-The Scheming Spinster-

CHAPTER ONE

"You insufferable girl! I will not have you in this house one more minute!" exclaimed Lady Wilcox, stamping her slippered foot. She fluttered her fan and restrained herself from swatting the girl with it only through an extreme act of will.

She was trembling with anger, and her maid rushed forward with smelling salts, which her ladyship sniffed gratefully. She was not normally the fainting type, but social disaster had a tendency to distress her a great deal.

"Aunty, surely you cannot mean that?" cried Juliet Moresby, appalled. In truth, she had done everything possible to get herself dismissed from her aunt's home and the insipid boredom of the London Season.

Perhaps boredom was the wrong term for the vast number of balls and parties and afternoons spent driving. Aside from her brother Geoff, Juliet found the company at these numerous routs extremely tiresome. She especially disliked the dandified lords who expected not only her complete ignorance of every interesting topic of conversation, but also her simpering adoration of their own pompous selves. She had shocked a number of them by speaking plainly in her acerbic way. And finally, she had insulted a certain Mr. Brumhest during the quadrille.

"My dear girl, you cannot speak to Mr. Brumhest in such a manner. I..."

"But, Aunty, he kept saying that Miss Iverson ought not to have been invited, as she is horrible to look at. You know and I know that she had the smallpox, and that she is as kind a person as we've ever met. I merely informed Mr. Brumhest that he had no right to criticize other people's guest lists."

"And I'm sure you used delicacy and tact to explain yourself and defend Miss Inversion." Lady Wilcox eyed her niece doubtfully. Her suspicions were confirmed when Juliet hung her head.

"I must confess that I lost my temper. He did so provoke me! Such conceit and ill will."

"Indeed. Well, he cut your acquaintance and recommended to his peers that they not receive you. This is a serious matter that cannot be repaired this Season, I wouldn't think. I cannot chaperon you now, when I cannot even bring you to see my friends. You had best go home for the rest of the Season and take your brothers as an escort. I do so tire of Octavian, though Geoff is pleasant enough."

That was precisely what Juliet wished. Lady Wilcox, however, sighed with regret.

"Oh, Juliet, I know you mean well, but I have never been so mortified. I had to escort you home in shame in front of all my friends, and that wretched Lady Chamblington dared to smile at me! She will have that awkward, cow-faced daughter married before you will be, and she hasn't a feather to fly with! All this, after I have been so kind as to sponsor you since your own dear mama died. She will be turning in her grave now!" Lady Wilcox uttered this last bit tragically, and she punctuated her sentences with shakes of her fan.

Her cheeks were quite pink in spite of their thick layer of maquillage, and Juliet determined that perhaps it was best to tease her aunt no longer. Her Aunt Georgiana was a Great Lady and not easily overset.

"Dearest Aunty, I am terribly sorry for mortifying you. I shall go home to the country now, and you may bring out my cousin Caroline next year who will be just the sort of young lady the Ton would admire exceedingly. As for me, I shall retire a spinster, and that will be your revenge. Can you forgive me?"

Juliet favoured her aunt with a contrite smile, though one of her saucy dimples danced on her cheek. Lady Wilcox, however, did not choose to see the rebellion in her niece, and she drew in a deep breath, satisfied with the apology.

"Your mama's heart would be broken if she knew that you were so determined to remain on the shelf. But go back to the country you like so much. Leave with your brothers tomorrow; I imagine your poor father will not be surprised to see you on his doorstep so soon."

Juliet's smile widened, and she kissed her aunt on her wrinkled cheek. "You have been an angel for keeping me so long, Aunty. I had wagered that we would be returned home this month since."

Lady Wilcox sighed heavily. "The Good Lord may agree with you. Now off with you to gather your things. Society was never meant for one as you, Juliet." The girl was dismissed with a wave of her ladyship's hand and Juliet rushed up the wide staircase of her aunt's fashionable house with unladylike energy. Once in her bedroom, she rang for her abigail so that she could prepare for the next day's journey.

A few minutes into packing, Juliet's brother Geoff appeared at her door. At eighteen, he was one year younger than his sister, though he was at least a foot taller. He had the same dark hair, but his eyes were deep blue rather than Juliet's coffee colour.

Through the grace of a departed uncle, Geoff was made wealthy at a young age, and he was handsome and charming besides. He was quite popular with the mamas and their daughters in spite of the fact that he was not due to inherit his father's title, Earl of Cantonshire. That honour would be bestowed on Geoff's older brother Octavian, who at twenty-one, was showing a considerable lack of promise.

Octavian did not have half the intelligence or the charm of his younger siblings, and his brilliance for spending money far outshone his ability to save it. Fortunately, the family was wealthy enough to handle Octavian's habits for quite a few years yet, but Lord Cantonshire despaired that his oldest son would ever learn responsibility.

Geoff, on the other hand, had marvelous luck both in gambling and investment. He was a master judge of horseflesh and had complete control over his own stables at Cantonshire Abbey. In spite of his youth, other gentlemen frequently looked to him for advice when they were purchasing cattle necessary on their hunts. Geoff was also dangerous with both pistol and sword, and he was well on his way to becoming a Corinthian of the first order. Some mamas sighed that he had to be burdened with such an odd sister.

The girl was well-looking, to be sure, but she had a disturbing tendency to demonstrate undesirable intelligence and affection for vigorous exercise and hunting, which were best left to men. Lady Juliet Moresby was quite likely to remain on the shelf despite her beauty and considerable dowry of sixty thousand pounds.

Now Geoff was standing at his sister's doorway, and when he saw her exuberant expression he laughed aloud, not caring that his aunt might hear him. "You've finally worn out our welcome, have you, Jules?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

Much to the dismay of her abigail, Juliet was busy carelessly shoving her undergarments into a valise, and grinned mischievously. "I shall have another summer of play at Cantonshire Abbey rather than the dreary restriction of town life. I know that you are glad to escort me home, Geoff. You dislike the simpering misses here as much as I do."

"Juliet, you cannot be a child forever," said a third voice. Octavian had just returned home from his club, and judging from his expression, his luck had gone its usual route. He was shorter and stockier than his younger brother and his taste in fashion was not so excellent. He had his admirers nevertheless, and along with them came an inflated idea of his own consequence and a preachy air which Juliet did not appreciate.

"Lost another thousand at the tables, I see," she returned promptly. "I can be a child as long as I like, dear brother. I'm rich enough not to need a husband."

"Now, Jules, supposing you find a man that you love?" teased Geoff, entering the room with his brother. "After all, it's highly improper to fall in love, so I imagined that you would embrace the sentiment with all haste."

The two young men seated themselves on Juliet's bed in spite of the furious looks directed them by Juliet's abigail. She did not think it proper for any sort of gentleman to be in her mistress' bedchamber, even if they were her brothers.

Juliet gave up packing, to her abigail Maggie's sigh of relief, and sat down between her brothers. She leaned her head on Geoff's shoulder and poked Octavian teasingly in the ribs. "I shan't find anyone half so wonderful as you two," she said, but she was grinning so wickedly that Geoff pinched her on the cheek.

"Saucy minx! No man in England deserves you!"

"Do you wish to leave the burden of a spinster sister on your brothers, Juliet?" Octavian declared with his insufferable air.

"How insulting you are! I've enough income to live comfortably for the rest of my life without burdening either of you in the least." Juliet jumped up and shook her finger at each of her brothers in turn. "Now leave me and see to your own packing. Maggie is about to expire in a fit of propriety and I have sorely provoked her this evening."

Maggie smiled as the brothers obeyed, though Geoff couldn't resist pulling the long plait of Juliet's hair as he left the room. She ignored him with much self- restraint and began to pack again with such disregard for her gowns that Maggie finally threw her hands up and begged Juliet to go to bed. Somewhat chastised, she went to sleep with a small smile curling the corners of her mouth.

A full day's journey took the threesome and their entourage of luggage, footmen and grooms home again. Octavian was not pleased to be with his disgraced sister when he had been enjoying himself so much, but both Geoff and Juliet were glad to leave London behind them. Geoff had wanted to return to his precious horses for some time and Juliet wanted to spend days blissfully exploring the estate in summer.

Her horse Romeo was waiting in his stall for her return and she ran from the travel coach to greet him even before setting foot in the long entryway of Cantonshire Abbey. He nickered softly when he saw her and she stroked his head and velvety neck before reluctantly leaving him. They would be better reacquainted the next morning.

The Earl of Cantonshire was waiting impatiently when Juliet came running into the house. He had already scolded her brothers and now, he turned to face his daughter, his features schooled into sternness.

"Octavian has told me the whole shameful story, Juliet. Now I know that you have not had a mama to keep you ladylike, but I expected more from you than to play the hoyden for the benefit of all Society." He straightened his jacket, which was somewhat strained over a belly that had grown larger in the past years.

Not intimidated by such severity, Juliet only smiled at her father. "Papa, dear, you know that I did not wish to have another Season. I thought perhaps that the failure of last year would prevent you from sending me away again, but you have been persistent. I know that you would dearly love to see me married and happy, but I want to assure you that I am happiest here with my family. Please be resigned to the fact that I will be an old maid. If I don't mind, perhaps neither should you."

The earl sighed and took his daughter's gloved hand in his own. "I do not want you to grow old with no one beside you, Juliet. I promised your mother that I would see to your happiness and I will." The words rang with ominous finality. "Now, retire to your room and rest. Any proper girl would be exhausted after a day of traveling."

Juliet kissed her father on his cheek. "Bless you, Papa, for not raising a proper girl," she said and scampered away before he could say another word.

In actuality the earl had spoiled his daughter shamefully and he felt the full weight of blame for allowing her to turn out as she'd had. She was so spirited and energetic that he did not have the heart to forbid her to hunt or run about, or to read books which she enjoyed so much.

He knew that she was growing up a hoyden, but she was such delightful company, so clever and funny, that the earl had assumed she would easily find a husband in spite of her love of unladylike pursuits. After all, he had made sure that she could do needlework and sing and dance gracefully and know all the things a young lady needed to be successful in the London marriage mart.

But Juliet had decided to follow her own will and Society was not a place for such a creature. She even shied from country society, preferring long solitary walks in the distant haunts of Cantonshire Abbey to neighborhood dinners.

As much as the earl blamed himself for Juliet's peculiar ways, he did not wonder that she should prefer her brothers, even Octavian, to the sporting lords of town. They were selfish and generally boorish -- not at all a match for his clever child. Unfortunately, her position as an earl's daughter left her above the touch of some of the more sensible young gentlemen in the county.

For her own sake the earl would not allow his daughter to remain a spinster. She was nineteen and could not know what it meant to be alone. If she never married, then she would never have children to see to her comfort in her aging years. If Juliet would not cooperate, then the earl would have to find her a husband himself. He went to sit in his study where he could think in peace about what he must do.

Robert Driscoll, Viscount Ravinstock, left his nuncheon with his mother, his face tight by anger. Her nagging had been particularly intense today. She wanted dearly for her eldest son to marry and for darling little Driscolls to run about in the nursery again. Hadn't she waited long enough? Robert was thirty-one and had yet to do his duty to the succession, though he'd been Viscount Ravinstock a full two years.

He was irritated by the fact that his mother was entirely correct. He did need to get himself heirs. If he should die the title would fall to his idiot brother Claude. Besides, he was deeply in the suds due to a particular clause in his father's will. He had been horrified when he learned that the terms included a provision that he must marry in order to inherit the full funds included in his father's estate. Though the property was self-sustaining, his two brothers' gambling debts were draining the available money much faster than Robert had depended upon. Putting off necessary repairs to the stables and grounds had not saved enough to offset the expenses incurred by his sister and brothers during their Season in London.

These thoughts in mind, Robert walked rather more quickly than usual to the stables and had his groom saddle his favourite horse. Long rides over his family estate had always succeeded in calming him when he was in a foul mood. His normally even temperament had suffered these past two years and the Dowager Lady Ravinstock had added to her list of grievances that her oldest son had become rather grim.

He smoothly mounted his horse and set off to explore the edges of the fifteen thousand acres of Ravincourt. After riding for an hour, he reached the nearest boundary of his lands. He dismounted to walk the area more carefully. Past the trees he could see the wide lawn and gardens that were a part of Cantonshire Abbey, the neighboring estate.

He had only seen the Moresbys who lived there a few times, for he had been away at school and travels when the Moresby children were growing up. His younger brothers and sister knew them well. But there was a bit of a feud between the two families that had begun when his younger siblings were children. His brothers and the Moresby sons had taken to playing practical jokes on each other, and his sister Catherine Driscoll had often insulted Juliet Moresby.

Catherine's most serious insult to Juliet occurred just before Christmas, when Catherine denounced Juliet as being unladylike and ill-bred in the company of Juliet's brothers and some neighboring gentry. Juliet dismissed the whole incident as petty jealousy on Catherine's part, but Geoff and Octavian bristled at this attack on Juliet and resolved to make Claude and Luc apologize for their sister's remarks.

This year before the Season began, Geoff Moresby had released the Driscoll dogs from their kennel and Claude Driscoll had spent three days looking with his whipper-in before he had recaptured the last of them. Claude and Luc Driscoll had been forced to leave for London with this latest stunt unavenged, though later they derived some pleasure when Catherine became engaged to a baron while Juliet remained unwed.

Now that Catherine was betrothed, their mama no longer cared if they attended their sister in London, and they could come home to exact their revenge on the Moresbys. Apparently Juliet and her brothers had left London just a week before in the wake of a small scandal and Claude and Luc had returned to Ravincourt soon after. Robert welcomed them, knowing that while they were at Ravincourt, they could not rack up more 'debts of honour'.

For Robert the feud was just another worry and he berated his brothers often for taking the stunts of the Moresbys so seriously. Such rivalries among hot- blooded young men, untempered by friendship, could easily result in violence. In spite of Robert's warnings, Claude and Luc were determined to give the Moresbys a proper set-down.

These thoughts were not at all calming. Leading his horse, he turned away from Cantonshire Abbey and started back the way he came. He needed to find a wife and soon, even if he had to resort to marrying one of the vapid females he had often encountered in London. Spending time paying extravagant compliments to vacant-headed young ladies was not his favourite pastime, and he certainly did not want to be condemned to selecting a wife from among them.

However, he needed a proper young bride, preferably with an inheritance, who could ensure him sons. But to choose one of those simpering misses who might expect to be admired for their empty heads and Society titters...

Robert thought unfavourably of his last serious female companion. She had finally tired of waiting for him to declare himself and had chosen another man. This fellow had no sooner married her than he had set sail for the West Indies and died of fever. In the years since, Valencia had written Robert many times and out of politeness, he had responded.

He wondered suddenly, whether or not his situation would be most easily resolved by marrying her. The thought was not appealing. Valencia was a very beautiful woman, but he could not imagine spending the rest of his life in her company. They were not suited, for she was too interested in gossip and travel, and he was too interested in his estate.

If only his father had not been so pigheaded about his will, Robert could have taken his time to find a wife, and the succession be hanged! As matters stood, he needed to wed within the year, or he might have to move his family to a lesser house and rent the estate to pay his brothers' debts. Every Ravinstock for the past four generations had lived at Ravincourt and Robert was not about to give up his home.

He cursed under his breath, mounted his horse and returned home, feeling no more settled than when he had left.

The next morning, Geoff Moresby walked into his stables for his usual dawn ride. There, he discovered that someone had trespassed overnight. Nothing was missing, but the mane of his prized stallion was sadly shorn.

Bristling with anger, Geoff went to ask Octavian to go hunting with him on Ravinstock land. If one of the insufferable Driscolls could sneak into his stable and torment his horses, then he could surely trespass and snare a few prized Ravinstock pheasants.

Geoff and Octavian managed to bring down a few birds before Luc and Claude, who were also hunting that morning, came upon the poachers. The Driscolls immediately recognized their neighbors and Claude raised his gun.

"Off with you, Moresby!" he shouted, intending to fire a warning shot. Unfortunately, Luc attempted to intervene and tried to yank Claude's gun away just as the older boy pulled the trigger. Instead of flying harmlessly into the trees, the bullet grazed Geoff in the leg.

Geoff cried out and fell, and Octavian ran to his brother, grabbing him by his shoulders. "Are you badly hurt?"

"No, not so terribly," said Geoff bravely, though he grit his teeth in pain.

The two Driscolls, who had been staring in shock at their two hated neighbors, backed away when Octavian helped Geoff to his feet.

"Claude, let's leave here right away! He seems able to stand," Luc said with more than his usual cowardice.

Claude gulped as Octavian started towards him with fists raised, and the young man turned and fled as quickly as he could, with Luc following. Octavian longed to chase them, but he had to help his brother limp home and in his heart festered violent anger against all Driscolls.

At the house, Juliet surprised her abigail by spending some time at needlework. Petit point was by far her weakest skill, which was the very reason she was practicing it now. The best light in the house was the sunny morning room, whose tall windows faced the front lawns of the house. She had just stabbed the needle into her thumb, putting the abused finger in her mouth, when she looked out the window and saw Octavian aiding Geoff to the door.

Geoff's leg was covered with blood and his face was a frightening shade of gray. Her thumb forgotten, Juliet dropped her petit point, jumped to her feet and ran from the room and out the front door. The servants had seen the pair as well and a footman came running to help Geoff the final few steps to the house.

Juliet hovered about her two brothers distractedly, realized that she wasn't helping matters in the least and returned inside to order the servants to make up a pallet and hot tea for Geoff. She sent a groom for the nearest doctor and ordered the housekeeper to bring out some bandages. The earl emerged from his study to investigate the noise.

Lord Cantonshire blinked behind his spectacles when he saw his younger son being carried by a pair of footmen to a sofa in the front room. Geoff's face was pale and a thin sheen of sweat covered his skin in spite of the morning chill. Octavian, on the other hand, was red and shaking with anger.

"What the devil has happened?" the earl demanded and Juliet went to stand beside him as Geoff was laid out.

"Claude Driscoll in attempting to shoot me caught Geoff in the leg," Octavian answered, his hands clenched into fists.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Juliet asked, going to her brother on the couch and knelt beside his head. She took one of his clammy hands in her own and smoothed his dark hair from his forehead.

"We were poaching, but it didn't happen as Octavian said. I don't think Claude really meant to shoot us," Geoff said weakly. Juliet hushed him and ordered a maid to bring a pair of scissors. She looked closely at Geoff's wound above his knee and realized that the bullet had only slightly grazed her brother's leg. She smiled with relief and addressed Geoff reassuringly.

"You had me frightened, but now I see that you were teasing me. You are going to be fine."

"Not if the wound gets septic," Octavian snapped, scowling at his sister.

"Why were you poaching on Ravincourt?" the earl asked Octavian in a foreboding tone.

"Someone cut the mane off Geoff's best stallion last night. It must have been the Driscolls. We were going to bring down a few of their prized birds, which we did, but they found us and started shooting. They did not even remain to help me carry Geoff home, but fled in their cowardice. Such behaviour is not to be borne and I am going to ask Claude to name his seconds."

"You will not call him out, Octavian!" the earl thundered. "That is idiocy. This was an accident and should be resolved with a sincere apology."

Octavian shook his head mutinously. "Father, I must do so."

The earl shook his fist at his eldest son. "You haven't a chance of winning a duel with either pistols or swords. Do you want to die over the mane of your brother's horse?"

"It is a matter of honour, Father. Claude Driscoll fired upon us. I will fight him, no matter what you command!" Octavian straightened his shoulders angrily before leaving the room, ignoring his father when the earl called him back.

Lord Cantonshire rubbed his chin between two fingers, thinking for a moment before he pointed at Juliet, who swallowed nervously. She had never seen her father so determined before.

"Juliet, see that your brother is well-tended to. I assume a doctor has been sent for?"

"Yes, Papa," answered Juliet meekly.

The old earl actually laughed at her contrite expression, so different from her usual abstinence. He motioned to one of the footmen and asked him to accompany him to his study. A message needed to be sent immediately.

Before leaving the front room his eyes settled for a moment on Juliet, who was busy teasing her brother and ruffling his hair. She was waiting for the maid to return with the scissors so that the housekeeper could begin to clean Geoff's wound.

Octavian, in his bumbling foolish way, had solved all of the earl's problems, if only his neighbor the Viscount Ravinstock would agree. But then the earl knew about the clause in the old viscount's will, and he had a feeling that Robert Driscoll would be pleased to know that his estates would soon be fully funded.

The next day Juliet was in Geoff's bedchamber reading him a story. The doctor had come and fixed Geoff straight away, saying there was nothing to worry about. He left Geoff with a warning against being shot again and a small dose of laudanum for the pain.

Occupied as she was, Juliet was blissfully unaware that Robert Driscoll was downstairs discussing the prospect of her marriage in her father's study.

"You are certain such an arrangement would be legal?" Robert asked, pacing the length of the earl's chamber. The earl himself was seated, drumming his fingers on his desk.

"I'm certain. If you have read these documents then all you need to do is have your solicitor look through them, sign them yourself and the engagement will be binding and legal," answered the earl. He smiled at his words, for finally his daughter would be betrothed.

"Is she a pleasant girl?" Robert asked almost distractedly. His brother Claude's foolish action had made his betrothal and marriage alarmingly imminent, and a hasty surrender of his bachelorhood seemed the only solution to the dilemma.

The earl's offer was a blessing that would keep his brother from fighting a duel and also allow Robert to inherit badly needed funds. His mother would stop her endless harangues on the sad state of the succession. The earl too, would benefit by keeping his own son safe and by marrying off his only daughter to a respectable man. Robert stopped pacing, smoothed the collar of his superfine jacket, and watched the earl as the old man answered.

The earl leaned back in his chair and considered Robert's question carefully. He could not exactly claim that Juliet was a comfortable companion, but he did not wish to frighten the viscount. Finally he said, "She is pleasant, of course, and very spirited. Not at all like the misses you might find in London."

He noted the relief on Robert's face at his last words. He had been observing all the eligible bachelors in the neighboring estates, particularly Robert, and he knew that the viscount went to London as little as possible. "She'll charm you, I expect."

Robert sincerely doubted the earl, for it had been many years since a young lady had captured his heart, and even then he had come to his senses soon enough. Yet he could see the advantages of an arranged marriage. In such a union his wife would not expect so much of him. If they disliked each other, they could live separately with no regret for lost love or confusion on her part.

"Is she pretty?" he asked finally, scarcely hoping that a girl who had passed two Seasons in London without being taken could be lovely.

In response the earl drew out a portrait miniature of his daughter from his desk. Robert took the picture carefully. He liked it exceedingly, for the girl shown there had twinkling brown eyes and a faint smile that she couldn't quite suppress for the portrait sitting. Perhaps saving his brother from a duel, securing his line and gaining the money to run his estates, would not be so unpleasant a duty after all.

Hr returned the miniature to the earl and assured him that he would have the engagement finalized as soon as possible.

The earl clapped Robert on the shoulder. "I'm glad that you are willing to help both our families in this matter. On hearing this, Octavian will not have a chance to call out your brother. Once he is your brother-in-law a duel would be out of the question."

Robert nodded. "I will take those papers to my solicitor at once then, it is useless to wait until tomorrow. As soon as everything is in order and the engagement is finalized, I will obtain a special license for the ceremony and collect my bride. Is that acceptable?"

The earl was smiling broadly now. "Of course. I will make arrangements for the wedding itself. You have my gratitude," he said.

"And you mine," Robert answered graciously, and the two continued talking all the way to the front door.

The earl watched the viscount leave, well pleased with the settlement he had made. Juliet would be taken care of by a man of honour and fortune, one not likely to treat her poorly or expect her to change too much. He could see that with some maturity his daughter would make a fine wife for a vast landholder and an inventive mama for a brood of noble children.

He imagined that Juliet herself would thank her father eventually for his intervention. Even so, he would not inform his daughter that she was engaged until absolutely necessary -- the Earl of Cantonshire was no fool.

CHAPTER TWO

Juliet was well occupied the next few days berating her brothers for their foolishness and tending to Geoff. Her hands were gentle and she prided herself on being a skillful nurse, but as Geoff explained as tactfully as he could, sometimes her bedside manner was not so relaxing to an invalid.

As a result, on the third day of Geoff's convalescence, Juliet left his room and was walking downstairs with the intention of exercising her horse. She did very well to navigate the stairs, as she was simultaneously munching on a chocolate bonbon and reading an entertaining selection of Norse mythology.

Passing by the library, she heard the voices of her father and Octavian, and she raised her eyes from the adventures of Sigfreid and stopped eating mid- bite.

"...today or any other day," the earl was heard to say, though his words were muffled by the thick door. Intrigued, Juliet put her ear to the panels in order to hear better.

"Why, Father? Surely you can understand the insult..." Octavian stammered.

"Better to be slightly insulted than dead," Juliet muttered, though she regretted her aside because she missed the first part of her father's next words.

"...is soon to be your brother."

"What? That is not possible! What have you done?" Octavian's voice pierced the oak panels.

"Robert Driscoll is betrothed to your sister, Octavian. You had best make your peace with Claude."

Juliet dropped her book in shock and the tome made a loud thud as it hit the polished wooden floor. The gentlemen must have heard the noise, for they stopped their talking. Juliet picked up her book and fled upstairs in timely fashion, for a moment after she disappeared the earl opened the door to the library and peeked outside. Seeing no one, he receded into the room and continued his conversation with Octavian, who was at a loss for words indeed.

Juliet ran pell-mell into Geoff's room and slammed the door, waking him in the process. She had her back to the door and her face was white above the collar of her apple green riding habit.

"What are you doing?" Geoff asked grumpily, wiping his eyes and yawning.

"Geoff," asked Juliet very slowly. "Could Papa have me betrothed to someone without my knowledge or participation?"

Geoff considered this question for a moment. "I believe so. You have not yet come of age. Such arrangements are not uncommon, though usually the participants involved are much younger, as in a marriage arranged from birth. Why? Has he mentioned something to you?" His face showed some alarm and Juliet sat down on the foot of his bed and buried her face in her hands.

"I overheard him talking to Octavian and he said that I am to be married to Robert Driscoll!"

"Bloody hell!" Geoff sat up in his bed. "I'm terribly sorry, Jules. He must have been truly angry when you returned from London with no hope of ever having a husband and he set about finding you one himself."

Juliet raised her eyes to his. "I will not marry against my will, especially not a Driscoll. Their mother is French! They are stupid and snobbish and...oh Geoff, a Driscoll!" Her tragic tone foreshadowed her certain fate.

"Perhaps it won't be so terrible, Jules. I hear that Robert is the best of the lot, though that isn't saying a great deal."

Juliet struck the bed perilously near his uninjured leg "Don't laugh at me!" She stood up and began to pace the room. "You must help untangle me from this mess!"

Geoff smiled at her determination. "I cannot see a way. If you are already pledged, then that is done and Father won't possibly stand for the disgrace if you refuse to go through with the marriage."

Juliet stopped for a moment. "No doubt the viscount could still refuse the engagement if he finds me displeasing."

Geoff shook his head. "Father knows you too well, Jules. He would make such an arrangement very difficult to undo."

Juliet smiled. "Then I shall have to be very difficult."

"No, that won't work. In all probability it will be easier for the viscount to leave you in the country alone as his wife than to put a stop to the marriage. Besides, you have a dowry of sixty thousand pounds and a lord with so many responsibilities would be foolish to give up that much for personal dislike."

Juliet knotted her hands into fists and continued pacing. She chewed her lip and thought for several minutes before turning to her brother with a wicked grin. "No engagement is ever final until Society knows of its existence. If I leave for London immediately and convince Aunty to take me in again, and if I appear in Society engaged to another man, then my father and the viscount will have a pretty scandal on their hands if they announce that I am actually betrothed to Robert Driscoll."

Geoff still appeared confused, and Juliet proceeded to explain everything to him.

"If I manage to catch some man better than a viscount, then Papa would reconsider the arrangement and perhaps revoke the engagement. Papa would do anything for my happiness, you know that. If he thought that I was in love with another man, then he would never force me to marry an insufferable Driscoll." Juliet's eyes sparkled with the brilliance of her plan.

"But Jules, eligible men are not so easily caught and you would have to marry someone you might not like to move so quickly. Why not just accept Viscount Ravinstock and live at Ravincourt, close to home?"

"No! As soon as I knew that Papa had released Lord Ravinstock, I could jilt my unpleasant suitor and be done with it. Surely then the viscount would not consent to marrying me again and Papa will have learned his lesson." Juliet smiled triumphantly and her eyes dared Geoff to find a fault with her plan.

Her brother laughed aloud. "You've a head on your shoulders, Jules! If you can manage to get into Lady Wilcox's good graces, erase the last scandal and jilt a new suitor, then you may well succeed in becoming a hopeless spinster." He shook his head at the number of obstacles, but Juliet was not set back in the least.

"Do not forget that I have a fortune. The Ton is very forgiving of young ladies with sixty thousand pounds. As for Aunty, she is won over easily enough. And finally, to supply the part of the poor ill-used suitor, I know of one or two marquesses who are desperate to marry any girl with money. If not they, then I hear that the Duke of Tremston is rather light in the pocket."

"Only you would have the audacity to catch a duke for the purpose of jilting him, Jules. I wish you all success," Geoff teased. He was quite weary and leaned his head back. But Juliet had other plans and shook him awake.

"Up with you, Geoff. You have to help me. You're coming with me to London today."

Geoff opened his eyes to see Juliet standing over him with an earnest expression on her pretty face.

"Blast it, Juliet, I'm injured. I can't go to London today! Perhaps next week we can go."

"Are you mad? If I am already engaged the viscount could come with a special license to wed me any time, and then we would be in a fix. Besides, I know that you are shamming. You are simply lying in bed to receive extra attention and sweets from the cook. I've seen your wound and I've had worse scratches falling from Romeo. Now get up and pack a few things, we shall have to purchase everything else in London."

Geoff groaned. "With whose money?"

"Yours, of course. I'll pay you when I come into my majority. Hurry!" she bid him and then she left, feeling well satisfied with her solution.

They made their preparations quickly with Maggie's help, who had been sworn to secrecy. Within an hour Juliet and Geoff were descending the stairs, valises in hand.

Lord Cantonshire and Octavian were nowhere to be seen and the two escaped from the house to the stables without incident. Once there they ordered Geoff's carriage brought around, informing the groom that their father had ordered them to London to facilitate Geoff's recovery with the help of a London doctor. Soon Juliet, Geoff, and a groom were on their way to town.

They proceeded with all possible haste, hoping to make the city before nightfall. Juliet reassured her brother that the moon would be close to full that night and the road would be clear. Geoff replied sharply that there had better be no accident, for he certainly couldn't walk far in his condition. In truth, his slight wound was all but healed, of which Juliet promptly informed him.

"I ought to be given a medal for the service I'm doing Viscount Ravinstock today," Geoff said irritably.

"You are a terrible bore, brother."

Geoff only leaned back and stretched out his legs in the cramped carriage, forcing Juliet to scrunch herself into the corner. "Tell that to Maggie," he said. "I believe the poor girl's in love with me. Did you see her eyes as we were leaving the house?"

"She was more likely worried about what will happen when they discover me gone. In any event, she's better than you deserve and more sensible than all those widgeons that make up the eligible ladies in London," Juliet snapped, pushing his legs out of the way to make room for her skirts.

