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Juliet stiffened, turning to find that the voice sounded familiar because it belonged to a woman who seemed to have made it her personal duty to mock the Duchess. This was the third time Juliet had met her at an event, and much like this one, she seemed to be offended that Juliet had found no issue in showing her face in public.

“Lady Perrin. Good evening,” Juliet tried to sound amicable and welcoming whilst the Baroness glanced between them.

“Lady Perrin, that is a disrespectful claim to make. The Duchess hasn’t done anything to disrupt the evening in any way,” Lady Crawford stated with mild disapproval.

“Oh, but haven’t you noticed, Lady Crawford? A lot of people are uncomfortable being in her presence. Her reputation precedes her. Everyone knows she is merely here to ignore the fact thather marriage is falling apart, and she is the sole reason for that,” Lady Perrin smirked.

“With all due respect, Lady Perrin, perhaps you shouldn’t provide any statements on matters that do not concern you which you obviously have no factual information on. Whatever the Duke and Duchess feel is between them, and seeing as you are neither their spouse nor their child, it would be wise to refrain from saying things that might come back to bite you in the rear,” Anne politely said with an overly kind smile.

Lady Perrin’s lips twitched as she very clearly resisted the urge to frown.

“She has made it the ton’s business for lacking the decorum we expected from someone in her position,” she said, glaring at Anne before shifting her gaze back to Juliet. “It is important for one to be honest with themselves,Duchess. You know that you were an… unconventional choice for the title you hold. Which is why it did not take much for your husband to slip into old habits. He might’ve charmed you into believing that ‘important work’ has kept him away, but he is probably buried within the skirts of some woman because that way of life is easier for him than to accept that his wife is very likely going to one day lose her mind and then eventually, herself.Just like your mother.”

Despite the wave of hurt that assaulted her from the woman’s words, Juliet still tried to believe in her husband.

It was hard to forget their tumultuous beginning, but she did not want to hold it over them either. Both of them had such troubledpasts with pain evident in their words and actions, but neither of them had set out to deliberately harm the other.

Juliet wished to trust in the Hector that had held her as she told him about her mother, the Hector who had wanted to enact revenge on her behalf, and the Hector that had stood between her and her father and protected her from even more pain at his hands.

She had seen tenderness in his eyes and felt how much he cared for her when he held her close. She understood how much he also wished for peace between them in the thoughtful ways he spoke to her. It filled her with a sense of belonging and stability and provided her mind and soul with a degree of safety she never imagined she would ever be granted.

And she loved him all the more for it.

A gasp left her lips as her words rolled around in her mind.

“Your Grace?” Anne whispered softly in concern.

Juliet blinked down at her friend, coming to a conclusion quickly.

“We need to leave,” she said, putting the treats in her hands down.

“Yes, that is a fine idea?—”

“Oh, be quiet, Lady Perrin. Everyone knows that your husband is on the verge of bankruptcy due to his gambling habits, and you were caught by your cook in the arms of your gardener. Do not pretend to be a saint when there is visible proof of your own misdeeds,” Anne hissed at the vile woman, turning to the hostess with a pleasant smile. “Thank you for having us, Lady Crawford.”

Then she quickly tugged Juliet away.

The Duchess was proud of her friend and thankful for her company.

“I am sorry,” she apologized once they were in the carriage. “I just…I felt unwell all of a sudden. I want to go home and rest.”

“Do not apologize, Your Grace. I would have pulled you away from that hateful wench if you hadn’t wanted to leave first. Please do not mind anything she said,” Anne reassured kindly.

Juliet had the carriage stop by Anne’s home first, telling her friend that they would certainly see each other later on and thanking her once more for her company that evening. Then the journey to Islington Hall began, and Juliet allowed her mind to explore her sudden discovery.

“Love?” Juliet whispered to herself, terrified by the very idea.

She craved his attention, his affection and his love. Her mother used to sing her songs about the wonders of love, used to brushher hair and whisper tales of how much she loved her father, how their love had brought Juliet to them, and how their love had only grown bigger because they now also shared it with their daughter.

Juliet used to want that and the magic and wonder that came along with it. After her father had left her at St. Catherine’s, she had been forced to see herself as undeserving of such a fantastical thing.

Now, she had a husband whom she loved.

He was all she could think about after she arrived at their home, and she began to get ready for bed. Still, he remained on her mind as she crawled beneath her cold sheets, missing his warmth more than ever.

“Oh, Hector,” she whispered into the darkness, her hands clasped together in prayer. “Please come home to me soon.”

The very next morning, it seemed as though her nighttime prayer had been heard. Leila came to rouse her from sleep with urgency in her voice.