Juliana (26 page)

It was more than enough to make up for having to wait for her wedding day to be kissed.

As the dance ended, the clock struck midnight. Finally. After thanking the duke rather profusely, she hurried to meet Amanda.

“It’s midnight.”

“I know.” Amanda looked paler than normal. Paler than the duke. Paler than Juliana suddenly felt.

Juliana didn’t know how a person could
feel
pale, but somehow, despite her recent elation, she did. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

“I cannot marry Lord Malmsey.”

Of course she couldn’t. That would be a disaster for everyone involved. Especially dear Aunt Frances.

“You’re going to have to kiss Lord Stafford,” Juliana warned. The thought made her stomach turn. But only because she was about to be the only unkissed girl in England.

“Right.” Amanda rolled her head about her neck, as if loosening up.

“And you’re going to have to get close to him.”

“I know.” She was breathing deeply, in through her nose, out through her mouth.

Juliana’s hands gripped both of Amanda’s shoulders. She looked her friend dead in the eye and spoke very clearly. “A chaste, hands-off kiss won’t be enough to guarantee a compromise.”

The girl’s fists clenched in determination. “I can do it.”

With a decisive nod, Juliana let go and stepped back. Amanda was ready.

“All right, then. I’ll bring Lord Stafford to the library. Remember to take off your gloves. And make your voice a little breathy.”

Amanda marched off to do as she was told. Juliana watched her go, thinking she looked more like a soldier going into battle than a young woman about to get herself engaged to a rich, handsome, earl.

Juliana felt paler than ever.

But it was too late to call off the plan. If they delayed the compromise much longer, it might not happen at all. And it wouldn’t be fair to deprive Amanda, James, Lord Malmsey, and Aunt Frances of their happiness just to save Juliana from a little distress.

Besides, she’d feel much better soon. There’d be a huge scandal following Amanda’s compromise, which would make her overbearing father come running to London. He would demand that his daughter wed the culprit. It would all be over quickly. And then Amanda would be happily married. To James. She’d move into his grand, antiquity-filled house, and she’d go all tingly when he touched her, and…

And Juliana would feel better.

But right now she was feeling a little sick.

She found James standing in a group of men, sipping another drink while Lord Occlestone grumbled about unnecessary “reforms” that had been introduced in Parliament. She’d been planning to feign a troubled expression, but given her current mood, she didn’t need to. She tapped James on the shoulder.

He turned and looked down at her. “Juliana.”

She pulled him away from the group. “What an unpleasant man. His face suits his personality, don’t you think? His nose is square just like a pig’s.“

“I’ve often thought that myself,” James said, a tipsy smile curving his lips.

Excellent. She wanted him tipsy and amorous. “Lady Amanda is feeling ill.”

“I was just dancing with her. She looked fine.”

“Well, she’s feeling ill now. She went to the library to lie down. Will you come and have a look at her?”

“Of course,” he said, suddenly looking sober and concerned.

She led him to the library, where Amanda was draped elegantly on the sofa, emitting little moans of “pain.” She’d followed Juliana’s instructions exactly. Her gloves were on the desk, and the room was romantically lit, not too dark and not too light.

James set his drink and his own gloves beside Amanda’s, then knelt by the sofa. “Lady Amanda, where does it hurt?”

“It’s my heart,” Amanda said breathily, laying a graceful bare hand on the skin exposed by her neckline. She was a surprisingly good actress. James didn’t stand a chance.

“You’re a mite young for heart trouble,” he told her.

“But it aches,” she insisted, implying it ached for him. “Won’t you listen to it at least?”

“If you wish.” He rose to his feet.

“You cannot listen from there.” With a sultry pout, Amanda patted her chest and leaned toward him. Faith, she was practically falling off the sofa. “You need to press your ear to my heart.”

“No, I don’t.” He walked over to the writing desk. “I can hear it better through a tube.”

