The Infamous Bride (3 page)

Hero persisted. "It is only your pride wounded because he would not dance with you and passed you off to the American." With an affectionate light in her eye, she added, "Console yourself with the certainty that there are others who will take his place in your affections eagerly enough. Leave the poor boy alone."

"How easy for you to say such a thing. You have Arthur to adore you, just as Miranda has Simon." Juliet glared at her sisters. How dare they suggest she give up hope of one day having the same kind of love they had found with their husbands? Not that Juliet would want either of those men. No, the duke was much too stuffy, and Arthur preferred dusty old books to dancing. Still, the way they looked at their wives escaped no one's notice.

"That is not at all what I meant." Miranda sighed.

"Obviously, if he could behave with such a lack of consideration for your feelings, Pendrake was not the man for you."

"How can I be certain of that now?" She had not entirely given up hope that he might have been the one to look so at her instead of seeing only the fact that she was beautiful and amusing. And now he had gone and engaged himself to Elizabeth Forsdyke.

She would not rest until she knew, from his own lips, why he had done such a thing.

"Do you think he will attend tonight?" The carriage bounced over a rut in the road, and Juliet clutched her beautiful new bonnet tightly to her head. Try as she might, no unobtrusive manner of approaching Pendrake had occurred to her in well over a week. She must contrive a way to ask him why he had abandoned her. And soon. Her patience was frayed to the edge of despair.

"I cannot say, Juliet." Miranda did not sound as if she were in sympathy with Juliet's concern at all.

"Sometimes I think he is deliberately avoiding me." Or his family was keeping him from her. But she would not voice that suspicion aloud. Her sister would only laugh at the thought. "He has come to none of the balls since he jilted me."

"Can you blame him?" Her sister's question was sharp. "Think how you would feel if one of your castoff suitors demanded an explanation when you did not wish to give one, never mind accused you of jilting him when you had no formal understanding."

"Our hearts were in communion. I know it." Something, or someone, had stopped Pendrake from offering for her. Juliet could feel the truth of that in her bones. "And now we will never have that harmony that perfect couples have."

Miranda sighed and added, "You will see, in time you will find someone. Someone perfect for you."

"In time?" Easy for her sister to say. She had her husband. A duke, no less. "How many years must I wait? I am practically on the shelf, Miranda."

"You are no such thing." Miranda's laughter rang clear. "You will see — "

"I see too clearly, I fear. Pendrake wishes to forget my existence utterly and has not even thrown me the crumb of asking for a dance just once to show that he does not despise me."

"He does not despise you. He simply chose to marry another woman."

Juliet felt a wave of despair close over her head. "Perhaps the truth is that no sensible man would ever choose me for a wife. Perhaps I am thought of as an exotic bird, to be admired but of no real use other than for amusement and decoration."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"Then I must ask. Next time I see him — "

Miranda snapped impatiently. "Juliet, you must stop pursuing the man. He is engaged. Why would he risk gossip by asking you to dance or even giving you more that a brief polite greeting?"

True enough. "To demonstrate that he still holds me in regard, of course."

Miranda sighed. "Juliet, he is a man. He very likely has no idea of the depth of your distress. No doubt he believes he is doing you a kindness to stay away."

"Well, he is not. How can he not know that his dastardly decision has devastated me? I want him to beg my forgiveness for such cowardly behavior."

Hero shook her head. "You will have to satisfy yourself with holding your chin high, Juliet. If you pretend you are not hurt by his actions, everyone will believe it."

Knowing that her sisters would be of no assistance, Juliet left them at the entryway and entered the ballroom alone. She searched the faces of those already present as she quickly made a circuit of the ballroom. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw him, but she did not allow her expression to show anything more than polite indifference to the sight of him.

"I see he is here tonight." Miranda came up behind her. "Do not make a fool of yourself Juliet. You will be the one to regret it."

For an hour, Juliet was able to smile and dance with every man who asked her as if her heart were not breaking. She was certain that Pendrake's presence meant he was ready to speak to her. Ready to face her and explain why he had not told her about his engagement himself.

