Voices of Shadows Past: Secrets of Scarlett Hall Book 3 Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Secrets of Scarlett Hall Series

  Offer

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Epilogue

  Author's Note

  ebook

  Offer

  Voices of Shadows Past

  Secrets of Scarlett Hall

  Book 3

  Jennifer Monroe

  Copyright © 2019 Jennifer Monroe

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This book, Voices of Shadows Past, the third installment of the Secrets of Scarlett Hall Series, can be read as a standalone novel; however, it is important that you know that it takes place concurrently with the second book in the series, Echoes of the Heart. If you have not yet read the previous books in the series, I would highly recommend that you do so.

  Secrets of Scarlett Hall

  Whispers of Light

  Echoes of the Heart

  Voices of Shadows Past

  Would you like to receive a free ebook? Go to www.jennifermonroeromance.com and get yours today!

  Prologue

  Scarlett Hall, January 1806

  Lady Eleanor Lambert held many secrets close to her heart. And although many had caused her great anxiety, there were in fact some which had brought an abundance of joy. Her life thus far had been anything but perfect; in fact, some moments had been painful beyond belief. However, she took pride in concealing that pain from her children in order to ensure they lived a happy life, a life better than the one she had lived, for they were all in life that truly mattered.

  Some secrets are meant to be told when the time is right while others are meant to be kept for eternity, yet she had been forced to reveal two secrets, one to each of her two eldest daughters. They were told in necessity, as a means to right a wrong, and she had no regret in their telling. Regret that the secrets existed, certainly, but not that they were revealed.

  She picked up the quill and dipped the nib in the ink. Whether it be an entry in her journal or a letter to a loved one, Eleanor found comfort in putting to paper her thoughts and concerns, to release the worries that plagued her, and she was finding the need to do so more often as of late. It was as if she were writing to a close friend without the worry of being rebuked for her thoughts and feelings.

  Scarlett Hall had almost been lost; however, it was Laurence Redbrook, Duke of Ludlow, who agreed to marry her eldest daughter, Isabel, in exchange for his help in that matter. It had been Isabel’s strength that Eleanor leaned on in the worst of times, and her daughter had agreed to marry for convenience. However, much like a flower in spring, Isabel’s love for the man bloomed, and Eleanor was pleased that Isabel and Laurence had come to love one another, for a marriage without love is not much of a marriage at all.

  That crisis was averted only to open yet another. Hannah was readying herself to leave for the season in just a week, and the girl argued against going as fiercely as a woman being asked to throw herself into the mouth of a volcano, as the ancient tribes in South America of which Eleanor read had done.

  Although she had quashed any notion of her daughter missing her debut into society for the second year in a row, Eleanor could not help but worry about how miserable the poor girl truly was. It was her hope that, under Isabel’s guidance, Hannah would put the absurd notions of becoming a spinster to rest. Now, all Eleanor could do was hope for the best.

  Her youngest daughter, Juliet, however, was another matter. Although the girl would be joining Hannah and Isabel for the season, and therefore leaving the house empty, Juliet had a fiery temperament that concerned Eleanor more than Hannah’s reserved nature.

  Sighing, Eleanor returned the tip of the quill to the parchment to complete the letter she had been writing before her thoughts had carried her away.

  As for Juliet, she continues to remain as wild as the wind in a storm. She has grown to be a beautiful young woman, a fact she understands all too well and uses it to her advantage whenever possible. She may be prone to telling great tales, but her heart remains pure despite her deception. Although it may not be right of me to do so, I find that she holds a special place in my heart. I cannot explain my reasoning, Charles, although you should know. However, that is perhaps a secret meant only for my heart and not that of any other.

  Although I shall never tell you or anyone this particular secret, I will tell you this. For all the hurt you have caused me, the grief you brought upon me during our marriage, in the end, you allowed me the most beautiful and strongest of daughters. And for that gift, you will always have my gratitude.

  Eleanor looked down at the parchment and smiled. The letter was not complete, and it was time for her to retire for the night. It would be added to the many letters she had written to her husband over the course of the past four years since his death, and she was certain it would not be the last.

  She rose from the chair and yawned. Her bed was calling to her.

  However, before she could make her way to her bedroom, the sound of cry of pain resounded in the hall, causing Eleanor’s skin to go cold, and she recognized it as Juliet.

  Chapter One

  Two things existed in the world that Miss Juliet Lambert hoped to accomplish. The first was to attend her first season, for which she would leave the confines of her Wiltshire home in just a week’s time. Granted, she loved Scarlett Hall with its jutting parapets and grand towers, but so much more could be had in life beyond its walls, and she was determined to experience all she could. Parties, balls, dinners, dancing; to be a part of such a grand spectacle was a fantastic dream, and she could barely keep her excitement under wraps.

