“You are most charitable, my dear,” said the Countess, “and I hope that Dominic will realise in time how much he has lost by his thoughtless behaviour.”

“Can I suggest,” said Aunt Lucy,” that it would be sensible, once the young couple has settled here, if Julia is seen in their company, to confirm that there is no ill feeling?”

“Of course,” said her host, “that is an excellent idea, and Julia will always be welcome here in any case, as a friend of us all.”

It was, Julia reflected on the return journey, one of the most extraordinary visits she had ever made. Aunt Lucy insisted on knowing all the details about the smuggling ring that she had not already heard, and they discussed how to present the news to Mama and Papa when they got back to Banford Hall.

Mama took the news that Dominic Brandon preferred a young woman from London to her own daughter very badly. She was reluctant to believe that the Earl and Countess had known little about the situation, and would have liked to blame Julia, although Aunt Lucy was having none of that.

Papa was more sanguine, despite saying nothing to Mama, since he knew very well that Julia would be quite delighted at the news.

Mama proved, however, to be nothing but adaptable. Over the next few days, Mama was often in Papa’s room, and Julia was sure that they were discussing her future prospects.

Despite the hope that Papa’s health would improve with Sir William Knighton’s advice, Mama still seemed determined that Julia’s marriage should not be delayed very much longer. Her younger sisters tried to cheer her by making various outlandish suggestions as to possible suitors living in the county, but Julia could not joke about the matter anymore. She could not know what influence Papa was having on Mama’s social ambitions for her daughter, so it was with considerable surprise that Julia heard her mother one morning telling Papa that “Julia should make a visit to Norton Place to see Jack Douglas, my dear.”

Julia demurred strongly at this, but Mama eventually persuaded Papa to write a note to Harry Douglas, asking if he would like to bring his son over to Banford Hall instead, as Papa was not yet strong enough to make the journey to visit his friend.

Julia quite expected the reply to this suggestion to be negative, as she believed that Jack Douglas was still in Leeds. She was therefore surprised and very unhappy that the message came back that Mr. Douglas would be delighted to visit Banford Hall in a few days’ time.

Harry Douglas arrived at the appointed time, but Jack was not with him. After the usual pleasantries, Mr. Douglas told Mama firmly that he wished to speak to Mr. Maitland in private. Mama took him up to Papa’s dressing room and came back almost purring with satisfaction, saying to her daughters, “I expect that Mr. Douglas wishes to discuss a financial settlement with your father.”

“I don’t see why he would,” said Harriet firmly, “since that should surely wait until Julia has said that she will agree to marry Jack Douglas.”

“Well, I think that Jack is a perfectly good catch. I liked him well enough,” said Sophie.

Julia said nothing, misery being piled upon misery. Her only hope seemed to be that Papa would not agree without consulting her first.

After about an hour, Mr. Douglas came down the stairs and into the drawing room, and spoke much more firmly than was his habit to Mama.

“I understand that you would favour my son marrying your eldest daughter, Mrs. Maitland?”

Mama looked rather taken aback by his blunt way of speaking, but replied, “Why yes, sir, of course, if Mr. Maitland is agreeable.”

No mention of what I might want! thought Julia. “Very well. I am leaving now, and Lewis—Mr. Maitland—wishes to speak to Miss Maitland in private. Good day, ma’am, ladies.”

He had hardly left the house than her mother was chivvying Julia to go and see her father. Aunt Lucy tried to protest, for she could see how angry her eldest niece was feeling, but Mama as usual brooked no opposition.

Julia walked slowly up the stairs, went into the dressing room, and shut the door. To her surprise, her father was looking very cheerful and sounded more decisive than usual.

“Now, Julia, I want you to do exactly as I tell you. Harry Douglas has invited Aunt Lucy to take you to Norton Place for a light luncheon tomorrow. Your mother would have liked to go with you, but I have not agreed to that.”

“What is the purpose of the visit?” said Julia resentfully.

“To consider whether you would accept the option that he is offering to you.”

“I do not need to go to Norton Place to tell you that. You really mean the option that Mama favours, and with the biggest financial settlement attached!”