As time passed, she realized he would not approach. In fact, every time she glanced casually to where he stood, she saw him in deep conversation with the American, Mr. Hopkins.

What difference did it make what everyone else believed? Foolish gossips. It was Pendrake's actions she wanted explained. "Why did he not warn me? I could have asked him directly if only he gave me the opportunity." But obviously he had no intention of approaching her, and silly convention prevented her from requesting a dance from him, though the idea intrigued her. Wouldn't the old crows buzz about that? Unfortunately, Miranda's husband was such a stickler for propriety, he would no doubt exile her back to Anderlin with her brother Valentine and his wife, Emily, if he were to hear of her having done something so bold.

Juliet wanted nothing more than to cross the room and ask him directly why he had humiliated her. She would have no peace until she knew. She sighed. Sometimes avoiding scandal was a tedious business. Perhaps if she simply bumped into him and exchanged a few words.... Surely no one could object to that. She did not ask either sister, but began navigating a course directly toward Pendrake.

* * * * *

R.J. saw her steady approach and spent a few moments of inaction in sheer disbelief. Fortunately. Freddie's back was to the approaching Miss Fenster, so he remained unaware as R.J. quickly moved to intercept her. His friend was still uncertain enough about his upcoming marriage that R.J. deemed it best he not have to deal with an assault on his senses such as Miss Fenster would provide.

He took hold of her arm with a smile of greeting that he hoped would fool anyone watching them. Deftly, he maneuvered them into a shadowed alcove for a private conversation without a single objection from the woman in his grasp.

"I just want to speak to him. Is that so awful?" Apparently she had decided to throw herself upon his mercy.

"It is no use." Once again he was blunt. Somehow with Miss Fenster he had no patience for games. "You must set your sights on another lord."

To his shock, she raised her gaze to meet his and was equally blunt. "Why do you say so?" She searched his face, obviously seeking the truth of the matter. "He is not wavering at all — you are certain of this? You have not known him half as long as I."

"I am certain. I have known him since we were both in short pants. My father and his are good friends."

She looked crestfallen. For a moment he hoped she would accept his word and leave Freddie to accept his fate with Elizabeth. He added, to cement the finality of the matter, "Lord Pendrake has made it plain to me that his marriage is a family duty. He knows the time has come to take it up."

He realized his error as soon as her expression sharpened with hope. "A family duty?" Her eyes shone like jewels, and he felt sorry for Pendrake and any other man who had come under Miss Juliet Fenster's spell. She whispered, "He does not love her, then?"

"Love her?" The scorn that thickened his voice made her flinch, and he felt a twinge of regret to see that he had touched a vulnerability he had not suspected. Still, it would do neither Miss Fenster nor Pendrake any good to leave her with any illusions on the matter. "Did you imagine him a fool who trusted his future to be decided by a fickle heart?"

She gasped with indignation, but he did not let her interrupt his lecture. "Or perhaps you mistakenly believed you had twisted him about your little finger so that he had become one?" He shook his head sharply. "Let me assure you, Lord Pendrake is a sensible man who knows better than to let his heart lead his head in the matter of choosing a wife."

Her nostrils flared. "I hope you are not implying, Mr. Hopkins," she replied icily, "that only a fool would choose me for a wife. Surely even an American can recognize that as an unpardonable insult."

There was a tremble of hurt in her voice that made him soften what he had been about to say. "I make no comment on the sort of man who would choose to marry you, Miss Fenster." No doubt there were many fools blinded by a pretty face and a lively manner to the reality of living with such a creature day to day for the rest of their lives. "I merely say that Pendrake has wisely allowed his head to rule his choice of wife."

He could see that she felt the truth of his words keenly but intended to argue further. He added, sternly. in the hope that she would take his warning and guard her behavior in the future, "What man's head would direct him to choose a wife who would use another man to foster his jealousy?"

His blunt words at last left her speechless. For the first time, he could feel her attention directed fully at him. Her gaze swept him from head to foot, then returned to meet his. She smiled and tilted her head as she contemplated him, as if delving into his very soul. The glisten of her unshed tears made the intensity of her fury quite clear.

