Lord Love a Duke (29 page)

She was stopped mid-sentence as the door to
her room burst open and her betrothed stormed in, stopping his
entrance just shy of her bed as he noticed Miranda's presence and
Juliet's position in bed. He ran a distracted hand through his
hair, rendering null his valet's earlier efforts at a smooth style.
That telltale gesture was quickly growing endearing to her. He
threw a glance at Miranda before addressing Juliet.

“How are you feeling this morning? Are you
in any distress?”

Juliet blushed prettily and straightened the
coverlet over her lap. “I am quite well. I can definitely feel the
cut on my head and am tender here and there, but all else seems
hale and hearty. I find that I am famished and--”

“You must stay in bed; the doctor insisted
you take at least three full days of rest,” Jonas broke in to
explain. “You slept nearly solid through the previous day and night
but more rest will surely do you well.”

Miranda sat down gently on the bed near
Juliet, smiling mischievously. “And just how do you know how Juliet
rested overnight? I thought only her maid and mother kept the
watch.”

Jonas glared at his sister briefly. “I
received a report of her health this morning when I rose, Random.
That's what concerned people do,” he chastised, before returning
his attention to his affianced. “I stopped your maid on her way
from the kitchen so that a tray could be fetched. It should arrive
shortly.” He glanced back at his sister. “You may leave. I will sit
with the patient.”

Miranda threw Juliet a
knowing look before turning to size up her brother. “I'm sure you
would love for me to leave you alone with Juliet. Injured or not,
to be sure you would find a way to occupy her time of bedridden
convalescence.” She grinned smugly. “We thank you, but decline your
generous offer. Please leave
us
,
Jonas. I will help with her entertainment for today. You may take
my place on the morrow,” she suggested.

He flushed slightly but whether from
embarrassment or irritation Juliet had no way of knowing. She was
inordinately pleased to see him this morning and to hear of his
concern for her. She offered him a glowing smile and he stopped
still, his attention fully arrested on her. “Thank you for your
offer but I do need to speak further with Miranda. I absolutely
refuse to stay bedridden for three days. In fact, I plan to be up
this afternoon. May I call for you later so that we may chat?” she
inquired.

Jonas glanced at Miranda again before
seeming to make a decision. He walked around to the opposite side
of the bed and dropped to sit rather close. Juliet's eyes flashed
surprise as well as welcome and that was all the encouragement he
needed. He dragged the back of his hand across her cheek before
clasping her hand in his. “I insist you rest until you are sure
your body will not be distressed to move, but I will leave for now
and await your summons, my lady,” he murmured before lowering his
head to drop a kiss on her knuckles. Juliet felt the warmth race up
her arm and suffuse her body. He was delighted to see her cheeks
pinken and hear her indrawn breath. He stood and backed away from
the bed before recollecting himself and moving once again nearer to
her. He leaned over and brushed her temple with his lips. “I am
pleased to see you looking so well today, Juliet. Call for me
soon,” he whispered for her ears only, his warm breath tickling the
sensitive flesh. She gave a slight shiver and raised her eyes to
his. Sterling silver stared at shocking icy blue. Their gazes held
for a moment before Miranda cleared her throat loudly.

“Bugger off, Jonas,” she demanded with a
laugh. He rolled his eyes but returned her smile.

“Hoyden,” he tossed over his shoulder as he
exited the room. The door had barely shut behind him before Miranda
turned to stare at Juliet with a wide-eyed expression.