  Her second goal in life was proving to be a greater difficulty. It was not the type of challenge that would last her a lifetime, for it had more to do with the sport than the prize. Daniel Hoskins, one of the handful of stable hands at Scarlett Hall, was of the lower class; however, Juliet found him handsome in his own way with his dark hair and brown eyes. Yet, for some reason the man barely showed her an ounce of interest, and for the life of her, she could not reason out why.

  It was not for lack of trying that the man paid her little heed. She had batted her eyelashes at him in some effort to appear demure. She had dropped her handkerchief on the ground, and although he had retrieved it for her, he turned away almost immediatel
y, much to her chagrin. She may as well have been one of his horses for all the interest he showed in her!

  The fact of the matter was, how could Juliet expect to catch the eye of some noble duke or earl if she was unable to catch the eye of a lowly stable hand?

  It was this frustration that had Juliet sitting in the drawing room with her sister Hannah, who was a year older and could not have been more different from Juliet. Whereas Juliet welcomed the idea of attending the season, Hannah had little interest in going to London. So much so that she had feigned an illness the year before in order to remain home. Juliet could not fathom any woman of the ton wishing to remain home when she could find such wonderful entertainment elsewhere.

  “It will be the reason she gives her heart to him,” Hannah was saying, speaking of the characters in a book she was penning.

  Although Hannah’s usual drivel about her writing typically bored Juliet, Juliet allowed it this evening. She was well out of ideas on how to gain Daniel’s attention, and since Hannah enjoyed romantic novels—a strange phenomenon since she cared little for romantic notions in her own life—perhaps an idea on how to catch Daniel would take root.

  “That is fascinating,” Juliet replied. “Tell me again.”

  Her sister smiled and smoothed the white skirts of her dress, a stark contrast to Juliet’s red. “In her defiance, Christine shall attempt to remove the ivy that has obscured her view from the window. Then she will slip and fall into the arms of Percival, who will be there to catch her when she falls.”

  Juliet could not help but sigh as she thought of such a notion happening to her. It would be Daniel catching her in his strong arms, and she would reward him with a kiss. Of course, such an action on her part would be unladylike, but would it not be warranted for such a brave act? Daniel would be so overcome with her beauty that he would whisk her off to marry her, and he would find joy in working in order to buy her gifts, thankful that a man of his station had been fortunate to marry a woman such as she.

  “It is the proposal about which I worry,” Hannah said with a shake to her head. “Would he make the request in a place that has some special significance, or should he speak to her outside her window as Romeo did with Juliet?”

  Juliet clicked her tongue. “That is of little importance,” she said as she rose and walked over to the liquor cart. “What is important is the part when she falls.” She perused the numerous bottles until her eyes fell on a red wine lying in one of the slots on the side. She poured a glass and turned around, the bottle still in her hands.

  “What are you doing with that?” Hannah demanded. “You do not mean to steal it, do you?”

  Juliet laughed. “Steal it? My dear sister, how can one steal what one already owns?” For all the intelligence Hannah purportedly had, this riddle seemed to stump her. “I am merely going to allow myself a drink or two.”

  Hannah glanced at the closed door. “I do not believe you should do that,” she said in that incessant admonishing tone she tended to use with Juliet. “If mother were to catch you drinking, she will be quite unhappy.”

  Juliet returned to her sister and placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “My sweet, innocent sister,” she said with a sigh. “Mother is busy in the office, hiding away as she oftentimes does. She takes no notice of what we do, nor does she care.”

  Although the words were true, saying them aloud pained Juliet. Over the past year, their mother had become somewhat of a recluse, and she spent less time with any of her three daughters. Juliet was glad their brother Nathaniel was off at boarding school, for he was not home to endure the neglect. When Isabel married Laurence, Juliet had to admit that she and Hannah had become quite jealous of the time their mother had spent with the new couple.

  “I hate to admit it,” Hannah replied, “but you are right. It hurts me that Mother has ignored us.” She sighed, and Juliet’s heart went out to her sister. Hannah was by far the most attached to their mother, and Juliet knew the woman hurt the most. “Juliet, may I ask you something?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “I…what I mean to say is the season…” Hannah sighed. “If I do not meet a gentleman, what do you suppose will happen?”

  “You will meet someone eventually,” Juliet replied. “That is, after all, the true purpose of men and women.” She walked over to the fireplace and looked into the dancing flames. “We are to find love, if there is any to be had, of course. To court, to marry and to produce children faster than hats at a millinery.”

  Hannah gasped. “Children? I do not want to have children.”