Geoff eyed his sister speculatively. "I shall enjoy watching you pretend to be a 'widgeon'."

Juliet scowled. "'Tis bad enough having to play the part without having you tease me."

"That is why I do it," responded Geoff readily. Juliet wrinkled her nose at him and refused to say anything more for quite a few hours, no matter how much he provoked her.

"Robert, you cannot marry Juliet Moresby!" Catherine Driscoll exclaimed at the dinner table. He had made his announcement as soon as he'd come back from London with the signed agreement in hand. Everyone at the table was shocked, and only his mother, Lady Margaret, was pleased.

"The Moresbys are of fine blood, my dear," said Lady Margaret, smiling at her son. He nodded to her respectfully, bestowing a handsome smile that lightened his normally grim face, before addressing his sister's comment.

"Catherine, do not speak so about my future wife."

The blond girl frowned mutinously. Her fiancé, seated next to her, patted her hand in reassurance. He added his voice to support her. "Lady Juliet's conduct is not quite proper, my lord. She was forced to leave London this Season in disgrace."

Robert raised his eyebrows. "I heard that, of course, but the behaviour in question was no more serious than inciting Mr. Brumhest, who is quite the most pompous man I have ever had the misfortune to meet. Such candour can be dismissed, in my opinion, as mere inexperience. In any event, Catherine's objections are highly extraordinary since she is in part responsible for this entire affair."

"What can you mean?" Catherine demanded, fluttering her fan anxiously as her fiancé tried to calm her.

"Of course, you three have been fighting with the Driscolls for years, but last Season, Catherine, you insulted Lady Juliet. I believe you called her 'unladylike and ill-bred' in front of her brothers. Since then the Moresbys have been constantly provoking our brothers, and Claude and Luc have returned the favour. Now a duel is threatened. The end result is that I am forced to marry Lady Juliet Moresby in order to preserve the peace. The blame, dear sister, lies at your feet." Robert did not mince words and watched impassively when Catherine, greatly insulted, abruptly stood up and left the room. Her fiancé followed, babbling endearments and vainly trying to persuade her not to lose her temper.

There was a short silence in the dining room before Luc said, "Robert, you know that Juliet Moresby is a queer fish. It's said that she hunts and knows Latin and Greek. Can't be approved of."

Robert had resumed eating, but now he put down his fork. "Lord Cantonshire has assured me that she is a pleasant companion and from her picture I have seen, that she is beautiful. As for any rumors or opinions of her behaviour the subject is now closed. She is to be Lady Ravinstock and there will be no further discussion."

Robert's mother made a small, triumphant sound and nodded to her eldest son. Even Claude, who had not dared open his mouth, shook his head. He knew better than to speak any more after the harsh words his brother had given him about leaving Geoff Moresby wounded in the woods and not offering his help.

Luc, who was not even so wise as Claude, merely said, "Your burial, then," before tasting a bit of chicken on his plate. He was resentful because Robert had cut his allowance in punishment for their act, and now he would be forced to go to the moneylenders in order to play at his club in London.

He could imagine Robert's reaction if he discovered that Luc had lost another three hundred and that Claude had lost seven more. The promissory notes were piling up, and sooner or later, Robert would have to cover them. The rest of the meal was conducted in silence, and only Lady Margaret wore a smile.

Robert was not without his doubts about Lady Juliet. He had been out of the country last year when Juliet had made her debut in London and then proceeded to remain a spinster in spite of her fortune, her looks and her birth. Robert was absent from London for this year's Season, preferring to tend to the business of his estate personally, but he had heard of Lady Juliet's continuing lack of suitors. He knew, mostly from his brothers, that Society counted her a bluestocking and hopelessly on the shelf.

If she was truly an 'odd fish', then what was in store for him? He assumed that she must have wanted marriage badly in order to consent to an arranged marriage with someone she had hardly seen. Perhaps then she would be agreeable, as the earl had promised.

His own memories of Juliet Moresby were very few. He had left for his first year at Eton before she was even born, but he remembered his mother writing him of the darling new Moresby child. He cared very little, of course, but a few years later, Lady Cantonshire had brought her daughter on a visit while Robert was home on holiday.

The tiny girl, having taken one look at Robert, approached him with a baby smile and took his adolescent hand within her own grasp. He couldn't help but grin at her as she squeezed his tan fingers and he used his free hand to muss her wavy brown hair. She laughed then, very engagingly, and proceeded to lead him with tottering steps to her mother.

Lady Cantonshire retrieved her child with a warm, beautiful smile. She complimented Robert on his fine looks and his gentlemanly manner. Though from his own mother such compliments would have drawn from him a scowl of rebellion, he grinned sheepishly and squirmed like a little boy under the lovely smile of Lady Cantonshire. He remembered being very distressed when his mother wrote him a few months later saying that Lady Cantonshire had died suddenly of fever.

Years later, he had been riding the edges of his property when he heard an unearthly howling. Dismounting from his horse, he ran towards the noise and discovered three children playing. Imagining some grave injury, he ran into their midst to see their surprised faces glaring at him for interrupting their play.

The girl, he realized, was Juliet Moresby, and she had a red streak coloring each cheek and a yellow one running from her chin to her forehead. A goose feather was stuck in her disheveled hair and her dress was much the worse for wear. The two boys were similarly costumed, though of course, they wore nankeen pants rather than a dress.

"Look," Juliet cried, pointing a sharpened stick at the intruder. "Here is a settler! Quick, tie him up, and we shall burn him at the stake."

"No, no, that's the witch hunts. You've got everything confused," the older boy said as the younger one swiftly grabbed Robert and held him with a surprisingly strong grip

"I most certainly have not!" Juliet exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at the older boy. The goose feather had worked itself partly free and drooped to her face. She blew it away and Robert had to laugh at her comical appearance.

Juliet turned and scowled when he laughed. With one look, she bullied the older boy into helping the younger hold Robert, and then she approached her prisoner.

"The Indians burn people at the stake, I know! I read a book that said so. You have the appearance of one who ought to know," she said, addressing Robert. "What say you?" Her hands remained on her hips and she managed to carry the air of a small queen in spite of her ragged dress and painted face.

Robert laughed again. "Now, if I disagree with you, I will no doubt face retribution for my impertinence. If I agree, then I shall be burnt at the stake. What would you have me say, Juliet?" he asked her.

The younger boy chuckled, but he did not release his grip. "He's in the right of it, Jules."

Juliet ignored her companions and scrutinized Robert carefully. "How do you know my name, prisoner? I am an Indian brave."

"You are Lady Juliet Moresby and these must be your brothers, Geoffrey and Octavian. I am Robert Driscoll and I live at Ravincourt."

Juliet poked Robert with her stick. "You're not playing properly!" she said imperiously. "I am an Indian brave and you are my prisoner."

Robert, who did not appreciate a stick in his ribs, decided that he had enough of this play. He freed himself from the two boys and then caught hold of Juliet's arm. She struggled furiously and though Robert found himself beset by two Indian braves, he managed to keep his grip on their leader with some difficulty.

"Stop at once!" he ordered in a deafening tone and the three were shocked into silence. He smiled and let Juliet free. She stumbled, but recovered herself and ran to stand between her brothers. "Now, we settlers are an ornery bunch. You had best leave us be," directed Robert, straightening his jacket.

Juliet rose to her full height, which was not very great. Her face paint had been smudged in the struggle, but she managed to appear haughty nevertheless. "We will gather reinforcements and burn your town tomorrow. Just you wait!" She lifted her small nose. Then, in the very style of a British commander, she ordered her brothers to march, and they followed her away without looking back. Robert had laughed and laughed until he had to lean against a tree to keep from falling down.

Robert could not see himself minding so much to be married to the woman such a girl would become. He smiled and excused himself from tea to go to his study and finish some unattended business. Tomorrow, he would wed Juliet Moresby and bring her back to live at Ravincourt. He imagined that his brothers and Catherine as well, would take themselves to London with all expediency, and he and Juliet could learn to know each other in peace.

"What are you going to say to her, Jules?" Geoff asked as they approached their aunt's house in Grosvenor Square.

Juliet's brow furrowed in thought. "I do not yet know. Aunty can be dealt with if I appeal to her pride. She'll have to keep us here for the night at least, and that gives me several hours to work on her. Come now, we're here."

The coach came to a halt and the two runaways were almost unable to wait for the groom to open the door for them, such was their haste to go inside. When they asked for their aunt, the butler Miles, dutifully informed them that her ladyship was out for the evening, but that their rooms were, of course, ready for them at any time.

Juliet thanked Miles and said that she preferred to wait in the drawing room for her aunt's return. There they waited for some hours in tense silence before the door opened to reveal her ladyship dressed in full ballroom splendor. Her satin gown had gold trim in extraordinary profusion, and her hair, piled high on a pad of lamb's wool, was dressed with one exceedingly tall feather that threatened to brush the top of the doorway as she passed beneath it.

"Well!" she said, eyeing her niece and nephew unfavourably. "What are you doing here when I sent you away not so very long ago?"

Juliet, armed with her sweetest smile and most apologetic demeanour, led her aunt by the arm to a comfortable chair. "Dearest Aunty, Papa asked me to impose upon you once more. He is sadly unhappy that I was so unpopular with the Ton, and he begged that I might have one more chance. Did you not receive his letter?"

Her ladyship raised a skillfully blackened eyebrow. "I did not Juliet, and I beg of you not to fawn on me so."

Geoff cut short a laugh as Juliet jumped back from her aunt. She directed a warning look to her brother before bowing her head and renewing her wheedling.

"How distressing that the post is so unreliable in this modern age. Well, Papa did write that if his sister could not make a young lady of me, then no one could. He has a very high regard for you, Aunt Georgiana," Juliet said innocently.

Lady Wilcox straightened herself in her chair. "You expect me to take you in again when I am just now recovered from the mortification of your departure? I cannot fathom it!"

Juliet knelt beside her aunt and took the woman's wrinkled hand in her own smooth ones. "I know that I have been quite a trial to you, Aunty. I am terribly sorry, as I have said many times before. I realize that the only way I can make it up to you is to make an extraordinary match this Season. You must know that everyone in Society would lay the success at your feet should I catch a marquess or a duke. You would be completely vindicated and that horrible Lady Chamblington would have nothing to say to you. Besides, Geoff is here and you know that he is quite popular, and your parties shall be the more pleasant for his presence. As for me, I shall be on my best behaviour."

Juliet smiled winsomely up at her aunt, who could well see the advantages of the situation should Juliet indeed improve.

Still, she frowned at her niece. "Your conduct thus far has not managed to please the high sticklers, my dear. You will have a long climb to come into their favour again if I allow you to stay."

Juliet suppressed her joyful smile, for her aunt was considering her plea, and she certainly did not wish to offend her when she was on the verge of getting her way. Instead she allowed her eyes to become very large. "I have been told that my looks are not at fault, and as for my birth, it is noble enough. Besides which, my inheritance might make the Ton unusually forgiving. Do you not agree?"

Her ladyship nodded very slightly. "Perhaps, perhaps. Well, if you promise to be a good girl..."

"Oh I will be, Aunty! The Ton will adore me this time!"

Lady Wilcox silenced her with a withering look. "Then I can see no harm coming of the scheme. If you should happen to make an exceptional match, then you would be repaying me for the wrongs you have done. You may stay."

Juliet threw her arms about the much abused lady and kissed her powdered cheek before her ladyship dismissed Juliet and Geoff to bed.

After breakfast the next morning, Juliet dressed in her green-sprigged muslin walking dress and Roman sandals with the help of Betty, an upstairs maid who had been elevated to abigail for the duration of Juliet's stay. Juliet and Betty were just coming down the stairs to begin a day of shopping when Geoff approached them to speak with his sister.

He was dressed in a tight-fitting superfine coat, as finely tailored as any Weston could provide, and black pantaloons that showed an exceptional leg. Juliet complimented his looks, noting especially that he had no limp, but he ignored her.

"Jules, your explanations are fine for today, but your gowns won't be back from the dressmaker before Papa and your viscount come riding in here to take you away. What are you going to say then?"

"Why, that Papa's gone mad, of course. Aunty couldn't fathom that Papa would have me betrothed in such a havey-cavey manner without my consent. Besides, you are her favourite relative, and you will corroborate my story," Juliet answered easily.

Betty was listening to the exchange with wide eyes and Juliet saw that she was going to have to press the girl into silence. She was full with the honour of becoming a lady's maid, and she had already sworn eternal loyalty to Juliet, so the young lady didn't imagine that ensuring Betty's discretion would be very difficult.

Geoff shook his head. "I don't believe you'll get away with such nonsense, much less storming the Ton and running off with a marquess."

"Your faith in me is heart-warming, dear brother. I've learned that with a bit of courage, most anything can be accomplished. Am I wrong, Betty?" asked Juliet.

"Never, milady!" said her staunch maid and the two of them swept past Geoff with no further words.

Juliet had great faith in the success of her venture. Her time in Society before had given her plenty of leisure to observe the accepted conduct of young ladies, even if her life at the Abbey had furnished her with no example. Juliet had every confidence that she could dissemble enough to appear properly witless for the sake of the Ton. She needed only to choose an appropriate fan and slippers enough to replace those ruined by the fumbling feet of a careless dancing partner.

After procuring these items and selecting gowns for every possible outing, Juliet had spent a great many of Geoff's guineas and nearly run Betty off her newly-elevated feet. Shopping for the Season was a serious business and Juliet spared no expense to be certain that her third debut should entirely eclipse her first two, at least until she landed a marquess or duke. Perhaps then the Ton would be talking about Juliet's outrageous scheme for years to come.

CHAPTER THREE

Viscount Ravinstock called at Cantonshire Abbey at the reasonable country hour of ten o'clock. He felt rather anxious, which could only be expected, since he was to meet his bride-to-be for the first time since she was a child. Still, he felt secure in the fact that their wedding would be a businesslike arrangement with no messiness or fuss to make the matter difficult.

By the time the butler answered the door, the viscount was calm and satisfied, but the butler looked upon Robert with much alarm and hastily drew him within doors.

"I'll tell his lordship that you are here," the butler whispered conspiratorially before rushing off to do his duty. Robert, rather surprised at such treatment, remained at the entrance.

Not two minutes later the earl himself came out, wringing his hands and harumphing a bit before speaking. "Well, Lord Ravinstock! Come to marry my Juliet, no doubt," he said nervously, running his hands through his shock of white hair.

"Yes, sir. I believe I was expected," Robert answered evenly. "Is everything ready?" He tried to peer past the earl and up the staircase, but no fiancée appeared.

"Miserable business, this," muttered the earl.

"I beg your pardon?" Robert asked.

"Oh, well. I'm sorry, but it seems that Lady Juliet is no longer here." The earl looked at his feet.

"I don't believe I understand," Robert said as his eyebrows drew together in confusion.

The earl glanced at Robert before continuing. "Flown the coop! I might have foreseen it, of course. Juliet and her brother left yesterday, early afternoon, we believe."

"Flown the coop? Where?" Lord Ravinstock demanded, drawing himself to his full six feet.

The earl squirmed a bit. "Er...we're not quite certain of that as yet. My eldest son is gone to London to check there."

"Why did you not inform me of this yesterday?"

The earl frowned. "Now look here, we thought to have her back and make no mention of this to you. But now you're here and there's no use in not telling you. Fact is, we can't keep it from you. Juliet didn't want to marry. She didn't even know."

"Didn't even know!" Robert was incredulous.

"She gets stubborn about some things, but there's no undoing what's been done. She must have found out and if I know Juliet, she'll be working some scheme to put a stop to our plans."

"I feel myself sadly used in this matter, my lord. I had not expected to marry a girl who did not even wish for the arrangement," Robert said curtly.

The earl drew in a deep breath. "Well, it's all done now, isn't it? And no worries, for I have already decided how everything can be saved. A minister, who believes Juliet to be deathly ill, is waiting nearby at the parish church and so is a proxy for my daughter. We shall have you wed on the spot before Juliet can do anything more outrageous. My dear girl will come around once she gets to know you and see what a fine young gentleman you are."

Robert was appalled by the earl's plan. "You suggest a proxy wedding, without Lady Juliet's consent? I'm afraid I must refuse out of hand." He made a movement to leave, but the earl stopped him.

"If you refuse, then your brother and my son may well end up dead, or at least gravely injured. Don't let my daughter's stubbornness ruin our plans."

Lord Ravinstock was still shaking his head. "But if she does not wish to marry..."

"She is my only daughter, and like most fathers, I care very much about her happiness. Never think that I would ever do anything that is not in her best interest. I would not allow such a marriage if I did not believe that you two would suit admirably."

"It seems that she has other ideas," replied Robert, not quite convinced, even though the earl was making a good deal of sense. How could he refuse when his brother's life was at stake?

"My little girl is young yet, and I'm afraid, somewhat apt to act without thinking. By the time she comes around to the fact that she ought to marry you, which I am certain she will, it may already be too late. That is why we must take the initiative now and go through with the proxy wedding."

Robert appeared to be considering the plan and the earl prodded him gently, saying, "Think of the advantages this marriage will bring."

The viscount had been thinking of the advantages for the past three days; his brother's life would be spared, he would fulfill his duty to the Ravinstock succession, and he could finally take control of his own money, the feud between the families would be ended, and the earl would have his daughter provided for. Robert knew the earl to be a generous man who would not blithely marry his child to just anyone. If he believed that Juliet would suit Robert, then she most probably would.

At last, Robert nodded his head and followed the earl off to the chapel to be wed. He did not know that the proxy bride was Juliet's abigail Maggie, who the housekeeper suspected had known about Juliet's departure. The poor maid had been threatened with dismissal without references if she did not stand as proxy for her mistress, and she could only hope that the Lady Juliet could find it in her heart to forgive her.

The country rector duly performed the ceremony and the marriage was finalized. The viscount had never imagined that his wedding would be to a woman he had hardly met and who hadn't even bothered to attend. Her stand-in obviously nervous, was barely able to voice the words of the ceremony. Robert was still uneasy about the underhanded nature of the whole affair, but he felt that he had been left with no choice. Arranged marriages were not quite as tidy as he imagined them to be.

After the wedding and the short trip back to the earl's house, Robert motioned for the butler to bring him his greatcoat. "I must go to London to speak with her myself. Where can I find her brother?"

The earl smiled, his eyes crinkling merrily. He had hoped that Robert would take the situation in hand. "I'll be coming with you. I have a trunk packed already."

Robert smiled himself. He had always respected the earl, and Lord Cantonshire's company would make Robert's position more irrefutable to Juliet. How strange that he was off to London to meet his wife.

"This is a queer business indeed!" he said, and the two lords made haste to be on their way to London.

The Marquess of Marchington studied the dinner party with fashionable ennui. The same unexceptional young ladies and their calculating mamas were there as they had been all Season long. None of them had blunt enough to bring him out of Dun, and the marquess was beginning to feel a bit panicked. If some naive little heiress didn't show up soon, he'd have to cut his losses and leave the country, or face the inside of a debtors' prison. That he would be loath to do.

At the moment, he was speaking with Lady Chamblington who was interesting only in that she knew the skeletons in all the family closets. The marquess was considering a blackmailing scheme and Lady Chamblington was innocently pointing out his possible victims.

She had just remarked upon Captain Lovestone's cowardice in the war when Lady Wilcox, wearing a formidable array of flowing skirts, floated into the room followed by a young blade and a beautiful miss dressed in a pale blue dress and spencer with matching plumes in her dark hair.

The marquess raised his quizzing glass and interrupted Lady Chamblington in her venomous discourse.

"Is that young Moresby there and his sister? I thought they'd left weeks ago."

Lady Chamblington drew in a hissing breath. "That girl shows no sense in coming here -- I imagine every person present will cut her!"

The marquess, however, had other ideas. He had arrived in London after Lady Juliet Moresby had left and he had cursed his misfortune. He knew about her spinsterhood, and more importantly, about her sixty thousand pounds. He'd planned to make her his prime candidate for marriage, especially since the other silly chit he'd been wooing had got herself engaged to some drunkard baron.

Now his first choice, as if by some miracle, appeared at this party. If Juliet Moresby were in disgrace, then so much the better, for she would have little choice but to marry him. The marquess left Lady Chamblington babbling to the air and hastened to greet Lady Wilcox and her family.

Juliet fully expected to be cut by the Ton at her first appearance, but she entered the room with a smile and a determination not to care. Her pride hurt a bit, of course, for she knew that she would have to fawn excessively to make up for Mr. Brumhest's blackening of her name, but she reminded herself that she would have the last laugh in the end. Only this thought kept the smile on her face as the room of people fell silent on seeing her.

"This is going to be more difficult than I thought," she whispered to Geoff, whose own face showed signs of cracking, he was smiling so hard. He only nodded.

Juliet shrugged. As she determinedly followed her aunt into the midst of the party, every face she saw turned away. What if no one acknowledged her? Surely her scheme could not fail so soon, or had she entirely misjudged the Ton? The silence in the room frightened her. What if they began to boo and hiss and she was forced to leave? Surely her comments to Mr. Brumhest had not been so appalling to warrant such a response as this? She had only defended a young lady he had maligned.

Juliet's cheeks were spotted with colour and she drew herself up straight next to her brother. Suddenly a rakish-looking man in a yellow coat was kissing her aunt's hand and he broke the silence by begging to be presented to her lovely niece. Juliet recognized him as the Marquess of Marchington and her eyes narrowed. Here was one of her hopefuls coming up to scratch.

She grinned at Geoff triumphantly before turning her attention to the marquess, who immediately informed her that her eyes put the stars to shame.

Blushing prettily at such nonsense, Juliet said, "La, sir, you are too kind to one so undeserving as myself."

"Not at all! How could I ignore one so beautiful?"

Or so rich, thought Juliet as he took her arm and led her to the table of refreshments. Now other people were asking Lady Wilcox to be presented to her niece. One did not cut a girl so obviously favoured by a marquess, even if he was well known to be light in the pocket.

Juliet ate with proper lack of appetite as she sat between the marquess and another young gentleman who was quite amiable. Lady Wilcox, seated across from her niece, was beaming appreciatively. She had not thought that Juliet would be successful so soon, but then the girl had always been full of surprises.

The marquess was on his last legs to be sure, but no one ignored a girl who was accepted by a nobleman of such rank. Lord Cantonshire would likely kiss his sister's feet in gratitude and the odious Lady Chamblington would have a bitter night's sleep. Lady Wilcox was enjoying that woman's frosty stares immensely.

Juliet employed her natural charm and acting ability to play the perfect vacant-headed society miss, and her charade seemed to be working well. The subject of conversation at every table was Lady Juliet Moresby's remarkable improvement in manner. Many were questioning the audacity of Mr. Brumhest, wondering how he could have said such things about a young lady of Quality. More men than Lord Marchington were complimenting her sparkling eyes, but Juliet directed the full radiance of her smile only to the marquess. Marchington visibly preened himself; finally his luck was going to change.

As the evening drew to its close, Lord Marchington bent his head to whisper in Juliet's ear:

"I believe I've fallen in love with you, my dear."

Juliet feigned shivers of excitement. "My lord, I do not deserve such an honour!"

"Prettily said, Lady Juliet, but I would expect nothing less from such a beautiful flower."

Juliet managed one more blush before Geoff came to inform her that their party was leaving.

"Are you going to walk in Hyde Park tomorrow?" asked the marquess hurriedly, catching her arm before she could follow her brother.

"Oh yes! Might you be there also?"

"Of course, if you are to be there," he answered with exaggerated delight. Juliet fluttered her white lace fan and bestowed yet another smile upon the marquess before saying her good-byes and leaving with her brother.

Once safely in the carriage, Juliet sighed deeply and Geoff laughed at her. "I never would have credited it if I had not seen you acting for all the world like a proper young lady. Imagine!"

Juliet, mindful of Lady Wilcox's presence, did not smack her brother smartly but fluttered her fan instead. "I do what is necessary," she said dutifully, causing Geoff to chuckle once more.

"I am quite pleased with you, my dear, quite pleased indeed," Lady Wilcox said.

Juliet grinned. "I shocked you, did I Aunty? Your niece can be charmingly simple-minded if she wishes to be. I do believe I can redeem my scandalous reputation."

"Yes, indeed. I am certain you can," answered her ladyship. She sat back in the carriage and beamed at her two young relatives. She was quite satisfied by the outcome of this evening and was looking forward to the days ahead. Lady Chamblington was to be paid in full for all the snide remarks she'd made about Lady Wilcox and her family.

Geoff stifled a yawn with the back of his hand and Lady Wilcox nodded sympathetically. "Such excitement lends itself to a good rest. I for one am glad that we are almost home."

As if heralded by her words the coach came to a halt. The two ladies were assisted to the ground, and followed by Geoff, they stepped quickly to the front door of Lady Wilcox's townhouse. Miles, who took the ladies' shawls and the gentleman's jacket and deposited the articles upon a waiting footman, greeted them. He bowed deeply to Lady Wilcox. "You have callers, your ladyship."

"What? At this hour? Who would dare impose..."

"Your brother, my lady, and Lord Ravinstock. Master Octavian as well. They are waiting in the drawing room."

Juliet, after a moment of shock, swiftly took control of the situation. "Aunty, dear, please go up to bed. If Papa wishes to speak with you, I am certain it will wait until morning. If there is an emergency, I shall inform you at once."

Her ladyship's black-painted eyebrows drew together. "Not quite, Juliet. I sense your mischief in this business. Come with me, you two." She proceeded into the drawing room, managing to outpace the footman who was forced to take a running leap in order to open the door before her. Geoff shrugged and followed, and Juliet could only go with them.

Lady Wilcox did not mince words in chastising her brother for disturbing her peace at two o'clock in the morning. Her tirade lasted some minutes before she began to listen to her brother's stammered explanations. This interval gave Juliet plenty of opportunity to observe the room and think of how to save her own tenuous position.

Octavian was standing stiffly beside her father, wearing black as if he were mourning Juliet's sad behaviour. Juliet sniffed, thinking that black had never suited Octavian, though it looked quite dashing on Geoff. Juliet wasted little time on her relatives, she wanted to get a long look at the man who was, and she could scarcely admit it, her betrothed.

Robert stood near the fireplace, absorbed it seemed, in serious thought. He wore a navy superfine jacket over cream pantaloons and shiny black boots. Juliet noted the conservative size of the black tassels and the lack of flashy fobs or dandyish jewels to decorate his waistcoat. His only piece of jewelry was a wide gold signet ring on his right hand and Juliet hated to admit that she approved. Lord Marchington's ostentation had brought an unbidden and uncomplimentary smile to her lips more than once that evening. She did so dislike tulips of the Ton. How very unfortunate that Robert was not one.

Instead of hiding a thickening waist the viscount's attire showed to advantage his lean, muscular figure. His cravat was tied only three-quarters up his neck, which Juliet reckoned a sensible height after seeing those nervous young men at the party who could barely speak with their cravats tied up to their chins. His face was far too handsome, if somewhat grim, and his eyes were wrinkled at the sides, rather like her own father's.

She admitted reluctantly that his appearance could not be faulted, but took some consolation from the fact that his manner was entirely too certain, too self- assured. His gray eyes were watching her disapprovingly, and she lifted her chin in defiance.

Lady Wilcox had stopped speaking and Lord Cantonshire turned to his daughter. "Juliet, what do you plan to do here? Why can't you do as your Papa says and go with your husband?"

Lady Wilcox made a shocked exclamation. Juliet was confused to hear her father refer to the viscount as if they were already married, but her answer was both steady and sure.

"I don't know what you mean, Papa. I came to do as you desired, to catch a husband for myself. Aunty will tell you that I was quite successful tonight." She turned to her aunt, who nodded hastily even as she pressed smelling salts to her nose.

"Don't play the fool, child. I know you overheard my telling Octavian about the engagement and you ran away. Geoff, what have you to say?"

Geoff looked from his sister to his father. 'She came to me and said that she wanted to make you proud and surprise you. I thought it only proper to help her here, for you know she would have come alone if I refused."

Lord Cantonshire stamped his foot. "The two of you are plotting together and don't think I cannot see it!"

Juliet went to her father and took his arm. "Papa, you are overset. Why don't we all go to bed and the matter can be settled in the morning. You have had a long journey today and I myself am quite burnt out. Aunty, are there bedchambers enough?"

Lady Wilcox threw up her hands. "Of course, silly girl. I can make no head or tail of this tonight. Come, let's all say good-night!"

Juliet seemed almost successful in postponing her explanations until the next morning when a deep, warm voice spoke behind her.

"Lady Juliet, before you retire, would you have a word with me?"

Juliet turned slowly to face the viscount, who was still regarding her seriously. Lady Wilcox and Lord Cantonshire left, followed by Octavian, and Geoff bent to Juliet and wished her good luck before he too abandoned her. The footman sighed as neither the viscount nor Juliet moved and closed the door on them with practiced silence.

Not quite daring to meet his eyes again, Juliet said, "What is it, my lord? I must confess that I am very weary."

She could feel the viscount coming closer. "Of course, you have been busy these past days evading me." She glanced at him curiously when she heard the laughter in his voice, but then quickly looked down as he came very close to her indeed. Soon she was staring quite directly at the second button on his navy coat.

"My lord, I beg you to release me from our families' arrangement. I do not wish to marry you." She glanced up then to meet burning gray eyes that caused her to tremble uncertainly. Her heart beat rapidly and she raised one hand to her chest. How silly I'm being, she thought crossly and frowned.

"Juliet, I have no intention of letting you go."

She could feel the breath of his words on her face and stepped back from him.

Her frown was now a scowl. "I will not be forced into marriage, Lord Ravinstock, especially not with a posturing stranger who calls me by my given name!"

Now the viscount smiled fully, angering Juliet still further. "We have met before, though we were both much younger, and you were painted up as an Indian brave. Perhaps you do not remember?"

Juliet's mouth dropped open. "You are the settler in the woods! You silenced us that day and you picked me up by my shoulders!"

"Ah, you do remember. You deserved it, you know, for you were poking me with a sharp stick." He raised one eyebrow and grinned, which Juliet considered a neat trick and wished she had the skill to do herself. In any case the childhood memory had dispelled her immediate irritation with the viscount and she let loose a smile.

"After your ambush, Octavian never wanted to play Indians again. Geoff and I had to hunt wild turkey without him." Her dark eyes gleamed.

"I will not apologize for preserving my skin from the savages," he joked and without warning, his hand caught hers. In spite of her glove, sudden heat passed though her at his touch. She looked at him at a loss for words and his eyes grew serious.

"Come now, Lady Juliet. Can I be so horrible?"

Juliet licked her lips nervously and decided again that he was much too handsome. "Lord Ravinstock, I am perfectly happy as I am and Papa must see it to be true. I will not marry a Driscoll, or anyone, without being asked, and that is the end of the discussion." She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong.

"Oh no, for you are my wife and I am your husband. It cannot be undone." He was breathlessly close now and Juliet swallowed fearfully.

"I don't understand what you mean. It will be undone. I..."

She was interrupted when his lips closed over hers in a gentle kiss and his arms closed around her. She was startled, but he held her fast and soon the kiss became rather more involved. Her own arms surprised her by coming to rest on his shoulders and without warning, she responded to his kiss as a flush of heat tingled through her that she had never felt before. She felt as if she were drowning and suddenly, fear washed over her and she angrily pushed herself away from his embrace.