“I suggest you wait and see what the offer may be. It could be trying out your Norfolk theories on his farm, perhaps?”

“I don’t feel like joking,” she replied.

“No, maybe not. When you return, we can have another private talk together if you wish.”

And Papa would tell her no more than that. Julia, not often given to total despair, spent the rest of the day in deepest gloom. She found it very difficult to believe that her father would be happy about an alliance with Jack Douglas, but what other options were there, and what else could he mean?

Before they left the following morning, Julia insisted in wrapping up La Passerelle and taking the package with her, for she was determined to return it to Mr. Douglas, whatever he or her aunt might say.

The journey was made in Aunt Lucy’s comfortable chaise and, as soon as Banford Hall was left behind, her aunt turned to Julia.

“My dear, I cannot believe that your father would have agreed to any alliance with Jack Douglas without your consent.”

“Then why would Harry Douglas have said what he did to my mother?”

Aunt Lucy opened her mouth to reply, then she paused and looked at Julia and shut it again without any words coming out. This was so unlike her aunt that Julia fixed her with a determined stare and said, “What were you going to say?”

“What I was going to say was that you should consider what Harry Douglas did not mention yesterday.”

“What was that?” Julia said resentfully.

“You must tell me, my dear, not I you.”

Julia was already so upset that this remark put her into a really bad temper and she turned her face away to look fixedly out of the carriage window, and she refused to say anything for the rest of the journey. If she had glanced at her aunt, she would have been even more infuriated to see that Aunt Lucy was smiling to herself.

In his usual jovial way, Harry Douglas was waiting to welcome them at Norton Place by the bottom of the steps leading to the front door. Julia had intended to thrust the package containing La Passerelle  into his hands as soon as she arrived, but her aunt’s firm grasp of her arm prevented that. Julia found herself inside the house and walking beside Mr. Douglas along the corridor to the salon without having any option in the matter.

Once they were there, her host said to Aunt Lucy, “Have you said anything to Miss Maitland since yesterday?”

“No, sir,” said her aunt.

Julia looked from the one to the other, mystified.

“You will have heard your mother, Mrs. Maitland, say that she would favour my son marrying her eldest daughter, if your father agreed? I imagine that you were not happy about that?”

She stared at him, then replied, “No sir, I was not—no one seems to think of consulting me about my own future! I wish to return La Passerelle to you now.”

“Indeed. Now, please do as I ask. Take that package into the library, and leave it there if you wish. And when you are ready, come back and join us in the salon here.”

He spoke calmly, and Julia’s wrath was changing now to a dull ache of sadness, and she did not move.

“Julia,” said Aunt Lucy, “please do as Mr. Douglas requests.”

Julia glared at her and at last turned on her heel and walked along the corridor and into the library. She went across the room to the table by the window where she had seen the Book of Hours on her first visit to the house, and put the package down. She looked down and let her hand rest on the book for several moments, remembering that day. She raised her head and was about to turn to leave the room when she jumped in alarm, for there, reflected in the glass of the window, was a tall figure standing in the shadows beside the door, watching her. It was only when she turned to face him that he stepped forward into the light and she realised who it was.

He looked at her gravely. “My father tells me that you are very unlikely to want to marry his son, Miss Maitland. Does that apply to me, or are you willing to make an exception for a gentleman who, as you know, may never be able to waltz very well?”

Julia was at a loss for words. It had been such an emotional few hours since Mr. Douglas had visited Banford Hall to see her father, filled with sadness and fear for the future.

Kit Hatton walked slowly across the library towards her, then stopped just beyond touching distance and said, “I understand that Mr. Maitland and your mother are happy with the proposition that my father put to them yesterday, that you should marry me.”

It was only then that Julia realised what Aunt Lucy had meant in the carriage. Harry Douglas had asked Mama if she would favour his son marrying her eldest daughter. But he had not said which son.

“Come, my darling,” said Kit. “Everything really is all well for us both now.” And he opened his arms to her as she wept tears of joy and relief. She had dreamt so many times of kissing Kit Hatton, but the reality surpassed what she had hoped for, and needed, and wanted.