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Hector continued his walk back to his study, his mind straying momentarily to thoughts of his impending wedding.

He had worked tirelessly to ensure that the day would be perfect. He only hoped that his bride-to-be had come to terms with their situation.

I suppose we shall soon find out what that will entail.

.

CHAPTER 5

As she stepped out of her room the following day, Juliet nearly collided with the three children that raced down the hallway.

Leila had woken her earlier, stating that her stepmother had requested she prepare for a trip to the modiste that afternoon to find a suitable wedding dress.

The thought of getting married still left a sour taste in Juliet’s mouth, but she knew that her opposition to the marriage would not be entertained. She begrudgingly resolved to stifle her resentment and spend the day behaving as amicably as possible.

Except she hadn’t expected to finally meet her stepsiblings today of all days. The eldest, a girl of about twelve with bright eyes and dark hair, stopped short and stared at her with unabashed curiosity.

“You must be our sister Juliet.” she said, fiddling with the hem of her gown.

Juliet nodded, taken aback by their sudden appearance. “Yes, I am. You should drop your gown before your mother sees you.”

Her half-sister quickly smiled and did as she was told.

“You must be Isabella, Colin, and Thomas.”

She had heard their mother speak of them to their governess, mostly complaining about how the boys were often involved in one shenanigan or the other.

Isabella beamed. “That is right! I am Isabella, and these are my brothers, Colin,” she pointed at her immediate brother’s chest, “and that’s Thomas.”

Colin was a ten-year-old boy who bore a striking resemblance to Lord Campton.

He stepped forward confidently. “What was it like living in a nunnery? Did you have to pray all day?”

Thomas, the youngest at eight, piped up eagerly, “Did you ever see any ghosts? I have heard that nunneries are haunted.”

Juliet couldn’t hold back an amused smile at their barrage of questions.

“It was…different. We did pray a lot, but there was more to it than that. And no, I never saw any ghosts.”

Colin looked disappointed. “Oh, that is a shame. I thought it would be more exciting.”

Isabella shot her brother a reproachful look. “Colin! Do not be rude. I’m sure it was not easy for Juliet.”

Juliet appreciated Isabella’s attempt to defend her. “Thank you, Isabella. It was sometimes challenging, but I made some good friends there.”

Thomas’s eyes widened with excitement. “Did you have any adventures? Did you ever sneak out at night?”

Juliet laughed softly. “No, we did not sneak out, but we did have some other interesting and entertaining experiences such as singing, gardening, embroidery, and even concocting herbal mixes for good health. I will tell you all about them if you’d like.”

Isabella clapped her hands together. “Oh, please do! We would love to hear all your stories.”

Of the three, Colin was the one who had the most complicated questions for her. He tilted his head, studying Juliet with a thoughtful expression. “Why did you come back then?”

“I came back because Father sent for me.”

“Are you going to stay here forever now?” asked Isabella. “Mother barely has any time for me, and I can never keep up with the boys and their mischievous games.”

The young girl’s face dimmed slightly as she leaned closer to Juliet and whispered, “But I heard Mother say you are to be married. Is your betrothed really a duke?”