Page 3 of The Gentleman Physician

If she had kept it, how different his life might’ve been.

∞ ∞ ∞

“This is absolutely wretched!”

Julia turned her gaze to the door, surprised by her youngest sister’s outburst as she entered the bedchamber. “Father cannot do this to us. We have never been apart before, and I cannot stand the thought of being away from you.” She dropped down into the chair Julia kept beside the fireplace, her lower lip protruding in a manner unseen since her nursery days.

Julia bit back both a sigh and the desire to add her complaints to Rebecca’s. Bemoaning their fate would get them nowhere.

“I’m afraid it has all been decided without us. But we may write to each other as often as we wish.”

“But I don’t want to go to London. I’d rather go to Bath, with you.”

Rebecca’s body slumped further, something Julia did not think possible given the girl’s already sagging form. A sixteen-year-old lady really ought to have better posture and be less prone to a fit.

“I cannot understand why we are to be banished because Christine went off and married Mr. Gilbert. They are certainly happy, and Father didn’t even need to give her a season in London. I thought he would be pleased about the spared expense.”

“Father did not approve of the match.” Julia approved heartily, but she tried not to voice that thought too often. She brought her attention back to the open trunk beside her bed, trying to determine how many dresses she might fit in the small space. “Mr. Gilbert, though honorable, doesn’t hold a high place in the world. Father desires our marriages to make connections for him in society.”

The memory of a pair of blue eyes surfaced as she spoke of marriage, along with a warm smile that made her heart leap even now, many years since the last time she’d seen them. Julia thrust the memories away, unwilling to examine them when her sister needed comfort. Putting her sisters and their needs first was her best defense against her own broken heart.

“I think it terribly unfair.” Rebecca cast her eyes heavenward. “I don’t wish to live with Aunt Jacqueline. She will make me attend all her stuffy morning calls and meet other girls who do nothing but compare gowns, stitch samplers, and conspire to win husbands.”

Rebecca Devon was to be molded into the perfect lady by Aunt Jacqueline, their father’s elder sister, over the course of the next two or three years. She would be made into a fit enough wife for a duke, and married to one without her consent, if their father had his way.

Julia swallowed her anger and tried to keep her tone light.

“Think of the lovely things you will be able to do and see in London.” Julia glanced up from her work to give her sister an encouraging nod. “There are lending libraries. And Aunt Jacqueline’s house is near Hyde Park. You will be able to explore and have adventures, like the heroines of your favorite novels.”

Rebecca’s lips twitched upward. “Aunt Jacqueline does not approve of novels. I will have to read in secret if I wish to make use of the libraries.”

“Which is exactly what you do now.” Julia crossed to her wardrobe and opened its doors with pursed lips. “The true tragedy is that we shall be apart while you are molded into a lady and I am sent into servitude.” Julia said the last dramatically, putting her hand to her forehead.

Julia was to go to the relative most in need of an extra pair of hands, her cousin, Lady Virginia Heatherton. They were near in age and had been good friends before Virginia’s marriage, but Julia had only received a few letters since her cousin wed seven years ago.

Rebecca scoffed, wrinkling her nose. But some of the light came back into her eyes. “You are going to Bath. And Cousin Virginia adores you. She will let you do whatever you please.”

Pushing a lock of dark brown hair from her eyes, Julia realized she would get nothing done in the way of packing while her sister remained sulking in the chair. Though she resented their separation as much as Rebecca, Julia had long since learned to carefully choose her battles. She was well acquainted with her father’s burning censure, as like to be manifested in a callous word as it was to be in humiliating punishment. Charles Devon’s cruelty was often subtle, and always carefully wielded.

According to him, Rebecca and Horace, his ten-year-old son away at Eton, would aid him in his desire to rise in society’s ranks. Julia he deemed a lost cause, knowing she would not bend to his will by making an ambitious marriage, and he had little more use for her than he did a housekeeper. At twenty-three years old, he declared her a spinster.

“I will not allow you to encourage Rebecca to rebel against my wishes,” he had said after informing them of his plans for their separation, his cold eyes flashing in anger.

“Oh, Rebecca.” Julia went to her sister and knelt next to her chair, looking up into the freckled face of her youngest sister. “It will not be as bad as you expect. London is wonderful.”

Her heart ached at being removed from her sister. Their mother died before Julia’s London season, when Rebecca was but twelve years old, leaving Julia to act as mother, though she was only seven years Rebecca’s senior.

Looking after her sisters in the most awkward years of youth forced Julia to mature quickly. Likewise, she had attended to their brother Horace’s needs until their father sent him away to school, determined the boy not grow soft by spending extended amounts of time with his sisters. The loss of little Horace still hurt. They saw him on rare occasions when school holidays overlapped with their father’s presence in the country.

“I know it cannot be helped,” Rebecca said, bringing Julia back to the situation at hand and yet another loss. “Father must be obeyed. But I hate it, Julia.” Her brown eyes filled with tears. “I hate that I must lose everyone I love.”

Julia gathered her sister in her arms, easing the girl down to the floor next to her, holding her close and smoothing back her dark curls.

“I do too.” She would not let her own tears escape as her sister cried into her shoulder. She rocked Rebecca gently, humming a lullaby from better days, until the crying slowed and finally ceased. “There now. You will feel better for letting all of it out.” She set her sister back from her, gazing into her watery eyes as she spoke earnestly.

“We must be brave and promise each other that we will not allow this to be a permanent parting. We will come together again, and soon I hope. Virginia will not need me forever, and you will eventually have to make your debut in society. Either I will come to Aunt Jacqueline, or you will make a splendid match and send for me, or else we will both be completely useless to our family and end up right back here to plague our father with our failures.” She smiled as brightly as she could, relieved when Rebecca started to laugh.

“That would teach all of them to meddle. Perhaps we ought to take up a cottage together and spend our days tending gardens, reading novels, and criticizing society.” Rebecca rose to her feet and Julia joined her. “Promise me you will write often? I don’t think I will be able to bear Aunt Jacqueline without hearing from you.”