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“Well, Rivington and I haven’t much choice, as we are related, if you would re in his tone but did not find it very a There was a beat of silence “I assuhton”
She stiffened She couldn’t help it “A others”
“I saw the way he watched you last night I think Leighton will align hiine”
The words—predicated on logic so faulty—stung She shook her head “You’re wrong”
Benedick ht, but he had misread the emotion He had seen frustration, irritation, desire perhaps But not caring
On the contrary, had Benedick seen the duke stor, after it was revealed that he was engaged, he would not think such things at all
Simon was to be married
The words had barely whispered through her h she had conjured up his bride-to-be, Juliana caught a glih the crowd, headed for the ladies’ salon
And she could not resist
“I shall return,” she whispered, already in motion
She knew even as she headed for the salon that she should not follow Lady Penelope, that any conversation they ht have would be more painful than no conversation at all, but she could not help herself The grape had done what Juliana could not—she had caught Simon And there was a perverse part of Juliana that silishwoman was
What it was about her that had led the ihton to choose her for his duchess
It was early enough that the salon was empty, save for a handful of servants, and Juliana crossed the main room of the salon to a s water into a s her hands into the water, breathing deeply
The grape appeared ill
“You are not going to cash in your accounts, are you?”
Penelope spun toward her, the surprise in her eyes turning quickly to confusion “Cash in my accounts?”
“It is possible I have it incorrect” Julianarape’s eyes ith understanding before a flush rose high on her cheeks “Ah I see you understand”
“Yes I understand” Lady Penelope shook her head “No I a to cast up my accounts At least, I don’t think so”
Juliana nodded “Bene” She indicated a chair near the basin “May I join you?”
The grape’s brow furrowed Evidently it was not every day that she had a conversation such as this one
But if she wanted to refuse, she was too polite to do so “Please”
Juliana sat, waving one hand “You need not stop what it is you were doing” She paused “What is it that you were doing?”
Penelope eyed the washbasin beforethat I do to calm myself”
“Wash your hands?”
One side of Penelope’ssmile “It’s silly”
Juliana shook her head “I conjugate verbs”
“In Italian?”
“In Latin And in English”
Penelope seemed to consider the idea “And it works?”
With everything but Leighton “Most of the time”
“I shall have to try it”
“Why are you in need of cal?”
Penelope lifted a long square of linen to dry her hands “No reason”
Juliana laughed a little at the obvious lie “I do not ood at hiding your feelings”
Penelope , don’t you?”
Juliana gave a little shrug “When you have a reputation such as mine, there is little need to mince words Is it the ball that makes you nervous?”
Penelope looked away, her eyes finding her reflection in a nearby s”
“Well, I can certainly understand that They are horrible events, balls I do not understand why anyone cares for the”
Penelope ht’s ball shall be one for the ages”
“You refer to the gossip about my mother?”
“My engageht”
The words should not have been a surprise, and yet they slah Juliana
He was announcing the engageht
“Your engagement to whom?” She knew she should not ask Could not stop herself fro so In some perverse way, she had to hear the words from this woman—his future wife
“The Duke of Leighton”
Juliana knew the words were coh her, nonetheless
“You are to“He has proposed to you”
Penelope nodded, lost in her own thoughts, her golden ringlets bobbing like the hair on one of Juliana’s childhood dolls “This ”
Juliana sed around the knot in her throat He’d obviously left Ralston House the prior evening with co narrowly escaped a bad ood one with
Someone else
And in a hideous twist of fate, Juliana was attending the betrothal ball
All while her fa ripped to shreds
Belatedly, she remembered her manners “Howhappyyou must be!”
“Yes I suppose I should be happy”
She did not seem happy
In fact, Penelope’s eyes had turned liquid, and she seemed very close to tears
And, suddenly, Juliana felt sorry for the other woman
This woman, as to marry Simon
“You do not wish to marry him”
There was a long pause as Penelope appeared to collect herself Juliana watched with amazement as the tears cleared fro theht, white smile appeared on her face She took a deep breath “The Duke of Leighton is a good man It is a fine match”
It did not escape Juliana’s notice that Penelope had not answered the question Juliana raised a brow “You sound like one of them”
Penelope’s brows knit together “ ‘Them’?”
Juliana waved a hand to the outer salon and the ballroolish”
Penelope blinked “I alish”
“I suppose you are” Juliana watched Penelope for a long while “He is a good man”
“He will make me a fine husband”
Juliana rolled her eyes “I would not go so far as to say that He’s arrogant and high-handed, and he’ll want everything his cold, calculating way”
She should stop this now Simon was to marry Lady Penelope And it was not Juliana’s place to become involved
There was a long pause as Penelope considered the words, during which Juliana began to regret her bold speech Just as she was about to apologize, Penelope said, “That is how e is”
The sih it was an irrefutable fact, was Juliana’s undoing She rose fro no choice but to e as though it is a business arrangement”
“It is a business arrangement,” Penelope said, simply
“And what of love?”
“I am sure thatin timewe shall develop a certainfondness for each other”
Juliana could not stop her laugh “I have developed a fondness for apple tarts, but I do not want to marry one” Penelope did not smile “And passion?”
Penelope shook her head “There is no roolish
e”
Juliana went still at the words, an echo from another ball Another aristocrat “Did he say that to you?”
“No, but it isthe way things are done”
The rooed for air Penelope was perfect for Siolden-haired children, and host his dinner parties while he lived his quiet life, unfettered by scandal, uncomplicated by passion
Juliana had never had a chance with him
And only now, as the truth coiled through her, did she realize how much she had wanted one
There is no rooe
She turned for the door “Well, at least in that, you are an excellent match”