Page 36

A fter a fitful night’s sleep, Juliana forced herself out of bed late the next morning. Birdsong and the sweet smell of late-blooming wisteria drifted in from the open window.

Juliana stretched and rubbed her eyes.

Miss Price cast a smile over her shoulder as she poured fresh water into the washbasin. “Good morning, miss. Did you sleep well? Excited about the ball this evening?”

Before Juliana could answer, Miss Price, always the chatterbox, continued, “Silly question. Of course you are! Now, don’t be a slugabed. Let’s get you washed and dressed.”

For once grateful for the maid’s ramblings, Juliana responded and smiled at—what she hoped were—the appropriate times.

Truth be told, she hardly comprehended a word Miss Price said.

Scenarios which had flitted in and out of her mind most of the night persisted even more vividly once she was fully awake.

How would Victor react upon seeing Adalyn again?

Should she have accepted Nash’s offer to refrain from attending?

No. Convinced she had made the right decision, she prepared herself to face the consequences.

Even though Victor had no chance of winning Adalyn, Juliana dreaded witnessing the affection on his face for a woman who was not her. To know he would never gaze at her with such love and devotion would break her heart.

Unlike her father, Juliana didn’t want to be the second choice—no matter how much she loved Victor. And make no mistake, she’d come to accept she loved Victor with her whole heart.

Where did that leave her? Marrying another man who would be her second choice?

Why must love be so—so messy?!

As Miss Price brushed and tugged Juliana’s hair into submission and chattered on, one word snagged Juliana’s attention.

“Cousin? What did you say?”

Hairbrush still clutched in one fist, Miss Price propped her hands on her hips and stared at Juliana in the mirror’s reflection. “Are you not listening, miss? Well, I suppose that’s your right and all with it being such an exciting day. But I was telling you what I heard from Mr. Dawson.”

“About Mr. Dawson’s cousin?” Juliana asked, trying to piece together the fragments.

Miss Price huffed. “No, miss. His Grace’s cousin. Dawson said His Grace is thrilled, but Mr. Dawson said it’s all a little scandalous.”

Juliana chuckled. “Dawson seems to have a lot of opinions. What is scandalous about a cousin?”

Although only the two of them were in the room, Miss Price leaned forward and whispered, “Mr. Grey was born on the wrong side of the blanket.”

Oh, of course. Drake’s Uncle Forbes’s son. She’d been so wrapped up in her own thoughts. Her cheeks warmed that it had taken her a moment to make the connection.

“They found him?”

“At the gaming hell.” Miss Price lowered her voice once more. “He owns it. Can you imagine?” She shook her head and tsked her apparent disapproval.

“Well, I think that’s wonderful. Very enterprising of him.”

Mercifully, Miss Price finally finished with Juliana’s hair and left. Wandering down to the breakfast room, Juliana stopped short when Adalyn exited the blue parlor.

“Good morning, Juliana. If you would excuse me, I’m told Benjamin is upset about something and refuses to be quieted by anyone except me. I worry Nash and I spoil him.”

Juliana muttered, “Of course,” as Adalyn raced off in a blur.

Voices echoed from the room Adalyn had just left.

“Are you certain you want to do that, Your Grace?” Nash’s deep voice cautioned.

“Why not? He’s family.”

Curious to learn more about Drake’s cousin, Juliana postponed her breakfast and entered the room. “Good morning. Miss Price told me about Mr. Grey. Well, that you’d found him. If she said anything else, I’m afraid I wasn’t paying much attention.”

The three men, Drake, Simon, and Nash, rose in greeting. Trifle, Charlotte’s kitten, who had been curled up in Simon’s lap, meowed in protest at being disturbed. Honoria placed her teacup on her saucer and gave a little laugh. “One’s mind does drift when Susan begins her nattering.”

Once seated next to Honoria, Juliana listened as Drake relayed how they discovered that Miles owned The Knave of Hearts .

“We should get special privileges,” Simon said and received a glare from Charlotte.

“You already cheat. You’re lucky he doesn’t throw you out and ban you completely.”

“Me?” Simon placed a hand on his heart, his expression one of innocence, eliciting laughs from everyone who knew him well.

Juliana accepted a cup of tea from Honoria. “But how did you find out he is your cousin?”

Drake shook his head. “It’s hard to explain. But I had this uncanny sensation that we were connected somehow. And of course, there are his eyes. Amber like mine.”

Simon plucked Trifle off his trouser leg and settled her back on his lap. “The first time I saw him, I knew there was something familiar about him. But of course, it was my wedding day, and I was so madly in love, I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

Charlotte gave an unladylike snort.