“
I cannot believe my
brother is completely lost to my best friend. He is an absolute
mush over you! Do you know he sat outside your room
all
night
? Your mother and Lily alternated their
watch but Jonas had a chaise set up outside and he kept his own
vigil. And you should have seen him when he returned with you after
your ride. I was not awake but it is all over the house how he held
you in his arms on Paladin and would not relinquish you to anyone
else, despite the fact your father met him in the drive! Oh, and
the words he used to describe Melville. I swear, even my ears were
educated to some new epithets worth trying. He even threatened poor
Dr. Tilley, who has known us all nearly our whole lives, that he
would tolerate no substandard care. As if the doctor has not always
been most helpful and diligent in his previous ministrations.”
Miranda paused to take a breath but hurriedly rushed on. “He
delivered orders left and right but all in this menacing, quiet
voice that I have never heard him use before. It's as if he did not
want to disturb you as he rained fire down on everyone else because
– oh yes – he still held you tightly in his arms, even as the
doctor wanted to start his examination. And when all the commotion
had settled and it was time to remove you to your room,
he
was the one still carrying you;
he
was the one stroking your brow and
holding your hand;
he
was the one
who sat staring at your closed door as the doctor examined and Lily
bathed the dirt from you.” She paused again to breathe and flashed
a wicked smile. “Most interesting of all was when he caught me in
the hall to ask me to translate something you confessed to him. Do
you remember? No? You told him '
p
enso di essere innamorata di te
.' You should have seen his face when I told
him, although I confess I did make him sweat and work to get me to
reveal this little lovely.
It was a
revelation, I tell you!” she declared triumphantly, finally having
run out of things to disclose.

Juliet opened her mouth to
reply but could not find the words to speak.
I think I am
falling in love with you
. Whatever had
possessed her to reveal her most puzzling thoughts? Pieces of the
previous day returned to her memory in a rush. She felt her lips
curve upward into a smile and brought her hand up to her mouth to
stifle a giggle. A giggle! She had never giggled past the age of
ten! “I am most pleased to hear of his solicitous attentions,” she
replied.

Miranda's gaze narrowed in assessment over
Juliet, taking in her happy countenance and slightly flushed
cheeks. She remembered the touching scene of her brother just
moments prior and Juliet's adoring gaze in response. Her eyes began
to twinkle and she clapped her hands in merriment. “Your affections
are engaged as well. Good Lord! My best friend and brother are in
love! This house party gets more diverting by the day! I must needs
talk to your aunt,” she exclaimed as she scurried off, nearly
knocking down Lily and scattering the tray holding Juliet's
food.

Juliet thought about calling her friend back
but rolled her eyes and gave a hopeless shrug. Lily settled the
tray across her lap and immediately her gaze fell on the small posy
of daisies laid by her teacup. Daisies! Her mind fired with a brief
memory of telling Jonas her likes and dislikes. A note was tucked
under the saucer. She smiled her thanks before dismissing her maid
then opened the letter.

Dear Juliet,

You look well with the
color back in your cheeks and the spark back in your eyes. I know
you will balk at staying in your room all the day so I offer a
compromise (which we both know how to do well). I would be happy to
accompany you this afternoon for rest on the terrace or in the
garden – your choice. I await your direction.

Yours,

J

P.S. -
Io
farò tutto il possibile per rendere a cadere nell'amore con
me

Juliet
inhaled sharply as she read his postscript several more times. She
scooted gingerly from the bed after setting aside her tray. She
padded over to the small escritoire near the window, removing a
sheet of foolscap, quill, and ink from inside. She sat and quickly
wrote out a reply to the Duke, asking for his company on the
terrace later that day. She folded the note and rose to ring for
her maid to dispatch her reply. She settled back into bed and
sipped her chocolate. Juliet felt her cheeks warming again and
wondered at the amount of blushing she was enduring of late. She
traced her finger over the final words of her betrothed's
missive:
I will do all that I
can to make you fall in love with me
. Practical, pragmatic, future-spinster-aunt Juliet could
not stop the wistful sigh, smile, and chuckle – she would tolerate
no more giggles – that followed.