“Are you sure?” Amanda asked.

“I’m positive.” He opened a couple of drawers, then found a piece of paper and rolled it up. “This won’t work as well as my new stethoscope, but it should be better than listening without it.”

Juliana was flabbergasted. James seemed completely oblivious to Amanda’s shameless antics. Was he the thickest fellow who ever lived?

Crossing back to Amanda, he placed one end of the paper tube on her chest and lowered his ear to the other. Except for Amanda’s breathy sighs, the room was silent for a moment.

“A little fast,” he reported at last. “But strong and steady.”

Apparently at a loss, Amanda looked toward Juliana.

“Maybe Lady Amanda has a rash,” she said. “James, I think you should loosen her clothes and have a look.”

He eyed Amanda’s bare arms and low décolletage in an altogether clinical manner. “I see no evidence of a rash.” He smiled at his patient, but it was a kind smile, not romantic in the least. “This ball is quite a crush. If you’ve no symptoms to report other than a vague ache in your chest, perhaps sitting quietly for a few minutes might help.”

Juliana didn’t know what to think. Amanda was doing everything right, yet James appeared unmoved.

Then she suddenly realized why. “Please stay with her while she sits quietly, James. I’m going to fetch Lady Billingsgate.”

She didn’t, of course—there was no point in fetching Lady Billingsgate until James and her friend got into a compromising position. Which clearly wasn’t going to happen with her in the room. Of course James wasn’t going to kiss Amanda while another girl watched! Juliana, not he, was the one acting thick.

She went out quietly, leaving the door slightly cracked so she could listen.

“I’m sure you’ll feel better in no time,” she heard James say.

“I’d feel better if you’d sit beside me.”

“I cannot imagine how that could help,” James said. But apparently he did sit down, because the next thing he said was, “There. Do you feel better?”

“No, not yet,” Amanda said and paused. And then she added, “Why don’t you kiss me to make me feel better?”

A shocked silence followed. Juliana was shocked, too. She’d never dreamed Amanda had it in her! But then the silence continued, and Juliana realized it wasn’t a shocked silence. It was the silence that resulted when two people were kissing instead of talking.

Amanda’s boldness had
worked
.

Well, of course it had worked. Hadn’t Juliana said it would?

But although she should be celebrating her plan’s success, she didn’t feel any better. In fact, she felt worse. She felt
underhanded
. She felt like she’d betrayed someone she’d come to think of as a friend.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” James finally said.

Juliana couldn’t figure out what he meant by that, exactly, but her despair lifted. She released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. He hadn’t kissed Amanda. Not yet, anyway. She sagged against the door in relief.

Or rather, she
thumped
against the door in relief. And then it opened, and she all but fell into the library.

James caught her by her shoulders and grinned. “I thought you were Lady Billingsgate.”

Of course he had. She’d said she was going to fetch Lady Billingsgate, after all. A mistake, she now realized, because of course James wouldn’t kiss Amanda while expecting their hostess to show up at any moment.

That was why he’d said it wouldn’t be a good idea.

But his hands felt warm on her shoulders, and she couldn’t be sorry she’d made the mistake. She didn’t want to trick James. She hadn’t wanted to from the first. She was furious with herself for allowing Amanda to talk her into it.

“I’ll fetch Lady Billingsgate,” he said, “while
you
sit with Lady Amanda.” And then he left, taking his warm hands with him.

Juliana made her way to the sofa and collapsed beside her friend.

Poor Amanda was shaking. “I did it,” she said. “I forced myself to do it. And it didn’t work!”

“I’m glad it didn’t work. It was unethical to begin with. We mustn’t try it again.” It had made her feel too guilty. In fact, she
still
felt guilty. She wondered if she’d ever be able to look at James again without feeling a pang of guilt.

“But why didn’t it work? I did everything you said, but he wouldn’t kiss me.”

