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Soon fall came and there stood Miss Julia dressed as a bridesmaid along with her sister Elizabeth in there estate chapel witnessing the matrimony of their sister Roberta. “She did it she pleased father,” Julia whispered to her sister who only seemed to stare at Mr. Dorough.

“But she does look happy does she not?” asked Elizabeth also in a whisper. “The only thing I dread about this wedding is that it means my brother and our cousin Howard will be leaving right after it…I am sure of it.” She gave her younger sister a sad look.

“You really do love Cousin Howard do you not?” she arched her sister her brow with a smile forming on her lips.

“Yes very much so,” Elizabeth said facing the couple at the alter again just in time to hear the priest pronounce them man and wife.

******

“I’m going to miss you brother,” Julia told Nicholas as they both took a seat. “Who will I dance with me now? Not that papa will allow me to dance or even assist to any balls now that Roberta is married and Elizabeth is engaged. Can you believe that our sister is married?” she asked him as they watched the recently married couple dance.

“I am not so sure about papa, I think he has come realize that you are a grown woman and beautiful too. Roberta looks happy that is all that matters, plus Mr. Crawford is a very good man with a great fortune just what father wants for all his daughters.” He told his sister as he sighed hard noticing who was walking up to them.

Mr. Carter, Miss Julia,” Sir Lucas vowed to them. “May I request the next two dances Miss Julia?” he gave her a smile.

“I actually I am tired and…” she did not know what excuse to say. “Yes,” she said nervously.

“Thank you,” he told her and left while the song playing finished.

She groaned and laid her head on her brother’s shoulder, “why did you not tell him I was already dancing with you?” she asked her brother.

He laughed at her sister, “I do apologize I ca not stand that man…I do not like the way he looks at you Julia.” He said staring in his direction. “But father seems to really like him.”

“I do not like him either,” she sighed as the song finished and Sir Lucas came back to her.

*******

Julia was happy to be riding her horse the next morning. When she returned she was happy to find out that her sister Roberta and her husband were now gone. Because that meant so was Sir Lucas. She was startled when she saw another barouche in front of her house, “Lady Sudbury who’s that?” she asked as she looked out the window.

“Oh, Miss Julia that is the barouche that came to pick up Mr. Dorough and Mr. Carter. They will be leaving shortly; Mr. Carter has been looking for you Miss.” Lady Sudbury said as she looked out the window.

“What do you mean? They can not leave yet,” Julia said in a sad tone. “Where’s my brother?” she asked her tears starting to form on her face.

“He’s in the garden looking for you Miss Julia.” Lady Sudbury said and smiled as she saw Miss Julia run out the room and out the door.

“Nicholas? Nicholas…Ah,” she jumped at the sudden grip around her waist. “Put me down Nicholas…” Julia told her brother laughing.

“Fine,” he told her and put her down. “Why did you not wake me up to go horse riding with you?” he asked.

“I wanted to do it alone, to think.” She told him giving him a hug. “Do not go,” she told him her tears now coming down her face.

He sighed and held her tightly to himself, “I must go Julia it is my duty.” He said as he made her look at him, “I wanted to talk to you before I parted though,” he said wiping away her tears. “I wanted to tell you that I made you a promise and now I want you do the same.” He looked at her intently and spoke… “My father came to me yesterday and gave me the horrible news that Sir Lucas has asked for your hand in marriage. I argued with my father that you were too young and that he had to allow you to meet other suitable men…but you know our father he can very stubborn. Promise me Julia that you will only marry for love, I know you well to know you like to please father. But in this you cannot…you will not be happy with him…something tells me Sir Lucas is hiding something else behind his good name. Something not so good.”

“No, Sir Lucas is a very disagreeable man Nicholas. I would never marry him; I will keep my promise as long as my father does not force me into it.” She told him crying. She sobbed and remembered at that instant the proposal from Mr. McLean, why had she not taken his proposal instead. The truth was she was very much attracted to Mr. McLean.

“Now you must not let father know that you know of his plan. I have convinced him to tell Sir Lucas to wait a year or so for you to turn nineteen. So it’s a secret engagement that only father, Sir Lucas and I know so far. Most likely mother will know soon, Julia just stay strong and by next year I might be able to finally take over that estate and then I can make sure that the wedding does not take place.” He kissed her forehead and pulled something from his pocket a beautiful locket inside was a lock of his hair and then he pulled out the scissors. He gentle took one of her locks and cut a piece, “It’s a pact my dear Julia that will be sealed with this,” he put her piece of hair inside with his and sealed it. “There now let me put it on you,” he said.

“Yes a promise,” she told him looking at the locket that now hung around her neck. “I will as long as you keep yours…” Julia tried to smile after hearing the horrible news. “I will miss you,” she told him and kissed his cheek.

“Nicholas we must head out,” Howard said as he walked into the garden finding his cousins there.

“Yes, we must to try and get to London by Friday.” He looked at Julia one more time, “Walk with me and Cousin Howard to the coach,” he told Julia as she intertwined her arm around his. “Remember our promise,” he told her as they walked back to the house.