Page 47 of A Most Unsuitable Lover

“May I help you sort through all of this? Please tell me how I can be useful.” She stooped to retrieve a few thick envelopes which had tumbled to the floor.

“Thank you, but no,” he declined her offer with a lingering kiss. “You have already helped me more than you know. I fear this mess must be organized in an insane only my twisted brain can comprehend.” Having seen the chaos of his office before, she fully appreciated the statement. “Why don’t you settle in as best you can and start compiling a list of everything we lack here? We can make some purchases and turn this mausoleum of bachelorhood into a home, hm?”

Juliette agreed, but only after wringing a promise from him that he would not stay up too late because she would require his assistance undoing her stays. The infinite pools of Ian’s irises darkened appreciatively and she knew he would do exactly as he promised.

∞∞∞

Over the next several days, Juliette busied herself with unpacking what little she’d brought with her, getting to know Mrs. Brown—if the formidable woman who’d once barred her from Ian’s door thought it odd to find Juliette as her new mistress, she said not a word about it—and she did, indeed, take Ian’s suggestion and make a list of items they required. She tried to remain conscientious of the fact that her husband worked for their money, so she ranked the items in order of importance. Somewhere to sit and eat supper, for example, was a higher priority than draperies in the unused bedchambers. She postponed less important purchases in favor of splurges on a new bed, mattress, and quality linens—the absolute essentials for newlyweds who spent as much time as they did in bed. Ian certainly hadn’t complained aboutthosepurchases. Now and again, she would grow wistful about all the books and favorite gowns she’d been forced to leave behind when she fled to Scotland, but then she had only to look at her husband to be reminded of how it had all been worth it. Ian meant so much more to her than piles of gold and unnecessary luxuries.

Ian was out making house calls one afternoon and Juliette decided to sort through the small amount of books in the library at the back of the house. The room was situated above the kitchens and was pleasantly warm, perfect for lazy afternoon reading on chilly, rainy days. The comforting scent of stew bubbling away made her stomach grumble embarrassingly loudly. Still, she settled in and began organizing the books by subject, pausing numerous times to peruse a page or two. She’d likely make more impact if she tackled Ian’s office, but she’d already decided to leave the cacophony alone lest she disrupt whatever madcap organization standard Ian possessed.

She was lost in a bit of poetry when there was a knock at the door. She could hear Mrs. Brown below her singing to herself as she worked and doubted she’d heard the knock. Juliette sat there a moment in indecision until the knock came again.

Ian had made it very clear that she was not to answer the door when she was home alone because all sorts of people came ‘round to see him and request his services. He did not discriminate, so his clients ranged from dukes to doxies and everyone in between.

She’d also never answered a front door before, and the thought of doing so herself made her almost giddy. Besides, the caller was at the main entrance and not the office door; surely only a caller of quality would come that way? The last thing she wanted was for Ian to lose a client simply because she couldn’t be independent enough to open the door of her own home. All she had to do was answer it, advise the caller that her husband was out, and let them know when she thought he might return.

Juliette made her decision and stood, shaking the wrinkles from her skirts as she strode to the front of the house. Straightening her spine, she opened the door…and her heart stopped.

Ethan stood on the step before her, looking hale and hearty and handsome. A pink scar from his head injury sliced through his temple and disappeared into his hairline, but Ian had done a brilliant job with his sutures. The wound had healed cleanly and smoothly.

The siblings said nothing for several heartbeats, drinking in the sight of the other person with whom they’d spent nearly every day of their existence. These last months had been the longest they’d spent apart, let alone without speaking. And it had been a special kind of torture.

Of course, Juliette was undeniably happy in her marriage with Ian, but a part of her felt lost and forgotten like a cherished toy left behind at the park. Without Ethan, something integral to who she was had been dimmed and, no matter how hard she’d tried, she hadn’t been able to completely ignore it. Her throat was clogged thick with emotions, so she was grateful when Ethan was the first to speak.

“I heard you’d returned to London.” He gave a weighty pause. “I waited before calling because I wanted to give you time to settle in…and I had to figure out what to say…” There was a flicker in Ethan’s blue eyes she couldn’t quite read, but she saw in his posture that he was trying to be stronger than he felt.

“Come in,” she said softly and opened the door to admit her brother into her new home. She wiped her damp palms on her skirts as she showed him to the newly furnished parlor. The sofa and pair of chairs were placed just so before the hearth, though she had yet to purchase a carpet or any artwork to hang upon the walls. Ethan didn’t seem to notice.

