Juliana (14 page)

“Have another Shrewsbury cake, will you?” She pushed the basket toward him and kept talking. “I’m thinking you could simply accompany me on a few occasions, such as to the theater. I could show you the proper seats to purchase and what sort of refreshments to fetch Lady Amanda during the intermission. And if we went riding in Hyde Park, I could point out the popular places and you could practice being gallant. And perhaps I could make a few suggestions regarding your hair—”

What was wrong with his
hair?

Seeing his thunderous expression, she quickly backtracked. “Or rather, just one suggestion: don’t change a thing. It’s perfect as it is!” Since he hadn’t taken a third cake, she selected one and shoved it into his hand.

He stared at her, holding the cake, utterly torn between insult and amusement. What on earth was this girl on about? Gallantry practice? Lessons in wooing? Without question, it was the most absurd—and rudest—offer he’d ever heard. But her heart seemed in the right place, so he’d refuse her gently.

“While I appreciate the offer, my schedule—”

“I won’t take up much of your time, I assure you,” she said earnestly. “After all, if our outings fill
my
schedule, I won’t be available for the duke to pay court to me.”

The duke
. By whom she meant the prig, Castleton, didn’t she? James felt a resurgence of irritation.

He bit into the cake and chewed slowly. Juliana was clearly a lunatic, but she was also kind—she’d come all the way across town just to try and do him a favor—and she didn’t deserve to spend the rest of her life in an unhappy marriage. If agreeing to a few harmless outings might save her from Castleton, how could James refuse? What kind of a man would let her throw her life away instead of trying to help?

He did like helping people. It was very gallant.

His mind made up, he swallowed the cake. “Very well,” he said. “Shall we start tomorrow?”

BEFORE THE
duke left on Monday afternoon, he’d asked if he might pay Juliana another call on Tuesday. Two calls in two days! Since she already had plans at one o’clock—helping James pick out some suitable gifts for Amanda—she’d suggested the duke call at noon.

Which is how it happened that, on Tuesday, as the duke was leaving and James was arriving, they crossed paths.

“Castleton,” James said with a curt nod.

“Stafford,” the duke returned. And with a stiff little bow, he left.

As the butler closed the door behind him, Juliana turned to James. “Do you not like the duke?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know him very well. But he seems a bit stuffy.”

She was about to disagree when Aunt Frances came down the stairs, her footfalls so light she seemed almost to be skipping. A piece of paper fluttered in one of her hands. “Juliana! You’ll never
believe
what arrived in the morning mail!”

“What is it, Auntie?”

“Another love letter from my secret admirer! Only”—as she reached the foyer, she paused for dramatic effect—“his name is no longer a secret.”

“Who is he?” Juliana crossed her fingers behind her back. “Is he anyone I know?”

“Oh, yes,” Aunt Frances said. “It’s Lord—”

She cut off, finally noticing James.

Who looked more than a little intrigued.

Two rosy spots appearing on her cheeks, her aunt clutched the letter to her bosom. “Good afternoon, Lord Stafford.”

“Good afternoon, Lady Frances.”

Juliana reached out to squeeze her hand. ”Who’s your admirer, Auntie? Lord Stafford will keep your secret.”

James nodded. “My lips are sealed.”

Though Aunt Frances hesitated a moment more, it was obvious she was dying to tell. She leaned closer to Juliana. “It’s Lord Malmsey,” she whispered, her face lit up with excitement. She looked ten years younger.

“Aunt Frances, how wonderful!”

“Isn’t it, though?” Clearly Frances didn’t mind Lord Malmsey’s age or appearance. In fact, by her reaction, one would think she’d been pining after the man all her life. “I’m so glad you made plans to visit the shops this afternoon. I must order a few new dresses, and at least one must be ready by Saturday. Lord Malmsey indicated in his letter that he will be attending Lady Partridge’s ball.”

James cleared his throat.