Nash straightened. “You went to a gaming hell on your wedding night? And I thought I liked you.” He grinned. “But of course, with Charlotte as a bride...”

Simon slapped his knee and guffawed.

Drake’s expression turned sheepish as his gaze met Juliana’s. “I’ve invited Miles to the ball. I don’t know if he will accept; he seemed reluctant. I know I should have asked you, but I’d had a little too much to drink and...well...”

Juliana turned toward Nash. “You think it’s inadvisable?”

Nash shrugged. “Members of the ton don’t normally accept by-blows at their formal gatherings. Expect some talk, fodder for the scandal sheets.”

“It might prove to our advantage,” Honoria said. “If Mr. Grey’s connection to Drake is revealed within hearing of one of the suspects.”

“Good luck trying to catch the culprit of The Muckraker ,” Nash said. “He’s as slippery as an eel.”

“But what about Mr. Grey?” Juliana frowned. “To use information about him as bait seems cruel.”

“Miles doesn’t care about his reputation,” Drake said. “In fact, he told me it might boost business. His reluctance in attending the ball isn’t because he’s worried about himself. Victor had some misgivings, and Miles didn’t want to ruin your evening, Juliana.”

“Victor was concerned?” Sudden warmth flowed like honey through her veins.

Simon nodded. “He said he wanted the evening to be perfect. Said something about making a final change to your portrait and bringing it to unveil this evening as well. Of course, he was feeling a bit full of himself after that win at speculation.”

Drake’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Besting both Middlebury and Lord Whyte the way he did made it even better. When Victor turned over that king of hearts, I thought Middlebury’s eyes were going to bulge out of his head.

And Whyte! The look on his face was almost as good as Stratford’s when I revealed I was Burwood.

Regardless, Victor understands the importance of unmasking the person behind that scurrilous rag.

Middlebury took the bait with greedy jaws last night, even believing the ridiculous part about Clarence refusing the throne, although Whyte saw through it.

I doubt he’ll pass that information on to his wife or Lydia. ”

“Which begs the question, who should we target for the bit about the captain?” Simon asked.

Juliana frowned. “Who is the captain?”

“Miles.” Drake answered. “He served in the navy like his father. Since gossip involving him relates to our family, perhaps someone who has a direct vendetta against you, Juliana.”

“You mean Lydia?”

“Yes,” Drake said. “Whyte made a point of stating Victor’s and your engagement broke Lydia’s heart.”

Both Charlotte and Nash barked a laugh, but Charlotte was the one who voiced her disbelief. “Lydia doesn’t have a heart.”

Simon quirked a dark eyebrow at his wife.

“No comments from you, please. I have a heart. I simply don’t parade it around for all to see.”

“I know that, my love. It’s because it’s the softest of hearts and in need of that coat of armor you wear for protection.”

Charlotte gave a sharp nod, then lifted a slender finger. “And if anyone in this room repeats that, I will have a narrow list of people to interrogate and seek retribution.”

Honoria chuckled into her tea. “I agree with Juliana. Lydia should be the one to hear about Miles. That leaves Lord Felix and Lady Cartwright.”

“Leave Felix to me,” Nash said. “According to Charlotte, he’s aligned himself with my brother and will likely report back anything he hears about me. I can drop some false news about my investments.”

“What about Victor’s mother?” Juliana hated thinking the woman was behind the awful gossip sheet. “She wouldn’t report anything that appeared to harm Victor, even if it involved me, would she?”

Honoria shook her head. “I would hope not. Aurelia’s taste in gossip leans more toward inappropriate behavior or unfortunate matches.”

Juliana cringed. “Like mine and Victor’s?”

Honoria grasped Juliana’s hands. “Oh, my dear, I didn’t mean to imply you at all. And there was nothing inappropriate about your behavior, nor is your match unfortunate. But I do have an idea and will enlist Lady Montgomery’s help.”

With their plans in place, the men dispersed to attend to business, and Juliana excused herself to have breakfast.

The piece of toast she nibbled sat like a stone in her stomach. She needed to warn Victor about Adalyn.

A note would not suffice. She wanted—no needed—to see his face when he heard the news. Only then could she be certain of her next course of action. She took a deep breath and another bite of toast, hoping the evening itself didn’t end in disaster.

Too excited to sleep once he returned to his apartments, Victor stayed up until the wee hours, making a few small changes to Juliana’s portrait.

Finally at dawn, as the rising sun cast stripes of yellow light across his studio, he snuffed out the candles and, with hands on his hips, stood in front of his easel, more than proud of his work.