Cordelia tore her gaze away from Lord Fisken and looked askance to her sisters. “Should I go or wait for Maman?”
Juliana ached for her sister. She understood the indecision well. “Go to him. There is no harm lingering just beyond the open doors,” she said, and then gasped as her sister hugged her. “Either way, you are not alone. We will wait here for your return.”
“Thank you.”
Cordelia was so happy, she practically floated across the ballroom floor to join Lord Fisken. The man bowed and offered his bent arm to her. Together they disappeared through the doorway.
“Do you think this is wise?”
Juliana gave Lucilla an accessing glance. “Probably not,” she said with a shrug of indifference. “We all do foolish things when we are in love.”
Lucilla nodded. There was a distinct air of sadness in her gaze as she stared off into the distance. “I shall find Maman, and tell her of Lord Fisken’s arrival.”
“You might check the card room. Lady Collinge is an avid cardplayer and notorious for her losses. I suspect the temptation to sit at her table was too much for Maman.”
Juliana smiled at Lucilla’s retreating back; her brisk no-nonsense gait had not changed since she was a girl. It was then that two elderly matrons caught Juliana’s eye. Both ladies were staring at her, the one on the right whispering in the other one’s ear. The moment they noticed her regard, they turned away.
Without her sisters at her side, Juliana felt defenseless, a pariah cast into a tumultuous sea of the self-righteous. Suddenly she wished that she had Lucilla’s poor eyesight so she was blind to the speculation, cruel delight, and pity she glimpsed as ladies and gentlemen walked past her.
“Lady Juliana.”
She started at Lord Kyd’s voice.
“My lord.” She curtsied as he bowed. “I did not expect to see you this evening.”
“This is indeed a fortuitous encounter.”
He seemed oblivious to the curious glances and whispers. It was not the first time that Juliana silently wondered if Lord Kyd had learned of Lady Gredell’s mischief. The gentleman seemed blissfully unaware of the grief his kindness and attention had caused Juliana. If that was true, it seemed cruel to shatter the illusion.
“How so?”
Unable to bear the scrutiny of several nearby guests, Juliana gestured for them to walk the perimeter of the room. She was grateful that he did not offer her his arm, for she would have refused. Lord Kyd simply matched her casual stride.
Without preamble, he said, “I have found you a publisher.”
“Surely you jest!” She covered her mouth at her impolite outburst. “Who?”
“Me.” His eyes danced in merriment at her speechlessness.
Juliana shook her head in disbelief. “When? How?”
He looked about the ballroom, seemingly reluctant to discuss the details. “Forgive me. This is not the sort of place one discusses business. However, I wanted to assure you that our efforts have not been in vain. I have taken on a partner to share the risks, and your musical compositions will be the first of many works we intend to publish.”
Her vision blurred. Although she had trusted Lord Kyd, the countless rejections he had received on her behalf had been discouraging. “This is incredible news! Oh, no!” She brought her fingers to her lips. “I will be leaving London soon.”
The baron halted. “This is most unfortunate. Well, perhaps you will reconsider. My partner will wish to meet you and we have much to discuss with regard to our new business venture.”
Juliana’s throat thickened with emotion. “My lord, you have been a good friend.”
Faint lines appeared around Lord Kyd’s mouth as his expression sobered. “You are being generous, Lady Juliana. Truthfully, if I had not allowed myself to be distracted by my own ambitions, I might have been a better friend to you and your family.”
“I . . .” She trailed off helplessly.
“However, Sinclair settled that business with Lord Gomfrey.”
So Lord Kyd knew of the earl. Then he was aware . . .
Juliana straightened as the baron’s comment about Sin registered. “What do you mean by settled? How so?”
Lord Kyd belatedly caught on that his companion had been unaware of Lord Sinclair’s actions. “Dear me, this is most awkward. I thought your mother had told you that Lord Sinclair had challenged Gomfrey?”
Sin had been willing to take a bullet on her behalf? “No,” she said starkly.
