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“Oh, that is a pity!” Mama cried.
“The consequence is that I am very much at odds with both of them, and am determined not to wait on their approval but to marry Julia whenever she wishes. So you may set our wedding date as soon as you like, my love,” added with such a warm smile at Julia, that she blushed at the intensity of his gaze, and lowered her eyes.
“That is very disappointing,” Mama said, fretfully. “Still, we must hope that they come round when they get to know Julia a little better.”
She waved him to a chair, and he sat, quite at his ease, throwing Julia an occasional smile, his eyes drifting constantly towards her.
“I have no expectation of that,” James said. “Mama is adamantly opposed to any connection between our families, and not because of Bella. That was just an excuse. I do not believe she will ever relent, and my father dislikes to oppose her. He may change his mind in time, but he wants to wait until Michael is married and I cannot allow that. Michael suffers enough from the pressure to marry as it is. He feels it extremely, yet he has not the temperament to go out and marry the first heiress who appears on the horizon. He tried that once and it almost destroyed him, and even now he is not yet fully recovered from the disaster. I would not for the world add the responsibility for my marriage to the heavy load he already carries.”
“Your feelings do you credit, I am sure,” Mama said, “yet it is the greatest pity that you should set yourself against your parents. Perhaps a short delay… until the autumn, say?”
James shook his head firmly. “I am determined not to wait any longer than is needful for Julia to order her wedding clothes and for the carriage to be built. My mother is beyond reach of reason and my father… well, he must do as he thinks is best for his family, but so too must I.”
“Is there then no hope of a compromise?” Mama said. “Perhaps if you were to talk to your father—”
“Impossible. I have broken with him completely. If there is to be any talking, he must come to me.”
Mama jumped up, so that James was obliged to rise, too. Julia had never seen her stepmother so agitated.
“But this is dreadful!” Mama cried. “Now they will cut us in town and we shall have no acquaintances worth having, and there will be no possibility of Lord Charles introducing us to his brother. Whatever are we to do?”
“Is that what concerns you?” James said. “But my family would never have been any help to you in town. Father rarely goes there, and you will not be on Mother’s invitation list, you may be sure. As for Charles, he fell out with his brother years ago over some imagined slight, and they have not spoken since. You will have to make do with my acquaintances, few as they are, and your own connections.”
Mama stared at him, consternation writ large on her face. For once she was completely speechless.
Into the silence, Julia said, “Mama, may James and I go out for a walk?”
“It is raining,” he said, “but perhaps we could walk in the gallery for a while? Mrs Fletcher?”
“Oh… yes, if you will.”
“I had better go with them,” Aunt Madge said.
“A little time alone would be a kindness,” James said smoothly.
“Ten minutes,” Mama said distractedly. “You may have ten minutes alone, then Madge will chaperon you.”
Julia was out of the room before she could change her mind, James hard on her heels. Behind them she heard Aunt Madge’s grumbling voice.
“You are too soft with that girl, Lizzie.”
“I do wish you would call me Elizabeth,” Mama said, her voice fretful.
James firmly shut the door, and grinned at Julia. “Ten minutes,” he whispered into her ear. “Better not waste them.”
Hand in hand, they raced up the stairs and behind the curtain that partially screened the gallery from view, then down to the far end to be sure that no one lurked behind one of the many statues. Then she was in his arms, being held tight, so tight she could barely breathe, his lips pressed on hers.
She melted. Her insides felt like butter in the sun, her whole being infused with warmth as she stretched on tiptoes to return his kisses. After the first rush of passion expended itself, he kissed every part of her upturned face, murmured sweet endearments to her. Perhaps she murmured endearments of her own, but she was so enthralled she couldn’t be sure.
Julia had enjoyed many moments of happiness in her existence. Seeing a rainbow, or the emergence of the sun after a storm. A long walk with Pa or quiet moments with Ma. The company of her sisters, and lazy summer afternoons with Johnny fishing for strange water creatures in the river. But she had never before experienced the glorious bliss of being held by the man she loved, being thoroughly kissed and adored and cherished. Joy filled her and overflowed until surely the whole gallery must be full of it, and the house too and the whole world. If she were any happier her heart would assuredly burst.
“James! It happened!”
He lifted his face from hers, smiled and softly kissed her nose. “What happened?”
“My heart jumped, just like Allie said. When you walked into the parlour, I felt… oh, a thousand things at once! And my heart just about jumped out of my body. It’s really true — I’m in love with you.”
He chuckled, and he was holding her so tight that she felt his body shake a little. “Oh, Julia, you are such a darling, I hardly have the words. Let us not wait too long to be married, my love, for I cannot wait to make you mine.”
