Last Dance in London (Rakes on the Run #1) - Sydney Jane Baily Page 0,91

when he narrowed his glittering gaze. Now she knew precisely how terrible his expression was, and she had to press her fingers into her palms to keep from flinching.

He knew. Somehow, he knew she was the cause of this. The blood left her head, leaving her woozy. Would he say something in front of his peers?

He turned back to Lady Rampley.

“As your husband said, I found it over by the door earlier. Then we started dancing, and I simply forgot. I fully intended to give it to the footman downstairs handling the coats.”

“Hm!” The woman made a sour face. Without so much as thanking him, she turned on her heel and walked away, with the other guests parting for her.

Everyone watched her go, then as if all of one mind, their heads turned to look at Jasper once again, and Julia knew his story was doubted. After all, unless he were feeble-minded, he would have recalled how the brooch ended up in his pocket and said so immediately.

She ought to speak up, to protect him. She could confess to finding it and putting it in his pocket. Was it too late? Did it matter?

Taking a step forward, she opened her mouth, “It was—”

“All a misunderstanding,” Jasper interrupted, cutting her off. When he looked down at her again, his message was clear. Say nothing.

She swallowed, glad when Mrs. Zebodar took her arm.

“Come along. That’s quite enough excitement. I’m sure his lordship’s carriage has been brought to the front by now.”

The few stragglers in the crowd wandered away, and once again, Jasper looked at her. Although his face was placid, fury danced behind his eyes. Julia had to say something.

“It isn’t what it looks like,” she said softly.

When she saw his jaw clench, she fell silent, and Jasper turned to walk stiffly in front of them.

“What isn’t, dear?” Mrs. Zebodar asked.

Julia nearly laughed, except she wanted to cry. She had the only chaperone in London, she was sure, who missed every nuance, every situation, every clue. And thank goodness for that!

JASPER DIDN’T SAY A word to either female for the interminable jaunt back to the Worthington home. If that made him ungentlemanly or boorish, so be it. It didn’t matter, for Mrs. Zebodar kept up her usual steady stream of chatter, signifying nothing.

Crossing his legs and his arms, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes rather than look at Julia’s lovely face with its worried expression.

He’d had enough of her ridiculous compulsion. Moreover, it pained him to think she couldn’t be trusted. She’d actually lied to his face, and for the third time, if he counted being caught in Lady Daphne’s bedroom, he’d been drawn into Julia’s perfidious world.

When the carriage stopped, he opened his eyes, staring straight into her blue gaze.

He sighed. They waited for Rigley to jump down and open the door. In the interim, Julia gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

What was she trying to tell him? That she was innocent? When he’d had the evidence in his hand and even felt it in his rear end?

When the door opened, he got out and held his hand for hers, assisting her down, and then did the same for her chaperone. He was prepared to leave them on the pavement, nodding to Rigley to escort them the few steps to the door.

“Good evening, my lord,” Mrs. Zebodar said, turning away.

But Julia hesitated. “I’ll be along in a minute,” she said. “I need a word with his lordship.”

“Oh no,” Mrs. Zebodar said. “That won’t do. Whatever you wish to say, you can say in front of me.”

If Julia were a normal female, that might be true, Jasper thought, but she was an incorrigible jewel thief.

He watched as Julia straightened, growing an inch. With her delicate shoulders set, she rounded upon her chaperone.

“Mrs. Zebodar, I am on a public street with a driver and a footman close by. I am in front of my sister’s home. And I am a grown woman. Either you will go inside and leave the earl and I to have a private word, or I shall get into his carriage with him for a private ride.”

Jasper nearly clapped at her gumption. The chaperone’s eyes had grown exceedingly wider and her mouth had dropped open. She closed it with a clack of her teeth. Looking from him to her charge, her nostrils flared.

“I will wash my hands of you, Miss Sudbury. If you wish to be alone with a libertine, so be it, but