"How dare you!" she gasped, wiping her mouth and glaring at him with furious eyes.

The viscount himself seemed startled, but he disguised his emotion quickly. "I beg your pardon, Lady Ravinstock."

Trembling in anger, Juliet said, "I am not Lady Ravinstock and you will not touch me again, your lordship!"

"Please, call me Robert," he replied unmoved.

"Oh, you insufferable, pompous, dandified, spoiled..."

"Really, Juliet! Dandified?" he asked, sweeping his hands at his conservative attire.

Juliet's cheeks were flushed and she longed to slap him. "Don't mock me. I will never succumb to my father or to you. Never!" She deliberately turned her back to his amused eyes and left the room. She was even denied the luxury of slamming the door as the footman did that duty for her.

Once upstairs, she abandoned herself to the tantrum she deserved, and though she didn't break anything, the pillows had a difficult night of it.

CHAPTER FOUR

Breakfast the next morning was rather more quiet than usual. Juliet glared with mutinous eyes at her father, who seemed not to notice her anger. He ate with remarkable appetite and silent cheer, for he believed that he had finally outwitted his daughter and caught a husband for her at last. Geoff and Octavian ignored the issue of the night before and spoke of their plans to take London by storm together.

As for Viscount Ravinstock, he spent the meal with a secretive smile on his face. Juliet had to keep telling herself that she found his wicked smile terribly unattractive. She finished eating before the others and begged to be excused to retreat upstairs where she could fume privately. Lady Wilcox raised her hand to dismiss her, but then frowned as if remembering something.

"No, my dear. You have a bit of explaining to do, I should think."

Juliet opened her mouth to speak, but her father had his say first.

"Now, Georgiana, I don't know what this child has been telling you, but she is married to the Viscount Ravinstock, who is sitting across from me at this table. She seems to have got it into her head that she is not married, or more likely she's in a pet about it or some such and she obviously ran to you in some scheme to get herself unshackled. Well, I'm her father, and I saw the proxy wedding myself just yesterday, and I am telling you that she is going home with her husband. Already her things are being taken from the Abbey to Ravincourt. Permanently." Lord Cantonshire looked meaningfully at his daughter, whose face was suddenly ashen at the news of the proxy marriage.

Lady Wilcox raised her eyebrows. "My goodness! Are you serious, Edward? I can't imagine such a scheme as you put over on my niece. Geoff, what have you to say?"

Geoff, who had been trying to look invisible behind his egg, blinked his blue eyes. He was equally shocked by the fact that his sister was truly married, and as a result his answer was not well thought out. "Er, well, Juliet's only here to impress you, Aunty. She wants to catch someone top of the Ton."

Juliet was appalled. Geoff should have declared her father out of his mind. Aunt Georgiana practically thought as much anyway, and it wouldn't have done any harm. Now Geoff was staring with great determination at the remains of his breakfast and Juliet felt her mouth go dry. She needed more than his weak story to support her if she was to stop being whisked away to Ravincourt that very day.

Lady Wilcox called on Octavian and Juliet's nervousness increased tenfold. She could not count on help from that quarter.

Octavian bestowed an affronted look on his sister before speaking in his usual superior tones. "Our father has done his duty in finding a proper husband for his only daughter. Now she must do her duty by becoming a proper wife. She ought to go to Ravincourt today."

Juliet clutched at her fork trying to keep herself calm. Surely she could discover some means of escape even if she had to run from Ravincourt on foot and make her way to the sea.

"My dear girl, I must say that the evidence is against you, but I feel that I must have the word of Viscount Ravinstock, as it seems he is so intimately involved in my family's business," Lady Wilcox said. She was about to continue when the earl interrupted her.

"Damme, Georgiana! She's my daughter and she'll do as I tell her!"

Juliet bit her lip fiercely. Perhaps she had finally overestimated her powers of persuasion. She had counted on the fact that her father would be lenient with her once he knew that she was trying to find a husband for herself. And she certainly had not thought that her father would marry her off without even telling her. Her eyes rested once again on the viscount, feeling a little flutter of fear run through her as he cleared his throat to speak.

"Lady Juliet must enjoy her Season to the fullest extent. I have no reason to force her to Ravincourt if she does not desire to go. Let her continue with her Season as if we were not married, so that she may have time to get used to the idea. No one outside this small circle of people knows of the proxy wedding, so there will be no scandal." Robert nodded his head respectfully to Lady Wilcox and he favoured his bride with a hopeful smile.

Juliet's mouth would have dropped open had she not been so concerned with her dignity. She almost smiled in return when sudden comprehension dawned and anger flared within her. She did not need charity from him. He was the monster from whom she must escape. How dare he, of all people, offer her a way out? She wanted to throw his offer back in his face, but common sense kept her from blurting her reckless thoughts. The earl, however, was not so silent.

"What can you mean, sir? You may not back out of our agreement!"

The viscount shook his head. "Take no umbrage, Lord Cantonshire. I intend to honour my promise to you. Please, let us speak privately in the library and resolve the matter between us."

Juliet could brook their interference no longer. Obviously this was just a ploy on the part of the viscount to insinuate himself into her trust. The haughty Lord Ravinstock thought that he could make her come to him voluntarily. Well, he would learn to think again. Nobody coerced Juliet Moresby against her will, least of all an arrogant viscount or her own meddling father. She stood up and every eye turned to her.

"I will not marry him. I refuse to be used so infamously!" she said with a tone of finality. Everyone blinked in surprise as she turned smartly on her heel and left the room to the shocked murmurings of her older brother. Perhaps if she could have seen the glint of admiration in the viscount's eye as she made her exit, she would not have thought so terribly of him.

Lady Wilcox sighed. "Well, we shall all stay here then, I suppose, until we have settled this business. Edward, I do wish you would warn me before descending upon me with the entire countryside and their possible husbands in your entourage. Dear me, I am overset."

She excused herself from her table intending to take the morning to gossip with her closest friends. Perhaps by the time she returned, this tangle would be sorted out. Somehow, she doubted that such a thing was possible.

Juliet was sitting in her room when she noticed movement in the garden. She had been slowly digesting the horrifying truth that she was actually married, and married to a Driscoll. She went to the window to see her husband enjoying the afternoon air.

She scowled, more at herself than at him, for her thoughts had wandered to how wonderfully handsome and dashing he was. His straight nose, his square jaw, his gray eyes and thick brown hair: Juliet could not find a fault, which irritated her immensely.

At least he did not look entirely peaceful as he walked and something about his expression betrayed intense concentration. She tried to imagine what he must have been thinking about. She touched her index finger to her lips, still feeling the kiss he had given her the night before. Was he remembering the kiss she had given him in return? Juliet flushed and quickly drew the curtains. He was maddening!

Robert had just concluded his interview with the earl. He had convinced the earl that staying in London would be the best course to soothe Juliet. Perhaps she would even come to accept the situation. The earl had laughed, but agreed that their stay should continue and he wished Robert the best of luck.

The gardens were spacious, though not quite what a country park would be, and Robert enjoyed walking the gently sloping paths. He was thinking of his situation with Juliet and how he might best proceed.

Their kiss last night had surprised him. He had not expected to be so carried away or so eager to hold her. She was a wretch, of course. She was childish and stubborn and far too proud, but she was also clever and beautiful. Robert felt his pulse quicken as he thought of her.

He shook his head and walked more quickly. Was it because she did not fit the mold of the eligible ladies he so despised? She would not be easy to live with in spite of her father's promises, but somehow he knew that he wouldn't grow to hate her or to think of her as a worthless burden. Perhaps he could even grow to love her.

Love? Robert laughed aloud. He had entered into an arranged marriage to avoid the complications of love. He hardly needed a clinging female on top off all his other worries. But Juliet wouldn't cling to him, and when had she stared at him at breakfast that morning, angered by his words, he'd only meant to make things easier for her. He thought that in time, she might let go of her stubbornness and agree to come home with him. Surely she could see the advantages of the situation as well as he, but she had declared her intentions plainly before leaving breakfast.

What a maddening creature she was! Clearly, he would have to take the situation into his own hands. With some wooing, he could make her see that they would be companionable, at least.

"Fool, are you thinking of love again? She's a wretch and a scamp." Robert made his way back inside in haste. The city air was obviously fuddling his brain. Love!

On his way back, he looked up to see curtains quickly being drawn and smiled. She'd been watching him. Lady Juliet Moresby was going to find him impossible to resist if he was charming enough, which he intended to be. Now that he had met her, he no longer felt the slightest bit of shame in marrying her by proxy. The earl had been correct when he predicted that they would suit each other, and now the viscount had only to prove it to Juliet.

Juliet's first ball gown was ready and she twirled around in front of the mirror taking in her appearance critically. The dress was made of blue silk the colour of an autumn sky, with lace trimming as fine as spiders' webs. Her white kid gloves were decorated with matching ribbons at their cuffs. Diamonds were woven in the thick tresses of her expertly dressed hair, and as Juliet looked in the mirror, she could never remember being so well-garbed.

Over the past few days, she had decided to continue her scheme to ensnare Lord Marchington while ignoring her husband. Her marriage was still a secret, having not been published in the papers, and Juliet was convinced that the whole affair had been so underhanded that the marriage could easily be annulled.

She remembered when the daughter of a baron set all the Ton tongues wagging when she ran off with a penniless gentleman to be married in Scotland. Her father the baron hadn't wasted any time getting the marriage declared null and void in the English courts, and the poor girl had been forced to marry a man of the cloth more than twice her age.

Juliet's own father wanted only her happiness. If she could convince him that she was in love with another man, then perhaps he would arrange a quiet annulment. The annulment might be hastily contrived if Juliet could produce a Peer willing to marry her, and so she felt justified in her continued pursuit of Lord Marchington. So far, her husband had left her alone, acting as if he were just an uninterested visitor to her aunt's house. Her father followed the viscount's lead as much as he wanted Robert to whisk Juliet away to Ravincourt with all expediency.

As she descended the stairs, she did not care to explain to herself why she blushed when the viscount took in her appearance appreciatively. Luckily, Geoff was there to take her arm and joke about her being a dyed-in-the-wool spinster. Juliet could insult him in turn, teasing him about his disheveled hair or an imaginary smudge on his highly polished boots.

Quietly, Geoff begged his sister to give up her outrageous plan. "When you were only engaged, I thought that your scheme might even work, but now the viscount is your husband. I don't even know if an annulment is possible."

Juliet frowned. "I admit that everything will be more difficult than I thought, but dear Geoff, I have already come this far. I even have a marquess who is well on his way to ask me to marry him. What harm could it do to try? Father has left me with no other option. Please say that you will continue to help me, Geoff. Please!"

Her younger brother nodded reluctantly. "I am going to have a talk with a solicitor, though, to see how you might possibly escape your marriage." He paused, then said, "I don't much like Marchington. I've been hearing rumors that he is refusing to pay off his promissory notes."

Juliet sighed, "He's the best I could do with such brief notice. If the rumor is correct, then he will offer for me all the more quickly." She smiled reassuringly at Geoff and her brother patted her gloved hand in support.

The ball was a fete arranged to introduce several young ladies to Society, and Juliet found that she had become almost popular. Perhaps her earlier conduct had even helped her, for the matrons and patronesses were so amazed by her improvement that they thought her more appealing, demure and original than she actually was. They were cautious, of course, but when Juliet fluttered her eyelashes and tittered at their comments in an empty-headed manner, they became pleased with her at last.

In addition, her former status as a disgrace kept the enterprising Mamas from being jealous. They did not believe that any proper gentleman would choose Juliet, who had once been so discredited, over their own precious daughters. Juliet would never be the Incomparable that one poverty-stricken gentleman named her in a desperate effort to charm her, but she was, for once, respectable.

Juliet found her new situation amusing. Her plans were being well-served and the confounded face her father wore was more than worth having to simper and giggle and vow that she wouldn't know how to conjugate a Latin verb to save her life.

One man was so ill-bred as to question her about her former bluestocking ways. Fortunately, Geoff happened by and Juliet quickly pressed him to inform the man that she was as ignorant as she ought to be. Of course, Geoff readily obliged.

"Jules? Giving her opinions on battles and politics? Never heard of the like! She likes womanly things; stands to reason, she being an earl's daughter and all." He winked at his sister. "Her petit point's beyond comparison and that's a complete truth. No, old man, you must be remembering someone else. Look, there's Mrs. Post. Srely you're acquainted with her. She'll testify that Juliet's a complete dunce, lucky girl. Go on, now. Ask!"

The gentleman left to pursue the matter with the determination of a Bow Street Runner.

Juliet thanked her brother. "What will Mrs. Post say? She knows as well as you do that I was the perfect intellectual."

Geoff grinned. "Luckily, Mrs. Post has the same selective memory as most of the rest of the Ton. She'll swear to your delightful innocence and ignorance because she has a son she'd like attached to a well-born heiress."

"Brilliant, Geoff." Juliet applauded and he bowed deeply.

"I will do anything for you, my only dearest sister." He had just barely finished his sentence before the man came back. Just as Geoff had predicted, he begged Juliet's pardon and asked her for the pleasure of a dance. She accepted politely and just managed to pinch her brother's arm before being led to take her place in the set.

Lord Marchington did not appear, but Juliet had seen him in Hyde Park these past few days, and he gave her every reason to believe that he would ask her to marry him. Though he was almost unbearably toadying, she missed his familiar company at this ball. With a marquess at her side the pompous man wouldn't have dared question her. Of course, Robert would have protected her from such boorish people.

The evening continued with country dances for the young and card-playing for the men and matrons. Juliet enjoyed herself until the first waltz was played. Juliet had never received permission to waltz, though she did love the beautiful dance, and she practiced it with her brother whenever she could coax him to it. Since Juliet didn't care to chat with Lady Wilcox or her father while the other young people enjoyed themselves so, she left the ballroom in favour of the terrace, which she thought was abandoned.

The cool air was refreshing after the closeness of the ballroom in her silk dress. She fanned herself rapidly and closed her eyes to the soft breeze wafting off the gardens below.

"Lady Juliet, don't you like to dance?"

Juliet whirled to see the viscount leaning lazily against the statue of a Greek god. She raised her eyebrows and straightened herself. "I adore dancing, Lord Ravinstock. However, I am not fortunate enough to have permission to waltz." She turned away from him, seeming indifferent to his reply.

The viscount grinned. "After your performance in there, I would expect permission to be forthcoming. How did you ever get dismissed from London in the first place if you are capable of such perfect flattery and ignorance to complement your natural elegance of manner?"

Juliet glanced over her shoulder. "I did not know that you were watching. In fact, I did not see you at all. However, I thought I held my tongue admirably, considering the company." She closed her fan with an abrupt snap and was gratified to see him start.

"It was your unruly tongue and your remark to Mr. Brumhest that caused your trouble, was it not?"

She smiled. "He was not a kind man. I merely disagreed with his opinion about a particular innocent young lady who was in no position to defend herself. Such men do not like being corrected." She did not wait for Robert's reaction before saying, "Clearly I am not meant to excel in the fashionable world."

"I have not seen Mr. Brumhest at many of the parties this Season. Perhaps you made a lasting impression."

"Which is why he cast shades upon my character and blackened my reputation in the eyes of the Ton! It is so easy to discredit a lady, you know." "Actually, I know little of Society. These gatherings are not my favourite pastime." He sighed and Juliet turned back to face him, her surprise at his reply overcoming her dislike.

"Ah, so you do not like to dance?"

"On the contrary, I enjoy it very much -- the waltz especially."

She was intrigued. Robert's brothers, Claude and Luc Driscoll, had always been abominable dancers. Even the simple steps of the waltz were beyond them. "I do not believe you. You're a Driscoll, after all. And if you love dancing, then why are you not escorting some lovely young lady? There are, no doubt, plenty to be found within."

"I should think it exceedingly shabby for me to dance the waltz when my wife has forbidden it." The viscount stood up straight and smiled again. His gray eyes regarded her possessively in the dim light and Juliet scowled.

"I assure you that she wouldn't mind in the least!"

The viscount came closer and Juliet backed away warily. She most certainly did not want to be kissed again.

"Ah, the real Juliet returns and the phantom lady from the ballroom fades away. I cannot say that I miss her."

Taken aback, she stopped and stared at him. "You prefer the bluestocking termagant, I presume?" Her eyes mocked him.

"Of course, my dear. Care to waltz?"

She was confounded by his abrupt and unexpected question, and did not deliver the set-down he deserved for such presumption. He used her confusion to close the distance between them until his right arm was at her waist and his left hand was clasping hers in the air. She clutched at his arm almost instinctively and began to waltz with him without thinking.

Juliet regretted her acquiescence as soon as her head became clear again. Dancing with Robert was not a bit like dancing with Geoff. Robert was taller and her stomach didn't quiver when she waltzed with her brother. Above all, her brother did not hold her so improperly close and he certainly did not whisper in her tingling ear how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. Somehow, compliments from the other men did not cause her to shiver so.

What was wrong with her? He was an abominable man who had married her without her consent! But why was she trembling now?

She realized with horror that she desperately wanted him to kiss her after all. She could only blame her inexperience, for she was as unprepared for his appeal as a young girl in her first Season. How could she keep her conviction that she detested the sight of him when her heart thumped loudly every time he came near her? Obviously she must put some distance between them as soon as possible.

"Lord Ravinstock," she said shakily, "please, the dance is almost over. If people should see us..."

"Imagine the scandal! Lord and Lady Ravinstock waltzing together!"

"No doubt a happy marriage would be a scandal," she said without thinking.

Robert peered at her. "Oh? Are we happily married?"

"No!" she snapped and yanked her arms free. She regained her composure and her eyes narrowed. She was quite tired of losing her temper while he remained provokingly collected. She should like to see his gray eyes flash in annoyance as she laughed at him, and she resolved that she would make him lose his cool demeanor at the earliest opportunity.

Now, however, the waltz had ended and ladies were making their way to the terraces to refresh themselves.

Robert took Juliet by the elbow and escorted her inside, where he had to stand by as another man took her for a partner in the next dance.

Robert was much more in evidence for the rest of the ball. He kept beside her, usually engaging her in conversation between dances. She annoyed him by continuously bemoaning the absence of Lord Marchington and he began to regret his decision to give her freedom. Instinct, however, told him to allow the girl as much time as possible to get to know him before he tried to guide her behaviour as a husband would his wife.

Though she told herself that she disliked Robert's presence, it was admittedly a relief to have him nearby, for she did not have to keep up the pretense of witlessness. Every time she had to paste an adoring smile on her face for some mama or dandy, keeping it there became more difficult. She was glad in the end that Lord Marchington had not attended, for surely she could not have kept her sarcasm under leash in his company for the entire duration of the ball.

Later that evening, Robert managed to raise her ire once again. He asked her most politely to dance the next set with him, and when she refused him out of hand, he replied, "But, my dear Juliet, what would be the harm?"

She certainly could not admit that she was afraid of standing up with him, afraid of succumbing to his charms, so she responded with her usual asperity; "I do not recall giving you permission to call me by my given name."

"Of course not, but it pleases me to do so."

"What pleases you, sir, is of no interest to me." She began to look about to find more comfortable company, but she was still new to respectability and her acquaintances were few.

"But, Juliet ..." She stiffened when he continued to vex her. "You were not so unwilling to please when we kissed in Lady Wilcox's drawing room." He grinned when she became outraged.

"You took advantage of an innocent, young..."

"Hardly, my dear. You enjoyed it!"

Juliet pierced him with a deadly look. "You take advantage now that Marchington is absent. I'll not give in to you," she said, lifting her chin.

"Yes, you will. Ravincourt needs a new mistress." He was completely certain of her capitulation.

"Cantonshire Abbey will not lose the only mistress it has," she answered hotly.

"Do you forget that your brother Octavian will certainly marry soon and that his wife shall take your place in that regard?"

Juliet shivered, her spleen gone, for he spoke truly. It was her one unhappiness that when she was finally independent that she might have to give up her rights as the only lady at Cantonshire Abbey. Her answer was not so sharp as he might have expected.

"Of course, I know, Lord Ravinstock. Life has not ill-prepared me for realities."

For the first time, Robert saw a depth of feeling in her that was not anger or pride. The notion that this imperious lady could be vulnerable affected his own emotions with strange tenderness.

"On the contrary, I believe your life has prepared you for few realities."

Her icy retort caught in her throat when she comprehended his concern for her.

"Pray do not feel it necessary to protect me from an uncertain fate," she said finally, and made a move to leave his company, for she had just spied Lady Wilcox not so far away.

"But, Juliet..."

She faced him, more annoyed than angry. "Robert, spare your chivalry for a woman who is in need of it. I assure you that an earl's daughter is seldom found who will want for anything."

She left him to chuckle to himself, for he had realized, even if she had not, that she had called him by his given name.

CHAPTER FIVE

As Juliet's prejudices were most decidedly against the viscount, only Octavian's threat to take her to a drawing master could have induced her to go driving with Robert the next day. She had no talent at all for drawing and she could not bear the thought of hours spent in a closed-in room, ruining a perfectly good sketchpad. Robert's invitation had saved her from the drawing master, but she was not in good humour when she met him in the front of Lady Wilcox's house.

"Only Lord Marchington's continued absence from town leaves me so dismally accompanied," she informed Robert as his groom helped her into the phaeton.

"My dearest Lady Juliet," he replied, ignoring her derision, "I hope that I may improve your opinion of me in the course of our pleasant drive today." He took her gloved hand to his lips.

She laughed as he fawned upon her even after she had insulted him. "You call to mind the more ridiculous of the tulip set, who spend hours in front of their mirrors practicing their compliments."

He set about driving them towards Hyde Park. His driving could not be faulted, though the horses were not even his, but rather Lady Wilcox's, who had graciously lent him their use for the afternoon. After some moments of concentration, he was free to answer her.

"If I were the most ridiculous of men, then I could perhaps challenge the esteem you hold for your beloved suitor."

"If you refer to Marchington, Lord Ravinstock, then I am highly affronted," she said distinctly, though privately she agreed with him.

Her tone must have been convincing, for his expression was one of amazement. "I find it difficult to credit that a lady who has been in London for two Seasons could not know the reputation of Lord Marchington." He snapped the reins smartly.

"I only know that he is quite entertaining and that the most superior ladies compliment him upon his excellent manner and style of dress." Juliet smiled, thinking that she ought to apply for a position in a theatre, had such employment not been so improper.

"Fobs, watches and expensive looking gewgaws may be impressive on an bottle-green waistcoat, but I assure you that those who decorate the marquess are but paste and cheap imitations of quality."

"Just what are you implying, Lord Ravinstock?" asked Juliet innocently.

"Bluntly, I mean to say that Marchington is the worst kind of fortune-hunter." He snapped the reins again and the horses increased their pace.

"Now you are being most unfair. I do understand that the marquess is quite poor, but surely I have fortune enough for us both. Many a gentleman has been forced to marry where there is money and the marquess cannot be faulted for doing the same."

"Can you truly be so blind, Juliet, as not to see that his regard for your delightful person is merely a hoax? Your attraction for him is your fortune alone, and that is Lord Marchington's most grievous fault."

"Lord Ravinstock, you have greatly insulted me. I have told you before that I do not have need of a chivalrous knight ready to rescue me from the evil designs of a wicked lord. Besides which I think it highly exceptional that you are warning me against fortune-hunters. Surely it was not the attractions of my delightful person that induced you to agree to our marriage!" She looked at him to see his reaction, unaware that her strong emotion had brought becoming colour to her cheeks.

He did not appear ashamed, and his next words meant to explain his intentions, only alarmed his companion.

"Lady Juliet, Ravincourt is indeed a large estate and requires many thousands of pounds a year for its upkeep. However, you know as well as I that our marriage was necessary to save the life of one or both of our brothers."

Juliet paled. "You mean to say that the marriage was arranged after the incident where your brother shot mine? I thought that Papa had approached you when I returned from the Season with no likely suitor."

"No, Lord Cantonshire must have planned ahead. He sent a message to me the day of Geoff's accident proposing that I marry you to keep my brother and your brother from killing each other. By the next day, he had the papers for me to consider."

Appalled, Juliet bit her lower lip. "So by trying to end our marriage, I am endangering my brother's life." She was quiet for a long moment. "Surely now that we are..." she swallowed, "...married, they have made their peace? If we somehow obtained an annulment, would Octavian's valet begin polishing the dueling pistols?"

Claude and Octavian were young, hot-blooded and had been on sour terms since childhood when Claude had learned to jump a fence on his stallion much sooner than Octavian had. The feud between the families was a compilation of many years of such small rivalries and Juliet was greatly saddened that it had come to a head in so serious a fashion.

At this moment her brother was safe, but what if she continued her plan? What if her father allowed an annulment? Would violence break out again? She did not want to be used as a settlement in a treaty between the families.

Robert obviously did not object to being used, for he answered, "I fear for their very lives."

"They have had time to cool off since then incident. Perhaps they would not be so eager to fight, even after an annulment. How can I remain married to you, my lord, when I do so love Lord Marchington?"

The horses chose this moment for some sport and the viscount was forced to give his complete attention to them. Juliet spent this time contemplating the future of her scheme. Surely Robert and her father believed her entirely and foolishly in love with Lord Marchington. However, she must also be absolutely sure that the feud between the Driscolls and the Moresbys was ended before she could continue with her plan. She would not risk her brother's life.

She sighed, for now her task had become even more difficult. Noting her distress, Robert said, "I know that talk of our marriage pains you. Perhaps you would like to speak of something else." His motives were not entirely pure, as discussion of Lord Marchington pained him.

Juliet most gratefully followed his change of subject and the discussion turned to driving. Juliet admitted that though she did drive, she preferred riding.

Robert professed to his enjoyment of both, but that driving had the advantage of being useful in the race, whereupon he began describing his experiences racing his two matched grays with his curricle.

The Moresbys had never engaged in that kind of racing and Juliet was eager to learn its particulars. The viscount's narration of the excitement of the race, of his near collisions with other curricles while passing on narrow country lanes, of the blowing of the horn, and of the groom specially trained to quickly pay the tolls, kept Juliet amused for the duration of the drive.

As the hour was rather before five o'clock, they did not see anyone of consequence in Hyde Park, and Juliet nervously bade him turn back lest their appearance together reach the ears of Marchington and distress him.

"That is my very least concern, my lady," said Robert, but he complied with her request. Soon they were again in front of Lady Wilcox's residence in Grosvenor Square.

Juliet thanked him and he replied, "I would not have believed that we could spend above half an hour in pleasant conversation. Thank you." He tipped his fingers in salute and drove the horses around, preferring to take them himself rather than leave them to the groom.

Juliet, ascending the front steps, was somewhat disconcerted. She should not have allowed her good humour to encourage him so. But his account had been so interesting and the majority of his opinions were so in concordance with her own that she had felt him to be a natural companion.

She was now very worried indeed. She resolved henceforth not to encourage him in any manner, and scolded herself severely for allowing him the opportunity to become friends with her. Fortunately, the marquess had returned from his business elsewhere that evening, thereby saving her from further excursions with the viscount.

Five days, four dinner parties, two balls, and one trip to Vauxhall Gardens later, Juliet was thoroughly sick of the London Season. She would much rather sit at home with a lovely book than to be forced into the company of haughty nobility noon and night. She was relieved, however, that Lord Marchington was taking his time to ask for her hand.

She had been forced to be somewhat cool towards Marchington since she had spoken to Octavian about the feud with Claude. When she asked Octavian if he had made his peace with the Driscoll, her brother had said, "Certainly not, and don't expect me to go visiting Ravincourt, either. You will have to come see me at Cantonshire Abbey."

"Octavian, we are all family now," Juliet said pleadingly. "Couldn't you just..."

"Never!" Octavian snapped. "If you were not Lady Ravinstock, I would not hesitate to make the Driscoll pay for his cowardice!"

Juliet knew that she could not reason with her brother just yet and decided to give him time to cool his wrath before she could convince him to accept an apology from Claude. Therefore, she had not been as flirtatious with Marchington, and the marquess had not even hinted at asking for her hand.

Betty, upon hearing of the matter told her mistress very seriously that perhaps his lordship didn't quite believe his good fortune. Juliet laughed.

"That arrogant man? He couldn't imagine how I wouldn't fall at his feet, being the impressionable female I am. He is dreadful." Juliet pulled a long tendril of hair out of position and Betty quickly scolded her.

"No, no, my lady. Keep it there; it's all the crack around town."

"What? Dripping off my shoulder like some sort of barbaric snake? You're bamming me."

"Not me! Her ladyship's hairdresser, Jean-Paul, told me so. Now I have to dress it with this plume."

"You must be jesting," cried Juliet. "That monstrosity would likely brush the chandeliers at Carlton House."

"Quite so, my lady, but it's not for me to question the dictates of fashion." Betty bit her lip in concentration as she set the tremendously tall plume in Juliet's chestnut-coloured hair.

Betty had picked a pale green gown and a rich brown velvet spencer for Juliet to wear that evening. The colours brought out the delicate pink in Juliet's cheeks and the deep brown of her eyes.

"You are a wonderful abigail, Betty. At home, Maggie will always suggest that I wear yellow and pink. These colours become me so much better."

"You are too kind, milady," Betty murmured. She then curtsied and ran out of the room after the young lady had dismissed her.

Juliet had been highly agitated these past days juggling all her schemes. She had continued trying to convince the earl and Robert that she was in love with Marchington. All through breakfast and dinner, she had managed to speak of nothing but the pompous marquess.

The viscount was growing wary, for he was now trying to spend time alone with her, perhaps in the hopes that she would transfer her affections from Marchington to himself. She rebuffed him, of course, and his expression at dinner grew grimmer with each passing day. Perhaps he would lose patience with her and smooth the way towards an annulment. Robert couldn't know that Juliet would rather marry him a thousand times over than spend her life shackled to Lord Marchington. But, of course, she would rather do neither.

She knew that Marchington would propose to her very soon, possibly tonight. She would be forced to refuse him for her brother's sake, but then ladies could refuse two or three offers from the same gentleman before being taken seriously. Undoubtedly, the marquess would interpret her negative response as mere maidenly modesty.

Then Juliet could have time to coax Octavian to make peace with Claude. When the marquess offered for her again, she could say yes, and Robert, under pressure from her father, would seek a quiet annulment to her proxy marriage. It was a convoluted and difficult scheme to be sure, but Juliet, with her freedom at stake, would do anything to make it work.

Marchington was unusually nervous as he led Juliet for the first dance of the evening at Almack's. Juliet's voucher had been secured last Season and the patronesses were quite willing to accept her entrance. Geoffrey Moresby was such a fine young gentleman and Juliet herself was the daughter of an earl, after all. Lady Jersey and the others had heard of her new decorum and were reassured by Juliet's ladylike carriage and her noble suitor. She seemed to be enjoying herself with propriety.

In truth the marquess was irritating our lady immensely, but she pasted on a smile and hoped that his arrogance kept him from noticing that her conversation was rather terse. Fortunately, she was a good judge of arrogance for he was oblivious to her annoyance.

After the dance, he hastened to bring Juliet refreshment, and with a courtly bow, handed her a thin slice of cake. "You are my jewel, Lady Juliet." He took her hand, and Juliet rather wished he would release it so that she could eat her cake.