He understood why men such as Pendrake had been bedazzled. Even he, who knew better than to believe his words had hurt her, was tempted to reach out and comfort her. He stopped himself only by remembering that she was using the tears to manipulate him. No doubt she felt nothing but frustration that he was not responding to her wiles and offering to arrange to deliver Pendrake to her feet.

She was beyond doubt the most beautiful woman he had ever met. Giving her his most determined expression, he counted himself fortunate that he was a sensible man and immune to any and all blandishments she might contrive.

Juliet faced the severe American, striving for as innocent a look as she could manage. The dark blue of his eyes seemed to lend gravity to his words. Despite the pain of hearing her worst fears confirmed by his words, she knew she must convince him that he was mistaken. "I am afraid that you have completely misunderstood my concerns, Mr. Hopkins."

After all these years of disapproving looks and unkind comments. she should be used to the fact that other people thought her less than serious. She could not stop the slight tremble in her voice, so she smiled brightly to mask her hurt.

Apparently she succeeded, because he did not soften his tone at all when he replied, "I understand you completely, Miss Fenster. You intend to remind Lord Pendrake of your charms so that he will abandon Elizabeth for you."

"How absurd." The man was much too perceptive. But it wasn't as if she truly wanted to make him do anything against his will. No, she simply meant to ensure that he fully understood what it was he had given up when he turned from her.

"Did you, or did you not, intend to accidentally engage him in conversation just now?"

She did not deny it. "I merely wished to ensure that he was happy." Or, more properly, that he did not throw his happiness away foolishly. Perhaps he would come to his senses before it was too late. Not that Mr. Hopkins would ever understand that. The American had ice water flowing through his veins.

His lips pressed together briefly before he asked, "Or is it more likely that you wished to make him unhappy in his engagement?"

She brushed his suggestion away with a flick of her fan. "Of course not. I think of him very fondly, and I merely wish him to be pleased with his choice, not coerced by some family obligation." That was true enough. She needn't dwell on the fact that it irked her that Pendrake's family might have coerced him away from her in particular.

Annoyingly, her earnest confession did not erase the skepticism from his expression. Indeed, he continued to question her motives. "I am surprised you feel that way."

"Why is that?" She toyed with the idea of flouncing away from him and this tedious conversation. But then she reconsidered. If Mr. Hopkins conveyed her distress to Pendrake, surely he would realize that he owed her an apology at the very least.

Additionally, if he would not, the longer she stayed here in the alcove with him, the more chance that Pendrake would take notice. The American was a tolerably handsome man in a dark and solemn way. If he had smiled at her more than the one time when his sister introduced them, and once when he led her onto the dance floor, she might have been fooled into thinking he had a heart.

Fortunately, his lack of a heart was of no consequence to her. It was Pendrake's heart she was concerned with now. And she had long ago learned that nothing piqued a man's interest in a woman more than a rival for her affections.

"I had heard gossip — " He smiled down at her as if he were indulging her in a child's pretense, and she had a strong urge to kick him in the shins to see if he could be roused to any temper at all. But that would spoil the impression that she found his company interesting. "Perhaps it is my folly to have believed the idle chatter that many had expected Pendrake would break with his family wishes and make an offer for you."

"Where did you hear such drivel?" Could he be speaking the truth? Was she not the only one who had expected Pendrake to make an offer for her? Oh, how maddening that she had not yet found a way to talk to him directly.

He raised an eyebrow, and she feared he would scold her yet again for her forward nature. Instead, infuriatingly, he became the epitome of reticence. "Suffice it to say that I have heard it said by more than one person more than once." His harsh and unmusical accent grated on her ears, almost as unpleasant as his words.

"You should not credit gossip, Mr. Hopkins." Juliet could not soften the sharpness of her voice, for her disappointment in his ill-timed discretion was too great. "It is something we English have perfected throughout the centuries. You Americans are, perhaps, more forthright and not used to our ways."