“Well, she probably did not want to upset you,” Lord Kyd said gruffly. “Sinclair’s bullet struck Gomfrey in the arm. The earl will most likely spend the rest of his life thinking of Sinclair every time he raises a wineglass or fork to his mouth.
“Forgive me, Lady Juliana. It was thoughtless of me to speak of the incident.” He peered at her, concerned. “You are too pale for my liking. Could I perhaps bring you something to drink?”
She glanced at the open doors to the gardens. Cordelia and Lord Fisken had not returned. “Yes, thank you. That would be nice.”
Juliana would have said anything to coax the baron on his way. Why had no one told her that Sin had actually challenged Lord Gomfrey? The blasted man could have been killed!
“Once I feared that you had stolen Lord Kyd from me.”
Juliana stiffened as Lady Gredell sauntered up to her.
“Lord Kyd is merely a friend.”
“So Alexius tells me,” the countess said, stroking the emerald and diamond necklace adorning her throat. “However, I was not wrong about your intentions. Only the gentleman.”
One good thing about leaving London was the simple fact that Juliana would never have to encounter the obnoxious woman again. “I must confess, Lady Gredell, you and your legion of lovers have mattered little to me. Perhaps if you will send me a list of names I will endeavor to avoid anyone connected with you.”
“Stay away from my brother, Lady Juliana.”
The countess turned on her heel and marched away. If she was truly threatened by Juliana, the lady would seek out Lord Kyd and distract him from returning with Juliana’s glass of punch.
She sighed. If Lady Gredell learned of her lover’s desire to publish Juliana’s musical compositions, their business partnership would end as abruptly as it had been conceived.
“A terrifying creature, is she not?” Lord Chillingsworth observed, his eerie light blue gaze transfixed on the departing Lady Gredell. “In her defense, Belinda has never learned to share her playthings. Sin’s interest in you threatens her perfect insular world.”
“An intriguing assessment of the lady’s character,” Juliana mused, her mouth pursed together in distaste for the countess and the gentleman who stood beside her. “And I thought she was simply a shallow, vindictive, selfish woman who enjoyed plucking the wings off anything she considered inferior.”
The earl threw back his head and laughed. “So you are not so easily cowed. I deduced as much when I saw you enter the room.”
It had taken all her courage to enter the ballroom and place herself on display for the ton’s amusement. A part of her still longed to flee, but if Lord Chillingsworth or anyone else thought to intimidate her, they would leave disappointed.
She flipped open her fan and stirred the air around her face. “Since your dislike for me rivals Lady Gredell’s, I can only assume you have something to say to me. What is it? A threat, a bribe, or perhaps something not as subtle?”
Lord Chillingsworth’s lips peeled back, revealing straight, perfectly formed teeth. Like Sin and their unprincipled friends, the earl was a spectacular example of his strong bloodlines. She might have considered him handsome if not for the mocking contempt that clung to him like an unpleasant stench.
“My dear lady, I fear subtlety is a skill I have yet to master,” the earl said; his pale blue eyes glinted with cold amusement. “Sin is here.”
At her wide-eyed panicked expression the earl stepped in front of her, effectively blocking her instinctive urge t
o leave the ballroom.
“Do not fret. I wager, the last thing my friend desires is to cause you further embarrassment. Sin will keep his distance from you and your family.”
Unlike his ruthless friends and family.
“Why are you telling me this, Lord Chillingsworth? Did Sin send you or is this some new form of trickery? Like Lady Gredell, I thought you preferred tormenting your quarry? Chivalry does not suit you.”
The earl chuckled. “Your opinion of me is appallingly low.”
“You stole a kiss minutes after encountering me at the Kempes’ ball,” she countered. “Nothing you have done since has corrected my initial impression that you are nothing but a scoundrel.”
“True,” he said with a slight bow. “This might be unpleasant to hear, but I found myself disliking you from the moment I saw you with Sin. I could tell that he had convinced himself that you were to be a simple fuck, a momentary pleasure to satisfy his hunger and his jealous sister’s whim. I alone saw through Sin’s lies.”