Society strictures made eating a full meal impossible for a young lady; one must always eat delicately and with the appetite of a bird. Juliet and her stomach did not well agree with such strictures, and days of minute meals were taking their toll on both her patience and her temper.

"My lady, could I have the honour of calling you Juliet?" Lord Marchington asked, bringing her back from her contemplation of the moist slice of cake.

She had to swallow her disgust, but a small rumble in her stomach helped bring a smile to her face. "My lord, it would hardly be proper as I know you so little..."

"But our time together cannot be measured in days, my lady. Can you not feel that our souls are old friends?"

She had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing aloud, but she somehow managed to appear somewhat haughty as she said, "Though I am flattered, I must refuse to allow you to call me by my given name, if I may..."

"Humphrey. I am Humphrey. Oh, but I would give my fortune to hear my name from your lips."

Easily said, thought Juliet, as you are a pauper. She closed her fan and raised her chin. "My lord, surely you do not expect such familiarity."

He kissed her gloved hand apologetically and she suppressed a shudder of dislike. "I beg your pardon, my sweet Lady Juliet. Perhaps after the next dances, you would meet me on the terrace so that I may humble myself before you and come again into your favour?"

Juliet lowered her eyes and blushed. "I will meet you there, Lord Marchington, if you promise to act with propriety." She dared not look at him again, for fear of laughing outright.

"Of course, my angel. I'll be waiting." He hoped that the dances would give her time to recover herself lest she faint dead away due to his overwhelming presence. He would ask her to marry him and then convince her to elope to Scotland. All his debts would be compensated by her immense fortune. He left her to wonder how he might rectify the slight insult of his impulsive request, certain that she was dearly hoping for a proposition of marriage.

When the marquess left her, Juliet sighed in relief, for she could finally eat her paper-thin slice of cake.

After she had finished off every crumb, she looked about the ballroom. There were many bored lords and ladies and a few nervous young bucks and debutantes, the former group behaving with fashionable ennui and the latter too inexperienced to do so. The affectation of boredom was the aspect of Society Juliet most despised -- human suffering and pleasure alike were diminished to cynical shows of wit and cruel gossip.

Juliet did not care to see life through the quizzing glass. Her immediate thought was that Robert, Lord Ravinstock, she meant, seemed equally unwilling to do so. He had always behaved forthrightly, except, she remembered with anger, when he had married her without her knowledge. She shook her head and scowled when the plume in her hair seemed about to take flight.

Suddenly a waltz began and Robert, Lord Ravinstock, she reminded herself yet again, appeared at her elbow after being invisible all evening. He was unbearably handsome as usual, smiling at her with devastating charm. Juliet's heart was thumping loudly and she found herself short of breath.

"Care to dance, Juliet?"

She turned to face to him, her ridiculous plume forgotten. "You startled me. And you know that I am not permitted." She felt disappointed, and scolded herself for her foolishness. She had far more important worries tonight than whether or not she could waltz. Surely her misfortune could only be for the best if it kept her from Robert's company. Such thoughts, however, did not console her, for her foot tapped to the music and she longed to join the dancers.

One lady, a patroness of Almack's, was nearing the couple. Of course, she knew of Juliet's dilemma -- the goings-on of a young heiress and earl's daughter were always known. She had rather liked Juliet's spirit, if not her deportment, and she had been one of the first to forgive the charming girl when Juliet returned to Society.

Now she caught Juliet's eye and nodded, and was quite gratified to see the girl's delighted smile as Lord Ravinstock led her to the center of the dancers. The young lady did have enough presence of mind to check the room for evidence of her father and when she did not see him she assumed he was playing cards, her last fear dissipated.

Juliet took up the waltz with the viscount. She did not speak or dare to look at him, but she could feel the tension in his lean form and wondered if he could sense her own trembling. She was ashamed of herself, for he had become far too dear to her. She stared up at his face, at the straight line of his nose and his firm mouth, and she wanted to kiss him, to feel the touch of his passionate lips on hers.

Blushing, she looked at his shoulder, which was not so tempting, and berated herself for falling into his trap. How had he known that his charm and presence would be so irresistible to her? Why hadn't she realized it before?

As she whirled in his arms, she knew that she had dreamed of dancing with him, and of being held so, and of ruffling his light brown hair just to see his smile. If only she weren't married to him for convenience. If only her pride would allow her to give in. Would it be so very difficult or degrading? How could she accept a man who had married her with someone else standing in her place, scarcely having met her at all?

She was close to tears by the time the dance ended, and was relieved when Robert said little as he left her with Lady Wilcox and her father who had just returned from playing whist. She unknowingly followed the viscount with her eyes as he left the company and Lord Cantonshire knew at once that his daughter had been up to her tricks. The girl was obviously fond of her rightful husband and was only shamming with the pretentious Lord Marchington.

The earl chuckled at first, but soon frowned. He knew Juliet well, and she was likely to sham herself directly into a bigamist engagement to a highly improper marquess. Sometimes, he thought, the girl had far too much wit for her own good. If only Robert would take the girl in hand, but he insisted upon treating her with kid gloves and not proceed faster than she was willing. Perhaps that was the wisest course after all.

Meanwhile, the marquess felt he had waited long enough and approached the family. Lord Cantonshire greeted him with the barest of pleasantries. Unruffled, Lord Marchington asked politely if he could escort Juliet to the terrace as she appeared rather fatigued.

"Please, Papa, may I?" Juliet asked, looking to escape Robert's unsettling presence. Her entreaty was somehow lacking in conviction.

Lord Cantonshire could not properly refuse. He didn't imagine that Marchington would say something to Juliet when he hadn't even approached him about seriously courting the girl. When he did, Lord Cantonshire planned to tell the marquess in no uncertain terms that he was not to come near Juliet again. Then he would see the girl off to Ravincourt with her husband and the mess would be cleared up at last.

Permission granted, Lord Marchington took Juliet's arm and led her to the terrace. It was almost deserted and the marquess brought his intended to the far corner where they could be alone. He took both her hands in his and began his fawning immediately.

"Lady Juliet, I can never resist your beauty, or your lovely smile, or your grace."

"Lord Marchington..." she felt that the moment of his proposal was at hand.

She must refuse him, of course, but was she doing it to save her brother or to stay with Robert? Her heart began to beat rapidly as the marquess knelt before her.

She was so confused, for all she could think about was Robert and how she would lose him forever if she agreed to marry the marquess. Surely she could never do that. Had she not had a lovely drive with the viscount? Was his dancing not superb? Weren't his kisses...she coloured and tried not to imagine kisses.

"Oh, Lady Juliet, I cannot contain myself any longer. I must ask for your hand. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Juliet withdrew her hand from his. She was decided. "Lord Marchington, I do not know you well enough to say yes with certainty," she said, swallowing a lump in her throat.

Marchington took back her hand and kissed it violently. "My love, please give me your answer now!"

"No, I cannot. Please, my lord, if you would give me some days to consider..."

"Our love is timeless!"

"I beg you leave me space to think!" Her tone no longer quavered.

Startled, the marquess stopped groveling over her hand. He stood abruptly.

"I see that maidenly modesty keeps you from revealing your heart. I will not give up, my dear Lady Juliet, until you have said yes to me." He bowed to her with dignity and left before she could reply. She was relieved when he had gone and rubbed her forehead tiredly. Emotional upheaval could give one quite a headache.

Robert watched as the marquess escorted Juliet to the terrace. When he noted that Lord Marchington returned alone, he decided to investigate the matter. He had thought as she danced with him, that she harbored some feelings for him, but then she had left with Marchington and a rush of intense anger had surprised him.

Did she prefer the marquess after all, and if so, how could he make her see reason? Could Juliet Moresby be so violently in love that she would throw away a large estate, a vast income and himself for the likes of Marchington? He had to speak with her at once.

She was standing alone at the far corner of the terrace when he found her. She was so beautiful in a sheath of green that made her flawless skin glow in the dim light. Of course, her hair, with its tall feather, was slightly ridiculous, but compared to the creations some of the dowagers were wearing, her plume was a study of moderation. She did not notice him, so deeply was she concentrating, perhaps thinking of her marquess.

Robert felt the familiar stab of jealousy that he had felt all week whenever she left to ride or dance with Marchington. Would she have agreed to marry the marquess just to spite her father and himself?

As he watched, Juliet began to shred a leaf of a nearby decorative potted plant. Robert grimaced. From what he knew of Juliet, she would run away to the West Indies in order to spite her father and himself.

"Juliet, you'll get a chill in the night air," he said abruptly. She stared up at him, dropped the handful of shredded leaves, noted his grimace and frowned in return. She had just given up her final freedom from him, at least for now, and he was not even in a good humour about it. In her opinion the fact that he did not know could not excuse him.

"Oh look -- my husband speaks." She was not pleased, and her voice mocked him. "I feel faint, a glass of brandy if you please," echoing the words of the Prince of Wales when he received his bride, Princess Caroline. Their relationship since had been spectacular in its failure.

Unfortunately, Lord Ravinstock was not in a mood to be teased. "What did you say to Lord Marchington while the two of you were so intimate on the terrace?"

Juliet narrowed her eyes. Was he questioning her? The man who had married her by proxy? "I do not see that it is any of your concern," she declared loftily. "If I am in love with the Marquess of Marchington, then I shall have him do the honourable thing."

"And what is that?" he asked, jealousy making him cruel. "Shall you leave your actual husband to go with that simpering pauper? He will gamble away your money and leave you in a moldering country house with six squalling brats!"

Refusing to be insulted, she closed her fan and placed both her hands on her hips. "You know that I love the country."

"Juliet..."

"My lord, I have told you many times that I will not be coerced, and every time you ignore me." She took a step closer to him and smiled by way of intimidation. Since Robert was almost a foot taller and had years more experience than she, her effort was not very effective.

"You do not love him."

Now Juliet fluttered her fan. Somehow, when asked point blank, she could not lie and tell Robert that she loved Marchington. "Since I do not love anyone, I might as well take a marquess with proper title. In fact, if a few of his cousins continue to be bachelors, he'll likely be a duke one day."

"And you would make a charming duchess," he replied, clenching his teeth.

"I would be as fine a duchess as a viscountess, do you not think so?" she asked, tapping him just below his cravat with her fan. He sucked in his breath.

"Juliet, did he propose to you?"

"And if he did?" She was smiling fully now, delighted that she had been able to rile him from his normally even temper.

"What did you say?" he demanded.

"What could it possibly matter to you?"

Robert shook his head. He would swallow hot coals before telling this provoking child that he was jealous! Instead he held himself tensely. "I am your husband, whether you will admit it or not."

"A husband on paper, Robert Driscoll, no more."

He leaned closely to her and hissed, "We can change that." He was immediately ashamed of himself, wondering how this girl could push him beyond all endurance so quickly, but he was not able to apologize before she shoved him away in disgust.

Never had anyone insulted her so. "You are a brute! Marchington would never say such things."

"At least I won't take your dowry and throw it to the moneylenders!" he shouted.

Now she lost her own temper. "We have discussed this matter before and your answer was not satisfying to me! So our brothers were up in arms, but in truth, how many questions did you ask Papa before you understood that I have a dowry of sixty thousand pounds? Oh, to think that I believed you something of a gentleman!" Even as she said the words she regretted them, but they could not be taken back.

The two stood glaring at each other. Finally, the viscount regained enough of his composure to speak through tight lips.

"Did you agree to marry him?"

"I believe Lady Marchington has a lovely sound to it," she said sharply, and unable to bear his company any longer, she slipped past him into the ballroom. He watched her make her way through the crush. She ran into her brother and whispered something in his ear. Geoff nodded and a servant was sent for. Robert could only surmise that the carriage would be drawn up and that Lady Juliet Moresby would make her exit.

The viscount stood stiffly on the terrace, knowing that it was too late to apologize. What if he had lost her? What if she were to elope with that appalling marquess? The thought made him rush into the ballroom. He searched everywhere for the marquess, but the fop was nowhere to be found. Feeling suspicious, he went to speak to Geoff.

"Moresby, I believe that your sister is up to some mischief," he said to the young man. Geoff raised his wineglass in a toast.

"To mischief! I can assure you that she has some sort of scheme. Why do you ask?"

"She was in close conversation with the Marquess of Marchington earlier on the terrace and now they are both gone. I think perhaps that she may elope in order to escape marriage to me." Robert said this last bit in a low voice, for fear the other guests would hear him.

Geoff choked on his wine. "Eloped? With that fortune-hunter? Jules would sooner flee to France and become a nun!"

Robert blinked in surprise. "All week she has been in his back pocket..."

"And amusing it was to see her do it, too. I never would have thought that Jules was such a consummate actress."

"Then she has some other plan?" Robert almost smiled in relief.

Geoff raised his eyebrows over his discerning blue eyes. "Jules always has some other plan."

"And you know what it is?"

"Yes, and I would be a sorry sort of brother to reveal it to you. I must admit that she would be pleased to know that you are jealous."

"What do you mean?" Robert hadn't believed himself to be so obvious. "She is my wife and I hardly want her to consort with Lord Marchington. He can bring her nothing but ruin."

"Of course," Geoff agreed, but his eyes were twinkling. He emptied his glass and patted Robert on the shoulder in a companionable way. "The pretty Miss Dunne is standing idly by the wall, and I could never allow her remain there feeling lonely, could I? Don't worry about Juliet; she needs her own time to see things the way she ought. Now smile, good sir. This is a ball!" Geoff left with no further word, on his way to delight the heart of Miss Dunne.

Robert was shaking his head. That chit had definitely fooled him, but now that he knew of her scheming ways, he would be prepared. But even as he felt himself relax, one worrisome thought continued to plague him. Where was Marchington?

Robert's unease was well-founded, for the next morning the household was awakened by the cries of Juliet's maid.

Betty ran from Juliet's room out into the hall, shrieking, "She's gone! Lady Juliet is gone!"

CHAPTER SIX

Lord Marchington fumed and cursed as he left the ball. That little hussy! How dare she refuse him when he needed her dowry immediately? Icy fear clutched at him, for he had seen her dancing with Lord Ravinstock, and he hadn't liked her expression. Stupid girl had likely fallen in love with that damnable viscount.

Well, he couldn't wait any longer for her to make up her mind. His creditors would be asking for blood in lieu of payment very soon. His only recourse was to marry one of Society's richest young ladies, a young lady whose father held too much regard for her to withdraw her dowry should she elope. He had not expected her refusal, but if she would not elope willingly, then he would have to persuade her with less civilized means.

Marchington walked quickly to the residence of a few disreputable friends. For a price, to be settled later, they would help him be very convincing indeed to Lady Juliet.

Juliet awakened suddenly and she sat straight up in her bed. Some sense told her that it was still too early for the others to have come home, for she was barely rested at all. She shivered, and as she was reaching for her candle a heavy object came from the darkness towards her unprotected head. She experienced one instant of flashing light and pain before she fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Quickly!" whispered one of her assailants. "Take her valise and pack it with some gowns."

"What for, gov'ner?"

"Just do as I command. We want to make it seem as if she has left on a journey. Quiet, now!"

One man made sure that Juliet was truly unconscious while the other filled a valise with Juliet's clothing. Soon the assailants were ready and they left by the window.

"Father, she didn't elope! You know she did not! That coward kidnapped her!" Geoff argued as he paced Lady Wilcox's drawing room. Her ladyship placed her hand on her nephew's shoulder to calm him, but he shook her off angrily. "I cannot bear thinking that any of you could have believed..."

"Her valise is missing," Octavian pointed out.

"Yet she neglected to take her hairbrush? Juliet would not leave so precipitously. Octavian, you are being foolish," Lady Wilcox said. She turned her eyes to Robert, who stood in a pose of deep thought.

Robert said quietly, "You must have the news of our marriage published in the paper immediately. That will foil the marquess' plans."

Lord Cantonshire smiled suddenly. "You are brilliant, young man!" He snapped for a footman and he set Geoff to writing the announcement. Soon the footman was off with the message to be published in the next morning's society pages.

Now the earl took complete command. "Octavian, I want you on the road to Gretna Green as soon as possible. I do not know if he would have wanted to risk taking her all the way to Scotland, but we must prepare for all contingencies. If you do not find their trail at the first inns, then return here. I would like you to be back by tomorrow morning at the latest." Octavian bowed discreetly and left immediately, feeling that he had the most important assignment.

Lady Wilcox waited for her nephew's exit before saying, "Gretna Green? Marchington hasn't a sou and he will need to acquire funds for such a journey. That will take the scoundrel some time. He must be waiting nearby."

The earl nodded. "Lord Ravinstock, Geoffrey and I will go to the marquess' residence in London and see what we can find there."

"And what shall I do, Edward?" asked Lady Wilcox. Suddenly she smiled. "Never you mind. I am going to gossip with Lady Caroline Underwood. Mere hours after I tell her the news of my niece's marriage to Lord Ravinstock, half of London will know. We won't have to wait for tomorrow's paper."

Lord Cantonshire displayed rare affection for his sister by kissing her on the cheek. "Thank you, Georgiana."

She excused herself to change from her dressing gown into something more appropriate for visiting. The men changed as well, and in a few minutes they were drawing away in one of Lady Wilcox's carriages, headed towards Marchington's town house.

The Marquess of Marchington and his friend, Mr. Adolphus Waring, stood at the foot of the bed where they had placed Juliet the night before. She was still sleeping after eight hours and Waring worried that Marchington's thugs had hit her too hard.

"She'll live," the marquess grunted, pulling on his riding gloves. "You make certain that this door remains locked. I have to go and get traveling money."

Waring was a nervous sort of man and he took a pinch of snuff before saying, "Do you want to be caught? Why didn't you get the money before now? I don't like having her here in this house against her will."

Marchington grabbed Adolphus by his neck and pushed him up against the wall. "Do not forget that one word from me about your correspondence with the French will keep you rotting in Newgate until they cut off your head for treason! You will keep her here until I am ready to take her away."

"I understand," Adolphus gasped, his chubby face reddening as Marchington's fingers closed around his neck.

"As for the money, I thought that the stupid chit would elope, and that her pin money would pay for the marriage in Scotland. As it happens, I must use my credit in town."

"Let me go," Waring squeaked.

The marquess laughed, an ugly sound. "If any of my creditors come calling, give them my regrets until after the wedding." He released his friend and left the room, slamming the heavy oak door behind him.

Adolphus used his ravaged neck cloth to wipe the sheen of nervous sweat from his face. He looked over to the bed where Juliet lay asleep. Her thick hair was spread across the white pillow and her face had an unhealthy pallor, due no doubt to the blow to the head she'd received the night before.

When the girl murmured restlessly in her sleep, Adolphus quickly went for the door before she could awaken. He closed the door softly, so as not to disturb her, and turned the key to secure the lock.

Robert, Geoff and the earl knocked on the door at Marchington's shabby house on the less fashionable side of town. Truly, he was light in the pocket if he had given up his grand style of living.

Their knock went unanswered for quite a while before a small, dour-looking man opened the door. He had a great shock of white hair surrounding a grubby, prune-like face. He wrinkled his nose as he observed the three gentlemen on the doorstep.

"What d'ye gents want?" he asked shortly. As he leaned against the door, he peered at the men with dull eyes.

"Where is the Marquess of Marchington?" Robert demanded in a tone that would brook no argument. He brought himself up to his full intimidating height and managed to tower over the little man, even though he stood a full step below him at the front door.

The man slammed the door in Robert's face and the three gentlemen immediately began pounding furiously on the thick wood. Not a minute later, however, the door opened again to reveal a tall, thin woman. The white-haired man was nowhere to be seen.

"Come in," she said quietly, and the men followed her through the entryway into dark sitting room, where she bade them to take seats. She looked to be about twenty-five, but her soft blue eyes held the uncertainty of someone much younger.

She did not offer them refreshments as she sat across from them on a stiff little chair. She watched them warily for an instant before she spoke again.

"I am Lady Alison Green. The marquess is my brother. That man who opened the door is my husband."

Robert, Geoff and the old earl glanced at each other, and their thoughts were clearly written on their faces. A lady? Married to that man?

Robert recovered from his shock first. "I am Viscount Ravinstock, Lady Alison. We hate to intrude upon your household, but we are searching for your brother, Lord Marchington. Would you have an idea of where he is?"

Lady Alison smiled bitterly. "He is not at the clubs?" A cynical laugh followed her words and she looked down at her hands, clenched in her lap.

Geoff quickly lost patience. "Please, we must know his whereabouts. He abducted my sister!" His voice was sharp, and she started and raised her eyes to Geoff, her mouth opened slightly.

"He has abducted your sister? Pray tell who are you?"

"Geoffrey Moresby, and this man is my father, the Earl of Cantonshire. Your brother took my sister Juliet from her bed last night. We think he means to force her to marry him."

Now Lady Alison nodded. "Yes. Humphrey was muttering something about an earl's daughter only yesterday. I recall that, in his opinion, the girl was very willing."

A meaningful glance from the earl stopped Geoff from uttering an outraged retort. The earl then spoke in calm tones. "Any plans your brother might have in marrying Juliet are doomed to failure. Juliet is already married to Lord Ravinstock. Soon, everyone in London will know, and tomorrow the marriage will be announced in the papers."

Lady Alison's nervousness increased. "Already married?" She stood, forcing the gentlemen to stand as well. "Already married to Lord Ravinstock?" She paced the room with one hand to her head. Geoff leaned towards her in an effort to comfort her, but she laughed suddenly and the lords exchanged looks of confusion. She managed to contain herself, but then she caught Lord Cantonshire's surprised expression and burst out laughing again.

Finally she quieted a bit, sat down and wiped the tears streaming from her eyes with a mended handkerchief. "I apologize," she said at last. "I know the matter is not amusing for you at least. You see, I do not care for my brother, witness the man he forced me to marry! He has made me a pauper and sold me into marriage over a wager. Thus I am happy to see him receive his due at last. If you would like to know his whereabouts, however, I may only give you my best guess."

"We would be much obliged, my lady," Lord Cantonshire said seriously.

She smiled gently. "He has many disreputable friends and I know some of their streets, if not their houses. I will write them down for you and you may investigate them. I hope that you find your lost Juliet." She stood up and the three gentlemen started to their feet. She left the room only to return a few moments later with a small note in her hand.

"You have been most gracious, Lady Alison," Robert said, taking the paper from her.

Geoff glanced at the neat writing and said, "There are only streets here; perhaps your coachman would know the houses."

"We have no coachman, my lord, for we have no coach and no horses."

Geoff, embarrassed by her reply, could not answer. Robert again thanked her for her assistance.

Lady Alison looked up at Lord Ravinstock and favoured him with a small smile. "I am pleased to be able to help you, my lord. What my brother has done..." Her lips tightened into an angry line.

Geoff, having recovered himself, kissed the lady's hand and her expression relaxed. "You are too fine a person to share a home with him," he said. Astonished by his courtesy, of which she no doubt received precious little from her own family, she could not answer him with any grace. Instead, she lowered her head.

Lord Cantonshire bowed to her, and together the three men took their leave in order to continue their search at the addresses Lady Alison had given them.

Not thirty minutes after the three gentlemen left, Lady Alison's door burst open once more and her brother, Lord Marchington entered. He looked inordinately pleased, and Lady Alison, who had settled down to some embroidery, immediately took to her feet.

"Hello, brother. Mr. Green is upstairs," she said coldly. If only he had come a little sooner, then he could have been caught. Still, he would no doubt return to the girl he had abducted and there the three men would find him.

"I don't want Mr. Green," he snapped. "He's already given me all your money." He advanced on his sister, but she stood her ground with seeming fearlessness, even though her heart was beating rapidly.

"I have nothing to say to you."

Marchington snatched at her arm and held it with a bruising grip. "I am going to help us all, my dear, and I would appreciate your assistance."

When she did not answer, or even look at him, he continued, "I must purchase a special license, and after I do, I shall have control of a fortune. Even you must have heard of the dowry of Lady Juliet Moresby, who is going to be my wife."

Lady Alison closed her eyes, for she was terribly afraid of her violent brother, and she knew he must not see her fright. "She is the earl's daughter? The willing one of whom you spoke?"

He released her arm. "Yes, the very same. We are eloping today and I need blunt to buy my way."

Alison's eyes flickered open. "I haven't any money." She was desperately trying to think how she might get him to return to where he had hidden the girl so that Lord Cantonshire and Lord Ravinstock could capture him.

Lord Marchington took his sister's hand with uncharacteristic gentleness. She was watching him and saw his eyes move over the gold wedding band on her fourth finger.

"Now, dear sister, you do have one thing of value."

He wanted her ring, and when he had pawned it, he would be away to Scotland, and Juliet Moresby would be forced to be his wife. Somehow, Alison had to make him go back immediately to where he had hidden Juliet so that he would be caught and she would be rescued.

Suddenly, she tore the ring from her hand and threw it at his face. "Take it!" The ring fell to the floor where it began to roll, and the marquess was on his knees to retrieve it. Alison hissed, "It will do no good. The earl's daughter is already married."

He stood, the ring forgotten, and grabbed her shoulders, squeezing them painfully. "What are you saying?"

Her pale blue eyes had hardened to the coldness of jewels. "I mean that she is married to the Viscount Ravinstock. Everyone in town knows, it has only to be published in the paper. Keep my wedding ring and forget the license."

"That cannot be!" Marchington pushed his sister down and ran from the house.

She recovered herself against a chair and watched him go, no doubt to exact revenge from the poor abducted girl. Hopefully, her family and husband would find her soon, because Lady Alison knew her brother well and feared for Juliet's very life.

Juliet opened her eyes briefly before squeezing them shut in the bright morning light. Intense pain stabbed through her head and she put her hand to the back of her neck to feel the tender, aching bump.

"What..."

A flicker of memory from the night before caused her to open her eyes again. She was in a small room with large windows, a table with an empty candlestick, and the bed on which she slept. There were paintings of horses on every wall and a very solid oak door opposite the bed. She immediately climbed out of the bed, wondering why her captors hadn't even bothered to tie her up.

She noticed that her feet were bare when they touched the cold wooden floor, but that discomfort paled in comparison to the throbbing of her head. She stepped carefully to the door and tried the handle, not surprised to find it locked.

"What am I doing here?" she asked aloud, frowning. She tried to imagine who would want to kidnap her. Wrinkling her brow, Juliet wondered what she had done to someone recently. Only a few seconds passed before she remembered Lord Marchington's desperation when he was asking her to marry him, and how he was ungentlemanly in refusing to accept her answer. He must have abducted her to force her to marry him in order to obtain her dowry. There was no other sensible explanation.

She laughed suddenly and then regretted it when her head complained of its extreme displeasure. Lord Marchington would have a nasty surprise if he found out that she was already married. Hopefully, however, she would be gone by the time he discovered her deception and came back to vent his anger upon her.

She ambled to the window. Looking out, she discovered that she was still in London on a well-known street, though in a rather shabby part of town. She was in her nightgown and nothing more, which would make walking home rather interesting.

She smiled again, stopping herself from laughing, when she realized that this escapade would be a bigger scandal than the one that had her dismissed from London before. She only wished that she had thought of it herself.

Happily, the window was merely latched and unlocked. The fact that she was one floor up did not bother her in the least. In fifteen minutes, she had stripped the bed of its sheets and was busily tying them into a makeshift rope. She was halfway out the window, the hem of her nightgown whipping in the breeze, when Lord Marchington burst into the room.

Lord Cantonshire, Geoff and Robert were some time in finding the house of the first man on the list, an Adolphus Waring. They finally learned some information from a street vendor that led them to the tall, brown house on the corner. When the door of Mr. Waring's opened to the three gentlemen, the guilt evident on the servant's face proved that Juliet was indeed hidden somewhere within.

Without introductions, Geoff and Robert, followed by the earl, forced their way past the servant and into the town house. The earl ordered them to check the upper story while he searched the lower.

A man in his stocking feet and with his waistcoat undone, came from an upstairs room to investigate the ruckus. He was pushed aside by the earl before he could so much as stammer his objections. Geoff and Robert mounted the stairs, calling Juliet's name.

Lord Marchington grabbed Juliet by her arm even as she made a desperate lunge out the window, and was pulled back inside. Juliet immediately slapped him with all the strength she possessed. The unexpected blow sent the marquess reeling, but he did not let go and she fell with him.

"You harlot! You're already married!" he snarled, jerking her up with him and shoving her against the wall. Juliet squirmed and kicked, but her bare feet did little damage to his buckskin-clad legs, and his grip was too strong for her to break.

"I told you that we didn't know each other well enough," she snapped, and was rewarded with a strike across her face for her trouble. Fortunately, he had to release one arm in order to hit her and she twisted free. She scrambled halfway across the room before he caught her by the hem of her nightgown.

She kicked him in the shoulder and he grabbed her leg, successfully dodging further kicks to his face. Soon she was completely in his grasp again, and this time, he knew better than to release her arm even for a moment.

Only then did Juliet have time enough to consider what he might do to her, now that he had her. The thought was chilling.

"Humphrey! Humphrey!" the gentleman from the study was yelling. Robert, hearing him, felt sudden fear. What if the marquess had somehow hurt Juliet? What if, even now, he was attacking the lady who was his wife? The viscount swallowed his panic and threw open the first door of the upper story.

It was unlocked and a very untidy, revealing an unoccupied bedroom. Geoff ran to the next door with Robert on his heels. It, too, was empty. Only one door remained, and when Robert rattled the knob he found it to be locked.

Even as she struggled to free herself, Juliet heard the rattle of the doorknob.

"Papa! Robert!" she cried, redoubling her efforts to escape. The marquess threw her on the bed and held her down, and she turned her head away as he breathed on her.

"It's just Adolphus, my dear. I assure you that when I do not answer, he will understand and leave us our privacy." The marquess leered at her.

"Help!" she screamed, terrified.

"Juliet!" called Robert through the door and Geoff added his own voice. "Jules!"

Startled, the marquess turned to look at the door, but he did not loosen his hold on Juliet.

"Robert? Geoff? Help me!"

The marquess tried to stifle her voice with his hand and she used her suddenly free hand to scratch his face. He was preparing to retaliate when the door burst open and Juliet's two rescuers stumbled through.

The marquess held Juliet tightly as he faced his enemy. For one instant, Marchington and Ravinstock glared at each other with matching sneers.

"You will regret ever touching my wife," Robert said menacingly before advancing upon the marquess. Marchington glanced from Juliet to the window before shoving the girl at the viscount and escaping over the bed. Robert caught his bride, but she did not let him comfort her in his arms, for the marquess stood at the threshold of the window.

"No! Quickly, the rope!" Juliet cried, tearing away from Robert.

The marquess laughed and jumped out. As she ran to the window, Geoff withdrew a knife from his pocket and began to cut at the rope Juliet had fashioned from the bed sheets. Before he could finish, however, the first knot outside the window, unable to bear Marchington's weight, came untied and the marquess fell to the ground. Juliet screamed.

Geoff and Robert joined her at the window, and she hid her face in her brother's shirtfront. "Is he dead?" she asked, hardly daring to look up at her brother.

Geoff shook his head as he peered down at the fallen nobleman. "He must have broken his leg, for he's not running, but is sitting up and looking anything but pleased."

Juliet shuddered. "He's a horrible, odious man."

