Lord Love a Duke (11 page)

"Juliet is fine, Lady Lansdowne. I came in
her room without knocking and caused her to have a small fit. I'll
ring for more chocolate and help settle her nerves. It was my fault
she screamed."

Lady Lansdowne stretched to look over
Miranda's shoulder and Juliet gave her a little wave of
acknowledgment and dismissal. She glimpsed several unidentifiable
heads behind her mother and groaned again in embarrassment.
"There's nothing to see! I'm perfectly fine! Continue with your
morning!" Juliet yelled from behind the screen. "Blast it, Miranda,
shut the door!" she hissed again.

Miranda gave a jaunty salute and slammed the
door on the onlookers. She turned and motioned to the maid to come
out of the dressing room and help her friend. Juliet slowly emerged
from the protection of the screen and glared at Miranda as Lily
tried to sop up the chocolate mess. The cup had hit the carpet but
the contents had thankfully spilled mostly onto the hardwood
floor.

"Shall we start over again, with you
knocking politely and asking permission to enter my chamber?" She
picked up the silk chemise from her bed and began to dress, having
emerged from the hip bath just prior to this interruption.

"Bugger it, I said I'm sorry! I did not know
you would be so startled."

"You did not apologize, and you burst into
the room with the volume of cannon fire, so it's no wonder I
screamed." Juliet poked her friend in the shoulder for
emphasis.

"Well allow me to apologize formally, my
lady," Miranda offered with a showy bow and impressive leg. "I have
good reason to be excited, and you will, too. You'll never guess
who will be here by early afternoon." Silence settled over the room
as the ladies stood staring at each other with increasingly wider
eyes and expectant expressions. Lily stopped her cleaning in
anticipation of the news.

"Well? Are you going to tell me?"

"I thought you were going to guess,"
returned Miranda.

"Argh! I feel like I am in a French farce
this morning! You told me I'd never guess so I was not about to
try." Juliet blew out an exasperated breath as her maid rose from
the floor to help settle Juliet's damask silk gown over her head.
The rose color complemented her flushed cheeks and made her silver
eyes seem even more striking.

"Oh, you're in rare form this morning, you
wench. I wouldn't tell you now except I'm too excited. This house
party is about to be improved by the addition of one Countess
Ashford, Catherine Allendale. Isn't that fantastic?"

“Aunt Catherine is coming? Oh, that is
exciting news indeed. One never knows what my aunt will say with
each successive opening of her mouth. She is most diverting.”

“To be sure, but I have more nefarious
motives in desiring her arrival. She will surely be against this
marriage scheme of Jonas and Mama and will likely side with me to
thwart their plans. She suffers no restraint when it comes to
voicing her opinions and I shall be delighted to hear hers
concerning my sought-after matrimony. She will do quite nicely
indeed.”

“I hardly think my aunt will step in and
admonish your mother against seeking a husband for her only
daughter. She may not have had a happy marriage, but she is
certainly not against the institution.”

“She has supported your plans,” accused
Miranda. “Why not mine? I am not so far removed from your family as
to prevent her from taking up my cause.”

“True, but you will have to persuade her to
your side. She will not simply ride roughshod over your family's
plans for your future. But if you win her to your side I daresay
the battle will have been decided most assuredly in your
favor.”

“Oh, yes. She is the ultimate weapon to
unleash on Jonas. Mayhap I will sound her out then plant the seeds
of mistrust of his motives. If she can be won to our side I pity my
brother.”

Juliet sent Miranda an assessing look. “We
must be cautious, however, not to seem so uncontrolled as to need a
firm hand. My aunt has declared to me before that I should marry
someone strong enough to tell me 'no.' She gives supportive voice
to my future plans but to this day declares there is a wonderful
match just waiting for me to open my eyes and
carpe
diem
.”

“Well, I definitely plan to
carpe
diem
. On the morrow, in fact. I will heed
your warning but feel assured that your aunt will be the best of
allies in our war.”

