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But all love began this way—fiery and passionate and devoted What happened when fire waned and devotion became tiresome?

She watched as Callie stretched to whisper into Ralston’s ear on the opposite side of the box Her brother s he had rarely done when Juliana had arrived in the spring—placing his hand on the s down to reply

Froined her brother’s words were not entirely fit for the theatre

So that she ht have identified as envy if she spent tooit

But she knew better than to be envious of their love It was a vague, ephemeral emotion that, within months—years, if one were lucky—would ultimately fade

And then what?

No, Juliana did not want love

But passionthe kind that s to his wife at the theatrethat was another thing entirely

She wouldn’t mind that

She thought back to thetwo days earlier, to the hton had leapt froer and frustration, and kissed her Thoroughly

With passion

And he’d made her want, damn him

She wanted that of which he’d given her a taste

Desire Lust Sensuality Even the conflict was co

But not him

She refused to want him

She lifted the binoculars and scanned the theatre, searching for so that would serve to redirect her attention Several boxes away, Viscount Densly low-cut bodice of his coht about her A few yards farther, Lady Davis and Lady Sparroere at risk of falling out of their box as they craned their necks toward so fans held in the universal position for scandalous conversation While Juliana had no love for either of the horrible wo their line of sight, she hoped for a welcome distraction

When she arrived at the reason for their frenzied whispers, she vowed never to gossip again

There, in the box directly opposite, stood the Duke of Leighton and the grape, in quiet, private conversation In full view of half of London

Several feet away fro out the portrait of aristocratic bliss—and very likely sending the rest of the theatre into convulsions of excitee—were the Duchess of Leighton and a pluine were the grape’s parents

Lady Penelope

She had better start thinking of her as Lady Penelope

Why? Soon enough she’ll be the Duchess of Leighton

She ignored the wave of distaste that flooded her at the thought

What did she care whom he married?

She didn’t

Why did she care that he had selected so Juliana was not? Poised perfection, absolutely no trouble, not even a bit scandalous?

She didn’t

No? Then why not put down the opera glasses?

She could put down the opera glasses anytime she wanted

She lasses

He looked up and stared directly at her

If they had burst into flalasses more quickly

Or with more carelessness

The binoculars hit the old eyepiece fell to the carpeted floor

It was dreadfully quiet in the box all of a sudden, as the collected visitors and fa at the long enamel handle that remained in her hand

An enorh her, and Juliana took the first avenue of escape, falling to her knees on the floor of the at once too-dark and utterly not-dark-enough box to retrieve the glasses whichdevil take themmust have bounced under a chair, because they were nowhere to be seen

Searching blindly under the chairs, it took her aon the floor of the Duke of Rivington’s theatre box, she’d just made a bad situation much,her noaiting to see how she would extricate herself fro situation

And she would not even think about him

Certainly he had seen it all And she iolden brow in her direction as if to say, Thank goodness it is Ralston who must deal with you and not I

She cursed under her breath, deciding that this particular situation could not be made worse by a few choice words in Italian

Her fingers brushed against solasses She lifted her head, to find herself staring at the shins of Callie’s brother, the Earl of Allendale A gentlehest caliber, Benedick was almost certainly there to help her to her feet

She was not ready

He see down beside her “Shall I pretend to help with the search until you are ready to face thehthearted amusement in his tone helped to steady her pulse

She aze, so like Callie’s, and ht stay here, my lord?”

“For how long?”

“Forever is too long, is it?”

He pretended to consider the question “Well, as a gentleman, I would be required to re to see the performance,” he teased When she smiled, he offered her a hand and so If they see that you are embarrassed, you’ll hate yourself for it”

With a deep breath, she allowed him to lift her to her feet She could feel hundreds of eyes on her, but she refused to look

Refused to check to see if one set of those eyes belonged to the arrogant duke opposite theh her forced smile, she said, “I’ve caused a scene, haven’t I?”

One side of Lord Allendale’s mouth rose in amusement “Yes But it’s a theatre So take comfort in the fact that you are not the first to do so here”

“The first to do so froe, however”

He leaned in close, as if to share a secret “Nonsense I once saw a viscountess lose her wig because she was leaning too far over the edge” He gave a ”

She laughed, the sound equal parts a and so much kinder than—

Than no one

“First the Serpentine and now this”

“You are an adventuress, it would seeer”

“Really? Why does it feel so ?”

Benedick smiled down at her “Would you like to take a bow?”

Her eyes widened “I couldn’t!”

“No?”

“It would be—”

“It would , that is certain”

And Leighton would hate it

The thought brought a grin to her face A real one

She shook her head “I think I have caused enough trouble for one evening,” she said to the earl, turning to face the rest of the box She held up the glasses triu, “I found them!”

Mariana laughed, clapping her hands twice in a sign that she was thoroughly entertained Ralston’s smirk indicated that his irritation at her scene was overpowered by his pride that she would not cower in fear of the rest of the ton Her brother had never cared much for society, and Juliana had that for which to be thankful

As for the visitors to the box, they seeme

d to be atte to recall the proper etiquette for theentirely too long on the floor of a theatre box—not that Juliana believed there was an appropriate ahts in the theatre began to diin

Thank God

Juliana was soon seated at the end of the first row of seats, next to Mariana, who had no doubt returned to Juliana’s side to protect her froe, and the play began

It was impossible for Juliana to focus on the play It was a farce, and a good one if the audience’s laughter was any indication, but she was struggling with residual nerves, a lingering impulse to flee the theatre, and an unbearable desire to look at the Duke of Leighton’s box

An unbearable desire that, by the end of the first scene, proved irresistible

She stole a glance from the corner of her eye and saw him

Watching the play with avid interest

Her fingers tightened around the delicate gold binoculars in her hands, re her of their existence Of the ease hich she could see him clearly

It was entirely reasonable for her to check the state of the lasses, she reasoned While the handle was broken, it would certainly be a tragedy if the glasses themselves were ruined as well Any halfway-decent friend would replace them if they were broken