"The authorities will see to it that he will never harm you again. It's a lucky chance that you tie such a woeful knot." Geoff gave his sister a comforting hug before hurrying downstairs to ensure that the marquess did not somehow escape them.

She shivered and turned from the window only to see Robert gathering the small length of her bedsheet rope that remained.

"Oh, Robert, I am so glad that you rescued me! If you had come only ten minutes later..." her voice trailed off and she directed a frightened, furious look down at the prisoner. Geoff emerged from the front door of the townhouse and began to secure Marchington with Juliet's makeshift rope with more violence than was necessary.

"Juliet, we did come, and you are safe now," said Robert, and she turned to him and smiled sweetly.

"I want to thank you," she said softly, wiping a tear from her eye, wincing when her fingers touched her tender cheek.

Robert made a small noise of concern and closed the distance between them. Ever so gently, he traced the angry red marks caused by the blows to her face. She ducked her head and caught hold of his hand. Her heart beat so quickly because of the dreadful experience she had just survived, didn't it? She swallowed stiffly and closed her eyes as his fingers continued to caress her face. She could not help but think that it would not be so dreadful to have him to care for her always.

What if she did consent to the marriage? She could be standing beside Robert as she was doing now, one of his strong arms circling her shoulders. If she could feel as warm and contented now, then she could even be happy when her father officially made the announcement before the Ton. If she could choose the time and the place where she might be comfortable in letting everyone know then she would feel she had some say in the matter.

Juliet leaned against Robert, eyes closed and thought that she felt the light touch of a kiss on the top of her head.

Robert and Juliet did not move from their embrace until Lord Cantonshire made his appearance, preceded by a bound and indignant Adolphus Waring. Geoff, having left Marchington tied to the banister downstairs, entered the room as well. The earl ordered Geoff to take Juliet home, for the viscount and the earl would take care of the authorities.

Geoff took Juliet and led her from the room. She followed her brother after giving Robert a long, lingering look. Strange how his sister was so quiet, Geoff thought. She must have been more affected by her abduction than he would have imagined.

She said nothing on the carriage ride to Lady Wilcox's. She did not even smile when Miles the butler, sucked in his breath when he saw that she was in her nightgown and nothing more. Geoff had been waiting for the dimples to flash on her cheek, and when they did not, he quickly whispered to a maid to get the cook to make a draught for his sister. Clearly she was ill.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lady Wilcox was the only one with enough courage to brave Juliet's room the next day bearing the morning edition of the paper. Juliet had retired to her room after returning to Grosvenor Square the day before, and since then, Betty had tended her. Every so often she sent little messages that her head ached too much to take her meals downstairs. Due to her seclusion, Juliet didn't know of all the callers who had come to hear the latest about her surprising marital status.

The family was divided as to how she would respond when she learned that her marriage was public knowledge, making a quiet annulment impossible. The earl and the viscount, who remembered the gratitude she had shown him after he had saved her, were certain that she would be pleased, but they did not want to be the ones to tell her. Geoff, Octavian and Lady Wilcox, however, were of the opinion that Juliet would react quite strongly to having her plans fail so completely. So they waited until the next morning after the kidnapping, and upon finishing breakfast, Lady Wilcox straightened her mobcap, snatched the paper and proceeded upstairs.

"God be with you!" Geoff called, and her ladyship nodded grimly as she ascended the steps.

The lady knocked tentatively on her niece's locked door. "Juliet?"

"Come in!" said the cheery voice. Her ladyship entered to find Juliet seated in her chair, which was drawn up next to the closed and locked window. She was leaning with her elbows on the sill and her expression was one of pleasant contemplation.

"Yes, Aunty?" Juliet turned to face the older woman. Lady Wilcox frowned and approached her niece with concern. Juliet's face was blemished by the dark marks of several bruises.

"My dear, you ought to be in bed."

"Don't be silly," the girl replied diffidently. "I'm perfectly healthy, if a bit bumped and bruised. I was thinking that if Robert and I announced an engagement before news of the marriage was published, then perhaps everything wouldn't seem so rushed and underhanded. I would have some time to get used to the idea of marriage and perhaps I could even forget that I was coerced." She turned away again to look out upon the garden. Lady Wilcox touched her shoulder.

"I have some...news for you," she said slowly, opening the paper to the correct page and placing it in her niece's hands.

Juliet, her brow furrowed, perused the page quickly until she found the note of interest. Her finger traced the words and suddenly she froze. She raised her eyes to her aunt, who was waiting in dread.

"So that is that," Juliet said quietly. She dropped the paper and turned back to the window with a stiff posture.

Lady Wilcox quickly stammered an explanation before her niece could begin raging. "Juliet, it's for the best. You must know that. Your father..."

"My father..." Juliet began, rising to her feet. She stopped herself abruptly and closed her eyes. "Aunty, all I wished was to be left alone. Left alone!"

Pity for the girl made her ladyship's voice kind. "I know, dear, but it will not be so terrible. Viscount Ravinstock is a fine..."

"It does not matter!" Juliet shouted. She threw herself on her bed. "I did not want to marry anyone!" Her voice was beginning to sound rather hysterical, so Lady Wilcox spoke in a stern tone.

"Juliet, you are nineteen years old and the time has come for you to grow up. No tempers, pets, fits or starts. You are married and no amount of foolish tears or petty schemes will change that fact."

Juliet stopped sobbing, though her shoulders were shaking. She buried her face in her pillow.

"Now, dear, why do you not take a nap and after that, you may have your things packed for the trip to Ravincourt. Everyone believes you will be safer there, and you will not have to explain matters to the curious Ton. I'll send Betty in here to watch over you so there will be no nonsense. Are you attending, my dear?"

Juliet raised her tear-stained face and nodded.

Lady Wilcox drew in a deep breath. "Good. Now, go to sleep, and perhaps you will feel better." When Juliet again rested her head on her pillow and closed her eyes, her aunt left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Her ladyship listened for a moment at the door, and when no tantrum seemed forthcoming, she tiptoed down the stairs where the rest of the family was waiting anxiously.

"Well?" the earl asked. He was standing nonchalantly, but he tapped the banister with his forefinger, betraying his agitation.

Lady Wilcox smiled and the tense men waiting for her sagged in relief. Robert had been especially worried and took a sip of sherry from his glass.

"What did she say?" asked Geoff, confused.

"She is not pleased," Lady Wilcox said shortly. Robert looked up from his glass in alarm.

"Is she coming home with me tomorrow?"

"Yes," Lady Wilcox replied. "If I were you, my dear Viscount Ravinstock, I would ride outside the carriage on your own horse."

Robert nodded and muttered something about being relieved. He stood up straight and took himself away to the library as the others continued to discuss the matter. He did not care to hear how much his bride despised him. Yesterday, when she had held his hand, he thought she might even care for him...he shook his head and shut the library door behind him. He had been foolish ever to think of love.

"Are you certain she won't run away again?" Geoff asked, glancing up at the staircase.

"She knows her duty," Lady Wilcox responded. She eyed her brother unfavourably. "You ought to have known better, Edward. Juliet is too headstrong to take to an arranged marriage." She seated herself on the pink chaise lounge and sighed. "I worry for them both."

Octavian cleared his throat. "I beg to disagree, Aunt Georgiana. In a few years, Juliet will realize her good fortune. She is spoilt, and for once she has not had her own way."

"Juliet is not spoilt!" Geoff cried. "She didn't want to titter and giggle and practice her Society smiles, and she embarrassed you. I wouldn't imagine that there is a kinder heart in all of London as the broken one up in that bedroom."

Octavian sniffed at his younger brother. "She is spoilt and willful and independent, all the things a lady must not be."

Geoff immediately rushed to the defense of his beloved sister. "No, Octavian, you are the spoiled one. You spend thousands of pounds in the clubs and waste your time in uselessness. You have no right to sit judgment on her or on me."

"I have perfect right! I am the eldest," Octavian replied stiffly.

Geoff laughed in his brother's face. "Being oldest only means that you have the most honour to lose." He exchanged a significant glance with his father and stalked out the door without waiting for any more from his brother.

Octavian, a picture of dignity, bowed to his aunt and to his father and left to go exercise his horse, thinking only that Geoff would do better to know his place.

Only Lord Cantonshire and Lady Wilcox remained, and the earl sat down next to his sister. "They are both correct, Georgiana. I have spoiled my daughter, yet she deserved to find her own husband in her own time. But you know that her chances of finding someone suitable were slim."

"Edward, that is all past. For now, I suggest that you worry about fixing their marriage. They are fond of each other, though neither of them will quite admit it, and the best thing for her is to go on to Ravincourt. Eventually, she will stop pouting and accept her fate. You know that she has never been able to stay in a pet for long." She patted her brother's hand gently, and he smiled, somewhat relieved.

The earl resolved, however, to speak to her himself. Ever since the marriage, there had been no long, cosy talks between them, and she had even stopped her usual impudent banter at his expense. He missed his Juliet, and he felt that she would understand if he explained the entire situation for her, truthfully. Perhaps if she knew all of his reasons, she might be able to forgive him.

Juliet was sitting on her bed, nibbling at her much-abused nails. She only did so when she was thinking very hard, and now she certainly needed all the thinking that she could get. She had known that her first plan had failed when Lord Marchington abducted her, but somehow she hadn't imagined that her kidnapping would lead to the publication of her marriage in the daily paper. Of course, she could only thank her family for doing so, for it would have been her only protection had they not found her so quickly.

Even so, Society now knew of her marriage to the viscount. They would be shocked, of course, for she had been seen so recently about town with the marquess. An annulment now would be so scandalous as to be almost impossible. She was to stay married.

Juliet began to chew on her lip as she picked apart the lace of her pillowcase. She could imagine no scheme to part her from the viscount, and her own feelings in the matter were suspect. She was immensely grateful that he had rescued her from Marchington, and his motives for marrying her had not been the self-serving ones of obtaining money, but rather for the noble purpose of saving his brother's life.

She was surprised then, by yet another knock at her door.

"Yes?" she called out, still ruining the careful embroidery of her pillowcase as she wondered who might wish to see her now. The sight of her father as he opened the door was enough to make her drop the pillow.

"Papa? Why are you here?" She could not recall the earl ever coming to speak to her in her bedroom. They had always conversed in the library or in the confines of his study. She stood and followed him into the sitting room, which she felt would be a more appropriate setting for the serious conversation he no doubt intended to have with her.

"Juliet, we have not spoken together since your marriage, and I thought that as you are going away tomorrow, we should make each other's acquaintance again." He waited for his daughter to take her place in a comfortable chair before seating himself.

"Papa, I was not avoiding you. I have been busy," she replied. She wondered, indeed, if that were true, for she could not even remember the subject of their last conversation. At Cantonshire Abbey their discussions had been daily occurrences. Though she had not purposefully been avoiding her father for some weeks now, neither had she sought him out.

"I know, Juliet, but somehow I have not been able to explain to you why I married you to the viscount. It was my duty and my right, but you are an exceptional daughter, and you deserve to know my reasons."

Juliet, touched by his regard, was generous herself. "I know that you were only doing what you thought best."

"Of course, but you are young and you may not yet understand what is for the best. You wanted independence, and with your fortune, you would not have difficulty finding it. Your brother Geoffrey is your dearest friend and you know that he would supply you with any gentlemanly assistance you might require in finding a house or acting as host for your parties. You would never be unprotected, as so many unfortunate spinsters are, and you believed that you would never be alone."

She was surprised by the depth of his understanding, and she was about to comment when he spoke again.

"Juliet, you would be alone."

"Papa! Geoff would never abandon me, and such joy as could be found in my own children could easily be discovered in nieces or nephews."

"You do not understand, my dear. As I said before, you are very young, and I could not wait for you to discover the bitterness of a solitary life. Of course Geoff would stand by you always, but his affections for you will be surpassed by his affections for his own wife and children."

"I cannot agree!"

"I knew that you would not when I signed the arrangement, Juliet, but I also knew that a time would come when you would thank me."

"I would thank you? Oh, Papa..."

"Now you will have your own family, your own children, and your own household to run as you please. You have a husband who is exactly the person I might have wished for you to marry. He will not make you unhappy."

"I'll make him unhappy!" she threatened.

"You're too softhearted to make a man miserable who does not deserve to be miserable, my dear."

He was correct, and Juliet ducked her head to wipe away a stubborn tear before saying; "Could you not have waited? One more year, at least?"

"No. You know of the situation between Octavian and Claude."

"That could have been resolved without such measures! I..."

"Perhaps you do not know everything," interrupted the earl. "The situation lent itself exactly to your marriage to Lord Ravinstock. I have been watching him, of course, for I have greatly admired Ravincourt even if I have not always admired the Driscolls. He seemed to have none of the faults that plague his younger brothers, and he has spent many years avoiding the young ladies of the Ton. I assumed then, that he did not like their silly airs and flirting. As you do not like their male counterparts, I surmised that the two of you would suit perfectly.

"There were two problems, however. You were set against any sort of marriage, and he had been ignoring the issue entirely, finding it easier to remain unmarried than to commit himself to a life with one of the debutantes he so despised. Circumstances prevailed against these two obstacles."

"Yes, I know. Octavian threatened to call out Claude," Juliet said impatiently.

"No, you do not know the full extent. When Robert Driscoll inherited Ravincourt and the title from his father, many of the moneys in the estate were still withheld from him. As part of the terms of his father's will, Ravinstock must be married before he can inherit the full sum. He had been doing admirably well, considering the expenses his brothers had incurred in London, but his fortune had almost run out, and he was unable even to make repairs to the fences of Ravincourt this season. He needed to marry soon. Claude and Octavian merely hastened the event by some months."

Juliet, shaken by the news, could hardly address her father's words. "He needed a wife to assure his inheritance?" Her face was pale with the appalling realization.

The earl chuckled. "Now, missy, don't think badly of the man..."

"Papa, please, may I rest now? Aunty recommended a nap for me today," Juliet said abruptly, unable to hear her father compliment the viscount.

Lord Cantonshire took his leave reluctantly, but with some relief, for he now knew that Juliet understood the entirety of the situation surrounding her marriage. She was an intelligent girl, and would soon realize that her marriage was the best of all possible contingencies.

Of course, Juliet was thinking nothing of the sort. She returned to her bedroom infuriated. Robert had told her that he did not marry her for her fortune, but he had sorely misled her into counting his motives as pure. All of his kindness was now shadowed by the suspicion that he was only pleasant to her in order to inherit his rightful estate.

Juliet's father had not improved the matter, for now her heart was set against the viscount, and much of the gratitude and friendship she had felt for him had disappeared. She immediately set to scheming again, trying to figure out a way to preserve her freedom, even now.

She had few doubts that Robert would be honourable enough to give her back her sixty thousand pounds, and she could leave him. Perhaps she would go to Greece, or even to Rome, never to see her husband again.

But he had held her so tenderly when he rescued her from that horrid Lord Marchington...

Juliet sat at her window, deeply saddened, and she most assuredly did not thank her father for his well-intended interference.

Just then, she heard a third knock at her door.

"Betty, I don't need anything just now," she said with some asperity. Couldn't she be left alone for just one hour?

"Come now, Jules. Surely my knock is more manly than Betty's!" Geoff said as he entered her room.

As she turned away from the window to greet her newest visitor, Juliet rolled her eyes. "I didn't mean to offend. What have you to say?"

Geoff sighed and seated himself on Juliet's bed. "I am the bearer of bad news, I'm afraid." He picked up Juliet's pillow and looked at the frayed lace in some puzzlement. "What have you done to..."

"Never you mind! What is your news?" Juliet snatched the pillow out of his hands and sat beside him, hiding the tattered sham behind her.

"Do you remember when Father and Robert and Octavian all came to London, and I promised that I would speak to a solicitor about the possibility of ending your marriage?"

Juliet's eyebrows drew together in a frown. "Yes, but that was ages ago! I had forgotten until now. What have you been doing?"

Grinning sheepishly, Geoff said, "Er, well, I've been busy what with the Season and the...He stopped his halting excuses when Juliet turned her back on him in disgust.

"Jules! I was able to speak to one a few days ago. I must ask you a few questions, though."

"And what are they?" Juliet asked, facing her brother again.

"It's about the actual ceremony. Was it performed by a rector within the canonical hours of eight and twelve noon? Were there witnesses, was the marriage duly entered into the parish register, and was it based on banns or license?"

Juliet stared at Geoff incredulously. "Of course I do not know, Geoff! I wasn't even in attendance, in case you don't recall!"

"Oh." Geoff shrugged. "Well, I assume that Father made certain everything was legal and valid. In that case, you cannot dissolve the marriage except for in three cases."

"And what are they?" Juliet asked hopefully.

"Don't know if I ought to be speaking of such things to my sister..."

Juliet hit her brother on his arm with her pillow. "Please, just tell me."

Geoff coughed delicately. "Seems that the union can be annulled in the case of bigamy, or if Robert was a close relative, or if the marriage isn't, um, well, you know -- consummated..."

"Geoff!" Juliet was scandalized, but she recovered quickly. "But that is wonderful news, for of course I have never..."

"Two years," Geoff said dully.

"What do you mean, two years?"

"If the marriage is not consummated for two years, then the courts can declare the union null and void."

Juliet's mouth dropped open in horror. "Two years?" She fell back onto the bed, hugging her pillow to her chest. "I see," she said softly, and then she sighed. "It was no use anyway. Any sort of annulment now would lead to great scandal."

"I know, Jules. I'm sorry." Geoff patted Juliet on her head, and she sat up and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you for helping me, Geoff. I do love you dearly."

A flush crept to Geoff's brown cheeks. "You know I'd do anything for you, sis." He grinned somewhat sheepishly. "Robert is a good fellow, even if he is a trifle staid and proper."

"He is a perfect gentleman," said Juliet without thinking, and Geoff raised his eyebrows at her immediate defense of her husband.

"Perhaps you oughtn't to be so difficult then, Jules."

"You are impossible!" Juliet declared, and she pushed him off her bed. "Get out, and leave me to rest!"

Geoff obeyed his sister, leaving the room with a bow and a flourish.

Armed with the knowledge of Robert's money problems, Juliet was finally able to rekindle her anger towards her husband, though it took much of the day to put his kindness, good manners and delightful kisses firmly out of her mind.

In the library, Robert was unsuccessfully trying to forget his troubles by reading a thick book about explorers of the New World. He found, however, that brandy worked much more efficaciously to hasten forgetfulness. Soon, he had consumed an entire bottle and was leaning back in his chair, mumbling about willful brides.

"What are you going to do, old chap?" he asked himself, slurring just a bit. "She doesn't want you, and look what she did the first time. Got herself kidnapped to get away from you!"

He raised his half-empty glass and toasted the air. "To marriage!" he said gleefully with a hint of desperation in his voice. What was he going to do with Juliet?

Never had he met so stubborn and maddening a woman, but then no woman had ever intruded so upon his thoughts. He hated to cause her distress, but his very existence threatened her freedom. But then, she was just as duty-bound as he. Why could she not accept the situation? They could be friendly, after all, and the marriage need not be tortuous or even inconvenient. Parts of it, at least, could be very pleasurable.

If she had any common sense she might see the advantages, but then Juliet's sense was not of the common sort. She was more likely to fight than to negotiate, even if fighting meant losing everything when a parley would save her much grief. Such a spirit was more appropriate for an admiral than a young noblewoman.

Robert closed his eyes despairingly. What was he going to do with Juliet?

The next morning the viscount took Lady Wilcox's advice and rode outside the carriage that held his silent bride. She had left her room that morning after breakfast, wearing a green traveling gown with a matching bonnet. She looked neither right nor left but descended directly downstairs, out her aunt's door and into the waiting carriage. Her luggage would follow in a coach.

Geoff, Octavian, the earl and Lady Wilcox waved to them as they left, and Robert said farewell, but Juliet did not even peek out the windows to catch a last glimpse of her family. Instead, she sat stonily in the carriage. The rest of the journey continued just as silently.

When they stopped for a nuncheon, Juliet allowed herself to be helped from the carriage gracefully enough. However, she ignored Robert's polite inquiries concerning her comfort, and she took only a thin slice of cold venison to eat from the large spread of food before them. Robert tried to begin a conversation, but she ignored him.

Finally, he said, "Juliet, I thought that when we waltzed together that we might be companionable..."

Juliet stared at him and he could not continue under the intense gaze of her coffee-coloured eyes. "I do not wish to be companionable," she answered shortly. "You saved me from the marquess, for which I am grateful, but you are repaid with the ransom of renewed fortune."

"I did not wed you for your dowry!" he exclaimed loudly, misunderstanding her. Unfortunately, his assurances were misplaced and she looked away from him in disgust.

Angered by her expression, he attacked his food with more violence than necessary. She will not even attempt understanding, he thought. She will not even give our arrangement a chance.

He was more at ease when they returned to the road and they were separated again. To Juliet's relief, he made no further attempts at conversation before coming to Ravincourt.

In spite of his wife's stubborn pride, Robert was pleased to see the familiar country lane that was their route on the final miles home. He could not help wondering what Juliet was thinking when they turned off the road to continue on to Ravincourt instead of going a bit further to Cantonshire Abbey.

Guilt was not the most comfortable feeling for the viscount, and he brought his horse to a canter, leaving the carriage behind. He was not in a particularly good humour when he reached the large estate that was his home.

His mother greeted him at the door after he released his horse to the kind attentions of the groom. The dowager was smiling broadly, of course, and she scarcely stopped to look at her son before peeking behind him at the empty lane. "Robert, mon cher, where is she? Did she come? You were so long in London!"

"She is coming as we speak. Now, please, it has been a tedious journey and I would like to retire." He pushed past her into the house, where he charged halfway up the stairs. Suddenly, he stopped and turned to his mother again. "Put her in the west wing," he said, and he continued up the stairs without another word.

The dowager shook her head sadly. Clearly her son was not enjoying marital bliss, but then, lately he had been so grim with no thought of happiness. He ought to have seen to his wife's comfort at least, before he hid himself in his rooms.

In spite of her son the lady managed a friendly smile when she greeted her new daughter-in-law, who came but a few minutes later.

At least the girl seemed genuinely pleased to see the viscountess as a footman helped her from the carriage. She kissed the dowager's cheek and begged to be allowed to rest immediately.

Her ladyship felt that this request came more from a desire not to see the viscount than to refresh herself after the journey, and she nodded knowingly before giving directions for the servants to lead the girl to the west wing. The dowager had plans to end such sleeping arrangements soon, but she would allow the children this one night of peace. One night would not be so much longer to await her darling grand babies.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Juliet awakened slowly, grumbling and rolling over a few times before fully opening her eyes. When she did, she had to close them again in the bright morning sunlight streaming into the room. Only then did she remember exactly where she was and sat up abruptly.

"Ravincourt," she said in a sleep-roughened voice. She left her bed and went to the tall window, the hem of her dressing gown trailing on the floor. She pulled aside the gauze of curtains.

Ravincourt was a magnificent estate, counted among the most lovely in England. Five acres of kept lawns stretched behind the house, and already the gardeners were out in force tending to their daily work that bloomed beautifully from their tender care. Beyond the gardens lay a wide forest that continued for the full fifteen thousand acres of the entire estate. The tenant farmers had cut many fields into the estate proper, yet Juliet could not even see a break in the trees. If she squinted into the sun, she could barely make out the spire of the church in Cantonshire, the tiny village in her father's domain.

All of her life Juliet had imagined the forbidden lawns of Ravincourt to be a sort of a fairyland. Her own father's parks and gardens might have been spectacular indeed, but he had little interest in landscaping. He allowed the horses and dogs to run where they would, and over the years the gardens had suffered a bit. Now Juliet pressed her nose to the windowpane and vowed that she would make Geoff keep his horses away from the kept lawns from now on.

"Silly child," she told herself suddenly, turning from the window. "You shan't tell Geoff anything. He's in London and you're...you're a Driscoll." Still the word turned a bit in her stomach.

A knock interrupted her and a maid entered.

"I'm to help you dress, milady. Lady Margaret Driscoll would like an interview with you before breakfast in her sitting room." The maid curtsied briefly, smiling shyly.

Juliet shrugged. "Thank you, then." With the maid's help, Juliet was dressed in her cream muslin morning gown with blue ribbon trim. It was the only item of her clothing in the wardrobe of this chamber. Obviously then, this was not to be her own room, though it seemed pleasant enough. She would take up the issue with the dowager at their meeting.

The maid led Juliet to the dowager's sitting room where the elder woman was busily writing letters in the clear morning light. She smiled brightly as her daughter-in-law entered, and bade her to take a seat in a mahogany chair with yellow-striped upholstery, which complemented the sunny classical decor of the room.

Lady Margaret put aside her letters and removed her thin spectacles. She did not waste words but stated her point immediately in her delicate French accent. "My dear, I have heard that you were not married voluntarily and I wish to express my sympathy. However, I do know that Robert only means to make you an adored wife and you must take comfort in that."

Juliet could only shake her head sadly. "I know the way of such arrangements, Lady Margaret. My husband has expressed his wish to be companionable and I cannot begrudge him my friendship and respect. However, I do not know how to live with him as man and wife. I did not choose..."

"Do not be so tragic, ma fille! Many a marriage began with a mere arrangement only to blossom with many children. I shall not hesitate to inform you that I would like a great many grandchildren, and that I have already ordered the servants to place your clothing in the bedroom next to Lord Ravinstock's. You two are suited to one another and I believe that the both of you are being foolish." Lady Margaret gave Juliet a very severe look, which the girl met squarely.

"Perhaps you do not comprehend, my lady. I was on the way to independent wealth before my marriage and I intended to remain unwed. There is nothing I should wish more than an annulment, but I know that such a blessing is absolutely impossible."

"Of course it is not! The vows of marriage are sacred. Accept your situation and be happy. Robert is un homme superb."

Juliet closed her eyes. "I know. He is a fine man, an excellent manager of his estate, I can see. Please, Lady Margaret..."

"You are a fool, then! Bete! Here is your happiness before you! Go to your husband, my dear. I do not understand the young these days. They have been spoiled and they expect everything to go their way. Go now, dear, and stop thinking so much. I want les petit-enfants -- a great many of them! I will not tolerate thinking until the Ravinstock succession is secured through children of my best son."

Juliet managed a smile to show her regard, but she left the room after a brief curtsey to the elder woman. If only one person understood her dilemma! Perhaps her fondness for Robert could return, but she would never honour herself if she allowed herself to be a wife of convenience to save the Driscoll estates, or even to save Octavian's life. If she did not honour herself, then she could not be happy. Her plight was very simple.

Juliet almost laughed. All these thoughts, which had so confused her at the ball just before she was kidnapped, were very clear in her head now. She wished, however, that she were still confused, so that she might still have some hope for her marriage. Now she could only see unhappiness.

She returned to the room in the west wing in which she had spent the night. She drew a chair to the window to watch the gardens. She observed them for a long time before she closed her eyes and rested her head on her arms. She was far too worried to read and did not feel up to exploring the grounds just yet. What else would there be to do in this large country house?

She left the pretty room and descended the stairs quickly, hoping to avoid everyone. She had to look into several rooms before she found the music room, which had no harp but did have a lovely pianoforte. It was large and square and made of mahogany cross-banded with rosewood. There was no music to play, for Robert's sister Catherine had never excelled at music, though her voice was counted as very fine by her fiancé.

Juliet opened the instrument and traced her hand across the ivory keys. She stretched her fingers into a major chord and played, and her mouth curved in delight at the sweet sound. She continued to play, roughly at first, for she had sorely neglected her practicing lately, but then her songs came more easily and she forgot everything else in the pleasure of the music.

Robert woke with a headache, so he lingered late in bed, grumbling. When no one called him for breakfast, he finally got himself up. His valet, who seemed to have a second sense for his master's sleeping and waking habits, appeared as if by magic and Robert was shaved and quickly dressed in buckskins, a crisp white shirt, sturdy black boots and a finely tailored jacket. He was going down the stairs, intending to take a morning walk before breakfast, when he heard the sound of the pianoforte.

Curiosity led him to the music room, for he knew that his sister and her fiancé had returned to London with his brothers, and that she would not have touched the instrument anyway. His mother, who could sing well, was an indifferent player at best. This fine musician must then be his wife.

He peeked into the room to see Juliet absorbed in her playing. She did not notice him as he entered the room, her fingers moving swiftly across the keys as her slippered foot worked the single pedal.

The viscount had never heard such music before. In the drawing rooms at parties, young ladies had often played, but the tunes were quite pretty and delicate. Juliet's playing, though not brilliant, was practiced. The music she played was faster and darker and more stirring to his soul than the fashionable songs. When she finished with the loud exclamation of a major arpeggio, he spoke.

"That was very unusual."

Juliet jumped and stared at him. To his surprise, she blushed. "I know. My mother wrote it."

Robert remembered the lovely smile of the late Lady Cantonshire. "Yes, it suits her."

Juliet sat with her hands twisted in her lap, looking down at them. "Does it? I don't remember her."

"She was beautiful." Robert walked to the pianoforte and he looked down at her. He had never seen her so before, so unsure.

"Yes, Papa told me," she said gently, and her attention was focused on her hands. They ached from playing so long and she took turns kneading them.

Robert knelt beside her and she glanced at him shyly. He smiled and his hand almost touched hers. Juliet jumped again.

"Have you written anything, Juliet?" His soft voice was almost a whisper.

Juliet felt as if her face was on fire. She was always tremendously shy about her playing, especially her mother's songs. "No, I am not talented at composing," she said haltingly and stood up. Her eyes were shining when she looked at him and he longed to bring his hand to her delicate, bruised face.

"When I knew that Marchington had struck you, I wanted to kill him." Now he did touch her, but she flinched away. She stared at him for some time, longing to tell him the truth of her feeling and demand to know why he had misled her about his reasons for marriage. Finally, she stood and spoke in a fierce, broken voice, but did not quite dare say everything she felt.

"Robert, do not try to be nice to me. I do not welcome it. I know that you are not at all like those dandies of the Ton I so despise. But I said that I would not be coerced, and I find myself here, your wife, when I never even consented to a marriage. How can I accept that?"

The viscount grasped her hand once more. "Juliet, perhaps we can learn to forget the past and live comfortably together."

"No, no." She shook her head. "How could I forget that our marriage is a based on a holy vow made by another? I could sooner forget that I am a Moresby." She did not wait for his answer, but fled the room, leaving Robert to watch her go and shake his head.

She could not, or would not, love him, and he could not bear to see her feel so trapped. He should send her away so that she could be happy.

"Robert, what are you thinking?" His mother was now standing at the doorway, dressed in a yellow morning gown.

"I have made a mistake. I never should have entered into the marriage."

Lady Margaret's painted mouth drew into a frown. "Both of you are unreasonable. These ideas of l'amour in marriage are so common! I married your father and I scarcely knew him, and we lived well together for thirty years. We knew our duty and carried it out, just as you must do."

Robert watched his mother with keen eyes. "I am going to send her away." His tone was decided and Lady Margaret grew very worried indeed. She knew better, however, than to argue when her son was so obstinate. She threw her hands up in resignation. Just then, the downstairs maid informed them that breakfast was served and mother and son proceeded to the dining room.