Juliana thought of the brooch tucked safely away in her dressing table. She quickly banished the thought. “You were wrong, my lord.”
“Was I?” He seemed to consider the notion before he discounted it with a slight shake of his head. “We shall see.”
“Pray, let us not mince words. What Sin feels is guilt and a small measure of responsibility most likely impressed upon him by my well-meaning mother. Nothing more.”
“Ah. Then you are not troubled by the notion that Sinclair is fighting duels in your honor?”
Lord Chillingsworth was probing for some sign of weakness. She deliberately kept her expression impassive. “I suspect Sin’s duel with Lord Gomfrey was not his first meeting at dawn, nor his last. As insufferable as you and your friends are, I would daresay that the lot of you are keeping weekly appointments.”
He shook off her insult, letting it roll off him like raindrops dripping from the leaves of a tree after an unexpected spring shower. “You are a stubborn woman.”
Before she could step out of reach, he gently took her hand and bowed low. She felt the butterfly caress of his lips across her gloved knuckles. “And beautiful. Traits that tend to ruin a sensible man. There seems nothing to be gained in rescuing a man who does not want to be spared from his fate. I bid you good night, my lady.”
Juliana did not attempt to detain the earl.
He was playing games with her, and she was in no mood to humor him. Over the edge of her fan, she was startled to see Sin. Had he observed her exchange with his friend? Apparently so. With swift, powerful strides Sin crossed the ballroom until he had caught up to Lord Chillingsworth.
Their exchange was brief. Sin’s abrupt violent gestures revealed that he had not sent his friend to speak on his behalf. Lord Hugh and Lord Sainthill joined their friends, and briefly the argument escalated. She could almost hear Sin’s voice above the strains of the orchestra. Suddenly Sin glanced at Juliana, and their gazes locked. She felt the impact all the way down to her toes.
She was the first to look away.
When she risked another peek, both men had left the ballroom.
Juliana told herself that the cold, hollow feeling in her stomach was relief that Sin had not tried to approach her.
From across the room, Cordelia appeared at the threshold with Lord Fisken. Her face glowed with undisguised affection for the man at her side. To the right, her mother and Lucilla were making their way to the happy couple. If there was a wedding to be planned, her mother would be intolerable to live with until she had found husbands for her other two daughters.
Juliana remained where she was, invisible and unimportant, content to watch her family’s jubilation from a distance.
Chapter Twenty-seven
A WEEK AFTER the Collinges’ ball, Lord Fisken formally solicited Lady Duncombe for her elder daughter’s hand in marriage. The marchioness welcomed her future son-in-law warmly, believing the family’s financial woes were coming to an end.
Cordelia was happy. While she and Maman planned for the autumn wedding, Lucilla had set her cap for a Sir Charles Stansbury. She had been introduced to him by Lady Collinge. Almost twelve years older, the reserved gentleman seemed rather enchanted with Lucilla’s bubbly nature. Maman pronounced them a perfect match. However, Juliana was not so certain.
Her sister’s enthusiasm could oftentimes be wearing on the nerves.
Especially when Lucilla seemed determined to have her way and the rest of the family was inclined to indulge her.
“Oh, you must come,” Lucilla wheedled. “We will have such fun at Vauxhall.”
Juliana had wanted to walk the gardens with Sin. She imagined it would have been a rowdy, crowded fair. No doubt she would have loved it. The music and the fireworks would have delighted her, and knowing Sin, he would have charmed her by stealing a kiss when no one had been looking.
“I am certain you will. Nevertheless, I prefer to remain at home this evening.”
“Maman,” Lucilla wailed, her high pitch causing the four ladies in the drawing room to wince. “Tell her that she must come with us.”
Juliana sat at the writing table with several blank sheets of paper scattered across its surface. While her mother and Cordelia worked together embroidering a tablecloth, Juliana had sought solace in her music.
Her efforts were dismal at best.
Cordelia lifted her gaze from her work. “You are troubled by Lord Duncombe’s letter.”
