Forget Me Not

The Gents #1

Julia Cummings has long been acquainted with loss—her mother, her brother, her sister, her friend, all gone too soon. But the loss that pushed her grief to the limit as a young girl was that of her best friend, Lucas Jonquil, who abandoned her without looking back. Now, eight years later, Lucas has returned to Lampton Park, and Julia has steeled herself—she will never forgive the man who broke her heart.

After losing too many of his friends and family to early deaths, Lucas vowed to live life to the fullest. And after traversing the world, he has returned from his adventures to find his family and home as he left them—except for Julia. The little girl he left behind has blossomed into a captivating lady, a lady who makes it clear she despises him. With little hope of reconciliation, the former friends are blindsided when their parents make a shocking announcement. Lucas and Julia have been betrothed without their knowledge and are to marry immediately. Now Lucas must rely on the help of his closest friends to win the heart of a lady who loathes him—a lady he’s coming to love more deeply every day.

### Plot Summary

Lucas Jonquil and Julia Cummings grew up on neighboring estates. Despite their age difference, they enjoyed doing things together. When Lucas went off to Eton and Cambridge, Julia missed him greatly. She felt especially lonely because her mother and all of her siblings had died. When she learns from a neighbor that Lucas is moving away to be independent on a family estate, she feels betrayed that he didn’t tell her himself.

After eight years, Lucas returns to Lampton Park. A ball is held in celebration, and a betrothal is announced between Lucas and Julia, much to their shock and dismay. While they were friends as children, they are not happy that their parents arranged this match without consulting them. Outraged, they each approach their fathers to plead their cause. Julia overhears Lucas say some things that sound like he feels like he could marry someone much better than her. When her father refuses to change his mind, she feels very rejected. She refuses to take any of her personal belongings except her clothes and one picture. Lucas and Julia are married a week later. In protest, the fiery Julia shows up to her wedding in full mourning.

They journey to Lucas’s estate of Brier Hill. Julia fears being abandoned by Lucas if she starts to get attached to and trust him again. He tells her she should make herself at home, but when he finds her putting a desk in the oval sitting room between their bed chambers, he says she can go anywhere except that room. It had been his sanctuary, and he reacted poorly to finding her there. She continues to sneak in when she can, but she is always afraid of being discovered.

Kester Barrington, one of Lucas’s good friends, The Gents, comes to visit. Lucas can tell that Julia is very unhappy, and he expresses his desire to improve the situation. Kester helps Lucas decide that one way to reconnect with Julia is to do some of the things they enjoyed when they were younger. Lucas sets out to become Julia’s friend again, planning a picnic, playing games, and taking her up one of his favorite mountains where they spend some enjoyable time in a little hut he keeps up there.

Things do get less tense with Kester around, and the rest of The Gents come visit, too. Julia and Lucas are getting along better. They all take a trip to Falstone Castle to attend a ball. While there, Lucas tells the duchess that he and his friends are planning a trip to Portugal. Julia is unhappy that he is leaving, and she is more upset because he hadn’t already discussed it with her. She knows he loves to travel, and she is afraid that she will be left behind and alone most of the time.

When they return to Brier Hill, she decides to return to her father at Farland Meadows. She writes a note and leaves it in her room. Lucas finds a note from his friend, Digby Layton, that begins with the salutation of “Dunderhead.” Digby has accompanied Julia and encourages Lucas to follow. Lucas finds her note and is panicked that she has left him.

Lucas follows them quickly to Nottinghamshire where he works hard to win Julia over. Eventually he succeeds in reassuring her that he truly cares. He apologizes for making plans without her knowledge and promises that he will discuss such things with her and include her when she wishes. They return to Brier Hill, where Julia is thrilled to discover a desk for her in the oval sitting room complete with letters from Lucas in the drawer.

## Characters

### Principals

* Julia Cummings
* Lucas Jonquil

### Other

* Mr. Jonquil, Lord Lampton I (Lucas' father, name unknown)
* Mrs. Jonquil, Lady Lampton I (Lucas' mother, name unknown)
* Robert Finley
* Mr. Cummings, Baron Farland I
* Kester Barrington
* Digby Layton
* Aldric Benick
* Henri Fortier
* Niles Greenberry
* Joseph Boyce, Duke of Kielder I
* Adam Boyce, Lord Falstone
* Harriet Boyce, Duchess of Kielder I (name not mentioned in this book)

### Mentioned (deceased)

* Stanley Cummings
* Charlotte Cummings
* Mrs. Cummings II (Julia's mother, name unknown)
* James Jonquil
* Philip Jonquil I
* Harriet Jonquil

### Staff

* Mrs. Parks
* Nurse Robbie (name not mentioned in this book)
* Frank (stable manager at Lampton Park)
* Jane (Julia's abigail at Farland Meadows)
* Lucy (Julia's abigail at Brier Hill)
* Mrs. Macintyre (housekeeper at Falstone Castle)

### Cameo or Name Drop

* Emma Carter
* Charles Hampton
* Miss Overton
* Mr. Overton
* Mr. Finley
* Mrs. Finley

## Setting(s)

* Brier Hill
* Lampton Park
* Falstone Castle
* Farland Meadows