The arrival of Juliet's spirited,
uncensored, widowed aunt was indeed cause for excitement. The older
sister of the Marquis of Lansdowne, Countess Ashford, Catherine
Allendale, was loved and somewhat feared by both family and friends
alike. She was a staunch ally and defender of those whom she loved,
but as a wealthy and titled lady of a certain age she was also
unafraid to wield a sharp tongue and an occasional strike with a
weighted reticule to make her point. She came to the house party
without an invitation yet without a doubt she would be heartily
welcomed and allowed to stay. Her favorite niece happened to be
here and the Countess planned to be deeply mired in whatever
marital schemes were afoot, be them for Juliet or her dear friend
Miranda.

Her lustrous black carriage had scarcely
ceased its roll before the Countess threw open the door herself. A
liveried footman scrambled to lower the steps as she made her most
regal exit. Her blue traveling gown had not dared to wrinkle, nor
had a single silver hair ventured to escape her elegant chignon.
She surveyed the grounds from her vantage point on the gravel
drive.
If one must rusticate, at least one would be doing so in
style and splendor at Edgecliff
, she thought. She determined it
to be her favorite spot when in the country while with the same
breath she vowed how much she detested being anywhere save Town.
She swung her gaze back to the front steps and door as the Duke and
his mother emerged from the house. She chuckled softly to herself
as she decided the view had just greatly improved with the
appearance of the young Duke.

“Lady Ashford, it is a pleasure to see you
again. I trust your trip was uneventful,” offered Jonas with a bow.
He straightened and took her proffered hand, brushing a kiss in the
air above her knuckles.

“The trip was tolerable, Your Grace, and
only just so because I knew a warm welcome and handsome face
awaited me here.” She dropped a curtsey to mother and son before
moving her hand to take Jonas' arm, allowing his escort into the
house. “And your dear mother. It is nice to see you, Your Grace,”
she intoned to the Duchess. “Thank you for allowing the addition of
my presence to your party.”

Margaret Leighton, Duchess of Dorset, smiled
with warmth at the formality and prevarication of her old and dear
friend. “You may keep your curtsies for someone who needs them,
virago. You are welcome anytime, as you well know, Catherine.
However, given your preference for Town I do so wonder at your
sudden appearance in the sticks and brambles. Are you here for the
so-called marriage mart, perhaps?” she teased.

The Countess scoffed and reached out to take
her friend's arm as well. “If I thought it would disturb the rest
of the not-so-dearly-departed Cecil, I would jump into the mix with
both feet. As we both know, his black soul is keeping rather warm
and sulfurous company, so I need never take on shackles of any sort
again. I am simply here to observe and make as many astute and
slanderous remarks as possible on the general goings on.”

The Duke started visibly at the Countess's
caustic comments about her late husband, but his mother only
laughed conspiratorially. “No doubt the Earl wishes he had packed
lighter clothes for his journey,” she added with a chuckle.

Countess Ashford stopped in the entry hall
and let go the arms of her escorts. “Well, enough about the happily
departed. I want to know the whereabouts of my niece and her
faithful friend. They are the true reasons for my travel. I desired
a front row seat to the Juliet and Miranda Exhibition.”

Jonas turned and summoned a footman. “Please
tell Lady Juliet that her aunt has arrived.” He turned his
attention back to the Countess. “You make me nervous, Lady Ashford.
Are you privy to information that begs to be known?” he asked with
a hint of worry about his brow.

“I keep a close counsel, Your Grace, so
you'll get no information from me. But to put your mind at ease, I
know of nothing
yet
that should over-set
your nerves. The sheer fact that you are having a house party
populated with the young and unmarried should be enough to keep you
on your toes, however. I am always vastly entertained by my niece
and Miranda, no matter what the setting, so when word made it
around that you were seeking an attachment for your sister, well, I
could not pass up the potential for diversion.”

A noise above alerted them to the coming
arrival of the two ladies. “Speak of the devils,” muttered Jonas as
he turned to watch them glide down the stairs. He glanced at his
sister then found himself transfixed by the sight of Lady Juliet
flushed with excitement over the coming of her aunt. She had
grabbed the front of her skirt and slightly pulled it up to aid her
faster-than-fashionable descent and he was able to see her dainty
slippers and nicely turned ankles. He shook his head and blinked
several times to break the trance he seemed to be perpetually
caught in when in her presence of late. He straightened his posture
and flexed his fingers, suddenly restless.

