CHAPTER 1
“Isn’t His Grace, The Duke of Bilkshore, the most handsome Duke of our acquaintance?” Juliana gushed to her mother and younger sister over their afternoon tea.
The Dowager Marchioness of Randall inclined her head in agreement to her daughter, “Yes, dearest, he is most handsome. Don’t you think so, Lillian?”
Lillian who had been discreetly peeling the crusts off her cucumber sandwiches looked up in alarm, and for the slightest moment she couldn’t recall what they had been discussing. However, just one glance at Juliana’s lovesick expression brought it all back. “The Duke is tolerable, I suppose—he and his brothers are rather—large.”
“Oh, Lilly!” Juliana rolled her eyes at her younger sister, “He isn’t a giant. And I dare say His Grace is a far cry from tolerable. I felt like a princess when he carried me into the cathedral at St. George. He was so kind and gentlemanly. I am terribly lucky that those flowers happened to hit my nose just right!”
“How fortunate you were, my dear,” the Dowager nodded wisely. “And that he chose to call on you the next day.”
Juliana sighed happily, “It was simply meant to be! And someday we shall tell our grandchildren about it.”
Lillian knew that it was asinine to try and insert common sense when her sister was like this. However, she just couldn’t help herself. There were times when Lillian felt like she was living in an alternate universe.
This was certainly one of those times.
“Are you saying that fate knew you bleed easily from your nasal cavity? And that’s why you happen to be struck by the flowers in that exact spot. How very convenient.”
“Lillian!” Juliana protested.
“What?” Lillian blurted out the truth, “You sound ridiculous. Going on and on about His Grace as if you were getting married. Jules, he called on you once, it was well over a week ago. And that was because you were bleeding out of your nose like a stuck pig. Any decent human being would have done the same thing. I think you have sufficiently scared him off though.”
“Momma, Lilly is being most unkind!” Juliana protested.
The Dowager turned to Lillian, “Don’t distress your sister, Lillian.”
“Mother, why are you encouraging her?” Lillian protested, “Juliana, there is nothing between you and the Duke. He didn’t even ask her to dance at the ball last night. I saw him take another path three different times when you were near.”
Juliana lifted her chin, “Perhaps he couldn’t see me?”
Lillian shook her head, “You stood at the corner of the dance floor waving your handkerchief. I don’t see how he could have missed you, Jules. I think he actually was hiding from you at one point. This is getting embarrassing. I love you, Jules, you are my sister. However, you have to stop chasing His Grace. People are going to talk.”
What Lillian didn’t add was that his brother was watching her with those wicked eyes, laughing the entire time. It was utterly humiliating.
“Surely it wasn’t as bad as all that,” the Dowager set her teacup down finally paying attention to the conversation.
Juliana flushed.
Lillian looked at her sister, to tell the truth, Juliana was often flighty and spirited, but she wasn’t a liar.
“Yes, Momma,” Juliana finally admitted, “It was as Lillian described it. I just honestly care for the Duke.”
“Good Lord! Juliana, you cannot behave so wantonly. You will be labeled as fast, my dear. That is the last thing we want for your reputation.” The Dowager noted her daughters fallen shoulders. “Oh, Juliana!”
Lillian hated to see her sister saddened, “Jules, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just hate to see you making a spectacle of yourself.”
Juliana winced, “I didn’t realize that was what I was doing.”
“We don’t need the Stanford bachelors to make us happy,” Lillian wrapped an arm around her sister. “There are plenty of eligible young men out there.”
Juliana nodded slightly, “You are right, Lilly. There are plenty of others.”
The Dowager added, “I am certainly grateful we cleared that up. It would be unfortunate if rumors were spread about that you were chasing a reluctant Duke, Juliana.”
Juliana shivered, “Indeed.”
Without Juliana’s infatuation to witness, Lillian hoped that one particular Stanford brother would stop bothering her. He hadn’t come close enough to speak with her since the wedding, but he was always close enough to send a wink or mocking grin. It was unnerving, and Lillian was quite certain she didn’t want to see him ever again.