That had been Juliana’s fault, but she wouldn’t admit it to Amanda. Besides, Amanda was equally to blame. If she had shown any warmth towards him—
him
, not his antiquities—before tonight, he wouldn’t have been able to keep his hands off her, no matter who might see. After all, he’d wrapped his arms around Juliana in a museum crowded with people, and he wasn’t even courting her!

Carefully, she said, ”Maybe he wouldn’t kiss you because you haven’t allowed him to kiss you before.”

“He never
tried
before,” Amanda said. “He isn’t a particularly warm person.”

Juliana nearly dissolved into laughter. Not only was Amanda’s judgement false and absurd, but she could scarcely believe she was hearing her, of all people, complain someone
else
wasn’t warm.

Especially James. Why, James was the warmest fellow she knew. “You need to act more warmly towards
him
. You have to make him believe you want him.”

“I
do
want him. I cannot marry Lord Malmsey! And our wedding is only two weeks away! I must tell Lord Stafford about my engagement.”

“You cannot. He’s too honorable to compromise you on purpose.”

“Then how on earth am I to get him to compromise me at all?”

“You need to let him kiss you, and I don’t mean as part of a plot. One kiss will lead to another, and eventually you’ll be discovered. Society is a nosy lot, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“That sounds like a plot,” Amanda pointed out.

“It isn’t.” All right, maybe it was. But it wasn’t the same sort of plot as the one they’d tried tonight. Corinna had said that a kiss made all the difference. Once Amanda and James kissed, they’d both want to kiss some more, and the rest would happen naturally.

Surely there would be no reason to feel guilty about that.

“Lady Amanda!” Lady Billingsgate exclaimed, rushing in. “Are you unwell? Before Lord Stafford left, he told me you’d taken ill.”

So James had left. Juliana wouldn’t have to face him tonight after the way she’d betrayed their friendship. That was a relief, she thought as Amanda explained to Lady Billingsgate that she was quite recovered, thank you.

So why did it feel more like a disappointment?

RICHMOND MAIDS OF HONOUR

Mix Curd with Butter and add 4 yolks of Eggs beaten with a glass of Brandy, half a cup of Sugar, fine white Breadcrumbs with some ground Almonds and a little Nutmeg. To this put the juice of one Lemon and the grated yellow of 2. Press puff paste into your tins and fill and bake.

These small, rich cheesecakes are from a recipe said to have been in the family since Queen Elizabeth's (my namesake's) time. They will melt anyone. Excellent for begging forgiveness.
—Elizabeth, Countess of Greystone, 1728

THE NEXT
morning dawned unusually bright and sunny, which should have made Juliana feel cheerful. But instead she still felt guilty.

It being Sunday, she attended St. George’s Hanover Square Church, where the sermon was all about honesty, which made her feel even more guilty. So guilty that afterward she baked some Richmond Maids of Honour and asked Griffin to take her to Stafford House.

“Why?” he asked.

A perfectly reasonable question, but one she didn’t want to answer. She was too ashamed of her actions to admit them to her brother.

“I just want to ask Lord Stafford if he’d like me to volunteer next week at the Institute,” she said. That wasn’t quite a lie, since she’d been wondering when he might need her again. “I forgot to ask him last night.” With all that had gone on at the ball, she really
had
forgotten.

“You could send him a note,” Griffin suggested.

“Just take me, will you?”

“Very well.” Griffin shook his head in that mystified, brotherly way of his. “I cannot imagine why a note won’t do, but I’ll take you.”

“Thank you,” she said.

When he was sitting across from her in the carriage, he stretched out his legs and steepled his fingers. “How is your romance with Castleton proceeding?”

She fiddled with the platter on her lap, feeling shy about talking of such things to her brother. “He says he’s falling in love with me, but he hasn’t kissed me yet.”

“He’s a gentleman,” Griffin said, looking not at all unpleased. “He shouldn’t kiss you before you’re wed. Or engaged at the very least.”