Two days after the Collinges’ ball, a messenger had arrived with a letter from their cousin. He expressed regret for his mistreatment of Juliana, and his desire for the family’s forgiveness. Maman had tossed the letter into the fire and turned the messenger away.
“In part,” Juliana admitted.
Lucilla flounced to the window and peered down at the street. “Our cousin cares naught for us. What he does fear is Sinclair’s aim.”
“I have to agree with our sister, Juliana,” Cordelia said as she dug into the basket of thread beside her. “Lord Duncombe wrote that letter to appease the marquess. Otherwise, it will be years before he will be able to visit London without fearing retribution from Lord Sinclair.”
Juliana conjured the absurd image of Sin gripping a pistol as he chased her cousin down the streets of London. She bit her lower lip, torn between laughter and tears.
“Girls, you are frightening your sister.” The marchioness jabbed her needle into the linen and reached underneath to pull it through. “Juliana, Sinclair has proved quite capable of handling himself on the dueling field. Gomfrey learned a painful lesson: that the marquess is not one to be trifled with. If Oliver possesses one ounce of wit, he has already left London for Ivers Hall.”
“Lord Fisken will be joining us later at Vauxhall,” Cordelia announced. “He has expressed a desire to become better acquainted with the family.”
Not to be outdone, Lucilla added, “Miss Povey will be performing as a soloist. Sir Charles heard her sing at a benefit, and claims her voice is divine.”
“Oh, and we should wear masks.” Cordelia raised her eyebrows in an exaggerated manner, eliciting a giggle from Lucilla. “Our arrival will be heralded by the ton as exotic and mysterious.”
Juliana lowered her head to conceal her grin. Her sisters were hopeless.
“You will join us, Daughter,” her mother said, taking the decision out of Juliana’s hands. “I will worry less if the family is together.”
“Duncombe has left London.”
Alexius raised his arms, allowing his valet to fuss over the fit of his coat sleeve as he quietly digested the news that Duncombe had eluded him. “Are you certain?”
Vane crossed his muscular arms, straining the seams of his elegant coat. “I hired a Bow Street runner to ensure our inquiries were discreet. I believe you are acquainted with my contact.”
He frowned. “Who?” His valet pushed Alexius’s arms down to his sides and tugged on the coat’s cuffs.
“A Mr. Stepkins.”
Alexius’s eyes flared in recognition. “Lady Lucilla’s Mr. Stepkins?” Well, it certainly solved the mystery of the man’s sudden disappearance.
Vane cocked his head and cracked his stiff neck. “Months earlier, Lord Duncombe employed him to watch over the family. It appears the marquess did not trust the widow to follow his orders.”
Alexius’s visits with the marchioness had revealed the lady was as stubborn as her youngest daughter. “Did Stepkins know Duncombe’s whereabouts?”
Vane shook his head. “No. Stepkins considered their business concluded when Duncombe separated Lady Juliana from her family. He was concerned that if the family complained, he would be charged with kidnapping.”
“Enough,” Alexius softly entreated, moving away from his persistent valet and his boar-hair brush.
“At my urging, Stepkins checked the Duncombe town house. The house was empty. When he took Lady Juliana, I doubt the gentleman planned to linger.”
So Duncombe was the coward Lady Duncombe accused him of being. Alexius walked over to the wardrobe and opened the double doors. Instead of the frustration simmering in his gut, he should be feeling elation. In spite of her cousin’s wrongdoing, Lady Duncombe had not been enthusiastic about Alexius putting a bullet into the man. She had warned Alexius that Juliana would not approve of his need for revenge.
The lady had made it clear that there was very little about him that she approved of. Encounters with his sister and Frost had not improved Juliana’s opinion.
Alexius opened the top drawer within the wardrobe and retrieved several black velvet masks. He accepted his hat from the valet and handed one of the masks to his friend.
“Where are we going?” Vane asked.
“Let us stop at the club and collect the others,” Alexius said as he walked through the doorway, knowing curiosity would prompt Vane to follow. “I feel like prowling Vauxhall this evening.”
All Night with a Rogue: Lords of Vice Page 23