“I want to apologize,” her brother began so suddenly that she started. She was also shocked into silence: Earls didn’t apologize. Ethan didn’t apologize. “I made a grave mistake in trying to stifle you, Jules; I only wanted to keep you safe. You are—” His voice broke a little and Juliette felt it like a needle in her soul; “You have always been the most important person to me.”

She tried to follow it with a bit of levity and said, “It sounds like you will need a new hobby because I am Ian’s problem now.”

One side of Ethan’s mouth lifted in a begrudging smile before he continued. “It was just the two of us for so long that I didn’t know what to do. But now…now I see that I would much rather lose you to a marriage in which you seem so pleased—because you do appear happy and healthy—than lose you forever over stubbornness.”

Juliette closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around her brother. When he enfolded her as well, it felt as if that missing piece had finally been returned. Tears poured unchecked down her cheeks.

“Thank you for saying that. I’m sorry, too, for running off. I’ve missed you so, Ethan.”

He squeezed her tighter before sitting back and holding her at arm’s length. “You look like Mother.” She gave him a wobbly smile in gratitude. They’d both always agreed that their mother had been one of the most beautiful women in England. “Now, where is your husband?”

“Ian is working, catching up on house calls,” she replied, wiping at the tear tracks on her cheeks. “Would you like me to pour some tea? He should be home for luncheon within the hour.” Her smile matched her brother’s.

“My, but how domestic you’ve become. It suits you.”

∞∞∞

Ian entered his home and was immediately greeted by the scent of fresh butter shortbread and the soft murmur of conversation from the parlor. Juliette appeared to be entertaining someone. His lips lifted in a smile. He would be lying if he said he hadn’t been concerned that Juliette might not be welcomed by any of her former friends and confidants after news of their elopement became common knowledge. He was beginning to receive a handful of inquiries into the truth of the situation, but he had plenty of practice sidestepping personal questions from those in his care. He knew, however, there was nothing he could do if and when the gossip rags sunk their teeth into this juicy bit of scandal.

After setting aside his bag and hanging his coat, Ian decided to see who had come to call. His good mood evaporated instantaneously as soon as he caught sight of the familiar dark-haired man sitting beside Juliette on the sofa. Ian’s every muscle tensed, prepared for the physical altercation he’d been anticipating for months now. Two pairs of remarkably similar blue eyes turned upon Ian’s entry.

“Ian,” Juliette greeted him warmly, her eyes dancing with the unmasked joy that always made his heart soar. She rose and immediately went to his side. Ian’s eyes never left Hopesend’s face. The younger man watched their exchange, his expression admirably unreadable. It took everything in Ian not to demand to know why the earl had infiltrated his home, and that he was mad if he believed Ian would ever relinquish his wife.

Finally, the earl stood and greeted him with a simple, “McCullom.” Ian only nodded and waited for more from Juliette’s brother. “I came to offer my gratitude in person. I’ve been advised several times over that your actions saved my life.” His dark eyes turned to Juliette at Ian’s side. “And for my sister…thank you for making her incandescently happy.” Ian’s heart nearly stopped in shock. This was certainly the last thing he’d ever expected. “This is why I intend to bestow upon you the full dowry to which she is entitled.” Juliette’s small gasp beside Ian mirrored his internal emotions. He had no idea of what that number might be—it was certainly something that had never crossed his mind—but he had a suspicion it might make their lives vastly more comfortable. Indeed, he nearly choked on his own tongue when the earl continued. “Twenty thousand pounds, plus an annual stipend of another three thousand, in case you were wondering.”

Juliette’s fingers dug into Ian’s forearm. He knew precisely what she was thinking: The amount was astounding and it would allow them to live without fear that Ian would need to continue to work at his breakneck pace for the rest of his days. They could reach their goal of expanding his practice; they would be able to travel and bring his experience to others.

“Your dream,” Juliette whispered while looking up into his face with her tear-glazed eyes. Ian’s throat grew tight. Yes, his dream had always been to help those who needed it most…but this woman before him…she was his dream as well as his reality, a new facet of his future he’d never dared to contemplate.

“Well, then…” The earl cleared his throat and approached them, holding out his hand to Ian in a peace offering. Ian returned the firm handclasp with one of his own. “Take care of her,” he added in a low tone.

Ian met his piercing gaze unflinchingly, “Always.”

As soon as the door closed behind her brother, Juliette threw her arms around Ian’s neck and pulled him down into a deep kiss. His arms wove their way around her and he spun her in a wide circle. Their future was wide and boundless, and he couldn’t wait to share it with this remarkable woman in his arms.