The Courtesan Duchess (15 page)

Simon nearly rolled his eyes. Hadn’t he already assured Colton he was not harboring feelings for the duchess? “I’m not in love with her, though there have been days I’ve wished to be in Colton’s shoes. She’s smart, funny, and brave. If there are finer qualities in a wife, I don’t know them.”

“Well, I doubt he’ll recover anytime soon. I’ve never seen him so furious. He hardly said two words the entire journey back from Venice.”

“Yes, but he fell for her, Quint. I saw it happen. Colton and Julia fell in love in Venice. They were mad for each other—until the guilt overcame her. She didn’t want to hurt him so she left. And it’s only a matter of time before they realize how perfect they are for one another.”

“Do you honestly believe that?” Quint scoffed. “I don’t think Colton will ever forgive her.”

“He won’t have a choice. And a day will come where he’ll thank me for bringing her to Venice.”

Her husband’s parting words haunted Julia the next morning. Meg had gone down to fetch a biscuit and chocolate while Julia, heartsick and nauseated, waited in her bed.

What was Colton planning? He wanted revenge, but how?

She’d been naïve to think her plan wouldn’t have consequences. He hated her. The affectionate, light-hearted lover she’d known in Venice had been replaced with a hard, furious man determined to make her miserable. Her heart clenched. As much as she wished otherwise, she still loved him. That he despised her tore at her insides.

Regardless of the hurt she’d caused, their baby was not a mistake. There was a new, precious life within her, and Julia would never be sorry for her child.

She had known Nick would be angry when he discovered her identity. But the vehemence of his hatred last night had caught her off guard. He’d accused her of making a fool of him.

Heavens, did he truly believe such a thing?

The door flew open and Aunt Theo’s plump frame emerged. “La, it is all over town. All over, I tell you! I’ve just been to the flower market and everyone stopped me to talk about it.”

Fear gripped her and Julia sat up. She’d been so sure no one saw her and Nick together last night. “Talking about what?”

“Your husband is here. In London.” Theo waved her arms wildly. “He punched Lord Winchester in the middle of White’s last evening. It’s all anyone can talk about.”

Nick
punched
Simon? That didn’t make any sense. Unless.... Nick must be furious at Simon for helping her. Julia flopped back on the bed. “Oh, it’s all my fault, Aunt Theo. This whole mess. Whatever made me think finding Colton was a good idea?”

Theo sat on the edge of Julia’s bed. “Winchester’s no half-wit. He knew the risks when he agreed to help you. And I believe he’s quite capable of holding his own against Colton. I’m worried about
you,
what Colton will do if he finds you.”

“He already found me.”

“
He did?
When?”

“Last night at the Collingswood ball. I went out to the terrace for some air and Colton was waiting outside.”

“Did he recognize you?” Theo asked. At Julia’s nod, she prompted, “Well, what happened?”

“I vomited all over him.”

Theo roared with laughter, long and loud, and wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. “Oh, my dear. That is the best news I’ve heard all day.”

“It was horribly embarrassing,” Julia admitted. “He is so angry, Theo. He hates me. I asked him why he came back to London and he said for revenge. The idea makes me positively sick. What is he planning to do?”

“How did he know who you were, I wonder?”

Julia frowned. “I don’t know. I didn’t think to ask, I was so caught off guard. Perhaps one of our servants in Venice?”

Theo waved that off. “No, none knew your true identity, and we were careful in front of them. Perhaps the hair and makeup did not disguise you as much as we’d hoped. Then Colton saw you at the ball and recognized your face.”

“Perhaps,” Julia said. It seemed unlikely, but what other explanation could there be? “He knows I’m with child.”

“And what did he say about the fact you’re carrying his babe?”

“Nothing, other than a mocking remark about the pregnancy agreeing with me after I threw up in the carriage.”

“I thought you said you threw up on Colton?”

“I did,” Julia answered. “Then I was ill again on the way here.”

“Oh, you poor dear,” Theo crooned. “Well, get some rest. We’ll be besieged with callers today.” She stood up. “Or would you rather hide in your chambers all day?”

Julia shook her head. “I have to face them. If I do not, the gossip will only worsen.”

A brief knock sounded and Meg poked her head in. “I have your chocolate, Your Grace.”

“Come in, please, Meg. We’ve a long day ahead of us.”

There was already a stack of cards waiting by the time Julia had dressed. Simon’s was on top. She flipped it over and read his handwritten note.
I’ll return in one hour.

Continuing to the sitting room, Julia joined Aunt Theo to await the barrage of callers. She felt a bit like a woman receiving condolences on her way to the gallows.

“You look quite smart today,” Theo said, taking in Julia’s lilac muslin day dress. “How is your stomach?”

“Shaky. However, I’m not sure if it’s the babe or Colton causing my nerves.”

Theo poured her a cup of tea. “Your duke’s merely feeling the sting to his pride. No man likes to be duped, no matter the reason. They wish to believe themselves superior to the whole female race, you know. Give him a few weeks to recover. He’ll come around.”

“I wish I shared your confidence,” Julia muttered, and accepted the tea from her aunt’s hand.

Their butler opened the door and announced Simon. “Please show him up,” Julia said. “And turn away all other callers until Lord Winchester leaves.”

A minute later, Simon bounded into the room, a dark, large bruise on his left cheek.

Julia gasped as he bowed. “Oh, Simon. It looks awful. I feel wretched. This is all my fault.”

Theo squinted, holding up her quizzing glass for closer inspection. “That’s a beauty of a facer. He gave it to you good, my lord.”

He dropped into a chair, leaned back, and smiled. “Wouldn’t have been nearly so bad if Colton hadn’t snuck up on me. And I knew the consequences when I agreed to help you, Julia. I’ve been a friend to Colton for ages, and he’s fairly predictable. Besides”—he crossed his legs—“I’m more worried about you. Has he been to see you yet?”

