Duke Looks Like a Groomsman - Valerie Bowman Page 0,50

the Times had invented about her setting her sights on the next most eligible bachelor. Which of course made Rhys think that she had only been interested in him for his title.

Only, the story in the Times hadn’t been entirely made up. Per her mother’s directive, Julianna had set her sights on the next most eligible bachelor. It was just that she’d truly been falling in love with Rhys before he’d left. Oh, the whole thing was so complicated. How would she and Rhys ever be of the same mind on the matter?

But now she realized where they’d both been wrong. She’d been trying to exact revenge and he’d been trying to hold onto his indignation. Perhaps they didn’t need to forgive each other. Perhaps they didn’t even need to forget. Perhaps they merely needed to…call a truce.

And that’s why she was going to the stables, to tell Rhys that she’d decided to leave him be. To wish him luck on winning his bet, and to assure him that however preposterous she might think it, she had no intention of telling anyone about the three noblemen pretending to be servants at this house party.

She found Rhys in Violet’s stall, combing her mane and speaking gently to the lovely mare.

“Be careful,” Julianna said with a grin, leaning over the rail. “You’ll spoil her for all other males.”

Rhys turned to look at her and returned her grin. “That’s my intention,” he replied.

Julianna swallowed. Were they talking about Violet any longer? She shook her head to clear the tension in the air and quickly changed the subject. “You’ll see I’m quite proper again today with my riding habit. No more riding astride.” She stood back so he could see the garnet red habit she wore.

“A pity,” he murmured, not removing his gaze from hers.

Heat rushed between her legs. She had to change the subject again, quickly. “I saw your friend, Kendall, this morning. He was carrying logs to the library.”

Rhys shrugged and went back to combing Violet’s mane. “Seems footmen get the worst chores. Kendall’s poking around fireplaces while I get to attend to the lovely Lady Violet here.”

Julianna stepped back up to the railing and rested her arms atop it. “None of you have been recognized yet, I presume.”

“Not as of this morning,” Rhys replied with a laugh. “I still have every intention of winning, however.”

“I’ve yet to see Lord Bellingham,” Julianna added.

“I doubt you’ll see Bell unless he wants to be seen.”

Julianna laughed. “Tell me. Has Kendall found a potential bride?”

Rhys turned to her. “I suspect he fancies Miss Wharton, but don’t you dare tell him I said that.” He winked at her.

“Miss Wharton?” Julianna replied, lifting her brows. “She seems to have a fine head on her shoulders. However, I fear Sir Reginald has his sights set on her already.”

“Fine head on her shoulders?” Rhys scoffed. “I heard she made a scene at dinner the first night.”

“Oh, she did,” Julianna replied with a laugh. “But I suspect she only did that to rid herself of Sir Reginald’s company. I thought it was quite a marvelous idea, actually. Wish I’d thought of it myself.”

“Hmm. Perhaps there’s more to Miss Wharton than meets the eye,” Rhys replied, slowly nodding.

“I think so,” Julianna said with a nod of her own. “Mary quite likes her also.”

Rhys finished combing Violet, opened the stall door, and came out. Julianna tried to ignore how handsome he was in his groomsman’s attire. There was something about him in that casual white shirt and breeches that made her mouth go dry.

He dusted off his hands against his backside. “Have you come for another ride, my lady? Or are you simply here to torture me again? I won’t give up easily, you know.”

Once again, Julianna wondered what precisely they were talking about. Rhys’s words were loaded on so many levels.

“While I do enjoy torturing you,” she replied with a grin. “I came here specifically to ask if we might declare a truce.” There. The words were out.

He arched a brow. “Truce?”

“That’s right.” She nodded. “Which, of course, means I promise to keep your secret for the remainder of the house party.”

“In that case, how can I say no?”

“Excellent,” Julianna replied. “But I would love it if you’d still allow me to come out here each day until I leave, in order to ride Violet or Alabaster. I do so love to ride.”

He inclined his head toward her. “I’m certainly not going to keep you from it. You are an excellent