Abandoned to the Prodigal - Mary Lancaster Page 0,59
I am surprised to see Mr. Catesby here. Someone is not taking their dismissal well.”
With shock, she realized, he did not mean Jeremy, but her. Of course he knew, despite the polite fiction that Juliet had done the jilting, that it was Jeremy who had cried off. But that he should refer to it, when he had, in effect, caused it, flabbergasted her.
“I suspect you are not regarding the unfortunate situation in quite the right way.”
“Do you?” she said deliberately, meeting his gaze with all the contempt of which she was capable. “And how do you advise I do regard it?”
“As an opportunity,” he replied.
“To do what? Bring to justice the…person who traduced me?”
“There is no chance of that,” he stated, with frightening confidence. “But you should marry him. There is some justice in that.” He smiled at her stupefaction and bowed before moving on. “Lady Juliet.”
So that was the offer he had made to her father? No wonder Papa was looking tense. Although at the moment his expression could have something to do with the fact that he was greeting Mrs. Stewart and Dan.
Her heart lifted at the sight of Dan, and she found herself already moving toward him as though to her only source of comfort. Fragments of conversations reached her as she walked.
“… Myerly’s eldest daughter, you know. The one who jilted Cosland and ran away with a soldier.”
“…her name is Stewart now. Do you suppose Cosland still carries a torch for her?”
“…her son?”
“According to rumor, old Myerly made him his heir.”
“Hush…”
“How do you do, ma’am?” Juliet greeted Mrs. Stewart, only too aware of the avid listeners.
“Very well indeed. How beautiful you look—does she not, Dan? Oh my, is that Amelia…” She drifted away, and Juliet had to concentrate in order to prevent herself from grabbing Dan’s arm and dragging him off to a quiet corner.
“Yes, she does,” Dan said, his eyes gleaming as he looked down at her.
She could only smile distractedly and begin to walk, knowing he would fall into step beside her.
“What is it?” he asked, low.
She drew a deep breath. “Nothing really. But that man is here, the one responsible for the vile piece in the newspaper.”
“Is he, by God,” Dan said softly. “Point him out.”
“No, for I don’t want you getting in a fight or even a quarrel with him. I think he is dangerous, and I’m afraid…”
“Afraid of what?” he asked, frowning.
“I don’t know. But he’s also the man whose fortune my father won at cards.”
Dan’s eyebrows flew up. “Then this business is simple revenge?”
“Not simple. He named four of us, and Hazel seems to have thwarted him somehow with the support of the Sayles. Which is odd in itself, for she never had a kind word to say about Sir Joseph.” She drew in her breath. “I’m babbling. I’ve been needing to talk to you.”
“I miss our walks,” he admitted. “But, at least tonight, we can enjoy ourselves.”
She glared at him. “How can I enjoy myself when I have Barden in one corner, Jeremy in the other, and half the county avidly watching my every step to see if I’m a fallen woman?”
He smiled. “That’s my girl.”
A moment longer she scowled, then she had to smile back. “You are abominable. How dare you make me laugh when I’m trying to be a tragic heroine in a melodrama?”
“I thought you’d prefer to laugh. It would do me good, too.”
“Are things difficult for you? Has the rest of the family not left yet?”
“What, before Lady Cosland’s dinner? No, we just couldn’t all fit in the one carriage, so we came ahead with Hugh.”
“Oh, where is Hugh?” she asked eagerly.
“He is quite soberly dressed, sadly, although there are yellow butterflies on his waistcoat, which he is very proud of.”
“And do the others quarrel with you?”
He shrugged. “They gave up when I wouldn’t quarrel back. But you could still cut the atmosphere with a knife. Silly, really, because we all know he’ll change his will again as soon as I annoy him too much.”
“Do you think so?”
He shrugged. “He is capricious.”
“So, what have you been doing?”
“I keep out of the way, spend most of my time with Patrick, the steward. Am I allowed to monopolize you like this?”
As it turned out, he was, for he had been earmarked by the countess to take Juliet into dinner. Of course, it was largely to keep the scandalous daughter away from more important people, but the countess could not have chosen a more congenial dinner partner for