Embracing The Earl's Dream: A Clean Regency Romance (Resolved In Love Book 4) Read online

  Embracing the Earl’s Dream

  Resolved In Love - Book 4

  Penny Fairbanks

  Copyright © 2020 by Penny Fairbanks

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination.

  Cover design by Victoria Cooper Art

  Created with Vellum

  For my editor for working with me through this series and teaching me how to be a better writer.

  Also by Penny Fairbanks

  Resolved in Love Series:

  Book 1 - Behind the Baron’s Mask

  Book 2 - Healing the Captain’s Heart

  Book 3 - Finding the Artisan’s Future

  Book 4 - Embracing the Earl’s Dream

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  An array of fine dresses in many pastel colors stretched out on Juliet’s bed, all so beautiful and dear to her. Would any of them be suitable for her new life? A heavy melancholy settled deep in Juliet’s stomach.

  She turned her attention to two letters that had been abandoned on top of a pale blue walking dress. She picked them up, one from her older sister Cecilia and one from her dear friend Rosamund, glancing over a few lines from each.

  They both offered words of encouragement and pride at her bravery. Right now, Juliet felt anything but brave. The heaviness in Juliet’s stomach seeped through to the rest of her body. She settled herself in the nearby chair next to her large window overlooking a wide expanse of grass, a copse of trees in the distance. She could almost ignore the few brown leaves just beginning to turn on the faraway trees’ branches—could pretend that summer still clung to her.

  Juliet looked more closely at her sister’s letter, her light blue eyes tracing those lines that had stood out to her upon her first few reads. She was welcome to live with Cecilia and her husband Henry for as long as she wished. Cecilia, ever the dutiful older sister, reminded Juliet once more that the life of a governess contained many difficulties and challenges. But she made sure to emphasize her pride in Juliet for choosing to make her own way in the world while pursuing her purpose. She only hoped that Juliet would not suffer.

  The young woman shook her head, that feeling of melancholy squeezing at her heart. Now she would never know. Juliet stretched an arm out to the end table for the third letter, which she had bitterly cast aside. It had arrived just this morning from her would-be employer. It was short but exceedingly polite. Lady Stepworth had written to inform Juliet that her family no longer had need of her services as a distant cousin had recently found herself in need of a position.

  Tears stung Juliet’s eyes as she read over the brief letter once more. She bit her lip to keep her hurt and disappointment silent, to keep them contained safely within her where she could protect and control them.

  She had been so desperate to get away, to start her own life and do something meaningful. Juliet’s mother, a cold and demanding woman on her best days, had been harsher than ever since Juliet had returned from her trip to Brighton over a year ago. Her only respite had been this past summer, when she’d stayed with Cecilia and Henry, sharpening her artistic skills. Her sister had always been devoted to practicing music, developing the talent she possessed in abundance. Juliet had avoided such work as often as possible during her upbringing. She had a firm grasp on all the typical talents a well-bred lady must possess, but no remarkable talent except for her drawing. Last summer, with Cecilia’s help—and her never ending patience—Juliet had made significant progress in the many other areas she had neglected. She could now consider herself above average in most of them.

  But Juliet had not spent her entire summer chained to the pianoforte or embroidering until her eyes crossed. She’d also acted as a temporary governess for Cecilia’s neighbor. The very kind Lady Cliff had given her a glowing reference for her time teaching her youngest daughter, Hester, a stubborn and sometimes argumentative young lady of eleven. Juliet smiled as she thought of her former charge. As difficult as it had been to earn the girl’s respect and keep her focus on the lesson at hand, Juliet had quickly learned how best to interact with Hester so they could make the most of their time together.

  After folding the letter back up and returning it to its spot on the end table, Juliet sank back into the chair, allowing the weight of her dashed hopes to envelope her body. It had been a long, hard journey to get even this far. Since she’d returned to the Richards family estate she had answered advertisements and put out ones of her own. The responses had been few and far between but she had finally seemed to be on the right path.

  The morning’s mail had nearly crushed her, coming immediately after she had asked her maid to pull out a variety of her dresses so she could choose which ones she wanted to pack.

  After a few more moments of indulging in self-pity, Juliet sat up straight, gathering every ounce of resolve she had left. She stood from the chair and pulled the bell by her bed.

  “Everything will be fine,” Juliet whispered to herself, smoothing away any wrinkles in her skirt. “I just need to be patient and keep looking. The right opportunity is bound to turn up.”

  A soft knock at the door soon announced her maid. Juliet called her into the room. “Please put these dresses away, Mary. I won’t be needing them just yet, it seems.” Juliet’s words came out as casually as if she had changed her mind about going for a stroll in the afternoon and no longer had need of her walking dress.