No one was staying at Ravincourt except Robert, Juliet, Lady Margaret and the servants. Catherine, Claude and Luc had left with great expediency for London as soon as they knew that Juliet was coming. For this fact Juliet was rather grateful, for her situation was quite uncomfortable enough without a house full of Driscolls to annoy her.

Even so, breakfast was a tense affair, rather reminding Juliet of the morning meal she had endured on her first day back in London when her father had almost ruined her first plan. In the end, her own plan had collapsed on itself, but who could have foreseen a kidnapping, after all?

The dowager Lady Margaret spoke of unimportant things after welcoming her son and his wife home. She began to talk about the weather and about the beauty of the gardens. When she asked questions, Robert answered her in as few words as possible, while Juliet remained silent. Finally, Lady Margaret gave up on conversation altogether and the meal was finished in haste. Juliet immediately escaped up to her room in the west wing and Robert went outside for his morning walk.

Lady Margaret watched them go, but she was no longer vexed with them. She smiled rather wickedly, for during breakfast she had realized what might bring the reluctant couple together. She retired to her sitting room and to her writing desk, where she wrote out several kind invitations.

CHAPTER NINE

In London, Lord Cantonshire opened and read the letter from Ravincourt before summoning his two sons. They came a few moments later, dressed for driving. Though Octavian had remained angry with his brother for a few days for his presumption in those frantic hours before the search for Juliet, he had graciously forgiven Geoff and the two were now on speaking terms.

"Yes, Father?" Octavian asked.

"We have been invited to Ravincourt next week for a house party to be held there to celebrate the marriage of Lord Ravinstock to Juliet." The earl leaned back in his chair and waited for his sons' reactions as he watched them under his thick white brows.

"Ravincourt? Do you expect me to go there?" Octavian asked haughtily, twisting his cravat and ruining the crisp folds he had spent twenty minutes and six neck cloths to achieve.

Geoff only grinned at his brother's pompous remark. "Octavian may invite the charming Miss Banncroft, may he not?"

Octavian stopped fussing with his attire and sniffed. "Miss Banncroft would sooner ride a horse astride than she would step foot in a house where I would not go."

The earl looked from one son to the other, and not for the first time he wished that Geoff were the senior. "Octavian, you must go to your sister's wedding party. We are leaving Friday and you can invite whomever you like."

"Octavian, Jules needs all the Moresbys to help her against those wretched Driscolls," Geoff said congenially.

"Juliet is a Driscoll now, as well as a viscountess. I don't see how she needs us in any way. I am enjoying myself here."

"And squandering your fortune in the clubs! We are responsible for this marriage and we ought to at least attend the party." Geoff frowned at Octavian.

"Listen to your brother," the earl intoned wearily. He was quite tired of his eldest son's folly and selfishness.

Octavian put his foot down. "I have reached my majority and I will do what I please. I absolutely refuse to go to Ravincourt and that is my final decision."

The earl was angry and stood to chastise his son. He was quite a tall man and suddenly formidable. Octavian actually drew back from his father in surprise and fear. "Octavian, if you do not support your family now, you will find yourself unwelcome at Cantonshire Abbey until my death. You are not the earl yet. Do you understand?"

Octavian paled at his father's ultimatum. The young man looked to Geoff, who was watching the floor, and then glanced back at the earl. After swallowing nervously, Octavian mumbled, "Of course, Father. I will go, then." He left the room without a further word, followed by an amazed Geoffrey.

Geoff had never heard his father demand anything of Octavian. Perhaps the earl was now realizing his mistake. He had spoiled his children, and one at a time, he was correcting their faults.

It was Geoff's turn to swallow nervously. If Juliet was married off and Octavian was threatened with being cast out, how would the earl fix Geoff himself? The young man resolved to be very considerate of his father in the days ahead.

At Ravincourt, Juliet spent the next few days as might be expected, avoiding both Lady Margaret and her son as much as possible. Her clothes had been placed in the bedroom next to Robert's and there was only a cheery sitting room between the two chambers. She had difficulty sleeping thinking of Robert so distressingly nearby and wondered if his grumpiness at breakfast was due to a similar ailment.

In truth, Robert's grim mood was caused by a growing suspicion that his mother was going to somehow meddle in his marriage. She ought to be demanding that he take his rights as a husband, but she had not said a word to him even though Juliet had been at Ravincourt four days now.

Surely his mother would know from the servants that Robert and Juliet were sleeping separately, and Robert had been expecting a chastisement daily. But the dowager merely smiled at them with complacency, so the viscount knew that his mother must have some scheme in mind. She would do almost anything to get her own way, especially if she believed that what she wanted was also the best for someone else. Robert had no doubts that Lady Margaret wanted him to be happily married to Juliet. Her complacency, therefore, could only be suspect.

Another uncomfortable day passed before Robert knew Lady Margaret's scheme. At breakfast that morning, his mother broke the now customary silence at the table.

"Well, my dears, we shall be expecting guests."

Juliet's bread stopped halfway to her mouth. "Guests?" She looked questioningly at Robert, but he simply shrugged.

The dowager smiled. "Guests. We are going to have a house party in honor of your marriage. Catherine, Luc and Claude are all coming here, and ta famille has sent their acceptance, Juliet. There will be more invited to fill our empty table."

"Mother..." Robert began, but he was interrupted.

"...And there had best be two hollows in the pillows of one bed after tomorrow night, unless you would like all of Society snickering next week at their dinner parties. Avez-vous un jour beau." She stood up, kissed Juliet's cheek and bid them farewell with little regard to the shock she had just created.

Juliet looked to Robert, who stared back, mouth open. They both began speaking at once.

"My family and your family..."

"Our brothers and sisters..."

Juliet finished for the both of them "...in one house?"

Robert hid his face in his hands. "Oh no," he moaned and Juliet laughed.

"At least there will be some excitement here. If I have to walk alone in the gardens one more time, I shall scream in vexation. You haven't any interesting books in your library and the cook at Cantonshire Abbey is altogether superior to the cook here."

Robert rested his chin on his hands. "Have you any more complaints?" he teased.

"A whole catalogue has been gathering in my head these past days, and I have not been able to air them without company to hear me. It is so very tedious to ignore each other, do you not think so?"

"Yes, very much."

Juliet cocked her head and smiled pleasantly at Robert. "Can we not forget, just this day, that we are in such a pickle and go riding or have a picnic? We shall have opportunity to discuss our strategy for the house party."

His answering smile did something odd to Juliet's knees. They seemed to tremble. "Both are fine ideas; why don't we ride to a picnic spot? You will give orders to our inferior cook and I will see to the horses. Are we agreed?"

"Certainly," Juliet exclaimed and ran boyishly to give instructions to the cook before going up to change into her apple green riding habit. She met Robert at the stables, a large hamper in hand.

He presented her with a lovely dappled gray mare with large, limpid eyes.

"Here is Helen," he said, patting the mare on her flanks.

"Ah! I see, the face that launched a thousand ships." Juliet rubbed the mare's velvet nose affectionately and Helen nickered her surprise.

"Her beauty pales to yours, Juliet," Robert said quite seriously.

Juliet lifted her eyebrows and bent to observe her face in the polished metal buckle of the saddle cinch. She laughed outright when she saw herself. She was truly a fright with her black and blue cheek. "I should think perhaps that one diminutive raft might set sail for my visage, my lord. Nothing more seaworthy."

Robert was leading his own brown stallion with one hand and accepted the large hamper with the other. "More likely the entire British navy." He smiled rakishly, causing Juliet's unwilling heart to flutter.

"You begin to ape Marchington with your extravagant compliments."

Robert only laughed aloud as he leapt astride his own mount. "Juliet! My mind spins endlessly with thoughts of you. When I first laid eyes on you, I said to myself, 'I 'ne'er saw her match since first the world began.' Your smile lit my world with the bright light of a shining star. You are the sun, Juliet. Smile upon me, my lady, lest I die with a kiss..."

"You might be original, at least, if you must flatter me into fits!"

Robert was still chuckling when he brought his horse alongside hers. "You are more of a Kate than a Juliet, my dear."

"I try my utmost, Viscount. I cannot help what my mother named me."

They rode in companionable silence for some time before Robert said, "We will stop at a small clearing I know, with a stream, in order to eat."

"Charming." She regarded her husband warily, wondering if the spot he named was quite as romantic as it sounded, and whether or not he would lecture her yet again on the advantages of their marriage. His expression seemed innocent enough.

Unaware of her gaze upon him, he shifted the large basket of food he carried to make riding less awkward. Juliet smiled.

"I would race you to the clearing, but it would hardly be fair with you so hampered."

Robert groaned at her atrocious pun. "Juliet, Catherine would be terribly insulted if you abused Helen by racing her."

"Why? She's as fine a piece of horseflesh as I've ever seen, and pray do not forget that I was raised at Cantonshire Abbey under my brother's excellent tutelage."

"Far be it from me to underestimate you, my dear Juliet. Still, Helen has not felt the racer's whip and she is somewhat coltish."

Juliet patted her mount's rather large head. "I shall have to bring my own stallion here then, when he is no longer needed for stud at the Abbey. He's the son of a gypsy stallion and a champion hunter, and he's as fleet as any horse alive. Geoff was offered eight hundred pounds for him, but he refused."

Robert was astonished. "Eight hundred pounds? And this beast is your mount? Is he a dappled gray? Those fetch an unheard of price these days." He eyed Helen unfavourably, but the mare remained unashamed of her expensive, fashionable coat colour.

"Oh no! He's quite a dull brown and white."

"What is his name?"

Now Juliet had to smile again. "Romeo."

"Fitting," Robert remarked, laughing. "Do you hunt with Romeo?"

"Of course; hare, woodcock, pheasant. Papa keeps a pack of harriers, not one of them an inch taller than the other. They're the finest in the district."

Robert sighed. "Ravincourt used to have a fine pack; well-matched with musical barks. I had to sell many of them, along with most of the horses, to pay off one of Claude's debts. That boy will never learn!"

"He is very young. It is a pity, though, that much of your pack had to go. I should have liked to see them in the hunt." Juliet smiled at her husband and her dimple danced on her cheek.

"The lands of Ravincourt are quite suitable for hunting."

She looked about her appraisingly. She saw only forest, but she remembered from her earlier excursions the wide, unbroken fields and country byways flanked by ditches perfect for harbouring a hare. Finally, she nodded. "Ravincourt is large, of course, and there are few cattle to confuse the scent for the hounds. Very well, I agree."

"How did you come to hunt at first?" Robert asked curiously. His own sister had never been inclined to sporting.

She smiled gently in recollection as she rode. "I was about thirteen and Papa did not want me to go hunting with the large party of sportsmen who were visiting the Abbey. I was unhappy, of course, for he was being monstrously unfair. Geoff was barely eleven when he had been allowed on his first real hunt. Anyway, I disguised myself as a junior sort of whipper-in and there were so many people, what with the gentlemen and huntsmen and all, that no one actually noticed an extra boy. Of course, I was unused to riding astride. When I took a jump at the second fence, I fell."

"Were you hurt?" Robert asked, his face paling. Young men sometimes died in the hunt. One of his own servants had taken a bad fall from a horse that shied from a jump and had not lived but one day more.

"I broke my arm and I cried a bit. Geoff was the first to reach me, and of course, I was discovered. Papa knew better than to forbid me to hunt after that. After the bones knit, he bought me Romeo and a riding instructor."

"You never cease to amaze me, Juliet." His tone was serious once more and she felt herself blushing as she had when he found her playing her mother's music. She wondered how his words could be so warm and encouraging, as if each sound were a tender caress.

They fell into an awkward silence, until Robert said, "We're almost there." He clucked his teeth and his horse obliged him by stepping into a canter. Juliet followed him and soon they reached the clearing.

The lovely glade was every bit as romantic as Juliet imagined it to be. A gurgling brook lay next to the green, flowered clearing. A friendly songbird was providing a concert, seeming to elaborate on the timeless theme of spring love. Juliet rather wished that they had come here earlier, before he had sincerely complimented her, when they had been comfortable together. Humour would have distracted her from the enchanting scene.

There was nothing to be done about that. She dismounted and helped Robert set out the contents of the hamper and tie the horses within range of both water and green grass. She was careful not to meet Robert's eye.

The cook had set them up nicely with cold ham, bread, and a big slab of yellow cheese. Juliet withdrew the large blanket from the hamper first of all, and the two settled comfortably on it with their feast between them.

They ate silently for a few minutes, as they had become used to eating so all week. Robert was the first to speak, and he began by broaching the subject Juliet wished to discuss least of all.

"What Mother said, about our sharing a bed tomorrow, is true."

Juliet swallowed a hunk of cheese too quickly. Her hand flew to her throat and she stared at Robert with large brown eyes. "Impossible!" she said finally, her voice a bit hoarse from the painful swallow.

"The servants talk..."

"Out of the question!" Juliet punctuated her sentence by hitting her fist against the hamper.

"Juliet, it would be for the best. We must share the same bed for the duration of the house party."

"Unheard of!" Juliet exclaimed, feeling rather panicked.

"On the contrary, Juliet. It's rather expected."

She had no answer this time. She stared at him worriedly and Robert felt guilty without quite knowing why. Perhaps it was because he knew he would enjoy her sleeping beside him so much.

"Juliet, I would never take advantage of the situation..."

"Of course not," she snapped, her cheeks hot. They lapsed into silence once again. Not knowing what to do, she began nibbling on a piece of cheese with a great deal more concentration than was necessary.

Robert sighed and his brows knit in worry. If he were in her predicament, he knew that he wouldn't have stood for such shabby treatment. To be married without his knowledge and to be forced into that marriage bed would be a supreme humiliation. No wonder she wanted nothing more to do with him.

"I want you to know that I understand, and that I..." he stopped and Juliet stopped eating to look at him once again. He sounded so unsure and tentative that she was inclined to be gentle.

"Yes?" she prompted quietly.

"I will send you away, if that is what would please you. I have already told my mother so, and that is probably the reason why she arranged this party. Perhaps she believes that she can shame you into staying here. I apologize sincerely." His gray eyes were compelling and earnest.

Juliet drew a sharp breath, wondering why her throat tightened with tears. He was offering her everything possible to salvage her pride and her independence. She already knew that if she stayed with him, she would grow to hate herself. He was so kind!

Too kind. She grew suspicious, which was to be expected after a lifetime of enmity with his siblings. What had he to gain from letting her go? He needed heirs, not to mention her sum fortune of sixty thousand pounds over and above his own inheritance, enough to keep his wine cellar full for six score years! Perhaps he was trying to trick her with kindness as any rake might do with charm. Haltingly, she answered him.

"Yes, it would please me. I thank you." She watched him for any signs of suspicious intent, but she saw only honesty in his expression. He must be a superior actor, she thought reasonably.

"Juliet, you are..."

She interrupted him, for she did not mean to hear any of his irresistibly charming platitudes meant to beguile her into staying with him. "When I said that I would not welcome kindness in the music room, I meant it. Again, I thank you, but let us speak no more of it."

"And when we share a bed tonight?" His voice held a trace of seductive huskiness.

Juliet closed her eyes as if in pain, imagining waking next to him, cosy and warm. Really, he was far more charming than the Marquess of Marchington, who had no doubt been handicapped by his insufferable ego. Finally, she opened her eyes again with a tiny smile.

"You must realize that if we share a bed tonight, there will be no hope for an annulment."

"You cannot believe that there could possibly be an honourable end to this marriage. Especially after the scandal with Marchington! You must be mad!"

"No, not mad, simply determined. A Moresby never gives up."

"You're a Driscoll now," he said curtly. He wondered why she was fighting him still. Had he not offered her everything that she wished?

Juliet's smile widened. "Are you saying that Driscolls yield so quickly?"

Robert frowned, for he realized that Juliet's smile widened only when she was about to deliver a set down. "Certainly not! I mean that you have exceeded the bounds of polite society, yet have failed to disentangle us from our hasty marriage. Your plan was ingenious..."

"Thank you," she said sweetly.

He continued, "...but fate has conspired against you. We are married, and as I'll not divorce you, we are going to remain married for some time."

Now Juliet did not like to hear him spell her doom so completely. She decided to tease him a bit, for perhaps in his no-doubt eloquent answer, she might find the truth she looked for -- that he was deceiving her into remaining at Ravincourt as his wife.

"And what hand has fate dealt you, Robert Driscoll?" Her voice dropped to her lowest registers as she had once read of a gothic heroine speaking so to her beau.

He did not answer for a long moment, though he finally managed to look her in the eye. "You are absolutely the most maddening, deceitful, cunning, determined chit that has ever walked the earth. You are also kind, gentle, clever, learned and beautiful." He stopped and she raised her eyebrows at the mixed praise. He smiled deviously. "I do not know that a man deserves a wife so gifted."

Juliet shook her head in amazement. "Geoff said the very same when he was helping me escape you, dear husband."

"Geoff is an intelligent man."

"Most younger sons are," she replied. His answer had told her nothing about whether or not he was actually willing to allow her to go. She had to provoke him further.

"I beg exception to that."

"You mean you consider Claude or Luc to be your inferior intellectually?"

"I mean that they asked Catherine what she meant by naming her horse Helen!"

Juliet laughed. "Oh dear! Didn't they go to Eton? Even Octavian spent a year there before being sent down."

"Claude and Luc? Certainly not. They were too busy becoming inferior sportsmen to worry about their studies. Juliet, if you have such concern, we may protect the Ravinstock title by preserving a direct line..."

"My lord! I thought you were going to send me away. What is this talk of a direct line? Claude will make as good a Ravinstock as any." She smirked.

"Juliet, if you are going away in any case, I thought that you wouldn't mind having a child to secure..."

"You're impossible!" she exclaimed, hurling what remained of her cheese at his face and crossing her arms over her chest.

Not expecting this attack, Robert was too late in ducking. "Ouch!"

Juliet couldn't suppress a giggle at his shocked outcry. One moment later, however, iron arms locked themselves around her and her back was drawn against his chest as she uttered a surprised, "Umph!"

"I was merely teasing you," he whispered in her ear, and she shivered as his warm breath touched her neck.

"Oh?" Her voice was somehow lacking in the outrage she'd meant to convey. In fact, it was rather husky and timid. She cleared her throat, tried again, and this time her voice recovered its righteous indignation. "How dare you!"

He turned her to face him, but still he did not release her. They stared at each other and she noticed that she was breathing rather heavily. Robert seemed similarly breathless and a lock of brown hair had fallen into his eyes.

"Your hair is mussed," she said immediately, frowning. Her hands itched to reach up and straighten it, but his grip on her arms was too tight.

"So is yours." He smiled.

She licked her lips nervously. Why was he still holding her? Why did she want him to kiss her?

"What are we going to do about the house party?" she asked abruptly.

Robert let her go. "There are more interesting topics for discussion." She inched a small distance away from him.

"What are we going to do about the house party?" She repeated, for she was nothing if not persistent.

Finally, he gave in with a sigh. "What do you believe we should do?"

Regaining her old cunning smile, she said, "What any married couple would do, completely ignore each other."

"No no, won't fudge. As I said, my lady mother has taken to using desperate measures to keep us together. She will not stop interfering until she is certain that I am not planning to send you away. That is also the reason that we ought to share the bedroom." He leaned back, resting on his elbows and waited for her to speak.

Juliet furrowed her brow in thought. "Why don't you just send everyone home? After all, Ravincourt is your estate."

"I don't believe that insulting both our families and guests will be of any help, Juliet."

"Are you saying that we must pretend to be perfectly happy and content? Surely my father will be suspicious..."

"Your father wants you to be happy, and he will not question your smiles when they are what he wishes most to see. Now, my mother dreams of little Driscolls running about the nursery. She'll keep the guests here until she's satisfied that we're a happy couple. And, of course, your brother and mine will feel the pressure to apologize to one another with our families joined as one." He hesitated a moment. "Let's pretend that we are in love and Octavian and Claude will be the best of friends, and the guests will be returning home before the week is out."

Juliet rolled onto her side, leaning on her elbow and supporting her head on her hand. "Is your mother so oblivious? She has watched us ignore each other these past days. A sudden reconciliation..."

"You forget that we will spend the night together."

Juliet's mouth snapped shut. "I thought that we discussed this earlier."

"And we came to no conclusion."

She sighed and bowed to the inevitable. "I must admit that I can see no other means. If Octavian and Claude believe us to be companionable, perhaps we might urge them to make peace with each other. If we are quarreling, then there could be no hope for them. As for the bedroom, perhaps there is some means where we do not have to actually share the bed, yet the servants will still be fooled. Shall we try it?"

Robert nodded. "I see no reason why not. Well, then, tonight apart. Tomorrow we shall pretend to be lost in love long enough to see our guests on their way and Claude and Octavian shaking hands."

"And then I am going to Rome!" She stood up and brushed off her habit, not seeing the expression of disappointment that crossed her husband's face at her last words. "Anything else, Robert?"

He took to his feet as well. "Juliet, all will turn out for the best. I promise."

She shook her head. "No. Even you cannot set everything to rights, my lord." She turned from him and untied Helen, clucking softly to the dappled gray mare, more to avoid looking at her husband than to reassure the serene horse.

Their ride home was quiet, as each was absorbed in thought, and regret.

CHAPTER TEN

First to arrive the next morning were the Driscolls: Catherine, her fiancé, Luc and Claude. With them came three young ladies and their chaperones. Juliet watched the procession come up the drive as she stood on the threshold next to Robert. She sucked in her breath when she saw the five carriages of luggage.

"For people who dislike me so, they are prepared for a long stay," she whispered dryly to Robert before plastering a wide, welcoming smile on her face. She first received Lady Catherine, who answered Juliet with the barest of civilities.

Then Catherine looked more closely at her new sister-in-law. "Dear me! Wherever did you get such a bruise on your face?"

Juliet had been waiting for this query. "When I spent the night at Mr. Adolphus Waring's."

Catherine uttered a shocked exclamation, took the arm of her fiancé and hurried away indoors. "I told you," she whispered fiercely to her husband-to-be, who consoled her as best he could.

Robert, who had watched the exchange with interest, stifled a smile. "She has the right idea of you, Juliet."

"I should hope so," she replied, squeezing his arm and turned to greet Claude and Luc.

They were wary of their new sister, and Luc actually went so far as to say, "Please, be civil to us, Juliet."

She laughed kindly. "Civil? I seem to recall that the last time I managed to sneak a spider into your hat was when I was fourteen. Come, now. We are all grown up. Robert thinks I'm a darling, don't you, dear?" she asked, fluttering her sooty eyelashes at the viscount.

"Absolutely," Robert announced, laughter in his voice. Claude and Luc glanced from their brother to his wife and back again. The young men shrugged and continued on inside as soon as Robert and Juliet had been introduced to their guests, three young ladies and their chaperones. The young ladies were girls of a particularly colourless and forgettable sort, and they greeted Juliet with a mixture of disapproval and awe. Their chaperones favoured Juliet with much of the former and almost none of the latter, but she bore them with a patient smile.

Only a half an hour later, Juliet's family came to Ravincourt. Besides Geoff, Octavian and the earl, there was Miss Banncroft and her father. Miss Banncroft responded to Juliet's greeting with a gentle smile, but Octavian walked stiffly by without a word to his sister and with only a short nod to Robert. The earl, positively beaming, kissed Juliet's cheek.

Geoff was the last to approach them, and he smiled deviously and whispered to Juliet; "How is married life?"

"Pray do not provoke me today, dear brother. I need all my humour for the lot of Driscolls," she hissed through white teeth, and Geoff nodded his agreement before following his father inside. Lady Margaret had welcomed the guests there and Juliet, who had followed Geoff, addressed her.

"Well, my lady, it seems we have a full house. I think it providential that my aunt does not travel, or we should run out of place settings."

Lady Margaret smiled most splendidly. "Oui. Now, everyone will be taking some time settling in, and then we shall have supper. Won't that be divine?"

"Oh, indeed!" exclaimed Juliet, thinking of the large dining table at Ravincourt and of the two families sitting around it. Had the dowager sense enough to seat the Moresbys and Driscolls on opposite sides of the table? Perhaps the word 'divine' was a misnomer for the occasion. "It shall be interesting, at the least," she continued.

"Quite," Robert murmured. He nodded respectfully to his wife and to his mother before retreating to the library for a few hours of peace. Juliet, likewise, escaped into the music room. Lady Margaret, however, remained near the entrance, for she had one more surprise for the reluctant couple.

Some hours later, yet another entourage of coaches arrived at the front of the house. Quickly, Lady Margaret sent a message to Robert to greet his newest guest, and another notice to Juliet.

Robert strode in angrily. "Mother, whom..." He stopped, mouth ajar, when a richly dressed young woman with golden hair descended from her carriage with the help of a liveried footman.

"Why, Lady Valencia Grahame, dear. Did I not I tell you?" Her ladyship blinked innocently.

"Valencia? Here? Damme, Mother..."

"Why Robert, I'm shocked! You two were so very friendly, and I assumed that you would want her here to celebrate your wedding."

Robert was shaking with anger, but managed a welcoming smile and was kissing Lady Valencia's hand the moment Juliet came into the entryway.

Lady Valencia Grahame was by far the most beautiful woman Juliet had ever seen. She had glorious blond hair, fashionable that season, and wide blue eyes framed by ebony lashes and perfectly groomed brows. Her complexion had not one fault, for her skin was of a creamy clarity so prized by women and men alike. Her mouth was, perhaps, insipid, but it's lovely curve and the complement of a dainty nose did everything to compensate for any minor flaws. That such a face could be accompanied by a perfect figure, a graceful deportment and elegant clothing was, in Juliet's opinion, a travesty against nature.

Perhaps it was the way Robert seemed to linger over the woman's hand. In either case, she took instant dislike to her newest guest. When she approached, she deliberately ducked under her husband's arm so as to be in his embrace when she bid hello.

Robert, a bit surprised at his wife's sudden affection, stammeringly introduced her to the Lady Valencia Grahame, whom he described as an old friend.

"Oh?" Juliet's eyebrows arched speculatively. "How divine to meet you."

Lady Grahame smiled in greeting and Juliet immediately thought her sly. "I am so pleased to meet you, Lady Ravinstock. Imagine my surprise when I heard that Lord Ravinstock was married!"

"I hope it was pleasant news," Juliet replied soothingly. Robert, sensing danger, squeezed her arm in warning.

Valencia tittered. "How funny you are! Of course I was pleased! I was exceedingly gratified to receive the invitation."

"Ravincourt is a lovely place," Juliet said.

"I've always thought so," Valencia answered with a secret smile.

Juliet's frozen smile never wavered, but Robert caught the flash of anger in her eyes. He coughed and Lady Margaret waved everyone towards the stairs.

"Well, now. Why don't we all get settled and we can meet again at supper. I'm certain Lady Grahame needs to recover from her journey."

"Oh yes. I am practically faint with exhaustion." Lady Valencia followed the butler upstairs as other servants began the tedious duty of transporting her luggage.

As soon as she was out of sight, Juliet jerked away from the viscount. "Oh! You are a wretched man!"

Robert threw up his hands. "I had no idea she was invited!"

Juliet was seething and his explanation did nothing to soothe her wrath. "To allow a woman of that sort here to celebrate your wedding. You appall me!"

"Juliet..."

But she would not hear him. "Do you deny that she was your...Oh, I cannot believe it of you. Robert, tell me that she was not once your ladylove. Tell me, please." Her eyes were unusually bright and Robert wondered if she were on the verge of tears. He stepped forward and placed his hands comfortingly on her shoulders.

"I knew her many years ago, Juliet. I do apologize. I could not have known that she was invited, for I would not have allowed it."

But Juliet jerked away from him, horrified. "You admit that she..." Her hand covered her mouth. Only the presence of Robert's mother, Lady Margaret, kept her from speaking far too plainly her opinion of her newest guest and her new husband. Instead she turned her back to both Driscolls and fled from the house. Robert made a move to follow her, but his mother held him with a restraining arm.

"Let her go. I think it wonderful that she is so jealous."

Robert did not agree. "No, she is not jealous. Her pride has been hurt, again. I should think it fine chance if she does not run straight back to Cantonshire Abbey. Mother, how could you have brought Valencia here to my wedding party? I last saw her years ago!"

Lady Margaret patted her son's arm reassuringly. "You know that I do not meddle in your affairs often, but I assure you it is all for the best." She smoothed his coat, gave his shoulder one final pat and left to go upstairs. Robert returned to the library and this time, he did not even try to pick up a book to read.

He wanted to go after his wife, but he knew that she would be in no mood to speak with him. Instead, he paced the library, planning for when he would see Juliet again. She would have to come to terms with Valencia somehow, for he could not send her away, now that she was his guest.

Lady Margaret was not contrite in the least for her shameless maneuver, and she went immediately to Lady Grahame's door. When it opened to her polite knock, she made certain that she was invited in to speak with her.

Valencia was sitting on an upholstered chair, fanning herself, when the dowager entered. She smiled prettily. "Lady Margaret, you can only imagine my surprise when I received notice of Lord Ravinstock's wedding. I must thank you for your kind invitation to Ravincourt. The viscount and I have always been such friends."

Lady Margaret went to Lady Grahame and placed a hand on her arm. "You have always been a dear, Valencia, and of course, I must include you in our family's happiness." The elder woman sighed after expressing her last words and Valencia eagerly pursued what such a sigh might mean.

"Is Lord Ravinstock happy with his new bride? It was so sudden, and there were no banns posted, and..."

"Oh, dear Valencia! The marriage was arranged, you see, and quite suddenly. I fear that Lady Juliet and my son are not suited, mais ce n'est pas d'importance. My husband and I had no interests in common, and we did well together." Lady Margaret had no qualms in expressing such a falsehood; she believed her son and his wife a perfect match, and any means necessary to make them realize it were acceptable, even encouraging Valencia.

Lady Grahame consoled Lady Margaret as best she could. "A man and wife may not like each other above half, but that is not enough to completely undo a marriage, as you say."

Now Lady Margaret feigned real distress. "Oh, but these days, when love matches are so much talked of, my children can bear nothing less! Forgive me, kind Lady Grahame, for bothering you with my trifling problems..."

"Oh, no. We have known each other long and I appreciate inclusion in your family matters. But, my lady, you are quite overset. Perhaps you ought to retire and be completely rested by supper."

"How considerate you are! Oui, I think that I shall take your suggestion immediately." Lady Margaret bestowed a kiss upon Valencia's cheek and proceeded not to her bedchamber, but to the kitchen to check on the supper menu once more. She was well pleased with her afternoon's work, for no doubt Valencia, even now, was considering ways to brighten Robert's miserable prospects of happiness. Lady Margaret had a good guess as to how Juliet might react to such presumption. Her ladyship chuckled at the very thought.

Juliet was that moment living up to Lady Margaret's most hopeful dreams. Robert had been correct. She did consider taking Helen and going straight home to Cantonshire Abbey. Even as she approached the stables, however, she had time to consider her blinding anger. Why had she become so infuriated? Surely it was no surprise to her that Robert would have a mistress, for she assumed that every man did, except for her father, whose devotion to his departed wife could not be faulted. Of course, a woman of Valencia's beauty and mannerisms was to be expected in a ladylove, so she ought to have known that one Valencia or another would come calling.