Juliet and Jonas were settled comfortably on
the terrace with a tray of lemonade and various treats on the
nearby table. An animated discussion lent spirit to their voices
and vitality to their faces as they debated the abdication and
exile of Napoleon that spring and the effect the war had at home.
They were seated extremely close to one another, which some might
describe as scandalously close, but observation of the pair also
revealed the conclusion that they were on the cusp, if not fully
involved, in a love match. Juliet wore a bonnet in deference to the
sun and the admonitions of her mother but it was pushed so far back
on her head her countenance could be fully reached by the sun's
rays and seen by any passerby. Her gaze was fixed on the Duke, her
hands moving animatedly as she conversed. Likewise his eyes never
left her face, and while his arm rested along the back of her chair
his hand moved surreptitiously to play with the tendrils of hair
that had escaped her loose chignon.

All this was observed closely by the Duke's
sister and Juliet's best friend, Miranda, as she spied on the
couple through the french windows. She did not miss the way
Juliet's hand occasionally landed on Jonas' arm in a squeeze or a
pat. She did not miss the way Jonas dropped a finger from his
wandering hand to lightly touch the back of her friend's neck, nor
the way Juliet softly shivered each time. Miranda clasped her hands
under her chin in delight. She could not believe that her best
friend and brother were such hopeless causes to each other. While
some might think the attachment too soon to be true, several
heretofore unremarkable occurrences flashed through Miranda's mind:
the way Jonas had sought out Juliet's company of late; the way
Juliet always blushed and looked at anything or anyone save her
brother when he was near; the irritation Jonas had shown at the
interest several gentleman had paid toward Juliet this past week,
especially the Earl of Dartmouth; the hesitation Juliet had shown
to go into her brother's chambers. She looked further back to balls
and routs they had attended where Jonas stood scowling on the
sidelines as she and Juliet danced, questioning whether his glowers
were meant for her friend's admirers as well. Memories were adding
up to the obvious conclusion of a steadily forming attraction
between the two.

Miranda was chiding herself for missing the
signs when she heard a sound and the curtains stirred behind her.
She turned to see the smiling face of Roman de Courtenay, Marquis
of Stafford, her brother's closest friend. She smiled in return and
made room for him by the window.

“Come witness the mutual downfall of Jonas
and Juliet,” she offered with quiet amusement. “They cannot see us
due to the glass and the angle of the sun.”

Stafford's eyes widened at her impertinence
but he grinned devilishly. “I am astonished you are not listening
to their conversation as well.”

“I would had they not arrived first. Had I
known, I should have opened the windows the better to hear. Now I
fear they would notice my actions. I must be content to read lips
as best as possible.” She grinned impishly without a trace of
remorse. She turned back to the scene on the terrace and felt the
Marquis step closer to her back. She could smell his pleasant
fragrance of starched linen and a faint citrus smell, like
bergamot.

“Would you have ever put those two
together?” he asked quietly, his breath causing a tingle to her
neck and ear. She swatted a hand at the offending sensation and
connected with his face.

“Oh, sorry, my lord,” she offered with a
chuckle. “Your question tickled. To answer, no, I would not have
attached them. But now I see them, I think
they
must have considered the other for some time now. Their
alliance formed rather easily, and to look at them now it seems
they have been enamored of the other for ages.”

Stafford grimaced and shuddered
dramatically, causing Miranda to laugh loudly before clapping a
hand over her mouth as the Marquis commented. “Yes, they are
plainly in love, and first love at that. I wonder if they have
confessed their feelings to each other.” He gave another impressive
shudder. “It is all utterly revolting.”

Miranda laughed again and
stepped to the side of the window, dragging the Marquis with her in
effort to hide them behind the curtain should her laughter have
been overheard. “When Juliet was lost to her discomfort and
inebriation yesterday she confessed to Jonas that she
thought
she was falling in love with him.
She declared this in Italian, no less. When I translated for him he
immediately had me translate a response for him: I will do all that
I can to make you fall in love with me.” Miranda affected her own
awful shudder. “You have the right of it – revolting. Although I am
enjoying my spy game presently, I earnestly pray I do not see the
ultimate declaration of their mutual love. Surely they will save
that for a private location.”