  A flicker of confusion passed over the maid’s face before returning to professional neutrality. She quickly set to work, gathering the yards of lovely fabric into her arms. Smiling calmly, Juliet watched as if she could see her carefully made plans being folded and tucked away with the dresses. She hoped that Mary would not sense that anything had gone terribly wrong.

  “Is there anything else I might do for you, Miss Richards?” Mary asked as she finished up her task.

  “No thank you, Mary. Unless you can travel back in time and prevent a certain letter from being written,” Juliet chuckled, trying to mask her pain behind a small joke. If she could make light of the situation, no one need suspect how badly and deeply it still hurt.

  Every muscle in Juliet’s body had seized up, the overwhelming tension making it impossible to truly relax. She flipped another page in her book, her eyes skimming over the words as if they had been written in a language she barely understood. But she continued with the motion, not wanting to give herself away.

  Juliet risked a quick glance to her parents seated by the fireplace, Mr. Richards reading the newspaper and Mrs. Richards working on her embroidery. When Cecilia had lived with them she might have filled the room with a lovely pianoforte piece or chatted happily with Juliet about the day’s plans. But Cecilia had gone away
to live her dream life. The remainder of the Richards family sat in the morning room in icy silence as they usually did.

  But Juliet’s every nerve had been on edge since receiving that ill-fated letter from Lady Cliff two days ago.

  “So you are indeed leaving next week, Juliet? To live with Lady Stepworth’s family, was it?” Mrs. Richards asks, breaking the long silence. The question might have sounded innocent enough to anyone else but Juliet, having lived with her mother for the better part of twenty-one years, could easily trace the cold curiosity in the woman’s voice.

  Juliet swallowed the hard knot that had suddenly sprung up in her throat. She had not been able to bring herself to tell her parents that the position had fallen through. Mrs. Richards would no doubt use it against her at every opportunity.

  Before Juliet could reply, a footman strode into the morning room with a small stack of letters on a tray. He handed one to Mr. Richards and three to Mrs. Richards. The older woman’s eyes flashed to Juliet, narrowing at the outer corners. The look told Juliet that her mother expected an answer to her question as soon as the servant left.

  The footman delivered one last letter to Juliet before leaving the room. The handwriting surprised her. She had assumed it must be from Cecilia or Rosamund as they were her only regular correspondence. Juliet did not recognize this mysterious handwriting. It was shaky and slightly smudged.

  “Juliet?” Mrs. Richards called in that way that was somehow both polite yet nagging at the same time.

  Juliet barely heard her mother. She made no answer as she quickly opened the letter, her disbelief growing the more she read.

  Someone had seen her advertisement in the newspaper after suddenly finding themselves in urgent need of a governess. The lady explained that her six-year-old granddaughter had recently come into her care and would need someone to provide the girl with education and training in the womanly arts. The writer offered to provide two references of her own character, one from a duchess and the other from a marchioness—though she asked that Juliet write back with her acceptance right away and come as quickly as possible. Juliet’s travel arrangements would be paid for and she would receive the requested salary as well as a comfortable apartment within Polgrove Castle. All Juliet could make out in the smudged signature was Lady Something-ton.

  Juliet’s initial shock and excitement gave way to apprehension as she finished the letter. Polgrove Castle sounded very similar to some other estate she once knew of. She brought the letter closer to her face, trying to see through the blurred ink. That name also sounded quite similar to the name of a man she once knew as well.

  She read through the letter again, looking for any further hints she may have missed the first time. But all she discovered was the writer’s lack of care with this letter. Several areas had been badly smudged and the handwriting oscillated between smooth and elegant to jagged and jittery, rendering some of the words nearly impossible to read.

  Nevertheless, Juliet’s spirits lifted at the idea of finally having her own position. Her heart thumped in her chest so fiercely that she felt sure her parents must be able to hear it. A small, hopeful smile tugged at the corners of her lips as Juliet immediately resolved to write back with her eager acceptance. She would not even ask for the references. The mere suggestion of a positive relationship with such powerful ladies was enough for Juliet. She had no time to waste nor would she let another opportunity slip through her fingers.

  She closed her eyes, gripping the letter tightly. A silent prayer floated through Juliet’s chest, a prayer for a kind and generous family, for the chance to shape someone’s life. When she opened her eyes, she saw both Mr. and Mrs. Richards staring at her, her father’s expression curious and thoughtful while her mother’s appeared more calculating than intrigued.

  “Who might have written you such an arresting letter, Juliet?” the older woman asked, suspicion in her voice.

