Abandoned to the Prodigal - Mary Lancaster Page 0,48
the opera, or to tea, but to live with him…her spirit would have shriveled and died. One touch of Dan’s finger excited her more than…
And she should not be thinking like this.
In desperation, she threw off the bedclothes and rose. She was thinking about Dan, she told herself, to avoid thinking about the arrival of the Alfords, who were expected by dinner time this evening. Her father anticipated much of this visit, although at least he had become less intense about it since the letter from Lord Barden. He imagined either Jeremy or Barden would come up to scratch and save her from utter ruin.
Juliet, on the other hand, was wondering how to play them off against each other until the whole scandal blew over.
If it ever did. Either way, the next few days and Kitty’s engagement dinner were going to be a strain on her nerves. And she did not even have her time with Dan to look forward to, to sustain her.
Yes, I do, she told herself. He will call at the house, as he did before…
However, the only visitors from Myerly were Colin Cornwell and his cousin Hugh Ames, and they did not stay long.
“We come merely as messengers from our mamas,” Hugh explained, presenting a letter to the countess.
Colin bowed and handed her a similar one with an apologetic smile. “The upshot is, we are all honored by your invitation to Lady Katherine’s dinner and are delighted to accept.”
That they had been invited was news to Juliet, whose spirits immediately lifted.
“Mr. Stewart is not with you today?” she asked politely.
“Alas, we could not drag him away from his dusty books,” Hugh mourned.
Juliet blinked. “Dusty books?”
“Estate ledgers,” Colin said disparagingly. “He must imagine it will impress my grandfather.”
“Do you think so?” Hugh sounded surprised. “I’ve never known Dan try to impress anyone. Strange fellow. I would die of boredom, and as for inhaling those decades of dust, I believe I would be ill for a month.”
“Do you care to read, Lady Juliet?” Colin inquired.
“Yes, though I have yet to try ledgers!”
“I imagine no one will force such dull matter upon you. Perhaps you have read Waverley?”
It was a short, slightly ponderous discussion that lasted a quarter of an hour before the gentlemen took their leave.
“I look forward to seeing you again on Saturday,” he said to Juliet, smiling.
“Do you know,” Kitty observed when the door had closed behind them, “I think he came just to see you, Juliet.”
“Perhaps he doesn’t read the same newspapers as everyone else.”
“Or perhaps he thinks he’ll try for an earl’s daughter while her stock is low,” Ferdy mused.
“Don’t be vulgar, Ferdy,” the countess snapped.
“Or insulting,” Kitty added, glaring at her brother.
“Not insulting at all,” Juliet said tiredly. “Papa told me he is now considering poor suitors. It is not Ferdy but the suitors themselves—if they exist—whom I find insulting.”
*
As everyone expected, greeting the Alfords when they arrived just before six o’clock that afternoon, was something of a trial. The original plan had been to welcome them as almost-family who would spend a few days with them, allowing Juliet and Jeremy time together while their fathers put the final touches to the marriage agreements. And of course, they would have been honored guests at Kitty’s betrothal.
But trust and goodwill had vanished. Now it was strictly business, with Lord Alford and Jeremy holding the upper hand. Lord Cosland’s chief concern was to marry off his elder daughter at almost any price that would have a chance of saving her reputation and, therefore, the entire family’s.
Fortunately, it was deemed best for Juliet to stay very much in the background. Perversely, now that she was called upon to be present at all, Juliet rather wished she could hide in her chamber instead.
It was her mother who saved the day. Being the perfect hostess, she greeted them hospitably and immediately swept Lord and Lady Alford upstairs to their rooms.
“Ferdy, take Jeremy up,” she called over her shoulder. “And make sure he has everything he needs.”
Jeremy eyed Ferdy somewhat warily. Ferdy looked back without friendliness.
“This way,” he said at last.
Only then did Jeremy’s gaze actually meet Juliet’s. Surprise flickered across his face. At what? she wondered. That she had not gone into an obvious decline? That she was dressed in fine sprig muslin and jewels rather than sackcloth and ashes?
She inclined her head very slightly and walked back into the drawing room with Kitty at her heels.
“That could have been worse,” Kitty observed with relief.