The Duke's sudden
discomfiture and fidgeting was not lost on the Countess. She
followed his gaze to her niece and narrowed her eyes
calculatingly.
How very interesting
, she thought. She congratulated herself on the wise decision
to remove to the country for this party as she turned to greet her
niece. “Juliet and Miranda, my two favorite mademoiselles! Come,
give me your greetings and then someone pray show me some
hospitality with a strong cup of tea and a decadent
sweet.”

Miranda and Juliet fairly skidded to a halt
in front of the Countess, taking turns to both hug and kiss the
older woman. She grabbed a hand of each and squeezed them
affectionately.

“Oh, Aunt Cath! I am so excited to see you.
I had no idea you were coming,” burst Juliet.

“
No one did, dear. 'Tis
better that way as no one feels brave enough to bid me leave. I
could not bear to be absent from a party that included my two
favorite
diables
,” she added with a
grin and a wink at the Duke.

Juliet followed her aunt's gaze with a
quizzical raised brow while Miranda seized the opportunity to
tangle with her brother. “I need not ask how you came to the
appellation for us, do I, dear brother?”

“It seemed an apt descriptor, although I
grant you are without the requisite tail and horns.” He poked at
Miranda's coif and glanced at her back. “At least I think you lack
those telltale signs.”

Miranda's eyes flashed for the fight but the
Countess intervened. “Actually, my dears, the devil of which we
speak is my happily departed Earl, unrest his soul, although
perhaps your guilty consciences are getting the better of you two,
hmm?”

Both ladies surprisingly blushed but were
saved from further comment by the arrival of two more guests, Lady
Juliet's brother, Major Lord Marcus Quinn, and his friend, Captain
William Hughes, both of the Royal Horse Guards.

“Marcus!” she squealed. “We thought you
still on the continent! Mother and Father will be beside themselves
to see you. How are you?” Juliet ran to her brother, who braced
himself as she launched into his arms. He swung her around easily
with one arm, his left hanging still and straight at his side,
although Juliet failed to notice.

“I am well, Jules. I am well. And glad to be
home.” He dropped her back to the ground and kissed her cheek
before making his introductions. “Allow me to present Captain
William Hughes of Devon, but late of His Majesty's Guards. Will, my
brat of a sister, Lady Juliet Quinn.”

Juliet turned to make her curtsey as the
captain raised her hand, brushing his kiss on her bare knuckles.
Juliet's eyes widened in surprise at the contact but held no
affront. The gesture did not pass the notice of the Duke, who took
a step toward the captain, nor the Countess, who smiled secretly at
the Duke's involuntary reaction.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain
Hughes. I assume you serve with my brother's regiment?” she
queried.

“Yes, my lady,” he replied. His sandy brown
hair was a touch too long for the current fashion but he had the
broad-shouldered bearing so common in the men of the Horse Guards.
He had an affable smile and a pleasing if weathered face with
visible laugh lines around his mouth and eyes.

“
Will is the reason you
see me standing before you, in one piece, as it were,” began
Marcus. “We had quite the dust-up finishing off old Boney and Will
here saved the day.” The captain made to argue but Marcus held up
his right hand. “I will sing your praises no more, Will, have no
fear. Let us present you to the rest of the gawking mob here in the
hallway,” he joked, making introductions to Miranda, Jonas, the
Duchess, and the Countess.

Juliet turned to the footman. “Thomas,
please tell my parents they have guests to greet. I believe they
are in the library. Do not tell them who has arrived,” she
instructed. He departed to carry out her instructions and Juliet
turned back to her brother, reaching for his left hand. He twisted
from her reach and moved her away from the group, leaning in to
whisper in her ear.

“Jules, I've been wounded and am not fully
healed. It is my left arm. Call no further attention to it than its
own limp presence does, and do not grab hold of it or I am afraid
you will see me cock up my toes with the pain.” Juliet opened her
mouth to reply but Marcus continued. “We can speak of it later, not
now. Just help me greet Mother and Father with as little incident
as possible.”