“You… you have no wealth?”
“That is so.” Coughing, he shook his head, his cheeks still flushed. “My friend Lord Foster was one of the gentlemen who lost their fortunes alongside me. However, he has managed to recover it, which gives me a little hope also.”
Something cold wrapped around her heart as she closed her eyes, suddenly unable to walk alongside him any longer.
“You mean to say that I am marrying a man who has not a penny to his name?”
Lord Wiltsham stopped, turning slightly.
“Yes, that is so. However, I would like to inform you that I have every intention of pursuing matters so that I can regain my fortune.”
Julia closed her eyes. Her heart was beating so loudly that she was certain the sound filled the air around them. Her fingers were grasping his arm as she fought to catch her breath.
“If you would allow me to explain?”
Julia drew in a ragged breath, fully aware of weakness threading through her veins.
“I had no intention of attaching myself to anyone, not until I had recovered my fortune. However, under the circumstances, I had no choice but to betroth myself to you. You may find that deeply upsetting, and indeed you may be angry with me for doing so, but my feelings would not permit me to step aside and allow you to be sent forward into a life where you would find nothing but misery.”
“Your… your feelings?”
It was as though someone had spun her around so many times that everything was now a blur of color and sound, and she was unable to distinguish one from the other. A loud buzzing came into her ears as Lord Wiltsham cleared his throat and turned away, her arm falling from his.
“That is not the important point at present. When it comes to my fortune, the other gentlemen and I have learned that it was a planned, coordinated attempt by a small number of gentlemen who were eager to steal the fortunes of those who made their way to that particular area of the East End.”
Julia shut out the sight of him again, finding herself able to think a little more clearly when she was not looking at him.
“I do not understand.” Dropping her head forward, she pressed one hand over her forehead, sliding her fingers down over the bridge of her nose as she took another breath. “This was something done purposefully to you?”
“Yes, we believe so. As I have said, Lord Foster managed to regain his fortune and bring justice to the man who had stolen it from him. I have every intention of doing the same – all I require is a little more time. I have made some progress already.”
Julia opened her eyes again, dropped her hands to her sides and sucked in another long breath.
“I can understand why you did not tell me.”
“I had no reason to tell you until the point when we became betrothed, since there was nothing of importance between us. We were only acquaintances – until the moment that Lady Steerford came into the room.”
Julia caught the quirk of his lips, but also the silver flashes in his hazel eyes as he searched her face.
“I understand that, Lord Wiltsham.”
“Pray believe me, I would never have tied myself to you without making certain that we had a prosperous future ahead of us. Circumstances were such that we had no other choice.”
Julia nodded slowly and then reached out to take his arm again, catching the slump of his shoulders and the rush of air which broke from his lips, evidencing the relief that he felt at present.
“Given that I had every intention of leaving London with very little to my name, I suppose that I can accept the fact that, for the present, we will be without a great deal of coin.”
“You cannot know how glad I am to hear you say such a thing. I have been struggling with this since the moment we became betrothed.”
“I should like to hear the entire story, with as much detail as you can provide.” Inwardly, she was still shaking, but Julia was determined that nothing would detract from her present relief at being freed from Lord Bullfield. “You state that this was purposefully done. How can you not know who it was that stole it from you then?”
“Because I, as did many of the other gentlemen, found myself with a loss of memory – although I have regained a little of it since. Lord Foster recalled that he was given a brandy which tasted a little strange – and this is what he accounts as what took his senses from him – it had been adulterated with some substance to render him incapable. Whilst I remember very little of that evening, I am certain that the very same thing happened to me.”
“That would be most despicable.” A frown pulled at her forehead. “How, then, have you any chance of discovering who did such a thing to you, if you cannot remember a single thing about the night when it took place?”
Lord Wiltsham’s brow furrowed and for a long moment, he did not so much as glance in her direction. His jaw tightened, and Julia caught her breath, wondering if there was more that he had to tell her. Was he about to take away any further hope that he would one day be able to recover the situation? She pressed his arm.
“You need not be afraid of telling me anything. I am aware that this is already a difficult circumstance and yet I am not pulling away from you, am I? Yes, the situation will be difficult, but I am all too aware of just how fortunate I am to be betrothed to you.”