But somehow, she had been taken utterly by surprise, and when she saw that woman's hand against Robert's lips, she had never been so angry in all her life. Hypocrisy she was accustomed to seeing, but she had seldom experienced jealousy.

She was not inclined to being either jealous or confused, but that infuriating man had managed to make her feel both at once. He was so very kind to her, kinder than she deserved really, considering her stubborn nature, and she was hard-pressed to harden her heart against one so forgiving. But then he allowed that woman into his home -- that woman who he admitted had once been his...her cheeks coloured at the thought.

She berated herself. "He's giving me everything I want! He's going to let me go." He was willing to give her what she desired, independence. All she had to do was live through a few days with her family, the Driscolls and that horrid Lady Valencia.

Juliet had spent much longer in London during her two Seasons, but somehow that had not seemed so formidable a task as watching Lady Valencia prepare herself to take Juliet's place. The thought made her positively ill.

She stopped abruptly, placing her hand on the wooden wall of the Ravincourt stable. "Oh no! I do believe him to be a dear man, but do I love him?" She held her hand to her mouth. "Oh no!"

She leaned against the wall, horrified to feel tears spring to her eyes. "You stupid, foolish girl! You'll never be happy, sold to him like some mare at a cattle show. But can you bear to see him with Valencia?" She pounded her gloved fist on the wall in anger.

"I cannot believe you, Juliet," she scolded herself seriously. "Your dilemma is directly from a second-rate gothic novel." She began to pace away from the stable and beyond the gardens. Perhaps a walk in the wilder fields would soothe her somewhat.

If a groom, attending to his duties in the stables, heard her chattering to herself as she walked away, he never told anyone about his slightly mad new mistress.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Juliet returned to the house just in time to change for dinner, though her mood was not much improved from that morning. She was dressed in her cream muslin with the green trim again, and she wore matching ribbons in her dark hair. She absolutely refused to admit that she was trying to look her best. Nevertheless, as her maid handed her a handkerchief soaked in lavender water, Juliet looked at herself critically in her cheval glass.

Her chin was too determined to be fashionable and her nose too thin. Though her mouth was becoming, her eyes held no coyness and were too intelligent to afford her credit in Society circles. Even so, she was counted quite pretty, but Valencia outstripped her every feature, and in manner the Lady Grahame was by far the more ladylike. "At least the minx won't outshine you in witty dinner conversation," Juliet said to her face in the mirror, her expression fierce.

The dining room table was filled, what with all the Driscolls, their guests, the Moresbys, their guests and Valencia. Fortunately, there was plenty of food to sustain them all. Every course of the meal was cooked to perfection and most of the dinner discussion pertained to the safe topic of roasted pheasant and country puddings.

Somehow even the Driscolls and the Moresbys managed not to offend each other, discussing favourite dishes and the sad lack of decent French cooks willing to work for a reasonable stipend.

Juliet was noticeably talkative, and more than once the guests were overcome with laughter from her remarks at her brothers' expense. Robert noticed that Juliet's eyes, when lightened with humour, took on the exceptional colour of rich mahogany.

He spent the meal watching his bride spear Lady Grahame with deadly looks whenever Valencia opened her Cupid's bow mouth. He had to admit that Lady Valencia was the type of woman most likely to irritate Juliet. Not a word fell from the beauty's dainty lips that wasn't followed by a trilling giggle and a flirtatious smile. She couldn't even discuss the damp weather without commenting on how it affected her appearance or her ability to travel. Compared to Juliet, Valencia was both shallow and foolish.

Finally, desert was served, and afterwards the ladies amused themselves while the men disappeared for some port. The men were clearly divided in company between Moresby and Driscoll -- only Robert intervened between the two. The ladies were less divided, though Catherine made a point of ignoring Juliet while encouraging Valencia.

The three young ladies that Claude and Luc had brought were engaged in polite discussion with their mamas, Catherine, Valencia and Lady Margaret. The other lady present was Miss Banncroft, the pretty black-haired girl to whom Octavian was all but engaged.

She was a very quiet young woman who hadn't the courage to say anything and thought Octavian the wisest, most wonderful man in the entire world. As Juliet had no desire to listen to herself speak or to hear orations on her wonderful oldest brother, she did not seek out Miss Banncroft, but instead spent the time examining the gorgeous jewel-coloured drapes.

She breathed audibly in relief when the men once again joined the ladies, and the entire party assembled in the music room.

Juliet stood apart from Robert, to whom Valencia was attached like a clinging vine. Instead she spoke quietly to her brother and listened attentively as the three young companions to Luc and Claude played a song in turn. One sang quite beautifully, and the others did not shame themselves. Catherine then played while her fiancé turned the pages of the music, and she was dutifully applauded for an adequate performance. Lady Margaret stepped forward.

"Are there any more who would like to share their talent before we retire? Luc has told me that he wishes to go riding demain, and all the young ladies need their rest."

Silence answered her, until Robert said, "I have not heard my wife play but once, and I should enjoy hearing her music again."

Juliet stared at him. "No, no. I do not believe that the company would enjoy hearing me. I'm afraid I'm rather out of practise."

"Jules, go and play. You know you're smashing," Geoff said, pushing his sister to the front, though he knew that she hated to play for people. He was feeling rather resentful from supper when she had embarrassed him with a funny story about a disastrous hunting exploit in his youth.

She could scarcely refuse now. She gave a polite curtsy and tried to imagine what might entertain the assorted guests. She was at a loss, for the only songs she knew were her mother's, and they were nothing like the pleasing tunes the others had played. Finally, she settled on something sweet and slow, though haunting, as she sat at the pianoforte and began to play.

As usual, she lost herself in the music, and when she came to, she was flushed and breathless and the audience was applauding hesitantly, not knowing quite what to make of her performance. Lord Cantonshire was absolutely frozen, for he hadn't heard that song played since his wife's death. Juliet had never practiced when he might hear her.

"I've never heard music like that before," whispered one of the mamas to another, and her words were not meant to be complimentary. Juliet stood up nervously and made a curtsy.

"Well, I think we had best follow Lady Margaret's suggestion and retire for the evening." Her voice had lost its certainty, and when she reached out her hand to take hold of her long skirts, she realized it was trembling.

The guests left quickly and Juliet regained her composure in time to see Valencia whisper something in Robert's ear. His answering smile made Juliet shake with sudden fury. The pompous man! She had never before played in public, but he had forced her to do so with Geoff's help.

He had seen her nervousness after she had been practicing her first morning here. Why didn't he realize that she did not like to play before people? And now, after her experience, he was ignoring her and talking to that horrible woman.

She could scarcely imagine how she could love him, but she did, unquestionably, and tears welled in her eyes. Unable to bear anymore, she rushed past them and fled to her own room where her maid helped her into her nightgown. She was in her bed with the candle extinguished and the sheets pulled over up to her chin when Robert entered the room.

"Juliet, have you forgotten?" he whispered.

Of course she had not forgotten that he must sleep in her bed that night. Abruptly, she yanked the covers down and jumped from the bed to the side opposite him. She stood on the cold floor in her bare feet and pointed to the empty four-poster.

"You will lie there long enough to make an indention, and then you will sleep in the chair until morning, when you will climb in with me just in time for the servants to have something about which to gossip. If we fail to wake up, then the indention will be proof enough. Agreed?"

"That does not seem comfortable," he said, and though he tried to keep a straight face, the corners of his mouth quirked. Of course that infuriated Juliet, who had to suppress the urge to hurl a pillow at him. How could he have so little respect to tease her when that woman was sleeping under his roof?

"My lord, I refuse to spend more than a moment bedded down with you. We must play our facade this way or let your mother scold us both come tomorrow."

Robert could hardly allow Juliet to accuse him of taking all this trouble in order to avoid being chastised by his mother. He was a grown man and a proud lord, after all. "My dear, the sooner we appear to become happy, the sooner you can be away from here and our lives will be separate once again. I believe that was what you desired."

Biting her lip, Juliet pointed to the bed once again. "Please, Robert. I've too much of a headache to argue." She sat in the blue and yellow striped upholstered chair and pulled her feet under the hem of her nightgown.

Robert sighed and crawled into the bed, resigning himself to a long night. He had an idea of why Juliet was being so stubborn, and that idea took the shape of a beautiful woman who slept in the west wing.

"Juliet, I did not invite Valencia here."

"Hush. Do you think that I care a rush about Valencia? You are welcome to her." She said it very fast to hide the feeling in her voice. Robert, though, was quick and he knew that his wife was not so indifferent as she pretended.

"Then why such a scene after she arrived today?" He asked reasonably, turning to his side in order to see her expression when she spoke.

Juliet was clever too, and she answered him without hesitation. "Any reasonable wife might think herself slighted if her husband's companion visits to celebrate the marriage. I was acting for your mother's sake."

"I thought that your pride was wounded," he said.

"Well, perhaps it was," she replied. No, she thought, you silly fool, my heart was wounded. "In any case, I told you that she matters nothing to me." Juliet smiled bitterly, not knowing that Robert was able to see her by the moonlight through the draperies. He thought that perhaps his mother might be correct. Could Juliet possibly be jealous? His heart swelled with sudden hope and he chose his next words carefully.

"Then why are you so angry now?"

"I'm not angry," she snapped.

"Oh, I see."

Her eyes flashed at him. "Now you are making me angry!"

"And you're not jealous of Valencia?" His words frightened her by being so close to the truth.

"Certainly not!" Could he have guessed? She had not thought to hide her anger at all, but believed that her excuses would be good enough to explain her behaviour and flight that morning. She didn't know that Robert had been watching her glare at Valencia all evening, or that his mother had guessed the truth so soon.

Much to her relief, he did not press her further. "You played beautifully this evening," he said and turned over.

She curled up in the chair and reflected that she was dangerously in love with him if such an inane comment could make her instantly forgive him for having her play in the first place. Geoff was more to blame really, and he had certain knowledge that she hated playing for people, whereas Robert could not really know. Tomorrow she would thoroughly upbraid her brother as he deserved.

In the mean time, she set out to wait another hour or so before she could exchange places with Robert, who was now comfortably occupying her pillow. Unfortunately, he was obviously not as nervous or angry as she, for not half an hour had passed before she heard his even breathing and suspected that he was asleep. Quietly she rose from the chair and tiptoed to his side to investigate. His eyes were closed and his cheek was resting on her very own pillow. He had fallen asleep in her bed!

She was on the verge of shaking him when a feeling of tenderness stopped her. He looked so peaceful and still that she couldn't quite bring herself to wake him. Her hand reached out to smooth a lock of hair that had fallen in his face, and she pulled it back just before touching his skin.

"Juliet, what are you going to do now?" she asked herself softly. She was not going to spend the rest of the night in the chair. If she crept into his empty room to sleep, the servants would gossip for weeks. Of course, she wouldn't care if the Regent himself saw her evade her wedding bed, but she did care that Lady Margaret would extend the party for months unless she saw signs of impending grandchildren.

Sighing, Juliet went to the other side of the bed and gingerly lifted the covers. One leg at a time, she slipped into bed and pulled the sheets over her body by inches so as to be certain not to wake him. Once she was in place, she clung to the very edge of the bed. Though tense and worried, she fell asleep quickly, her last thought one of resignation. There could be no annulment now, not even after two years.

When she awakened, daylight bathed the room and he was gone. Her hand reached out to touch the empty space he had left behind, still warm. Rolling to her back, she breathed a small sigh. She was grateful to have been spared the awkward awakening that would have inevitably come had he disturbed her.

She wondered what he must have felt when he woke next to her, and a dimple appeared on her cheek when she imagined the haste with which he must have left the bed. Robert was so very collected; she would have liked to have seen him embarrassed, though of course, not enough to wish him back in her room this morning.

She waited patiently until her maid came in to force her out of bed. Emerging from the bedroom early was unthinkable; the knowing looks of the servants and Lady Margaret would be too much to bear.

"It's a lovely day, milady," the maid said pleasantly, knocking at the door and coming in uninvited. "Her ladyship would like you at breakfast."

"I'm having breakfast in my rooms this morning," she said, snuggling more comfortably into the bed sheets.

"Of course, milady."

Juliet raised her head briefly from her pillow. "I do not want to be disturbed by anyone."

"Yes, milady. I'll have breakfast brought up later." The young maid disappeared.

Juliet got out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown. She stretched and went to the window overlooking the garden. She could see that Geoff and Octavian were already up and about. They were headed for the stables, undoubtedly to do some mischief to the Driscoll brothers before breakfast, she grinned.

There was a knock at the door and Juliet said crossly, "I asked to be left alone!"

The door opened and Lady Margaret, looking quite pleased with herself, entered wearing a maroon morning gown with ostrich feathers and silk trim.

"Salut, my dear, c'est un beau matin, non? What is this about your not coming down to breakfast?"

Juliet sighed deeply. "I have a headache" She preferred a small deception to the trial of the breakfast table.

The dowager swept to the windows and closed the curtains. "Well, you oughtn't to look into the bright morning sun then, n'est-ce pas?" She patted Juliet on her head and smiled prettily. "You are doing very well, my dear. If you do not wish to breakfast with the rest of us, then you are welcome to your peace in your rooms for a little while." She gave Juliet's hand a little squeeze and left with the air of one well pleased with matters.

Juliet opened her windows again and pressed her face to the cold glass.

"Please don't let me fly into a temper and drop a frog down Valencia's dress today," she prayed. "And let Robert miss me when I must leave him."

As the day passed the pleasant atmosphere of the party steadily disintegrated. Conversation strayed to racing and the Driscolls and Moresbys were anything but agreed about racing. Claude and Luc followed the long Driscoll tradition of curricle racing, whereas Octavian and Geoff dispensed with the equipage altogether. Their opinions on running with a groom and the nonsense of a carriage were declared with some want of tact, and the Driscolls were highly offended. What had been a promising truce between the families was developing into a heated argument.

Juliet, who had managed to remain upstairs until midmorning, found that her fictional headache was becoming a painful reality when she came down into the midst of the four arguing men.

The other young ladies were taking a constitutional walk with Lady Margaret and Catherine's fiancé. Valencia and Robert were nowhere to be seen and Juliet dared not inquire concerning their whereabouts. When the young ladies returned from their walk, an afternoon ride was proposed and Juliet cried off with the explanation that so much sun might bring a return of her headache. Valencia and Robert returned from the library, they claimed, to commend the idea and all the younger set left, except for Juliet.

She did not know that the riding expedition was doomed to failure. When Claude and Luc came to the stables, which in spite of their leaky roofs, were well stocked, Claude found that much of the riding tack had disappeared. Geoff immediately suggested that the carriages be brought around and that they could continue the afternoon in the stables at Cantonshire Abbey. The young ladies, who thought Geoff very handsome, immediately agreed, and a glum Claude and Luc had to go along with the scheme.

Robert declared that he had enough for the day and left. Valencia, pleading reprieve from the mustiness of the stables, followed him out.

Robert had left the rest of the party in the hopes of finding Juliet. He knew that she often walked in the garden in the mornings and he was halfway to them before he noticed that Valencia was following him.

"Oh, Robert, it is such a lovely day." Valencia bestowed a flirtatious smile upon her former suitor.

"Indeed. Perhaps you would care to walk with me in the gardens." Robert offered the lady his arm, though he was disappointed. Juliet would not speak with him in the company of Valencia.

Lady Grahame accepted his arm and they talked pleasantly of the weather until they walked by a large stand of bushes. Then Valencia changed the subject.

"Perhaps, Robert, you would like to take up again where we left off so long ago?" She smiled again, but Robert looked uncomfortable.

"Valencia, I am married now, and..."

"Oh, Robert! You cannot say that you are happy. I have seen you both together and there is no joy. Did I not bring you joy?"

"It was many years ago and I was a young man." They walked further and then Robert stopped and faced her. "You chose someone else to be your husband. Don't you remember?"

"And he died many years ago. You said you loved me and I still love you!"

Robert took her hand, hoping to soften his refusal. "Valencia..."

"No, Robert! If you are truly happy with that girl, then I will leave tomorrow morning. But I know differently. I know of the arrangement. She's not proper at all and she consistently avoids you. Even if you could have regard for her, surely you know that you are causing her unhappiness by keeping her. You are not a cruel man, Robert, or one so bounded by strictures and relatives that you would marry a girl for convenience's sake..."

"It is not a matter of convenience..."

"Is it her money?" Valencia cried passionately. "Oh, my lord, you amaze me so! I have not a humble income of my own and you could send her away along with her famous dowry and take me in return. Now, Robert, I say again, if you are happy with her, then I will leave, but if you are not, then please just kiss me. Kiss me as you used to do."

She lifted her face to his expectantly, but Robert turned away. "No, Valencia. Juliet is my wife, and she is very dear to me."

Valencia winced, but kept her head held high. After a moment, she was able to say with dignity, "If that is the case, then perhaps I should leave Ravincourt."

Robert slowly nodded. "I think that would be for the best." He did not want to be unkind to her and offered her his arm again. "If you have no objection, then maybe we could finish out our walk and part ways without bitterness?"

Valencia managed a smile and placed the tips of her fingers on his forearm. "Of course, my lord. There is no cause for bitterness."

The continued their stroll down the path, though their conversation was limited to banalities.

With everyone gone to the stables, Juliet believed that she was safe from unwanted company and decided to take a turn in the gardens. She brought a circular with a particularly challenging acrostic with her. Seated, she was working on the puzzle on a stone bench near a tall stand of brush when she heard voices. She put down her circular and listened more carefully, and was able to discern the voices as those of her husband and Lady Grahame.

"Valencia, I am married now, and..."

"Oh, Robert! You cannot say that you are happy. I have seen you both together, and there is no joy. Did I not bring you joy, not so many years ago?"

Juliet, having never heeded strictures against eavesdropping, rightfully believed that all the most interesting things could be discovered by putting one's ear to the door. In this case, having no door, she knelt down by the concealing bush without care for her skirts and tried to peer through the branches to see the guilty pair as they walked by.

Unfortunately, they did not stop until they were out of her hearing, but she could still see them clearly. Her cheeks reddened, however, when she saw Valencia and step improperly close to Robert.

Valencia said something, but as Robert's back was to Juliet, she could not see his expression. He did take the lady's hand in his, causing Juliet to fear the worst. They talked quietly for a few moments, and then Valencia lifted her face as if expecting a kiss.

Juliet closed her eyes. A terrible fear rose within her. Valencia loved him selflessly, and she was feminine and beautiful and polite; men might even consider her charming. Why, if forced to select between a reluctant, sharp- tongued wife and a lovely, willing lady, would Robert ever choose her?

She could not bear to remain an instant longer. If she looked up to see her husband kissing that woman, she would be devastated. So she did not look up, but turned her back and quietly slipped away.

"Juliet, you are a coward," she told herself sorrowfully. Now she would have to wait hours before she would inevitably find out the outcome of Robert and Valencia's intimate conversation. But she could not have stayed to have her heart broken; perhaps she would have some time to prepare herself for the worst.

She entered the house and disappeared to her room where she tried once again to work on the acrostic. Her mind was heavy and numb, filled with doubts. She could not remain with him, but could she leave him in the arms of that woman?

A thousand more such questions flitted through her mind. Unused to introspection, she could not even begin to answer them.

She wished that she had confronted them in the garden, or better yet, that she had shown the courage in the music room to demand that Robert tell her the truth about his inheritance. For the only time in her life she had backed down from confrontation, and now she was miserable and confused.

She sighed and sat at the window to watch the gardens until the sun began to set, and then there was a knock at her door. It was the maid, who informed Juliet that it was time to dress for supper.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Though supper the previous evening had been a tense affair, now it was almost unbearable. Everyone seemed miserable except Geoff, who in the course of one afternoon, had managed to transfer the affections of the three young ladies entirely to himself. Of the rest of the party, only Valencia seemed to have a smile on her face. Even the inseparable Miss Banncroft and Octavian must have quarreled, for they no longer exchanged sugarcoated looks of undying love.

Juliet read Valencia's smile as her own defeat, and she could not even bring herself to correct the woman when she confused Greece with Italy and said what a delightful time she hoped to have seeing the Acropolis in Rome. Instead, Juliet looked down at her dinner plate and reflected that she must visit Florence when she left. A Rome with an Acropolis would only sadden her.

No one had a heart for an evening diversion and the party retired early.

Juliet was starting upstairs when Octavian caught her arm. "Sister, may I speak with you a moment?"

She nodded wordlessly and followed him into the library. He slumped, most dismal into a chair, and Juliet feeling real affection for this most trying of brothers, pulled a chair next to him to settle down to a cozy talk. He looked able to enumerate on endless problems and she was quite willing to settle someone else's perplexities rather than mull over her own.

"What troubles you, Octavian?"

He glanced at her. "I am asking you because you might understand Miss Banncroft better than Geoff or myself. Though she is far from you in both circumstance and nature, being a gentle and humble person, you may still provide me with the insight that I need."

Juliet could hardly be flattered by such a speech, but she showed more patience than he accredited her by prompting him to explain further.

"Miss Banncroft and I had a growing attachment, and I dare say, an understanding between us. She is in every way possible precisely the female I would take as a wife, and my esteem for her is undiminished by her lack of fortune. Her manner is well bred and correct, her accomplishments in drawing and music are extraordinary, her face and figure cannot be faulted, and her family would be a worthy connection to our own family. I believed happiness to be assured, but this morning she grew cool towards me." Octavian's face held an expression of real devastation.

"Do you know why?" asked Juliet softly, bending towards him and placing her hand on his arm.

"How can I? I am asking you!"

Juliet breathed deeply and leaned back in her chair. "Octavian, you have proven your regard for her and her most esteemable virtues. Why, pray tell, would she return such feeling?"

Octavian appeared stunned, having never considered the issue. His charms were obvious; an enormous fortune, a future status as an earl, propriety, and otherwise complete superiority to most men in style, manner and wit. "What could she not esteem?" he asked, most innocently.

Juliet was obliged to cough in order to disguise an inappropriate reaction of laughter. When she recovered, she managed to say with all sincerity, "Could she have discovered your gaming debts?"

"I have none! Our father paid them all. I reassured her of that this morning."

"Nevertheless, your habits are not ones to recommend themselves to Miss Banncroft. If she is as perfect as you declare, do you believe her willing to accept a gamester as a husband?"

Octavian was shocked. "I never considered... " He thought over her words carefully for a moment before burying his face in his hands. "All is lost."

Was he crying? Juliet knelt to peer at him and was astonished to see his reddening eyes. "Now, now," she said gently. "Do not give up so easily. I have seen Miss Banncroft's manner toward you, and even if she has discovered your propensity for gambling, her affections can be recovered by an oath on your part to stop your playing. Are you willing to do so for her?"

Octavian lifted his head and sniffed. "I truly love her and honour her, Juliet. Of course I will."

Juliet kissed his cheek. "How gratifying to hear such words from you, Octavian." She took both his hands in hers before continuing. "Talk to her tomorrow morning as soon as you are able and I am certain that your concerns will be resolved. Tell her you love her."

"Surely you do not suggest such improper..."

She hushed him. "Tell her," she repeated. He nodded and she stood with the intention of leaving him, but he had one more question.

"Are you happy with your viscount, Juliet?"

She had never expected Octavian to consider her happiness at all, and she had no answer for some time. Finally, she replied, "I will find happiness somehow. Do not concern yourself for my sake."

"Ah," he said wisely. "Then you are not happy."

His manner had regained its all-knowing air, and she might have been annoyed, but she was only saddened. She bade her brother good night and retired to her room.

Her husband was not yet there and she hastened to be ready and composed before he came. She would give him a chastisement for his behavior with Valencia, surely enough. She only wished that her own problems were as easily resolved as Octavian's.

She was in her nightgown and sitting, tense with fear, when Robert entered, looking weary.

"I have scarcely seen you all day," he said quietly. She managed a ghost of a smile for him as he lit a candle. Strange that he did not look like a cad in the flickering light that danced across the handsome planes of his face.

"It's as dark as a tomb in here. Why are you sitting all alone in the dark, Juliet?" His voice was warm and tender and his concern forced her to hold back an unbidden sob.

"It's an old game I played," she said dully. "Sometimes I pretended to be in the tomb of the Capulets'."

He looked at her strangely before sitting on the bed, facing her. "I apologize for being so ungentlemanly as to fall asleep last night. Why did you not awaken me?"

She had forgotten and smiled bitterly in the dim light of the candle. "I could not bring myself to disturb you." And then, much to her chagrin, her eyes finally betrayed her and a single tear leaked down her cheek to drip off the end of her chin. What had happened to all her righteous indignation? Had it been swallowed up by the knowledge that she was to lose him to Valencia?

Robert reached out and traced the path the tear had made with his forefinger. "What was this game you played?" he asked tenderly, his eyes gentle.

She chuckled a bit and wiped her face with her hand. "'Romeo and Juliet,' of course. I would be Juliet and my brother would be Romeo, and we would play out their deaths and have a marvelous time. Geoff was excellent when it came to convulsing from poison and I could stab myself respectably, at least. We played in the old tool shed and sometimes it got very dark."

"How did the play go?"

She looked at him doubtfully. "Surely you know..."

"Tell me again." His expression was earnest. She sighed and began her tale.

"Very well. Juliet has taken a sleeping drought and is lying in the tomb, and Romeo thinks that she has died. Are you certain you want to hear this?"

"Go on."

"Romeo cannot bear to live without his one true love." Now she could very well understand the poor lad's feelings. "He kisses her, though of course, Geoff would only pretend to kiss me, and he drinks a drought of poison and dies."

Robert had taken a hold of her hand, and she tugged at it gently until he let go before she continued. "Juliet awakens, only to find her love dead. She kisses him, to find if there is any poison left on his lips, you see, but there is not. She takes up his dagger and kills herself."

"A sad scene, my lady, for you to rehearse with your brother in play."

"Yes, but dramatic. I do not know why Mama named me for her. She was doomed to be wretched and woeful."

"Are you, Juliet?"

She looked at him watching her with such sincerity, and she hardly dared to breathe. "I suppose that I am." Then she closed her eyes, for she did not want to see the pity on his face, or worse, the amusement for having tricked her into loving him when all he cared for were golden guineas for his estates. Still, she couldn't help but feel his touch and hear his husky voice as he took her shoulders in his hands and began to speak.

"You are jealous of Valencia, aren't you?"

She could hardly see the point in denying it any further. Humiliation was immaterial in the face of lost love. "Yes."

"I was jealous of Marchington." His admission surprised her and her eyes opened to find him smiling at her.

"You had no reason to be."

"Neither do you."

Her mouth dropped open and she threw her arms around him, shocking both herself and her husband. He was not one to hesitate in taking advantage, however, and he embraced her and kissed her somewhere in the vicinity of her right ear.

"You do not love her?" she asked, knowing full well what the answer would be but desiring to hear it anyway.

"No, of course not. I don't love her. She might have had me long ago, but she chose another man who promptly died in the West Indies. She is beautiful and stylish, but she is not my Juliet."

She squeezed him more tightly still and the tears that had threatened to fall now came as tears of joy. She was so happy that he didn't love Valencia that she did not consider the money, or think that Robert might yet be charming her for personal gain.

She imagined herself truly married to him, able to love him without feeling as if she were betraying herself. She could give in to her father and to Robert and to her own strong emotions. She could stop fighting and accept everything. She could finally succumb.

All at once, he pulled back to look at her face and smiled at her and she at him, and he kissed her very softly on her full lips.

"No poison," he said lightly, but Juliet did not agree.

"One drop, I think." Slowly she drew away from him, left the chair and went to the window.

He came to stand just behind her so that she could feel his warmth through her thin nightgown. "Juliet, why?"

She could not look at him, but faced the cold garden instead. "All my love for you -- it is not enough."

He was puzzled for a moment, then his expression cleared. "The arrangement -- you had no choice. But we are truly companionable..."

She turned and placed her finger on his lips to silence him. "I know, but I cannot remain here as a peace offering from my father. I want to stay with you so much, but I cannot help but think that you are taking pity on me. If you find the person I am...acceptable, then I will no longer be that woman if I am coerced at last. Can you understand?" She breathed in a sob.

He clutched her shoulders roughly as if to shake her. "Make me understand! There is nothing in you I cannot accept, Juliet. Nothing!"

She pushed away from him, her lip trembling. "This marriage is hardly more than a piece of paper, a contract that I neither signed nor swore to. How can I bring children into this marriage knowing that I had nothing to do with that contract? How can I allow you to keep me in your home, under your mother's roof, when I know that I, myself, swore no vow to you or to your name? I will not dishonour you by remaining here as an agent of truce between our families rather than as a wedded wife."

Her eyes flashed with the earnest meaning of her words, forcing him to listen to her and to finally understand.

"How can you trust in my love for you when I never accepted your hand?" She wanted her chance to swear her own vow, and she could never have that opportunity without an annulment.

Robert expelled a hissing breath. "So there are no means by which I can keep you here?"

"None. I will not stay!" She choked on a sob. "And you may not have Valencia!"

Her jealousy brought a tired smile to his weary face. "I told you that I did not want her."

Juliet looked as if she did not believe him. "Then why was Valencia smiling so broadly this evening?"

Robert laughed deep in his chest. "Unlike you, my dear, Valencia always manages to maintain her dignity. She throws no tempers, makes no elaborate schemes, has no incorrigible brothers..."

"...And is no doubt utterly boring," she finished for him. They both laughed then, and Juliet could scarcely credit it, for she had never been so miserable.

She looked out over the moonlit gardens and her smile left her. Her mother had named her aptly indeed, if she was meant to be a star-crossed lover. "Robert, I am so sorry."

His arm went around her shoulder as he stood next to her. "I am not."

"No, no. There is no hope -- your mother saw to that when she forced us into this bedroom together. There will be no annulment now."

Robert smiled grimly. "Are you giving up so easily, my dear Juliet?"

"Even I know when a battle is useless."

"Go to sleep. Everything will look brighter in the morning," he said reassuringly, giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

Juliet reflected on his piece of advice as she left the window to sit upon her bed. "Matters certainly could not be any worse."

"Oh, but they could. You could be in Rome right now counting your fortune and reading about Lord Marchington's imprisonment in the papers."

Juliet slipped into bed and pulled up the covers. His mention of her money brought the suspicious thought that he was a shameless fortune hunter into her head, but she ignored it determinedly. "Or I could be sitting at home curling up with bonbons and a delightful novel, innocent of all these terrible emotions and dreadful scandals."

"What an appalling thought." he shook his head, then sighed. "Good night, Juliet."

He started towards the door, hesitated and came instead to the bed. Before she could say anything, he bent to kiss her with bruising passion. Juliet found herself clutching his shoulders, desiring his embrace, but then tasted her own tears on his lips. Shuddering, she pushed him away.

"Go. You are breaking my heart," she whispered, tenderly tracing the line of his cheek with her fingers. He took those fingers in his own and caressed them, and again she said, "Please, go now."

Standing, he began towards the door to their shared sitting room when Juliet cried out. "No, wait. What about the servants?" She could not pretend to share a bed with him this night.

"That hardly signifies now, does it, my dear? We are through and there is no point in playing a charade. Octavian and Claude will have to find their own way to peace." The resignation in his words stole any answer Juliet might have given him, and she could only watch silently as he closed the door behind him.

