Lady Revealed (2 page)

He was more handsome up close, were Juliette’s first thoughts. He had the bluest eyes she had ever seen and strong features that spoke of his aristocratic bearing. Oh, why had she agreed to meet this gentleman? He was a handsome stranger and what type of women met with gentlemen in their dressing room?

She knew which type did and would he now automatically think she was like so many of the dancers within the theatre, who took lovers and became mistresses to rich gentlemen? Why hadn’t she thought this through?

But she had, and this wasn’t the first time a gentleman had wished to meet her but none had been as persistent as Lord Acker. How could she not meet a gentleman who had sent her half a dozen different bouquets?

Why didn’t he say anything? Why did he just stand there and stare at her?

“The bouquet is lovely. Thank you.”

He blinked and a smile formed on his sensual lips. “Not nearly as beautiful as you.”

Warmth spread through Juliette’s chest and heat stole into her cheeks.

“We should go,” Genviève whispered.

Juliette nodded. She had now met Lord Acker and thanked him for the flowers. It was best not to encourage further attention.

“Wait.” He stepped forward. “Would you care to dine with me this evening?”

Did she dare? Maman didn’t have to learn. She and her sisters already planned to join the others for a late supper following the performance.

Genviève shook her head. Of course her sister wouldn’t want her to go, but Juliette wanted to spend time with someone who didn’t work at the theatre. “Only if my sister, Genviève, accompanies me.”

Acker nodded. “Of course.”

“I really don’t think—”

“—I see no harm,” Juliette cut Genviève off. Besides, when would she ever get the opportunity to dine with a gentleman?

“I’ll have my carriage brought around.”

“No,” Genviève answered quickly and Juliette agreed. She did not know him and it was not wise to get into a closed conveyance with a stranger to be carted off somewhere not of their choosing.

His eyebrows rose and he straightened. “Pardon?”

“There is a lovely caffè within walking distance.” Juliette smiled. “They remain open late and many of us dine there after performances.” Juliette would already know most of the people in the caffè and hoped none of them would tell Maman.

He seemed to think about her suggestion and then nodded. “It would be my pleasure to take you both to supper at this caffè.”

Juliette and Genviève lifted their cloaks from the hooks attached to the wall and Acker came forward. “Allow me, if you please.” He took the cloaks and assisted each of them.

Juliette shared a look with her sister. They had never really encountered gentlemen and those at the theatre treated them indifferently, as if they were all part of one big family. It was rare for someone to help them don their cloaks. “Thank you,” Juliette muttered, embarrassed by how special she felt at his assistance even though he had probably done the same thing for dozens of women before.

He opened the door and stood back, allowing the sisters to pass. Juliette glanced quickly over her shoulder toward Hélène, who had remained concealed behind the costumes. It hadn’t been their plan for her to hide but when the knock came to the door, Genviève insisted so that someone could observe and aid in assistance if necessary.

Once they entered the alley, Acker offered an arm to each woman and they began to walk in the direction of the caffè. This was a new experience for Juliette as well. Though often in the company of men when they supped late, none had ever escorted her in this manner as the group leaving the theatre usually numbered ten or more. Was this what if felt like to be treated like a lady? Or did Acker have mistress in mind?

No doubt that was his intention and though he was handsome, she would not follow in maman’s or
arrière grand-mère’s footsteps.

Acker was rather silent. Should she be the one making conversation? Several times he glanced over his shoulder and he seemed tense. Was he waiting for someone? Should she be worried about his intentions? Had his plans been to get her alone in a carriage and now he wasn’t sure how to proceed?

“Is something wrong, Lord Acker?”

Acker lowered his head and spoke quietly. “I believe we are being followed.”

Juliette and
Genviève stiffened.

“Don’t look,” Acker hissed. But Juliette and Genviève were already glancing behind him as he spoke. Juliette recognized Hélène, dressed as a man, cap pulled low over her head. She knew her sister could change her appearance whenever she wished, but this was even quick for Hélène. “Oh, that is simply our—”

“—Brother.” Genviève answered quickly.

Juliette shot her a look. Why would her sister lie?

“He is just keeping watch over us.” Genviève shrugged.

As if Hélène could be of any assistance, Juliette nearly snorted.

“I am sure he will sit with his friends once we reach the caffè,” Genviève assured Acker.

Acker simply nodded but seemed to relax as they rounded the corner. Light spilled from the caffè as did the noise of the crowd gathered this evening. Acker escorted the sisters inside and found a table in the back. He held their chairs before taking a seat himself. Hélène slid into a place at a table already crowded with those from the ballet. No doubt she would pay closer attention to what was occurring with Juliette than the conversation at her own table.