“Yes?” Juliana asked.

“I thought we were going to just quickly choose a gift?”

“Several gifts,” she corrected.

“Several?”

“You’ll want an assortment so that you can give one to Lady Amanda every few days over the next two weeks.”

”What happens after two weeks?” He didn’t look happy.

Juliana hated seeing anyone unhappy. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, all right?”

When Juliana had suggested he court Amanda for a while before proposing, she’d been entirely sincere—it was just that, in this
particular
case, by ‘a while’ she’d meant two weeks. Which might not seem like much time, but it was all the time they had, and a lot could happen in a fortnight! James would see. Once he fell in love with Amanda, he’d want to secure her hand right away. And until then, Juliana saw no reason to cause the fellow undue stress by telling him about the time constraint.

Or the part where he’d have to publicly compromise his future bride. He might have difficulty swallowing that requirement.

But the power of true love would conquer all, in the end. She was sure of it.

Juliana flashed him her most ingratiating smile. ”It shouldn’t take long for Aunt Frances to order a few dresses as well. You won’t mind, will you? She’ll be coming along in any case, to chaperone.” Though this outing with James wasn’t romantic in any sense, it wouldn’t do for the two of them to gad about town together unescorted.

Before James could answer, a knock came at the door. The butler opened it. On the other side stood young Emily with a footman in Neville livery. And Herman, of course.

Emily twirled her pink parasol. “Is it time to leave, Lady Juliana?”

James took a step back. “Don’t tell me
she’s
coming, too.”

“I’m giving her lessons as well,” Juliana explained. “In being more ladylike. An outing like this can be very instructional.”

His jaw looked rigid. “Surely she won’t be bringing that snake.”

Emily stopped twirling. “If Herman doesn’t go, I don’t go.”

“That’s fine by me,” James said.

He seemed more unhappy than ever. Concerned, Juliana laid a hand on his arm and lowered her voice. “James, do you not like children?”

When he glanced down at her hand, she gasped and snatched it away, surprised at herself. Though she wore gloves, and his arm was sleeved, it wasn’t proper to be touching him.

But the look on his face was troubling. Amanda definitely wanted children—children
not
fathered by a by-blow, to be precise—and surely her partner should want them, too.

“Of course I like children,” James said. “I vaccinate children every day at the Institute.”

“Of course,” she echoed, relieved. She should have realized that. “Amanda is good with children,” she told him, remembering how well Amanda had handled Emily that day she’d bled.

Motioning for him to follow, she stepped farther away from the little girl.

“I know you’re worried that some patrons of the shops might be upset by Emily’s snake,” she said quietly. “But that’s the whole idea, don’t you see? She needs to learn that it’s not ladylike to carry a snake, and the only way to teach her is by demonstration. Once she’s convinced that Herman’s presence causes trouble, she’ll realize she should leave him at home.”

“I see,” he said tightly.

They headed outside to where James’s carriage was waiting. It was splendid—all polished rosewood and rich green velvet—and the pair of matched bays drawing it were gorgeous animals.

Juliana meant to sit beside Aunt Frances, but somehow she ended up beside James instead. Aunt Frances sat opposite James, with Emily catercorner from him. When he squished himself into the corner, as far away from Juliana as possible, she supposed that was to make sure he wouldn’t touch her inadvertently.

But then somehow he kept touching her anyway.

During the drive to Pall Mall, he touched her three times on the arm, in the bare area between where her short puffed sleeve ended and her short white glove began. The touches were all accidental and innocent, of course, but the little jolt she felt every time was…well, not bothersome exactly, but distracting. Or invigorating in an odd sort of way.

She simply wasn’t used to being touched by young men. Mourning had kept her and her sisters hidden away so long, Juliana was probably the oldest unkissed girl in all of England.

Well, except for Amanda. And maybe Aunt Frances.