She lay back on her pillow and pressed her hands to her eyes. "What a show, Juliet. You've gone from gothic drivel to Shakespearean tragedy in two days. The one man I love is my own husband and I cannot be near him. And...and he never said that he loves me." Her suspicious thought reemerged that Robert did pity her enough to pretend kindness for her. Perhaps even now, he was pacing his room, finding a scheme to keep her here in order to secure his line and her dowry. She pounded a hollow in her pillow with her fist and rested her head there, and once again she had to swallow a heartfelt sob.

"I'm inventing stories just to make myself feel better. Robert would never do that, for he is too good a man. How could I have resisted all the charmers and rakes of the Ton only to fall in love with the most devilish blackguard of them all? It just isn't possible."

She sighed and gave up sleep entirely. With so many contradictory thoughts spinning in her head, she would have no chance for rest that night. Taking her pillow, she went to the window and remained there, weary-eyed until the pale dawn washed the garden in timid light.

Two doors away, Robert was indeed pacing his room in desperate thought. Juliet had been so vulnerable as he had never seen her, except after he had caught her practicing her music. Yet her admirable spirit had held her up and she still refused to back down on her principles. God, how he loved her. He adored her flashing dimples and her stormy temper. He loved her so much that he had been afraid to tell her all this time, for what if she did not love him?

When the tear slid down her cheek and she confessed that she could not stay with him, he had not admitted his love so as not to make her decision all the more difficult for her. But now, it was up to him to find a way to keep her. He refused to allow Juliet to escape him forever. Yet no matter how many ways he looked at their dilemma, he could see only one impossible solution. Somehow, their marriage would have to be annulled.

In the early morning, sitting at his armed-chair, his fingers drumming restlessly on the upholstery, a hint of a smile lifted his haggard features. What he contemplated would mean risking everything, but his reward would be more than worth the gamble.

Juliet was up and dressed at an hour that was unfashionably early even for the country, for she was so tired of looking at the four walls of her bedroom that any diversion was welcome. She was sitting in the music room, silently tracing the ivory keys of the pianoforte with pale fingers, when Geoff found her.

"Morning, Jules! Delightful day, is it not?" he asked, leaning over to pinch her wan cheek.

She could scarcely agree with him and only nodded bleakly. Geoff, too cheerful to notice, lifted his sister to her feet and began to whirl her around in a frantic dance.

"Are you quite mad?" Juliet laughed in spite of herself.

Grinning wildly, Geoff spun his sister once more before depositing her back to her seat. "It seems that Octavian asked Miss Banncroft to marry him this morning, and she accepted."

Juliet had forgotten Octavian's plans and her heart lifted with joy. However, she did not quite understand Geoff's obvious delight. "That is wonderful news indeed, but why should you be so pleased? You said yourself that Miss Banncroft is a dead bore, and that you'd rather have a dancing bear as a sister-in-law because the bear at least, would be entertaining."

Geoff shrugged. "I changed my mind." Then he laughed. "Claude Driscoll had a tendre for our own Miss Banncroft,and Octavian has proven that the best man will win."

Juliet had not known this fact and Octavian would not have suspected a rival possible. The existence of one increased her eldest brother's triumph, and Geoff pointed his finger to the air. "One more victory for the Moresbys, one more defeat for the Driscolls!" He uttered a mighty halloo and Juliet hastened to shush him before he awakened the entire household.

"Sometimes, I think, dear Geoffrey, that you are much more of a child than I am, though you are but one year younger."

Geoff shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels. "Well, stands to reason. You're a girl, after all, and are apt to be more responsible."

Juliet stood and placed her hands on her hips. "'Tis a blessing, too, or this world would be entirely uncivilized." She couldn't resist reaching out to tweak the end of her brother's nose.

He swatted at her hand, missed, and said surprisingly, "What is that awful banging noise in the hall?"

Juliet opened the door and peered into the hallway. "It's a footman with a large trunk...Valencia must be leaving! Come with me to see!" Without even waiting to be certain that he followed her, she ran out the door and down the hall. When she reached the front door, she saw Valencia, draped in veils to keep out the traveling dust, ready to depart. Lady Grahame must not have told Lady Margaret or Robert, for they never would have been so remiss as to allow a guest to leave without a proper farewell.

Juliet and Geoff were the only ones to see Valencia's carriage disappear down the lane.

"Is it a lucky day for the Moresbys, is it not?" she asked, staring out to the wide green lawn. Though her voice was steady, her hand gripping the doorframe was white-knuckled.

"If you mean that Octavian has secured a betrothed and your least favourite guest has now left, then you are correct. And I was going to invite you to come celebrate our good Moresby fortune."

"Celebrate? Juliet turned from her contemplation of the empty lane to look at her brother. "What do you mean?"

"Octavian and I are going fishing today. Would you like to join us?"

Juliet was about to refuse, but then she contemplated an afternoon spent with Catherine Driscoll and the other young ladies. Then she wondered what Lady Margaret would have to say to her after she learned from her servants that the newlyweds had slept apart, not to mention the fact that her special guest had left without even waiting for breakfast. And time spent with Robert was sweet but painful for her now, and no doubt painful for him. Suddenly a quiet day spent far from the house seemed a very wise expedition.

"Sounds delightful. Are we leaving just after breakfast?"

Geoff blinked. "Er, well, I suppose we could. Very well, then. It's settled. We are going fishing." The young man took his sister's arm as if to lead her from the front door, but she shook his hand off gently.

"Geoff, you may think me foolish, but I am still worried about the persistent enmity between Moresby and Driscoll."

"'Tis nothing!" Geoff scoffed, but Juliet was not convinced.

"They almost fought a duel once, and I know that Octavian's engagement will only worsen matters."

"I don't care if Octavian ever makes peace with Claude!"

Juliet gave Geoff a reproachful look. "Claude is your brother, too, Geoff."

"That's not something I'd shout from the top of the Tower of London!" Geoff exclaimed. When she frowned, he did appear somewhat chastised. "Oh, all right," he said glumly. "If it will make you happy, my dear sister, then I will help you."

She gave her brother a quick embrace. "I am delighted! Do you have any ideas? Octavian and Claude have been fighting since they were both boys."

"So have the rest of us," Geoff said ruefully

"Except for Robert, but then he was always away." Juliet's smile was somewhat sad and Geoff squeezed her arm reassuringly, for he had a plan.

"It seems to me that it would be best for Claude and Octavian to fight their duel after all."

"What? Are your attics to let?"

"Of course not! Now, hear me out. Perhaps a fight would allow them to air their grievances in a manner that their shallow minds can understand."

Juliet was not impressed with his reasoning. "Surely pistols and swords are not the answer!"

"Did I mention pistols and swords? No, I think a boxing match would be just the thing. Besides, Octavian's topping good at pugilism. Easier for him than the more refined sports." Geoff lifted his nose and Juliet snickered.

"So Octavian outmatches you in boxing, does he?"

"I..."

Juliet kissed her brother's cheek to placate his wounded pride. "You are absolutely correct. A fight would be just the thing to clear the air, but how are we going to get them to box? They are likely to behave themselves during a house party, don't you think? They have managed to be civil for this long."

"We'll just have to provoke one of them somehow," Geoff mused.

An idea came to Juliet and she thumped Geoff's arm in enthusiasm. "Oh, I know! What could be more painful to Claude than the loss of Miss Banncroft?"

"Smashing, Jules! We can work on them during the fishing expedition." He caught her arm again and this time she went with him.

Together they retired to the library where they began to plan their strategy. Once that was decided, they argued about whether Octavian was lucky or Miss Banncroft was foolish, or both. The issue was not settled when the housekeeper found them and told them that breakfast was served.

Juliet found the meal less than comfortable. Even her normally robust appetite failed her. She reflected grimly that she must truly be broken-hearted for this common ailment of the lovelorn to afflict her. Lady Margaret seemed most displeased, having heard that grandchildren were not forthcoming. Her usual morning comments were so sharp that the entire party jumped at every word.

Geoff announced the planned fishing expedition and of course, all the young ladies, except Juliet, preferred different amusement. Claude and Luc asked to go and were accepted into the plan. Even Octavian had no complaints. Robert, however, did not speak. When Juliet sneaked a look at him, he seemed very preoccupied. Finally, his mother prodded him.

"Robert, are you not going to go with your bride?" Lady Margaret asked, eyebrows raised. Robert started and looked about him, having not been paying heed to the conversation.

"What? Oh, forgive me. I have work this morning." He did not explain further and Juliet wondered what he was planning to do. She glanced suspiciously at her father across the table, but he was absorbed with his meal.

A movement at the corner of her eyes caught her attention, and she saw Octavian surreptitiously passing his beloved Miss Banncroft a small piece of paper. Blushing, she accepted the note and demurely lowered her eyes.

Juliet was relieved that her brother had taken his problems in hand, and she wondered that Octavian did not make an announcement at once. But Octavian remained silent, if overly pleased. Claude Driscoll, who had also seen the exchange, was equally quiet and definitely not pleased at all.

When Lady Margaret left her chair, saying, "Mon Dieu, les enfants sont impossible!" the eternal breakfast was finally over. Released at last, Juliet swept upstairs to change into clothes more suitable for fishing, clothing not easily found in a fashionable lady's wardrobe.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Octavian, Geoff, Juliet, Claude and Luc, always avowed enemies, walked together with only a little bit of animosity. Claude carried the fishing poles and Geoff the net, while Juliet brought the blue-jay feathers used for the lures. The little pond was not far into the woods east of the house and the Driscoll brothers promised that the fish were friendly and would be caught easily.

"Do you think that if I sing, they'll come up to bite more quickly still?" Juliet asked playfully with a little skip in her step. She had never had the blue devils so badly that fresh air and wide fields couldn't make her feel a bit better at least.

"Better not, Jules. You might send them upstream for good." Geoff delivered the set-down with a charming smile.

"Careful there, Moresby. She's a viper as like to kill you as look at you," Claude warned with a smile.

Juliet exchanged a surprised glance with Geoff. "Claude Driscoll, are you teasing me? I never thought you had a sense of humour at all."

Claude, tramping lazily beside them merely shrugged, and Luc said, "You never did much listen to us, did you?"

"I suppose not," Juliet admitted, rather astonished. She elbowed Geoff, and he said, "I don't recall ever having much to listen to."

Claude harumphed and might have responded, but Octavian who had been walking ahead of the other four, had sighted the pond then and called for them to hurry. Claude, Luc, and Geoff immediately ran to the spot, and Juliet, holding on to her broad-brimmed bonnet with one hand, followed after them.

They spread out on the green grass next to the pond and cast their lures into the deeper places far from the shore. Juliet, her face shaded by the bonnet, sat comfortably with her brothers on either side of her. She would pull in her lure and cast it again, and the hook and feathers fell into the murky water with a pleasing plop.

"Fishing is such a pleasant way to keep one's mind off one's troubles," she said musingly and the other four could do naught but concur.

They spent an agreeable morning until Juliet, who had become rather hot and headachy, decided to ask her oldest brother about the engagement with Miss Banncroft. "Are you or are you not Miss Banncroft's betrothed?" she asked pointedly.

Octavian, who until then had been somewhat put out because they all had yet to catch a fish, brightened visibly. "She accepted my proposal. Miss Banncroft has agreed to be my wife."

Juliet thought she heard a growl from Claude and Geoff enthusiastically congratulated Octavian, giving Juliet a significant look. Now was the time to implement the scheme they had planned earlier.

Juliet set to provoke the Driscoll a bit. "Claude, do you bestow your affections upon any lucky young lady?"

"I seem to recall a kiss from Miss Banncroft only yesterday, in the garden," he replied bitterly and Juliet gasped in shock. She had not expected Claude to jump at the bait so quickly. He had practically asked to be called out by Octavian.

"Now you've done it," Geoff whispered to his sister, and indeed she had, for Octavian had dropped his rod and taken to his feet.

"Name your seconds, Claude Driscoll. I won't have anyone insulting my betrothed," Octavian said dangerously. Geoff, jumping up, ran to his brother's side and caught hold of his right arm.

"Come now, old chap," Geoff said, trying to be reasonable. "You can't very well do that. Claude is your brother now, as surely as I am. It's very bad Ton to call out your own brother, isn't it?"

Octavian's eyes narrowed. "He cannot tell such lies about my intended and expect me to ignore them, can he?"

Now Juliet came to her brother's other side and placed her hand restrainingly on his left arm. "Of course he cannot, Octavian, but you can't fight a duel either. Now think of what you might do if Geoff had said such a thing."

Frowning, Octavian said, "I'd land him a facer."

Geoff sighed in relief and pointed to Claude, who was now standing nervously beside Luc. He, too, had dropped his fishing pole. "There's your man," Geoff said. He released the arm and Octavian lurched forward for Claude, who stood his ground manfully enough. Luc scampered out of the way.

"I must admit that I was reluctant to come fishing today, at first," said Juliet to Geoff, "but this expedition has gotten much too exciting to have missed it!"

Just then Octavian threw the first blow. Claude ducked easily and returned with a left, which Octavian blocked skillfully. Octavian's success at the science of boxing was far and above either his horsemanship or his swordsmanship, and he had even been known to best Geoff, who was in all respects a superior sportsman.

"He's quite good." Juliet was surprised and Geoff nodded, remembering the pain from past blows he had taken from his older brother.

Octavian finally landed his fist and sent Claude reeling into the water. Delighted, Geoff and Juliet went to stand over by Luc for the best possible view as Octavian followed Claude into the shallow pond with a great splash. They continued the fight, both knee-deep in the pond.

Claude, though he was being soundly beaten, carried himself respectably. Octavian -- Juliet had never seen her brother this way -- quite impressed her with his quick feints and sound blows.

Finally, the two combatants dispensed with pugilism altogether and wrestled about in the pond. Eventually, Octavian was able to tip Claude a doubler right on his chin and the Driscoll fell back into the water with a great splash. Octavian dove in after him and when they reemerged at the surface, Octavian had his arm about Claude's neck. "Apologize!" Octavian commanded.

Claude, who had a bloody nose, said, "I apologize! I never kissed Miss Banncroft!" Octavian released him and Claude fell to his knees in the shallow water and wiped his nose with a sopping handkerchief. Geoff and Luc rushed to help their brothers and soon everyone was back on the shore, albeit somewhat soggy.

Geoff was the first to notice that Juliet was only the slightest bit damp. He finished congratulating his brother and advanced towards her, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Oh no!" Juliet cried, realizing his intent. The other three young men exchanged evil grins and followed Geoff, their boots sloshing. She backed away, only to run into a tree and the four lifted her up against her protests and bore her towards the water.

"No, you can't do this! I'm a married woman! I'm..." the word 'respectable' was drowned by the splash as Juliet was hurled into the water. When she came up, wiping her streaming hair from her eyes, Claude, Luc, Geoff and Octavian were doubled over together in laughter.

Juliet slogged from the pond clumsily as her waterlogged skirts greatly hampered her. "I am so pleased to see that we are such great friends now," she said with a great deal of asperity, causing the four to laugh all the more.

With her head held high and her hands keeping her soaked skirts from dragging on the ground, she walked through their midst and towards the house with as much dignity as she could muster. The young men gradually subsided and followed he. By the time they reached the gardens, they were walking five abreast and talking congenially amongst themselves.

"I apologize for shooting you, Geoff. It was an accident, you know," Claude said pleasantly between discussion of hunting hare and the best clubs in London.

"And I apologize for leaving you there and not helping your brother to carry you back to the Abbey," Luc added.

"Oh, it was only a scratch, Geoff replied. "Besides, it was a sorry sort if trick for us to be poaching Driscoll pheasants, anyway. You were defending your property and what's a little wound between brothers?" He dismissed the serious incident with a shrug.

So agreed, they all entered the gardens, only to find Lord Cantonshire and Lady Margaret walking together. Those two stopped abruptly when they saw their children in such a bedraggled and shocking state.

"Where are the fish?" the dowager asked, tightening her hands on her shawl.

"Oh, the fish are in the pond!" Juliet's reply was cheerful.

Her ladyship could only nod without comprehension.

"Very well, then," said Juliet with a smile, and without even giggling once, she passed Lady Margaret and her father, who remained speechless. Luc had to disguise a laugh as a cough, but the rest managed to retire to the house without causing too much of an uproar.

Juliet was halfway up the stairs when a familiar voice called her. It was Robert, and she halted on the landing and looked down on him with a soggy smile.

"How was fishing?" he asked as he ascended the stairs. Then he saw clearly her limp hair, ruined bonnet and soaked dress, and his eyebrows went up even as he tried unsuccessfully to suppress his smile. "Did you try to catch the fish personally without aid of hook and line?"

"I'm actually trying a new fashion." Juliet held out her arms and turned about, in the process slinging a few drops on him. "The ladies in France dampen their skirts. I thought perhaps and entire dunking would take the Ton by storm."

"Somehow, I don't believe the patrons of propriety would be very pleased," he remarked, for he had been noting with interest how her demure walking dress had become very revealing by clinging to every curve of her slender form.

She stopped turning and her blush amused him. She recovered herself soon, however, and quickly changed the subject. "Fishing was very interesting. It seems that the Moresbys and the Driscolls are no longer the feuding families of the district. Some other unfortunates shall have to be the subject of gossip at the next Cantonshire hunt."

"I'm sorry to have missed it, but today's work was very important." He had been working on the details of a possible annulment, and he had only to seek the agreement of the earl of Cantonshire.

"With Octavian no longer fingering his dueling pistol, I might have no qualms about...leaving you." She ducked her head, but he caught hold of her cold hand.

"Now, Juliet, do not make such haste." Hearing a smile in his voice, she glanced at him.

"Are you planning a scheme, Robert? You ought to leave the scheming to me. I've lots of practise."

He chuckled. "Indeed, but some work does not require a lady with such consummate skill."

"Everything would be much easier if you did not flatter me so! Why can you not be an imbecile like your brothers, or a prude and a rakehell like mine?"

Robert kissed the tip of her wet nose before releasing her hand. "A prude and a rakehell? A tall order, my dear, but one I shall strive to fill. Now go on and take off that dress before you contract a lung fever."

Juliet lifted her head. "I am never ill," she pronounced and promptly sneezed. She was so startled that the viscount couldn't help but smile, but she turned her back on him and marched down the hallway with the dignity of a queen.

Once inside her bedroom, she rang for her maid and with a heavy heart, gave the order to begin packing her belongings. Every day Robert was dearer to her and she had best leave as soon as possible. But as she changed into a sprigged muslin gown, she reflected that even the city of Florence couldn't lift the dull pain that had settled on her heart already. What would she feel in a day or so, when the carriage was taking her away from Ravincourt and all those she loved within? And Robert, especially Robert.

His talk of a scheme had not eased her distress, for she too had spent the night in useless thought trying to see a path around their dilemma. Annulment was the only answer and annulment was impossible.

"I wish we could begin all over again," she said dully, rubbing her forehead to ward off a threatening headache.

Her maid, who had just taken the pond-soaked dress downstairs, presumably to clean or burn it, returned to the room with the intention of washing Juliet in a bath of damask rose. She would never allow her charge to attend supper smelling of algae and water life. Juliet submitted to the treatment without comment and slipped into daydreams of herself and Robert growing old together with a brood of recalcitrant children. She was surprised out of her imaginings by the maid, who was now dangling two ribbons in front of Juliet's nose.

"My lady, would you like the rose or the white?"

Juliet glanced from her rose-trimmed gown hanging by the bath to her white kid gloves on her bed. "Rose," she said without expression, and the chosen ribbon was dutifully tied in her damp hair after she had dried herself and been dressed.

"My lady, if I may say so, you look especially fine and elegant," said the maid pleasantly, reviewing her handiwork with a pleased air.

"Thank you," Juliet replied, this time with some kindness. Privately she thought that if taking a dip in a pond made one especially fine, then all the Ton would be doing it as a daily exercise. The idea brought a smile to her lips and the maid was dismissed in good humour.

Lord Cantonshire was reading over some papers in the library when Robert found him. The earl did not seem surprised to see his son-in-law and he welcomed the younger man to join him.

"I have not come to read," Robert said, "but to discuss a serious matter with you, Lord Cantonshire."

"Allow me to anticipate you, Viscount. You would like an annulment of your marriage to my daughter." The earl set aside his papers and invited Robert to sit. "You know that I cannot approve of it. The scandal would destroy both our families."

"You must consider my request, at the least," said Robert, taking the chair next to the earl.

"I don't believe so," answered Cantonshire. "The proxy marriage was binding and legal."

Robert leaned towards to earl to speak in earnest. "You have no reason to want the marriage now; your son and my brothers are no longer enemies and I cannot flatter myself into believing that you care if my monies are insufficient to run the family estates. I can find a way to save them if I must."

"Even so," replied Lord Cantonshire. "What of Juliet? I found it difficult to obtain a husband for her the first time due to her stubborn refusal to be married. I do not intend to repeat the search." Robert opened his mouth to speak, but Lord Cantonshire continued. "I escorted your mother around her garden this afternoon and she spoke to me of her concerns about your marriage. She seems to believe that you love my daughter and she you, but that all is not going well. She mentioned that my prospects for grandchildren are not good."

"She is correct," said Robert shortly. "The marriage is unconsummated."

"I see." The earl tapped his chin with his fingers. "You mother warned me that you might allow my daughter to leave your house, and she also told me to expect this request of yours. She asked me to counsel you against an annulment."

Lord Ravinstock answered directly. "And I am asking you to consider it. I am also telling you that without it, Juliet will leave this house and I do not intend to stop her."

That statement silenced Lord Cantonshire for a moment. "You suggest that Juliet will remain at Ravincourt if somehow the marriage is undone?"

"That is my hope, Lord Cantonshire. I would marry her again, in person. You must understand."

The earl laughed in disbelief. "Are you so certain that she loves you, Viscount? My girl values her freedom and she can well afford it."

"Juliet told me of her feelings and I believe her." Robert did not appear concerned.

Cantonshire shook his head. "Do you realize what will happen if Juliet will not marry you? You have compromised her so far as Society is concerned and her brothers will undoubtedly challenge you. A man must not take duels lightly."

"Of course I know the consequences of an annulment, Lord Cantonshire." Robert appeared resigned and Lord Cantonshire sought to find another reason to keep the viscount from committing this rash act. They were already married. Why should Robert seek a divorce if they were just going to get married again?

"Juliet is stubborn," insisted the earl. "She may refuse you out of hand just to be contrary."

"Yes, she may, but that is a chance I am willing to take."

The earl did not answer directly. "You love her then, Driscoll? You are willing to face a dueling pistol to salvage her childish pride?"

"I would do anything for her, but her reasons are not merely childish. You might be proud of her, Lord Cantonshire. She refuses me because she does not want to dishonor my family and my name." Robert smiled briefly. "She cares more than I do myself. I would keep her without a vow, I love her so."

The earl gave Robert a curious look. "If a man wants to take such a risk, then it is not for me to stop him. I will approach the ecclesiastical courts in regards to an annulment, Viscount, but it is for you to announce the decision to our families."

Robert nodded and sincerely thanked his father-in-law. "She deserves your pride in her."

"She's a treasure -- and a scamp," said the earl.

Robert left the library, anxious for supper to begin.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"...And friends at last, the two gentlemen emerged together from the watery depths, each one full of honour justly won." Geoff finished his recitation of the day's events with a little flourish and a bow before sitting down once more to finish his roast lamb. The guests responded with light applause and the three young misses awarded him their worshipful adoration.

"Well said, my son," beamed Lord Cantonshire, spearing some meat with his fork.

Miss Banncroft coloured, for even though Geoff had not made the subject of the quarrel clear, she had sense enough to guess that she was the cause. Octavian, seeing his beloved so, was gratified that his victory had pleased the only one who mattered. He tapped his glass for attention and the party was again silenced.

"Father, I have an announcement as well," said Octavian with a secret smile for the shy Miss Banncroft. "Mr. Banncroft has given me permission to ask for Miss Banncroft's hand and she has accepted."

Many words of congratulation were heard about the table, even from Claude, and Juliet's heart lightened just a bit, for her family would have some pleasurable news to weigh against the fact that she was leaving them all so soon. She had planned to make her declaration at the beginning of the meal, but she had been distracted first by Geoff and then by Octavian. As it was, her proximity to Robert, who sat across from her, was almost unbearable, especially when the discussion turned to marriage and weddings. Tonight would be her last supper with him and she would dearly miss his smooth voice and penetrating gray eyes.

"Alors," said Lady Margaret, "your children are doing quite well for themselves, Lord Cantonshire. If only mine were so dutiful." She glared at Robert, then at Juliet.

Now was Juliet's opportunity to interrupt and deliver her unpleasant news. She opened her mouth, but Robert spoke first.

"It seems that this is an evening for pronouncements." He stood up and cleared his throat. "Juliet and I have decided to seek an annulment. We will separate for two years and then have the divorce made official. As far as this family is concerned, Juliet and I are no longer joined in matrimony. Her father has supported our decision."

As Robert sat down the party gasped their surprise and shock. Juliet was at first too amazed to move, and when she finally recovered herself, Octavian had already taken to his feet.

"Now hear this, Lord Ravinstock! You can't compromise my sister and leave her ruined. I am challenging you!"

Geoff stood beside his brother. "I second him! Father, is this possible?"

Lord Cantonshire wiped his mouth and raised beaming blue eyes to his daughter before turning to his sons. "Ravinstock gave me his word of honour that my Juliet is... he coughed delicately for the benefit of the unmarried ladies in attendance, "...unspoiled."

"All the Ton will refuse to recognize her whatever the viscount swears! Name your seconds, Ravinstock!" The outraged Octavian flung his glove to the ground, and Robert stood wearily to retrieve it and accept the challenge. The silence in the dining room was tense with disbelief and shock. Juliet had a brief vision of Octavian and Robert facing each other across a green field, pistols drawn, and she jumped to her feet, tumbling her chair in her haste.

"No!" cried Juliet and Robert stood straight again, his countenance serious. The attention of the guests turned to the young lady who was now smiling tentatively at the viscount. "You would fight a duel and risk death not to remain married to me?" she asked in wonder and the company blinked in collective confusion.

Juliet, unaware of the bewilderment, made her way about the table until she found herself an arm's length away from Robert. "Do you know what you are doing?" she asked softly and took his hand within her own.

"Yes, in two years we may be free of the proxy marriage."

His words and his hopeful smile were answer enough and she glanced about the room with a rather wicked grin. "Two years seems a rather long time. Why can we not remain wed and have a mock ceremony with all our family in attendance? I could declare my devotion to you before God and all my family and you could so the same. That seems a more suitable celebration than a house party."

Octavian and Geoff sat down, completely befuddled.

"Of course, my darling Juliet. Let us have the ceremony very soon. We can both say our vows together," answered Robert, embracing his beloved most improperly. She moved into the circle of his arms and rested her head upon his shoulder, for once sublimely happy.

Only Lord Cantonshire had collected himself enough to speak, but then he had been forewarned. "A toast to all the betrothed!" he declared lifting his glass, and graciously including Catherine Driscoll and her fiancé with a nod of his head in their direction. The rest of the party raised their own glasses with great relief, even if they did have no understanding of what just happened.

Some minutes later, Robert and Juliet retired to the library where she immediately threw herself into his arms. He was surprised, but of course, did not mind.

She rested her cheek against the smooth material of his jacket before saying, "I was wrong. You are most accomplished in scheming." She leaned back from him just enough to enjoy his affectionate smile.

"From you, that is the highest complement, my love."

"Truly?" she asked, still holding him as if he might disappear at any moment. "You do love me? You're not just terribly fond of me?"

"I do love you." He lifted her up and carried her to the large, comfortable chair where he deposited her on the arm before sitting in the seat himself. She propped her elbow up on the broad back of the chair and placed her head on her hand.

"I am surprised really, that you did not call that scene in the dining room another coercion and think that I was forcing you to marry me by appealing to your kind heart."

Juliet laughed. "Oh no, Robert. In truth, I know that you understand how highly I value my independence. Your wager that I would remain with you, risking not only your estates but your life as well, could only be the act of a man desperately in love."

"Most desperately, my dear. But what did you say about risking my estates?"

"My love, I have known about your father's will for a long time now."

He became very still before saying, at last, "Can you forgive me for keeping that from you? I had no wish for you to feel cheapened by our marriage."

"I will forgive you anything, my lord. Unless, of course, Lady Valencia Grahame ever sets foot in this house..."

Placing his finger to her lips to silence her, he swore that he would never allow it.

"When did you know you loved me?" she asked finally, ruffling his hair with her fingers.

"When I saw Marchington proposing to you at Almack's," the viscount admitted ruefully.

"So long ago!" Juliet gazed at him tenderly. "I am exceedingly happy that you did not tell me then."

"Why not?" he asked, affronted.

"Because if I had known that you loved me last night, I would have forgotten my principles and consigned us to misery together rather than misery apart."

Robert consoled her with a tender kiss which she accepted most gratifyingly. "Noble, darling Juliet," he said, and she could only compliment him in turn.

"Robert, you are the most delightful man! Never has a lady had so scandalous a marriage and engagement and threatened annulment." The last bit at least, was probably untrue as annulments were apt to be quite scandalous, but Robert was gracious enough to accept her praise in its entirety.

"I do try to please."

Juliet answered him with a soft kiss, followed by more and Robert was about to respond in kind when the door burst open and four young gentlemen entered uninvited. Geoff and Octavian lifted their sister from her unseemly position while Claude and Luc helped their brother to his feet.

"None of that, now," scolded Geoff. "You've a few weeks at least before the wedding ceremony. All the invitations need to be sent out, you know."

"Haven't you a pond to wrestle about in?" Juliet asked the four pointedly. They ignored her with good nature and bore her away to the music room where everything had been quickly pulled aside to make space for dancing. Miss Banncroft supplied the music on the pianoforte as Octavian turned the pages for her, and the other young people whirled about in a waltz, Robert and Juliet among them.

"We shall have the new ceremony in the chapel in Cantonshire," announced Lord Cantonshire to Lady Margaret as they both looked on with the other Mamas and chaperones.

"Ce n'est pas possible! Lord Ravinstock will be married to his true bride at Ravincourt," the lady replied.

"Now, my lady..." the earl began, but her shrewd gaze silenced him mid- sentence.

"It seems that they were married at the Abbey before, and look what came from that. No, no. This time, everything will be done correctly. Scandals are so wearying!" The dowager snapped her fan shut in punctuation.

"It's scandalous for my daughter not to be married in a proper church," said the earl, standing tall.

"You paid no heed to that before! Besides, there is a chapel at Ravincourt."

"A vermin-ridden hovel! Even your own family has been coming to Cantonshire for years!"

Lady Margaret responded in kind and the argument continued for some minutes before lord and lady retired to opposite sides of the room, still at odds.

Of course, it was Juliet who settled the matter. She proposed that the wedding be held in London so that her esteemed aunt, Lady Wilcox, might attend as Lady Wilcox did not travel. Since both the earl and the viscountess knew Juliet's formidable aunt rather well, they had to acquiesce to the wisdom of the bride and to her suggestion.

Robert, of course, had already learned to respect her wisdom and she his. With such understanding, they could not fail to live in happiness, and Juliet came at last to thank her father for his most unwanted interference.

To learn about other books Awe-Struck publishes, go to the Awe-Struck E-Books website at http://www.awe-struck.net/

Table Of Contents