*

Acker wasn’t sure what to say or how to begin the conversation. He had never been at a loss for words. He was a bloody diplomat and conversational skills were necessary to his position. Yet, being in the presence of this beautiful young woman left him tongue-tied and this would never do. He needed to make the right impression.

He had wanted Juliette before, when he had only seen her on the stage. Now, being in her presence, the beauty of her face and those emerald green eyes only made him want her more. He wasn’t sure how Juliette Mirabelle would fit in his life, or what she would be to him, but he was drawn to her like no other. One simple supper would not be enough. He needed to learn everything he could about her. He desired her, but it wasn’t that simple. Something about this young woman pulled at him and he had never experienced the like before.

A servant stopped and placed a basket of bread and bottle of deep red wine on the table. The caffè had only a few offerings this late in the evening which included a chicken dish and various salads and cheeses. Acker didn’t really care what he ate as long as he was with Juliette.

He reached forward and poured wine for both women. Though he wished to have Juliette to himself, he didn’t mind her sister, Genviève joining them. In time he would find a way for him and Juliette to be alone.

He glanced from one woman to the next before he spoke. “Where are you from?” They were not Italian, as he had originally assumed.

“Why do you ask?” Genviève countered.

His eyebrows lifted. “Your accent is French, is it not?”

Juliette laughed. “We were raised in France until six years ago.”

“What brought you to Milan?”

It was probably none of his business but he could think of nothing else to say and he wanted to know everything about this ballerina.

Genviève shot Juliette a narrow-eyed look. Apparently she did not like being questioned.

“Maman thought it was time for a change and that there would be more opportunities to dance,” Juliette answered.

What of a father? Did they not have one? “Was your mother also a dancer?”

“No,” Juliette quietly chuckled. “I had not wanted to leave France but she decided it was best and it has worked out well.” She graced him with a lovely smile.

Acker glanced up to find the brother watching them. He was smaller in height, as well as thin and lanky. There were also several feminine qualities about him from the way he crossed his feet at his ankles and the delicate way he gestured with his hand and wrist. Even his facial features were pretty without a hint of stubble that plagued so many men this time of night. Perhaps his mannerisms were from living in a home with three females. Or, he could just be a young pup who had not come into his own.

“Your father did not mind moving?”

“No,” Genviève answered.

Juliette looked at her oddly. Had Genviève lied? Did the man not appreciate being uprooted?

At least it established that Juliette also had a father. The man may not appreciate Acker’s attention to his daughter when Acker wasn’t sure what his intentions were himself. No father he knew would allow a gentleman to escort a young woman without a courtship but Acker couldn’t make such a commitment without knowing Juliette better, especially when he didn’t know how much longer he could stay in Milan. The weight of frustration settled in his belly and Acker tore off a piece of bread and shoved it into his mouth. He was not about to give up so easily and quickly. One night of dining with Juliette was not enough.

Juliette practically skipped out of the scuola di danza, having just finished with her final student of the day. There was to have been one more but the student’s mother sent news that the child was ill, leaving Juliette with the rest of her day free.

The sun was shining and the breeze light. It was a glorious day. She smiled and inhaled deeply. Would Acker be at the performance again tonight? Or, now that they had met would he move onto someone new. Genviève seemed to think that is what would likely happen, especially since very little had been said last night following his few questions about her family and their move from France to Milan. Juliette had wanted to ask him about England but knew her sister would disapprove. Perhaps she would get the chance to speak with him again, and this time without the scrutiny of Genviève.

It had been an awkward discussion with her sister behaving far from friendly toward Lord Acker and they eventually slipped into silence, only occasionally mentioning topics like the weather. Juliette doubted the evening could have been more uncomfortable had maman been there scrutinizing every look, word and mannerism.

Would she and Acker have been more at ease with one another had they been alone? Would she have learned more about him? Had Genviève ruined her one chance to get to know a gentleman because of her unfriendly disposition?

Juliette rounded the corner leading in the direction of her home and walked directly into the solid chest of a gentleman. His hands came up to cradle her elbows when she stumbled back and kept her from falling. Juliette glanced up to thank him for his assistance and apologize only to look into the light blue eyes of Lord Acker. Instead of speaking, she simply smiled. This day was glorious indeed.

“My pardon,” he acknowledged with a nod of his head and slowly smiled when he looked into her face.

