pretty girl with a normal family. Instead of an ‘incomparable’—Julianna hated that word— with the largest dowry and best connections, expected to make the best match.
Julianna expelled her breath. She’d never been at liberty to simply speak to a gentleman, decide if she actually enjoyed his company. God forbid. No, she’d been pointed in the direction of the most eligible man in any room and told to use her looks and manners to entice him. Her entire life, all anyone ever said to her was how pretty she was. All anyone ever thought she wanted to talk about was what sort of a match she would make once she came of age.
When she’d met Rhys, yes, he’d been the most eligible man in the room. He was powerful and titled and handsome, but she’d actually enjoyed his company. She’d actually believed for one short, sweet bit of time that she’d found love in addition to fulfilling her duty.
And that’s what had made his betrayal all the more painful to bear. She’d been foolishly falling in love with him, while he’d merely been playing a game with her. The same game he no doubt played with every Season’s crop of debutantes. The man was cruel, pure and simple.
Julianna stopped pushing the goose around the plate and set down her fork and knife. She no longer had it in her to pretend she was hungry. Her lack of appetite had little to do with her dinner companions and everything to do with the fact that she would be confronting Worthington again tomorrow and was certain to come away the winner.
A smile curled her lips as she allowed a footman to remove her still-full plate. She glanced up just as the footman pulled the plate to his chest.
Wait just a moment! Was that the Earl of Kendall dressed as a footman?
Chapter Seven
Was she coming? Rhys kicked at the dirt near the fence with his boot and paced back and forth for the dozenth time. If so, she was certainly taking her time. He should have known better than to trust Julianna Montgomery. Why, for all he knew, she was back in the house regaling all the other young ladies with the scandalous news that the Duke of Worthington was out in the stables, pretending to be a groomsman.
After a fitful night’s sleep, Rhys had talked to Clayton this morning in the library when he’d met all his friends to discuss their first day as servants. Clayton had given him some excuse about not knowing until the last minute that the Duchess of Montlake and her daughter Mary were bringing Julianna with them. Rhys supposed that stood to reason.
Still pacing, he slapped his gloves against his leg so hard he was certain it would leave a welt.
Damn it. If she didn’t arrive, he would be forced to face his friends and the fact that he lost the bet due to ill-timing and an unfortunate last-minute addition to the guest list. He turned again when the sound of galloping caught his attention. He swiveled to see Julianna riding hell-for-leather across the meadow toward him. Her cheeks were red with her effort and she had an enormous smile on her face. Still clutching his gloves in his fist, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her as she approached. No doubt she was looking forward to telling him she’d already sounded the alarm.
She came to a stop near him, dismounted quickly and effortlessly, and threw him the reins.
“You’re the groomsman, aren’t you?” she asked with a coy smile when he gave her a surprised look in reply.
Rhys took the reins and tied the horse to the fence near his own mount. Then he crossed his arms over his chest again and stared down his nose at her. “Well?”
“Well, what?” She stared right back at him. Today she was wearing a sapphire blue riding habit and had a perfectly unrepentant look of delight on her face. “I thought I came here for you to tell me what you’d decided.”
Rhys frowned. “What I decided about what?”
She pursed her lips. “Oh, come now, you’re older than I am, but you’re not that old. You told me yesterday you needed to decide whether you’re willing to tell me the truth.”
“First of all, you’re right, I’m not that old, and secondly, I don’t think I have much choice other than to tell you the truth. You said you don’t want money. Have you changed your mind?”
If it was