She nodded glumly. “He found me last night at the Collingswood ball. Scared me half to death out on the terrace.”

“Tell him the best part,” Theo prompted.

Simon raised an eyebrow in question, and Julia blurted, “I vomited on him.”

His bark of laughter reverberated off the sitting room walls, blue eyes sparking with delight. “Oh, how I wish I had been there to see that.”

“Be relieved you did not. It was quite embarrassing, and Colton was furious. What I cannot figure out is how he knew me. Right away, he addressed me as
Your Grace
.”

Simon shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “That was my fault. I did not tell you, but I left him a note in Venice. I confessed to who you were and apologized for helping you—”

“Simon!” Julia gasped. “Why did you not tell me?”

He held up his hands. “I honestly did not expect him to follow you back to London. But I knew you would write to him in any event, explaining your side. So I wanted to . . . prepare him, I suppose. Are you angry with me?”

She gazed at her longtime friend. “How could I be angry with you? You’ve helped me at great expense to yourself, Simon. I will always be grateful to you. By the by, I am curious as to what Colton said after he hit you.”

“Nothing of consequence,” Simon answered. “He’s furious, naturally, but I plan to deal with him later.”

“Did you also tell him I carried his babe?”

“No. Did he know?”

“Yes, but perhaps the sickness gave me away.” She sipped her tea, now blessedly tepid. It was easier on her stomach that way. “He spoke of revenge, Simon. Said I made a fool of him and that I would live to regret it. What will he do?”

Simon rolled his eyes. “Colton is getting quite dramatic in his old age. But he won’t hurt you, Julia. I’ll make sure of that.”

“You may not be able to prevent it,” Theo warned. “The man is her husband, after all.”

Simon mulled that over. “If you need me, day or night, send for me. I will come. I don’t believe Colton will hurt you. But he may make things . . . uncomfortable for awhile.”

Just as Julia was about to ask what
uncomfortable
meant, the door slammed open and the subject of their conversation marched inside.

Dressed in an elegant royal blue frock coat with a cream-colored brocade waistcoat, tall boots over tan breeches, the Duke of Colton surveyed the room with cold gray eyes. “My, what a charming little scene this is.”

Simon shot to his feet. “You are making a habit of sneaking about, Colton. You used to be much more direct.”

Colton seemed to grow larger, the stark planes of his face etched in fury. “How is this for direct, then, Winchester?
Get the hell out of my wife’s house,
” he snarled.

Simon’s nostrils flared, and the two men stared intently at one another. Julia didn’t know what to do. She glanced at Theo, whose eyes were as big as saucers. With their clenched fists and tight jaws, Simon and Nick were carrying on a silent conversation only they understood.

“Fine,” Simon gritted out. “But I’ll be by later to deal with you, and you had better be receiving, Colton.” He turned to Julia and Theo and gave a curt bow. “Ladies.”

He stalked out of the room and closed the door behind him with a snap. Colton turned to Theo. “Lady Carville, I would like a private word with my
wife.
” He gritted out the last word as if acutely painful to say.

So he’d learned Theo’s identity as well. Her aunt shot a nervous glance at Julia. “Of course, Your Grace. If you’ll just excuse me,” she said before scurrying out of the sitting room.

Julia sat back and lifted her chin. She refused to cower in front of this man. He’d ignored her for eight years, leaving her to fend for herself. Obviously what they shared in Venice was over, and he resented her. Fine. She resented him, too.

Ignoring the pain in her heart, she steeled herself. “Well, you’ve scared everyone off, Colton. What is it you want?”

Her direct approach took him aback. He looked slightly confused, but only for a moment. “You didn’t think you’d seen the last of me, did you, sweet wife?” Walking over, he gracefully folded himself down into a chair, flipping up the tails of his coat. “No, I plan on staying.”

She didn’t want to notice his handsomeness, how his silky black hair fell artlessly back away from his angular face. He was clean-shaven, but she could remember vividly the feel of his whiskers on the soft skin of her inner thighs. And at night, she still dreamed of the hard push of his erection as he first penetrated her wetness.

Julia caught herself, and her eyes flew to his. He was watching her carefully, and a spark in those gray depths told her he knew exactly what she’d been thinking. Heat broke out on her skin as a flush worked its way up her neck.

“So beautiful,” he murmured. “So deceitful.”

She straightened. “And does your visit have a purpose?”

“Yes. I want to know the father of your child. I plan to kill him before the day’s out.”

Dramatic indeed, she thought. And what did he mean? Oh God . . . he didn’t believe . . .

“
You
are the father, Colton.”

He tipped his head back and laughed, the sound harsh and lacking any joy whatsoever. “Christ, you must think me gullible.”

She gaped at him. “Colton, you are this baby’s father. I haven’t . . . been with anyone else.”

His whole body tensed and he leaned forward, angry. “Stop lying to me, wife. You were no virgin when I first took you.”

She flinched. At least now she knew why he thought she’d made a fool of him. He believed that she’d found herself with child, whereby she came to Venice to legitimize it by bedding him.

It was tempting to tell him about Templeton, but pride stopped her. Perhaps explaining her financial troubles would reach the cold place in her husband’s chest where his heart should be. But Julia found she couldn’t do it. She wanted him to believe the baby was his because he trusted her.

“It’s the truth, whether you want to believe it or not. I washed the blood off so you wouldn’t know. I wanted you to think I was a courtesan, Colton.”

“I don’t believe you.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Is it Wyndham’s?”

Her eyes widened. Who had told her husband about Wyndham?

“Yes, I know about your cicisbeo, madam. If Winchester hadn’t already told me about him in Venice, there were a handful of people positively eager to inform me when I arrived in London.”