“It is I who was not watching where I was going.” Her mind had been thinking about him, and Juliette was surprised she had made it down the block without tripping or running into anyone before now because she had no recollection of the path she took after exiting the scuola to this moment.

Acker’s hands still cradled her elbows sending warmth and awareness through her body. How odd! She was touched often, especially when she and Carlo danced, but she had never been so aware of another’s physical presence as she was with Lord Acker. She really should step back. This was not proper at all, yet she couldn’t bring herself to move.

A moment later Acker cleared his throat and withdrew. “Might I escort you somewhere?”

He certainly couldn’t escort her home, Maman was there. “I would hate to delay you, but thank you for the offer.”

His smile broadened and lines crinkled at the corner of his eyes as if he laughed often. “I was simply out enjoying this beautiful day.”

“I was thinking how lovely it was as well.”

“Shall we enjoy it together?” He offered his arm.

Juliette glanced down at his bent elbow. Should she take it and enjoy a bit of time with Lord Acker, or should she return home. Maman would not expect her for another two hours and when would she get this opportunity again? With a grin, Juliette slipped her hand inside the crook of his arm. Her fingers tingled and she was never happier to have forgotten her gloves in the rush to leave the house this morning.

“Where shall we walk, Miss Mirabelle?”

She didn’t really care, but a busy street was not the best place to converse. “There is a small park not far from the cathedral.”

His eyes lit. “I know the area and have gone there often on beautiful days such as this.” Acker turned so that they were now walking in the direction of the gothic cathedral which sat at the center of Milan. There were several people out this afternoon, strolling and enjoying the warm weather. He pointed to an unoccupied bench beneath some trees and turned Juliette in that direction.

“Tell me about England,” she said once he was settled.

Acker straightened and looked at her quizzically. “What would you like to know?”

Juliette pondered his question for moment. “I am really not sure exactly. Is London much different than Milan?”

“London is a large city, full of people and smells, if you must know.” He chuckled. “It isn’t nearly as beautiful as Milan, nor does it possess such lovely ladies.”

Heat stole into her cheeks at his flirtation. “It can’t smell that bad,” she teased back, not acknowledging his compliment. All crowded cities in the heat of the summer had an unpleasant stench. But this was spring and all she could smell was the fragrance of the spring flowers, blooming after remaining dormant through the winter.

“I was born in England,” she said without thinking. Why had she shared that information? Maman had been very specific never to offer anything personal, especially to strangers. But there was something about Lord Acker that made Juliette trust him. She didn’t know why and it wasn’t even reasonable being he was a complete stranger, but for some reason she wanted to tell him everything and learn all she could of him.

Acker arched an eyebrow in surprise. “So you were born in England, raised in France and now live in Italy. Tell me, Miss Mirabelle, how did that come to be?”

She bit her bottom lip and wondered how much she should tell him. Really, what harm could there be? “My great grandparents were French and lived in Paris.” At least she assumed her great grandfather was French, but they didn’t really know who he was. “My grandmother married an Englishman and he took her to England, where my mother was born, and of course she married and then I was born.”

Lord Acker was nodding as if he wished her to continue.

“When my father died, my grandparents were already dead so Maman took us back to Paris to be with her grandmother.”

He studied her for a moment. “Your father died?”

She winced at being caught in an earlier lie. It wasn’t really her lie; it had been Genviève who led him to believe papa still lived. “He died when I was very young. I barely remember him.” Actually, Juliette could not remember anything except that when anyone mentioned her father when she was a child her stomach hurt. All she could determine was that his death must have been particularly painful for her.

“Was your father French as well? Mirabelle is a French name.”

She thought about it for a moment. He must have been though she always assumed he was English. However, her parents had married during the infancy of the Revolution and many French had fled to England already so he could have very well been a Frenchman. She also remembered her mother commenting once that while all the French were fleeing Paris they were running to it. She would ask her mother, but Maman did not like to talk about those years and chastised Juliette to leave well enough alone. “I do not know, but I assume so.”

“How long did you live in France before moving to Milan?”

“It was right before my eighteenth birthday and unexpected.”

His brow creased but he never once looked away from her as they spoke and Juliette couldn’t stop watching his face either. He had the nicest full lips and strong cheekbones. “I thought we would live in Paris forever but one day I came home from the ballet and Maman had all of our things packed and announced we were moving.”

“Usually it takes longer to prepare for such a move.”