In any case, the sensation was new and intriguing, most especially because it was James doing the touching. If she found it this exciting to be touched by
James,
how must it feel with someone she actually cared for? Why, being touched by the duke must be twice as thrilling! Ten times, even! He was, after all, her ideal match.

But despite two social calls in two days, the duke hadn’t touched her since they’d danced at the ball. Which didn’t count, because he hadn’t touched her bare skin. He hadn’t even kissed her gloved hand. He respected her too much to do any such thing. He was as proper and reserved as Amanda.

But he definitely wasn’t stuffy.

Aunt Frances was so anxious to order her dresses, Juliana decided they should do that first. Mrs. Huntley sighed when she saw Emily and her snake again, but after all, Juliana and Amanda had ordered a
lot
of dresses, and no shopkeeper would turn away that sort of business. So she pressed her thin lips together and pulled out her measuring tape.

“Sit over there, Emily,” Juliana instructed, waving her toward where two chairs sat against a wall. “And James, you sit beside her. When you visit the shops with a lady, you must wait patiently until she’s finished.”

“I’ll wait outside,” he said.

“You shouldn’t do that if you wish to please Lady Amanda. A man should appear interested in a lady’s purchases.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, heading toward the door.

“It’s raining out there,” she reminded him.

“I won’t melt.”

True to his word, James didn’t melt. It took so long to order Aunt Frances’s dresses that it had stopped raining by the time the ladies joined him outside. And he certainly didn’t look melted—in fact, he looked frozen solid.

“Where to now?” he asked grimly.

“I believe you should send Lady Amanda some flowers.” Juliana indicated a florist’s shop across the street, and they all started toward it.

“Send red roses,” Emily suggested beside him. “My mother loved red roses.”

“Red roses it is, then.” He crossed to Juliana’s other side and took her left arm. When she glanced up at him, startled, he said, “A gentleman should escort a lady across the street.”

“Excellent,” she said, pleased with his progress. “That’s very gallant. But I don’t think red roses would be appropriate. They symbolize love, and it’s a little too soon for that. You wouldn’t want to appear too forward. Pink or yellow would be perfect.”

James’s arm felt solid beneath hers, and she was aware of their contact all the way into the shop. When they entered, a woman shrieked and ran past them out the door. Three other patrons left directly, muttering to one another.

The florist was a tall, thin man with a long, narrow nose and eyes that glared at Emily. “Take that snake outside, miss.”

Emily stroked Herman. “Snakes don’t eat flowers, Mr. Flower-Man. Only frogs and mice.”

Aunt Frances took Emily outside, and James ordered an arrangement of two dozen pink roses. Quickly.

Back outdoors, the people walking along Pall Mall were giving Emily and Herman a wide berth, and there was a lot of “Well!” and “I never!” to be heard.

“She should have left that snake at home,” James said.

“She will next time, I’m sure.” Juliana offered him her left arm again, thinking some more practice in escorting ladies might be appropriate.

“Where are we going now?” Emily asked beside him.

He crossed to Juliana’s other side and took her right arm instead.

Juliana suspected he was impatient. “Harding, Howell and Company,” she decided. Down the street just a bit, Harding, Howell & Company was a big department store that took up all the floors of an old mansion that used to be called Schomberg House. Perhaps James would be happier if they could find the rest of Amanda’s presents all in one place. “You don’t enjoy shops very much, do you?” she asked as they began walking.

He shrugged. ”I’m a man.”

She’d noticed. She’d walked arm in arm with other ladies before, but this felt entirely different. It wasn’t like the jolts she’d experienced when he’d touched her arm in the carriage, but more of a tingly awareness all over her body. It rather stole one’s breath. Amanda was going to love it.

Aunt Frances and Emily walked in front of them, the two of them getting farther and farther ahead. People were crossing the street to avoid them. “We should catch up,” Juliana said.

James didn’t change his pace. “I believe a gentleman should walk leisurely with a lady, to accommodate her shorter stride.”