s own. She relaxed. Jeffrey did not intend to reproach her. At least not at the moment. She hurried to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

“Jeffrey! This is such a wonderful surprise to see you here!” His hug invoked a wave of homesickness and she blinked back tears.

“I am simply relieved to find you safe and well,” he whispered before releasing her.

Juliette turned to Christina and Maxwell, feeling her cheeks redden slightly under their regard. With a surprising amount of poise, she introduced them to Jeffrey. They greeted each other warmly and the Dunbars invited him to stay for dessert, as Ferris wheeled in a silver teacart laden with pastries and cakes.

“What brings you to New York, Lord Eddington?” Christina asked politely after they had all taken their seats.

Jeffrey glanced briefly at Juliette before stating, “I had some very important business that needed my immediate and personal attention.”

Eyeing them carefully, Maxwell asked, “How did you know that Juliette was staying with us, when we barely knew she was arriving?”

Once again, Jeffrey’s eyes met hers. “Shortly after Juliette’s ship left, I received word that my presence was required in New York to oversee an urgent matter. Juliette’s sisters provided me with your address, Mrs. Dunbar, and asked me to call upon you both to express their good wishes and to ascertain that Juliette had settled safely in New York.”

Releasing the breath she had unwittingly held, Juliette took a bite of lemon cake.

“Well, it’s lovely to have both you and Juliette here.” Oblivious to the silent exchange between Juliette and Jeffrey, Christina continued to chatter away. “I have not had any visitors from my home since my marriage. My mother refuses to make the journey, not that I blame her at her age, but my sister could certainly find the where-withal to come stay with me. Although I love it here too, I do miss England at times.”

“Of course you do,” Jeffrey smiled winningly at Christina.

“How is my sister Colette? Has the baby arrived yet?” Juliette asked.

“Being that I left immediately after you did, I have no way of knowing either. But I’m sure the baby will not make its arrival for a few more weeks.”

“How long are you planning to stay in New York, Lord Eddington?” Maxwell questioned.

“That depends upon a number of things,” Jeffrey answered with another meaningful glance at Juliette.

Christina asked brightly, “Where are you staying? With friends or at a hotel?”

“I happen to be staying with a good friend of mine. He lives down the block from here actually.”

“Oh, how convenient!” Christina exclaimed in surprise. “Shall we be seeing more of you then?”

“Most assuredly…” Jeffrey paused before turning his attention to Christina. “Mr. and Mrs. Dunbar, could I impose upon you both to allow me a moment of privacy with Miss Hamilton? I’m afraid there is a personal matter regarding her sisters that I must discuss with her.”

“Oh, why yes, of course.” Christina rose slowly from her chair. “Maxwell and I will leave you both, won’t we, Maxwell?”

Her husband stood. “Certainly.” He gave Juliette a suspicious glance before he followed his wife from the parlor.

When the door closed behind them, Juliette and Jeffrey simply stared at each other in silence for a few moments.

“Please don’t say anything,” Juliette finally murmured.

“Don’t say anything?” he echoed incredulously. “After following you halfway across the globe, I’m not supposed to say anything to you?”

Juliette whispered softly, “No.”

Jeffrey shook his head in disbelief. “Do you have the slightest inkling of how much you have wounded and worried the people who love you the most in the world?”

“Please don’t do this to me, Jeffrey,” she pleaded with him, unable to bear the hurt expression on his face. Or the thought of her sisters and how they must feel.

“Only you, Juliette, could turn this around to be about your feelings,” Jeffrey chided her. “Have you even thought about Colette? In her delicate condition? Or your poor mother?”

Juliette could say nothing in response. Since the night she left Devon House, she had blocked those thoughts from her mind. If she considered how hurt Colette would be at her leaving, she never would have had the courage to leave. Yes, she loved her sisters, and in spite of everything she loved her mother too, but did that mean she had to stay bound to them for the rest of her life at the expense of her own welfare and sanity?