Seduced at Midnight

'I thought Daniel was going to nail my slippers to the floor to keep me from ruining whatever part of the carpet Emily left intact,' Carolyn said, wiping her eyes with a lace hankie. 'Are you certain you're all right?'

No, I'm not all right. For a brief, perfect, shining moment, in Gideon's arms, she had been. And she greatly feared she'd never know such happiness again. She mustered up a smile, hoping to erase her friends' troubled expressions. 'I'm fine.'

'Mr. Mayne was incredibly brave,' Sarah said. She squeezed Julianne's hand. 'We owe him a debt that can never be repaid.'

A lump clogged Julianne's throat, and to her mortification, tears filled her eyes. Carolyn saw her distress and quickly led her to a nearby quiet sitting room that afforded them privacy but from where they could still be seen. After they settled themselves on overstuffed chairs, Julianne said, 'Actually, there is more to the kidnapping story than you've heard.' She proceeded to tell them the rest, only leaving out any mention of Jack Mayne.

When she finished, all three women looked at her with round eyes. 'Heavens, Julianne,' Carolyn said. 'You were simply marvelous!'

'Incredibly brave,' added Sarah.

'I was scared witless,' Julianne corrected.

'I would have swooned on the spot,' Emily decreed.

'You?' Julianne laughed. 'You would have given those kidnappers an ear blistering so severe they would have promptly returned you and begged your pardon for disturbing your evening.'

'I'm sure Mr. Mayne was impressed with your bravery,' Sarah said.

Julianne felt a blush warm her cheeks. 'He said he was. However, most likely he was merely grateful not to have a swooning female on his hands.'

Emily looked at Julianne's wrist then frowned. 'That looks like a bandage showing above your glove.'

More heat flooded Julianne's face. 'Mr. Mayne did that. My skin was chafed from the ropes.'

Emily's brows shot upward. 'He just happened to have some bandages with him?'

Julianne tried to think of a plausible excuse but realized nothing but the truth would do. 'No. We made a stop on our way back here. At Mr. Mayne's house. He bandaged me there.'

'You went to his house?' Emily's voice dropped to a whisper. 'Alone?'

'Of course alone,' Sarah broke in impatiently. 'Did you expect them to bring the kidnappers along?' She turned to Julianne. 'What is his home like?'

'It's… lovely. Cozy, neat. Just… perfect.'

'I'm glad he had the knowledge to tend to your wounds,' Carolyn said.

'Don't tell your mother that part of the story,' Emily warned. 'She'll fly into the boughs.'

'I've no intention of telling her anything,' Julianne said quietly. She looked into the drawing room, and her gaze found Gideon. He was talking to Mr. Rayburn and looking very serious.

'Why, Julianne… you're blushing,' Emily said. She drew in a sharp breath, and her gaze bounced between Gideon and Julianne. 'Good heavens. You like Mr. Mayne.'

It felt as if the sun itself burned from her cheeks. 'Of course I like him. He saved my life.'

Emily shook her head. 'No. I saw the way you just looked at him.'

'And how was that?'

'With your heart in your eyes.' Emily's own eyes looked troubled. 'You're in love with him, aren't you?'

For several long seconds Julianne remained silent. Emily was a dear friend, but she was also an earl's daughter, and she knew what her reaction would be if Julianne were to admit the truth. Carolyn would no doubt share Emily's horror. Sarah, Julianne knew, would be more understanding. For all the good that did her.

'Is it true?' Carolyn asked, her eyes filled with concern. 'Do you love him?'

'It doesn't matter,' Julianne said, plucking at a loose thread on her ruined gown.

'Of course it matters,' Sarah said in a fierce whisper.

'No, it doesn't,' Emily insisted. 'She is betrothed to the duke.'

'The announcement wasn't made,' Carolyn pointed out.

'But they're going to be married in two days!' Emily said.

'Perhaps she doesn't want to marry the duke,' Sarah said. 'Perhaps she'd prefer to marry Mr. Mayne.'

Sarah's whispered words hung in the air, stealing the breath from Julianne's lungs. They were words she hadn't even dared say to herself, let alone speak out loud.

'Marry Mr. Mayne?' Emily repeated in an aghast hiss. 'Instead of a duke? Are you daft?'

Sarah fixed Emily with a skewering stare. 'Have you ever been in love, Emily?'

A scarlet blush colored Emily's cheeks. 'No, but-'

'Then, with all due respect, you have no idea what you're talking about,' Sarah said firmly. She turned to her sister. 'Would you have married Daniel if he weren't an earl? If he were, say, a baker?'

'I see the point you're trying to make-' Carolyn began, but Sarah cut her off. 'Yes or no, Carolyn. Would you have married him if he were a baker?'

'Yes. But,' she added quickly, 'I'm not an earl's daughter.'

'You were a viscountess by virtue of your first marriage. And as a viscountess you still would have married Daniel if he were a baker?'

Carolyn let out a sigh. 'Yes.'

'Why?' Sarah persisted.

Carolyn shot her an annoyed look. 'You sound like a barrister.'

'Then answer the question.'

Carolyn folded her hands in her lap then said primly, 'Because I love him.'

A triumphant smile lit Sarah's lips. 'And there you have it.'

'And there you have nothing,' Emily said. 'This is not some game, Sarah. If Julianne were to go against her parents' wishes and not marry the duke-and to throw him over for a Bow Street Runner? Good God, the scandal would ruin her. She'd be disinherited. She'd lose everything.'

'She'd lose money,' Sarah agreed. 'Material possessions. And most likely any relationship with her parents. But she wouldn't lose everything. She wouldn't lose me.' Sarah raised her chin and grasped Julianne's hand. 'I never aspired to a title, but since I have one, I won't hesitate to use it shamefully. The Marchioness Langston stands firmly behind Julianne. No matter what.'

Hot tears pushed behind Julianne's eyes at Sarah's steadfast loyalty.

'Julianne hasn't actually said she'd prefer to marry Mr. Mayne,' Carolyn said. She reached out and brushed back a lock of Julianne's hair. 'Is that what you want? If you had the choice, would you choose to marry Mr. Mayne?'

Julianne drew in a deep, shuddering breath, then whispered, 'To quote Themistocles, 'I choose a man without money rather than money without a man.' If I had a choice, I would choose Gideon. I would rather be ostracized from society and share a life of modest means with him than live in the grandest splendor with anyone else.'

'Well,' said Emily, sitting back with a plop and looking stunned. 'Isn't that quite