Juliette shook her head. “Maman was always moving us from one household to another. She didn’t like staying in one place too long. I assumed we were simply moving to a new house only to learn we were traveling to Italy.”

*

Acker studied her. He wasn’t sure he would like moving so often. Of course, he had two homes. An estate in Monmouth and a Townhouse in London and depending on the time of year, he lived in one or the other. Each home had everything he needed so he didn’t have to actually move everything from one to the other, simply travel there. However, he had been traveling for the past six months and that was tiring enough. He longed for his own bed in his own home, but not until he came to know Juliette. At least there was no father to stand in his way, just a young pup as a brother.

“Your mother simply decided it was time to move to a new country?” This still seemed odd to him. It was one thing to change a residence, but move to an entirely different country with three children. “Do you have family in Milan?”

“We knew no one when we came here.” Juliette frowned for a moment and a crease developed between her delicate eyebrows. “Maman simply said it was time.” She tiled her head as if in thought. “She was most adamant that we leave immediately and that another adventure awaited us.”

“And your great-grandmother? Did she come with you?”

“
Arrière grand-mère died when I was twelve.”

“I am sorry,”

Juliette shrugged and offered a slight smile. “Thank you. I suppose I will always miss her.”

Acker simply nodded.

“I did not wish to leave Paris.” She sighed. “I still had so much to learn from my dance master, Pierre Gardel.”

The name meant nothing to Acker, but it did to Juliette because her emerald eyes lit and a loving smile formed on her lips when she said the gentleman’s name. A stab of jealousy struck him in the gut. Would she ever think of him with such admiration and had Gardel been more than a teacher to her?

Acker shook the thoughts away. That was the past, and several years ago. She said they have lived in Milan for the last six years and if she was ten and eight when she left Paris, Juliette was now four and twenty. Not a child at all, though he had suspected her age to be closer to twenty. Already she was a famed ballerina. Her name was listed at the top of any playbill he had seen.

“You clearly became accomplished without his continued guidance.” Acker smiled down at her.

A blush painted her cheeks. “I’ve been lucky to have continued my training under Viganó.”

Again her eyes lit and a soft smile formed on her lips. She seemed to hold this new dancing master with as much high regard as Gardel. Was Juliette in love with the man?

There was also a sweet innocence to her. Something he had never encountered with any other woman he had met who also worked in any form of theatre. Surely she couldn’t still be all that innocent? He knew that no performer remained innocent for long. It was a fact, as far as he was concerned. Not that any of this mattered to Acker because the longer he sat with her the more he wanted her. He had lusted after her when she danced and it was all he could do not to take her in his arms and kiss her.

The time for that would come later. He needed to know her better first and determine if and how she could be a part of his life. “Does your sister also dance?” He couldn’t recall seeing Genviève on the stage.

Juliette laughed. “No. Genviève is the orderly one and likes to take charge when given the opportunity.”

This didn’t surprise Acker. The sister rather reminded him of a governess he had as a young boy.

“Hélène is an actress,” Juliette continued.

There is another sister? Did she have more brothers as well? “Hélène?”

Juliette’s eyes grew wide and her cheeks grew bright. Clearly she had let something slip she shouldn’t have.

She sighed and looked down. “I don’t have a brother. The person following us last night was my other sister, Hélène.”

At least that explained why the lad appeared so feminine.

“Maman warned us not to let anyone know there were no gentlemen to look after us.”

He could well understand why. All three sisters were beautiful and if it became common knowledge, which it probably was for those attached to the ballet, that these three young women were unprotected, all manner of men would probably pursue them. Much as he was doing at this very moment.

“Your mother sounds like a very wise woman.” If he had three beautiful daughters he would keep them sheltered as well. But how protected could they be working with the ballet or in any theatre for that matter.

Those in the park began to disperse and Juliette jumped to her feet. “I must go. I cannot return home late.”

Acker stood as well. “At least let me escort you home.”

Juliette was already shaking her head and backing away. “No, you cannot. Mother would be furious if she knew I met with you.”

He stopped and looked at her. “Why?”

“I am not to have contact with any gentleman without her express approval.” She winced and bit her bottom lip. “And never an Englishman.”

He couldn’t help himself but chuckle. “One day you will have to learn why she dislikes us so much.” Since the woman was more French than English, that could be reason enough.

“Thank you for the lovely afternoon,” she said as she turned away.

“Wait,” Acker called before she could get further away. “When can I see you again?”

She turned and a beautiful smile formed on those luscious lips. “Tomorrow, at the same place and time. I will be done with lessons by then.”