Duke Looks Like a Groomsman - Valerie Bowman Page 0,25

was irked over having to serve as a footman, he showed no signs of it. Bless it.

“This looks delightful,” Mary exclaimed.

“It does,” Julianna agreed quietly, not meeting Rhys’s gaze.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll just leave you to it,” Rhys said, standing and moving back toward the coach.

“Thank you, Mr. Worthy,” Mary said, picking up a knife and dunking it into the jam.

Julianna tried to concentrate on the picnic, but she couldn’t help but wonder what Rhys was doing back at the coach. She kept glancing toward the conveyance. At first, he set about giving the horses some water, but soon after he disappeared around the far side of the vehicle and she had no idea what he was doing. Ernest had disappeared too. She sat picking at her bun and wondering.

“What do you think Mr. Worthy and the coachman are doing?” The question from Mary had been so exactly what Julianna had been thinking that it momentarily stunned her into silence.

“I…I’m certain I don’t know,” she finally managed.

“I hate to admit it,” Mary replied. “But I’ve never thought about what servants are doing while I’m busy enjoying things like this picnic.”

Julianna bit her lip. Once again it was as if her sister had read her mind. “I must admit the same thing.”

“They usually tend to disappear after arranging things and return when it’s time to take everything away,” Mary continued, a guilty look on her face. “Do you think Mr. Worthy and the coachman have anything to eat?”

Julianna sighed. “I’m ashamed to admit it, but I hadn’t thought of that before. I…I just assumed they’d eaten before they came. But perhaps they are hungry.”

“Should we ask them if they’d like a bun?” Mary asked.

Julianna shook her head. “It seems so improper, but I wouldn’t mind sharing.” Of course, her own guilt was doubled because here was poor Mary feeling contrite over Mr. Worthy when Julianna happened to know he was a duke who could have a half dozen servants at his beck and call if he only said the word. And stopped playacting.

But now that Mary had brought it up, Julianna couldn’t help but wonder if Rhys had brought food for himself. Was he eating it even now on the other side of the coach? She craned her neck but couldn’t see what he was doing.

“You’re acting quite peculiar today,” Mary said, jolting Julianna from her thoughts.

“Pa…pardon?” Julianna replied, guiltily swinging her gaze back to her sister, who was carefully studying her.

Mary set her half-eaten bun on her plate. “Earlier in the carriage you looked as if you might faint, and then you turned red as a cherry, and now you keep glancing back at the coach.”

Julianna bit her lip. Oh, lovely, she was acting insane in front of her sister. No wonder Mary was suspicious of her behavior.

Julianna plucked at the neckline of her yellow gown. “I may have felt a bit warm earlier, but—”

“I don’t blame you, really,” Mary interrupted with a sly look followed by a giggle.

Julianna frowned and blinked. “Blame me for what?”

“For thinking Mr. Worthy is handsome,” Mary replied. “He is. Very. I quite agree.”

Julianna’s heart thundered in her chest. “Mr. Worthy? Handsome?” If her sister had just informed her that King George himself and all fifteen of his children were standing behind her, she couldn’t possibly have been more surprised.

“Yes,” Mary replied, nodding knowingly. “I couldn’t help but notice you blush when you saw him this morning and again when he opened the door.”

Julianna opened her mouth to speak and shut it again. What could she possibly reply? She wanted the earth to open up and swallow her. Perhaps some sort of lake creature could choose this most welcome of times to crawl out of the nearby body of water and consume her.

“I…I don’t know what to say.” There, that was as honest as she intended to be at the moment.

“You needn’t say anything,” Mary replied, pulling the bun from her plate again and taking another bite. “And I promise not to say a word to anyone. Least of all Mr. Worthy himself.”

Julianna felt herself blushing again. When had her younger sister become so astute? Instead of prolonging this awkward topic, Julianna set about finishing her bun and handful of grapes while remaining steadfastly silent.

A few minutes later, Rhys reappeared. He stood near the far edge of the blanket and cleared his throat. “Is there anything I might help you with, milady?”

“Yes, Mr. Worthy,” Mary said, springing to her feet. “Will you please keep