Abandoned to the Prodigal - Mary Lancaster Page 0,13

with polite society.” He drained his coffee cup. “But that’s all a different matter.”

“Perhaps my scandal will just be a seven-day wonder,” she said with growing optimism, “and then everything will be as before.”

“Especially if your betrothed sees what an idiot he was and apologizes,” Daniel said.

Juliet glared. “I would not have him now if he begged on one knee, and my father commanded it.”

“Don’t blame you,” Daniel said, “but it would probably be the best way to squash rumor.”

She sighed. “Let us hope there are more palatable ways. After all, my father is not a nobody, and neither is—” She broke off with an apologetic glance. “I suppose I shouldn’t really mention the other ladies involved in this. I know you are safe to tell, but I must get out of the habit.”

“Actually, you know no such thing,” he said bluntly. “As it happens, you’re right, but you don’t know that.”

“You think I’m naïve.”

“Trusting,” he corrected.

“And I shouldn’t be,” she said bitterly. “I used to imagine I was such a good judge of character, but I can’t be if I liked Jeremy.”

Unexpectedly, he nudged her with his elbow, and she realized with a flutter of her heart how close he was. “Cheer up. You are quite right to like me.”

“Make up your mind,” she retorted. “You just told me not to trust you.”

“No, I didn’t, but no one ever listens to advice of that nature anyway. I certainly don’t.”

She regarded him with renewed curiosity. “You must have led an odd life by the standards of most young gentlemen.”

He shrugged. “Not so very odd. My grandfather parted with two years of fees for Harrow and then Cambridge, so I do have an education of sorts.”

She flushed. “Forgive me. I did not mean to imply otherwise.”

“I’m not offended,” he assured her. “I’m telling you the good bits before the bad.”

“Go on,” she urged.

“Since I did what he asked, and even graduated from Cambridge, he invited me to live with him, implying thereby that I would be his heir.”

“But that is good, not bad!”

“I refused. He didn’t include my mother in his invitation and refused to see her, so I politely declined. Which was foolish in some ways, but I couldn’t allow him to slight her.”

“Of course not!” Juliet agreed. “So, what did you do instead?”

“I tutored for a bit, but I didn’t earn much, so I supplemented it—and often lost it—gaming. And then there was a scandal, and I had to give up the tutoring. I suppose you could say I went to the devil. I ignored this summons from my grandfather for a week, and then I thought, why not? No point in bearing a grudge forever. I didn’t tell my mother, but I did come. As you see.”

“So, we’re both rather scandalous,” Juliet said ruefully.

“But you, at least, are innocent.”

There was a peculiar pleasure in hearing him say so, perhaps because he was clearly a somewhat scandalous person himself, and a cynic to boot. If he believed her, then surely the rest of the country would not think the worst of her.

Chapter Four

Her spirits improved by coffee and Daniel’s company, Juliet found the time flew until the chaise arrived with a clatter in the yard.

Mrs. Burton herded them outside and into the chaise, hastily dismissing the still sleepy ostlers who had come out to see what was afoot.

“Only a moment’s stop at Myerly,” she instructed the post-boy. “And then straight to Hornby Park.”

“I just told him that,” Daniel observed mildly, closing the door and squashing onto the seat beside Juliet. Gun lay on the floor in front of them. “Just rest your feet on him. He doesn’t mind.”

Juliet suspected the chaise had been designed to be spacious for one person because it was certainly cramped for two and a large dog. She was very aware of Daniel’s shoulder and arm, and even the occasional touch of his thigh, as the vehicle weaved around bends in the road and rolled over bumps. He had been such a kind friend to her that it came almost as a shock to remember that he was, in fact, a very good-looking young man.

The realization confused her for a few moments, and she gazed ahead out of the front window, trying to be glad she was in home country. She supposed the butterflies in her stomach were from nerves concerning her family’s welcome.

“He must be a total lunkhead, your betrothed,” Daniel said suddenly. “Why would he throw over a beautiful, charming girl like you?