Louisa twirled about, her hands clasped together. “This is so romantic! You must tell us everything,” she gushed.
Catherine scowled, her brows drawing together. “Romantic my foot! You heard the gossip the same as me.” She sighed as she sat in a high-back chair. “It’s outrageous. I’m sorry, this has happened to you, Juliet.”
“I am the one who is sorry. My actions have turned your ball into a spectacle.” Juliet sank onto a nearby sofa. “The night is supposed to be about the two of you, and now everyone has shifted their focus to Cleburne and me. I never meant to distract from you.”
“Nonsense,” Louisa waved a dismissive hand as she came to sit beside Juliet. “The ball will be on everyone’s tongues. Surely our popularity shall only grow as a result.”
“Louisa! Do hush. Think of the cost to Juliet, you ninny,” Catherine chastised her sister. “She’s ruined and being forced to marry!”
Louisa angled herself toward Juliet as she replied, “I am thinking of her. She is to be a duchess now, and I have always found His Grace rather dashing. This could end very well for her.” She clasped her hands in front of her chest and sighed. “You could even fall in love.”
Of all Juliet’s friends, Louisa was most like her. The girl always found the silver lining. If she and Juliet could trade slippers, Juliet would likely say the same things to her. Perhaps a bit of optimism was precisely what she needed, for nothing was to be gained by wallowing in self-pity and negative what if’s.
“His reputation precedes him.” Juliet blew out a slow breath. “He is rather dashing, but I fear he will not make a good husband. Most assuredly not a faithful one. And if I feel in love with him only to discover him giving his attentions to others… My heart would shatter.”
“Your fears are justified.” Catherine nodded, her tight curls bouncing with the movement. “You have every reason to doubt him. He is a hardened rogue.”
“I hear rogue’s make the best spouses and lovers.” Louisa winked. “You could reform him, you know.”
“Louisa!” Juliet and Catherine exclaimed at the same time. It did not surprise Juliet that the younger girl knew of such things, but innocent young ladies did not speak so freely. Leastwise, they should not.
Louisa had the excellent sense to blush, but her green eyes held amusement in their depths.
“How do you know of such things?” Catherine asked her sister.
“People talk all the time, I cannot help what I overhear.” Louisa gave a nonchalant shrug. “And do not act so proper, Catherine. You well knew what I referred to, or you would not have been so shocked.”
“Knowing and saying are two very different things, sister. Furthermore, I assure you, it is nonsense. The last thing any of us wishes for in a husband is a rogue.” She turned regret-filled eyes on Juliet. “Still, he is a close friend of my brothers. Surely there is something to recommend him. I have always found him pleasant company.”
“And Olivia is fond of him as well,” Louisa added. “He is a frequent guest at our house. I have never thought his behaviors to be off-putting. On the contrary, he is helpful and kind.”
Juliet brushed a curl from her forehead. “That is something to recommend him, indeed, for Olivia and Thorne would not keep company with a complete reprobate. Nor would they expose you two and Elizabeth to him if they did not trust him.”
“Certainly not,” Olivia said as she entered the parlor from the hall. “I saw your skirt disappear through the panel. I slipped in form the ballroom to join you as soon as I could.” She came to sit in the chair beside Catherine. “How are you, dear?” She asked Juliet.
“I am not quite sure,” Juliet answered honestly. A small part of her was furious. At the same time, the prospect of her marriage excited a tiny fraction of her, though she could not say why. Most of her felt numb, dumbfounded, flummoxed, confused. She did not know what to think or how to feel. “I just wish…” She blew out a breath, not at all sure what she wished. “This is all so unexpected.”
Olivia reached out and clasped Juliet’s hand in hers. “I remember when I was facing a similar situation, and you helped me through it. I wanted nothing to do with my arranged marriage, but you saw all the positives and pointed them out to me.”
Juliet shook her head. “Not that it helped. As I recall, you still fought the match.”
Olivia laughed. “Very true, I did. But your positive outlook gave me something to think about and lessened my nerves. Furthermore, you were right.” She squeezed Juliet’s hand in a reassuring gesture. “Allow me to do the same for you.”
“I was trying to do that very thing when you came in,” Louisa grinned. “I was assuring her of Cleburne’s merits and encouraging her to give the duke a chance.”
Olivia turned her smile on Louisa. “That was good of you, dearest.”
Juliet sighed, brining Olivia’s attention back to her. “Tell me one thing?” she asked.
“I will tell you anything you wish to know. You need only ask,” Olivia said, her amber eyes filled with warmth.
Juliet swallowed before saying, “Is he a good man?”
“Indeed, he is. There is much to recommend him, and I believe he will make you a good husband.” Olivia said. “Pay little heed to the rumors. I will not deny the fact that he is a rogue, but I firmly believe he has his reasons and that he will forgo such behaviors now that he is to wed you.”
Juliet would not forgive him easily, but if Olivia recommended him, she would at least allow the duke a chance to win her. She gave her first genuine smile since the incident. “Then I know all I need to.” She stood and said, “Let us return to the ball.”
Chapter 7
The Duke and Duchess of Thorne’s London home
December 12, 1811
Giles sat on a velvet settee in the Duke of Thorne’s red and gold drawing-room as he waited for Juliet to join him. He could not help but think that the room’s colors would complement her fair hair, bold blue eyes, and creamy complexion.
As it turned out—he was correct.
Juliet strolled into the room a few minutes later, her beauty stealing his breath. The red and gold made the perfect backdrop for her coloring and brought her into stark relief. Her hair appeared shinier, and her eyes a more profound, brighter blue. He determined on the spot to have one of his rooms redone with the same color palate.
Perhaps the receiving room or family parlor. Maybe he would wait until he discovered which room she preferred to spend the bulk of her time in. As she entered, he stood and gave her a bow.
He secretly wished she was not so beautiful. His mother had been a beauty according to most, but her inner self was anything but. He’d had the same experience with other beautiful women, too. He was confident of one thing—outer beauty did not equal inner beauty.
God willing, that would not be the case where his intended was concerned. Giles could not bear it if Juliet turned out to be a nasty bit of fluff. He had no wish to spend the rest of his life as his parents had.
In fact, he had always planned to wed a plain woman. One with a beautiful disposition, but not the sort that would capture every gentleman’s attention by merely being present in the space they occupied.