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Anne sighed wistfully. “The Viscount of Emerson. He came to our home last week to discuss business with my brother. He is quite handsome and very respectful.” She looked around theroom for a moment, then her eyes widened. “He is on the other side of the room…the man in the blue velvet jacket.”

“You should go and talk to him!” Juliet urged.

“But what if he is not interested in me? What if I am far too ordinary to catch his attention?”

“But how will you know if you do not try?” Juliet mused fondly.

When Anne simply sighed in response, Juliet knew she had to help the sweet girl.

“Well, I am quite parched. Will you accompany me to the refreshment table?” she asked Anne gently.

“Of course, Your Grace.” Anne smiled softly at her and offered her arm to Juliet, who took it.

They gradually walked towards the refreshment table talking casually, even though their eyes occasionally shifted to the Lord speaking with a few guests who were gathered only a few feet away from it.

Juliet kept silently hoping her plan would work, even after they walked past the Viscount.

“Lady Anne?”

Anne squealed then cleared her throat before she turned to him, daintily curtsying.

“Lord Emerson. Good evening.” She smiled sweetly.

“It is,” he replied, revealing a dimple on his cheek. “I had hoped to see you tonight. Would you care to dance with me? If you do not already have a line of offers…”

“It would not matter anyway,” Anne blurted out then blushed deeply, stammering as she held her dance card out to him. “I mean…I still have room… on my dance card.”

Lord Emerson grinned, clearly enchanted by Anne, and he nodded, taking her card to print his name.

Juliet watched the exchange with a fond smile, predicting Anne’s reaction as the Lord bade her goodbye for the moment with the promise of seeing her later for their dance.

Anne rushed to Juliet with a squeal of joy as soon as he was out of earshot.

“My goodness! I cannot believe it! He wants to dance with me,” Anne babbled excitedly.

“I told you. Never dismiss anything or anyone before you have tried to see whether things will work in your favor.” Juliet nodded proudly.

“Well, I…”

“If it isn’t the Duchess of Islington,” Lord Somerton spoke as he approached them, bowing slightly when he arrived in front of Juliet. “Good evening, Your Grace. Might I say you look divine tonight?”

Juliet smiled politely and nodded, “Thank you, Lord Somerton. I hope you have been well.”

“I have. Simply tending to business as usual. I am delighted that I chose to attend this event tonight as my sister’s chaperone because it feels as though I have been blessed by your beauty,” he sighed.

Anne made a face at her brother’s choice of words but said nothing, instead mumbling about retrieving some refreshments for the Duchess before slipping away to survey the assorted spread.

“I saw the Duke earlier, engrossed in conversation with the host. I had assumed he did not bring you with him for the ball, but…it is rather disappointing, it is it not? To be abandoned by your husband at an event such as this? I do not mean to offend you, Your Grace. I merely think it is unfair of him to put anything above your comfort.”

Lord Somerton’s words were as accurate as they were hurtful.

Juliet reminded herself that she had resolved to stay calm and remain the very picture of a good wife. She smiled gently and said, “My husband is a busy man with many connections. Meeting the host was important; this was the only time he could do so. Besides, I am not an infant who will burst into tears over being left on her own for a little while. I assure you, I am simply fine.”

It only took Juliet a few minutes after her statement to realize Hector was hurting her and getting away with it, but she was also helping him do that.

And that made her feel as foolish as it did naïve.

CHAPTER 29