Duke Looks Like a Groomsman - Valerie Bowman Page 0,20

remembering to call him ‘Mr. Worthy.’ She wondered if they knew she was already aware of his true identity.

“Are you paying them, too?” she asked Rhys after Oswald had disappeared.

Rhys cocked his head to the side and grinned. “Not a farthing.”

“You’re not even paying them to pretend they like you?” she countered.

Rhys gave her a mock-hurt look. Then his countenance turned serious. “No, unlike some young ladies, they aren’t interested in my money over my friendship.”

Julianna leaned back, aghast. “What the devil do you mean by that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” he replied, his voice full of scorn.

She blinked. Of course, it was obvious. He clearly believed she had been friendly to him in the past due to his money. But nothing could have been further from the truth.

Detestable honestly had the gall to act as if she’d been the one to wrong him? “The only thing obvious to me is that arrogant men apparently need to prove to the world that they can woo women whom they don’t actually want.”

Rhys opened his mouth to retort when another one of the youngest stablehands came bounding up to him.

“Mr. Worthy, Mr. Worthy,” the young man said, doffing his hat and bowing to Julianna. “I did what ye said when training that mare this mornin’, and wouldn’t ye know it, she took to it right away. No longer refuses to follow me around the paddock on the lead.”

“Excellent,” Rhys replied, grinning at the boy. “I’m glad to hear it, Martin. Keep up the good work.”

Grinning from ear to ear, the boy quickly left, and Julianna turned to stare at Rhys, eyeing him with a mixture of suspicion and surprise.

“What?” Rhys asked, clearly noticing her attention.

“I just…I suppose I never realized how…good you are…with people. I have to admit you have a knack with both horses and men.”

A grin spread across his face, displaying his perfect white teeth. “Why, Lady Julianna, is that a compliment?”

She shrugged. “I suppose so.”

“I’ll choose to believe you truly mean it,” he said with a chuckle.

She crossed her arms over her chest. There it was again, the implication that she had been a false friend, or at least had given him false flattery in the past. It was so like Rhys to think he was the wronged party in their falling out. She was the one who had every reason to be hurt and dislike him, not the other way around. She refused to let him twist what had happened between them.

Finally, he walked to the stall wall, folded his arms atop it, leaned over and said, “What else can I do for you, my lady?”

Julianna had to admit he’d taken it in stride while she snapped orders at him all morning. He’d even managed to keep a perfectly calm look on his face as he carried out each of her demands. But he was a coddled aristocrat, not a stablehand. There had to be a way to spark his temper. If only she could get him to fly off the handle. Especially when Mr. Hereford was in the vicinity.

At the moment, however, she was hot, tired, and frustrated. She needed a meal and a chance to think. Not to mention Mama was probably looking for her by now. Julianna needed time to formulate her plot more precisely. She would return to the stables and break him. She simply needed more time.

“I’m going back to the house now, Mr. Worthy,” she said, giving him a tight smile.

“So soon, my lady?” he said, his smile as-fake-as-you-please.

She narrowed her eyes on him. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back.” She hoped it sounded like the threat it was.

“I cannot wait,” he drawled.

She batted her eyelashes at him prettily. “In fact, I’ll be back tomorrow morning. I’d like you to take my sister and me on a ride to the lake.” She paused and her smile intensified. “Right after dawn.”

His perfectly charming façade crumbled momentarily before he replaced it with a wide smile. He hated early mornings. He’d told her that once.

“I look forward to it, milady.” His smile was nearly angelic. She hoped it pained him to be so false.

Moments later, as Julianna walked back to the manor house, a smile curled her lips. She may not have made him quit yet, but she honestly couldn’t recall the last time she’d had so much fun. Right up until the time he’d implied she’d lied and played him false at least. That was maddening.

Though she had to admit today had been full of surprises. Not