Last Dance in London (Rakes on the Run #1) - Sydney Jane Baily Page 0,62

allowed.

Feisty! At that softening of the event, Julia did glance at Jasper, who appeared to be seething.

“Besides, that changes nothing,” Lady Chandron insisted. “To put it plainly, you were in my bedroom stealing my jewels. My husband, luckily, retrieved them for me. And now, you owe me a boon, or I shall tell everyone what I know.”

Julia frowned. Lady Chandron dismissed her husband’s brutish behavior at the same time as threatening her. She simply did not understand Jasper’s peers.

“No one cares about my doings,” Julia said softly, wishing that were true.

“In case you hadn’t noticed,” Lady Chandron said, narrowing her eyes, “you’ve already been honored by our gossip rags. But I wasn’t talking about you. I have your sister’s cards. It will be the countess’s name I shall drag through the mud. She shall be under suspicion wherever she goes.”

Stunned, Julia fell silent. With one thing and another, she was starting to wish Sarah had never married an earl and moved to London.

“And then there is Marshfield,” Lady Chandron continued. She offered him a smug smile.

He barked out a laugh. “You cannot muddy my name,” Jasper pointed out. “My reputation has already been well tarnished under the heels and wheels of my fellow noblemen. At least until it’s their turn in the gossip rags, and then the position, like the wheel of fortune, is reversed. Sometimes I’m in favor, and sometimes I’m out of it.”

“A pretty speech, but I wasn’t going to say you were having an affair with the Lady Worthington, or even with this one,” she added, making Julia feel like a bit of carpet fluff. “That’s too easy, too expected, too obvious. Even telling everyone you’re with both sisters at once will hardly raise an eyebrow where you’re concerned. I seem to recall your name was linked with twin sisters before. From Coventry, weren’t they?”

Again, Julia swung her gaze to the earl. Was that true?

He didn’t look at her, keeping his attention trained firmly on their adversary and ignoring the baiting remarks.

“What’s this about, then?” he demanded.

The viscountess smiled. Julia thought she looked positively devilish.

“You and I were a good match, weren’t we?” Lady Chandron asked.

Julia stifled a gasp. She hoped the viscountess didn’t mean—

“In bed and out of it,” the woman added.

Julia felt her stomach drop. Jasper had gone to bed with Lady Chandron! Why hadn’t he mentioned that before?

“Yet I’ve dangled an invitation more than once lately, and you haven’t taken me up on it. Why?”

Julia watched, fascinated by this exchange. The married viscountess was truly asking the rake why he didn’t wish to compromise her further. And in front of a stranger, no less!

Why, the woman had no morals at all. What’s more, Julia wanted to hear his answer nearly as much as Lady Chandron. After all, the viscountess was wealthy, attractive, and apparently available for the taking.

Jasper didn’t speak immediately. He was clearly weighing his words. Finally, he came up with a line that Julia thought rather smart, designed not to offend.

“I didn’t want to endanger your marriage,” he said.

The viscountess appeared momentarily taken aback, then her face broke out in a smile, and finally, she laughed.

“I thought for a moment you were serious. Now I realize, you’re just playing with me. You know I would have left him for you years ago.”

Gracious! Julia wondered if the woman were in love with the earl. She actually started to feel sorry for Lady Chandron, trapped in a marriage she so obviously didn’t want.

“You’re treading carefully, Marshfield. You don’t want to say anything that might hurt my feelings. I suppose I should appreciate that, but I think you’re foolish not to take the offer to save yourself and this girl’s sister. After all,” she put her hands upon her shapely hips, “everyone is the same in the horizontal position with one’s eyes closed.”

Jasper had a mulish expression, and Julia was certain he wasn’t going to be pushed by the viscountess into doing anything.

Lady Chandron recognized the same and sighed.

“Anyway,” she turned her attention to Julia again, whom she’d all but dismissed. “I like new experiences and new people, too.”

“No,” Jasper said firmly. “Do not even think it.”

Julia’s gaze swiveled between him and the viscountess, puzzled as to what was happening.

Having got his dander raised, Lady Chandron looked pleased with herself.

“I’ll let you both off my fisherman’s hook for the price of one of you. I prefer Marshfield, but I don’t particularly mind which one I take.”

“I beg your pardon,” Julia said, having lost the thread