  Juliet jumped up from her chair, staring straight back at Mrs. Richards. “Oh, just Lady Stepworth confirming the details of my trip,” Juliet lied effortlessly. She would never let her mother know how close she’d come to losing her dreams, how miraculously they’d been saved at the last possible moment. “To answer your earlier question, yes, Mama, I will indeed be leaving next week. In fact, I really should go and get the packing started.”

  Juliet craned her neck to better see through the window of the hired coach, eager to catch a glimpse of the place that would soon become her home. The grand gates rose up before her, seeming to stretch into the sky. As the coach passed through, Juliet could see that the metal had been beautifully worked into intricate swirling designs.

  The pathway into the estate weaved through a breathtaking tunnel of autumn trees, keeping the home hidden until they arrived at the opening, a sudden wide expanse of green grass bursting into view.

  There it was, the most beautiful home Juliet had ever seen, soaring into the heavens and sprawling across a well-manicured lawn. Windows had been generously placed in the ancient stone walls. Juliet could only imagine how lovely those rooms must be with so much natural light spilling in, bathing everything in a fine glow.

  Juliet was very glad that the Richards family footman who had travelled with her sat in the front with the driver. Since she was alone inside the coach, she felt no need to close her mouth, ajar with shock and anticipation. Though in truth, Juliet doubted she would have cared overmuch if someone had been in the coach to witness her expression. Surely her reaction could be forgiven in the face of such masterful architecture.

  The path seemed to stretch on as they approached the house but Juliet savored the delay, allowing her eyes to dart from one detail to another on the grand home before her. She likely would not have much opportunity to appreciate all this once her duties began.

  Once the coach stopped at the front of the house, the footmen made quick work of collecting Juliet’s luggage while the driver helped her down. As soon as her feet touched the ground, a wave of anxiety and nerves washed over Juliet, her knees suddenly feeling too weak to support even her petite frame. The feeling only became more intense when a very stately man, tall with thinning brown hair and observant brown eyes, met her at the tall double doors of dark wood.

  “Welcome, Miss Rickson. I am Mr. Drury, the butler of Palgrave Castle. Allow me to bring you to the drawing room where the master and mistress of the house will meet you.” Mr. Drury addressed Juliet with an air of elegance that bespoke his years of service in this prominent household. She could sense immediately that the butler took immense pride in his position and required that all the staff do the same, herself included if she read his vigilant gaze correctly.

  “Thank you for the kind welcome, Mr. Drury,” Juliet offered with a slightly embarrassed smile. “But my last name is actually Richards, not Rickson.”

  “I’m terribly sorry for the confusion, Miss Richards. I must have heard her ladyship incorrectly. This way, please.” The butler frowned as he corrected his mistake, stepping aside and gesturing for her to precede him through the door into the foyer.

  Juliet marveled at every turn as Mr. Drury led her through the house. The Richards family boasted both a country estate and a London townhome of pleasant size and lovely furnishings, even for an untitled family. And, of course, Juliet had visited many elegant homes in the past. But she had never seen such a breathtaking building as this with such fine furniture and artwork, everything made of the highest quality and placed in just the right spots.

  As soon as Mr. Drury left her in the drawing room, Juliet’s nerves came rushing back, making it difficult to breathe. She paced up and down the plush, richly patterned rug, her anxious energy seeking some outlet. She realized for the first time through all her naive excitement that she really knew nothing about these people that she would share a home and a life with. Even worse, she realized that she had no idea if she would do a good job as a governess after all. What could one summer working for her sister’s friend really prove about her ability?
/>   Juliet decided that if she could not banish her nerves, she could at least distract herself while she waited to meet her employers. She rushed to the massive window facing opposite the door that had been quietly shut behind her. She gazed out over the vast property, admiring how gorgeous and well-kept it was even in the early fall.

  “What will it all look like in the spring and summer? Will I be here to find out?” Juliet whispered as her eyes swept over the green grass, the carefully trimmed trees in the distance that guarded the front of the estate, and what looked like an orchard to her left that stretched around the back of the house and out of her view. She drank it all in, eager to explore.

  The sound of the door opening behind her reminded Juliet once more that she had not come here simply to admire a pretty landscape. She’d come here to do a job, to find meaning in her life. Now she must face that overwhelming task head on.

  Before Juliet could turn to greet her employers, the voice that cut through the room froze her to her spot. She felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped on her head as bumps erupted over her skin, a shiver racing down her spine.

  “I must apologize that my mother will not be joining—” the deep, self-assured voice stated hurriedly, as if the man it belonged to would much rather be doing something else.

  Juliet spun around and saw her worst fear standing before her. It had indeed been the voice she thought she’d never hear again, the voice she’d foolishly and regrettably played over and over in her head every day since her first Season in London.