  Juliet could not resist the urge of mischievousness that came over her. “Have you not heard the latest fashion of the ton?” she asked. Her sister replied with a shake to her head. “Why, women are now expected to have at least a dozen children.”

  “This cannot be,” Hannah replied. “That many children? I cannot imagine! From my understanding, the pain of one childbirth is bad enough, but a dozen?” She looked up at Juliet. “And you? Will you do the same?”

  Juliet laughed. “I? Children? I think not. No man will put such a burden on me.”

  “Not even Lord Parsons?” Hannah asked with a wicked smile. “I saw the manner in which he spoke to you at the Wilson Party.”

  Juliet clenched her fist. They had attended that party three weeks earlier to celebrate the upcoming season. Lord Hugh Parsons, although a handsome man, was by no means a man she wished to court her. Her mother had accepted his first card, and Juliet found the man such a bore, she had almost fallen asleep. When he sent another card last week, Juliet had promptly refused before her mother had even seen it. Thankfully, her mother never learned of it, and Juliet had sworn the maid who had received it to secrecy.

  “Not even Lord Parsons,” Juliet replied firmly. “That man is not worthy to look upon my beauty.”

  A small smile played on Hannah’s lips. “And yet Daniel is?”

  The words hung in the air, and Juliet felt her heart skip a beat as she thought of the stable hand. “That is silly even for you, Hannah,” Juliet retorted. Yet, the words were true. The idea that she was attracted to the man caused her great confusion. If only he was of noble blood! Regardless, there were plenty of gentlemen nearly as handsome and with far more wealth than he could ever dream of possessing. Yet, she could not stop herself from attempting to gain his attention.

  Looking down at the bottle of wine she still held in her hand, Juliet knew it was time to implement the plan she had been devising for the past few weeks.

  “Daniel is a stable hand,” she said with a jut to her chin. “Therefore, he stands among some of the poorest in England.”

  “Then why do you spend so much time with the man?”

  Juliet tightened her grip on the bottle. “If you must know,” she said with as much haughtiness as she could muster, “he has requested to gaze upon my beauty daily.” She gave a dramatic sigh. “It was a request about which I considered telling Mother, for I believed his intentions ill. However, then I realized that, as he said, there is no woman as beautiful as I.”

  Hannah’s smile faltered, and Juliet seized the moment. She did not enjoy telling tales; however, at times, they were necessary.

  “So, yes,” Juliet continued. “I do allow Daniel to gaze upon me, for it gives the man the strength to complete his work.”

  “It sounds odd,” Hannah said.

  Juliet shook her head in disbelief and headed toward the door.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To the stable,” Juliet replied. “My horse has not been well, and I must check on her.”

  Without waiting for a response, Juliet hurried down the hallway, the bottle clutched to her breast. The servants, including Forbes, the butler, would more than likely have retired for the night, and with her mother busy in the office, it was the perfect time to escape.

  She glanced around as she wrapped her cloak over her shoulders, and with the bottle of wine now hidden beneath the heavy wool, she made her way out
the door. Yes, now was the most opportune time to implement her plan. For, if someone as well-respected as Lord Parsons had an interest in her, then a simple stable boy had no excuse not to, as well.

  ***

  The horizon was a beautiful red, much like the wine in the bottle Juliet carried as she made her way to the stables. Her mind and heart both raced with excitement at what she planned to do.

  The story Hannah told had been brilliant, and for a moment, Juliet regretted the many tales she had told concerning the season. Poor Hannah was anxious enough about attending without Juliet’s help. Her sister would see that there was nothing about which to concern herself once they were there.

  Yet, Juliet worried. Although she desperately wanted to go to London, the idea of not seeing Daniel for so many months did not sit well with her. It was strange that she had these feelings, for a woman of her station did not cavort with men from his. Despite the fact he had not shown any interest in her as a man would have for a woman, they had shared in many talks that she found rather intriguing. Her mother and Isabel had warned her that spending too much time in the stables was unbecoming of a lady; however, that advice, much like any other she received, went unheeded. She was intelligent enough to get out of any situation that might occur, despite the warnings.

  Slipping through the white painted wooden door, Juliet glanced around. The horses were locked away in their stalls, and the stench of the place made her feel ill. The stables were well-maintained, but even the slightest odious odor could shake the countenance of any young lady. However, she had a plan to fulfill, and she would not leave until she saw it completed.

  She narrowed her eyes in the dim light searching for someone particular, a beast much like the horses. She strained to hear any sounds of the man, but only the light neighing of horses or faint movement from their stalls was all she heard. At the end of the long corridor, a smaller hallway branched off to the right and led to a large room. There was where numerous saddles and blankets were kept, and at one of the several tables sat Daniel working on a saddle. As she drew closer, she realized it was hers.