Page 44 of Legacy of Glass
“I’m not!” Julius cried. “What happened at the ball was a terrible misunderstanding, and now I’m stuck. Stuck betrothed to the one person I hoped never to see again.”
“So you’re not in love with her?” Cade said slowly. “And I suppose she’s not in love with you either.”
He had a strange look on his face as he said it, and Julius’s brows drew together, although he couldn’t put his finger on his discomfort.
“That is the least of my worries.”
“But what happened to Lady Marigold, then?” Cade was clearly trying to puzzle it out and getting nowhere. “I never even saw her at the ball, although I was naturally on the lookout.”
Julius stood up, his brows lowering further. “Yes, about that. You told me I wouldn’t be disappointed! You lied right to my face! If my mother asked for your opinion, you should have talked her out of an ill-judged start like that.” He shook his head. “Choosing Lady Marigold of all people.”
Cade’s mouth fell open. “Was I supposed to talk Her Majesty out of it? I admit Lady Marigold is a very different style from Lady Olivia, but she’s just as beautiful. The young men of court all admire her.”
“They might admire her beauty, maybe,” Julius said darkly. “But at least half of them are also terrified of her.”
“Some of them, maybe, but you never seemed to have a problem with her,” Cade protested. “She often used to follow us around when we were young, and you were usually willing to let her join in. I thought you would be happy to have a bride who was both beautiful and a friend. It seemed a better beginning with your mystery bride than you were fearing.”
“Yes, Marigold is an excellent companion in any harebrained adventure,” Julius said shortly, “such as the kind we engaged in when we were ten years old. But can you really imagine her presiding over court? Managing all the subtleties of precedence and alliances and…who knows what else my mother helps my father manage?”
“Oh.” Cade blinked, clearly struck. “When you put it like that...”
“Yes.” Julius shook his head. “Exactly. Marigold always showed my parents her sweetest self, so I think Mother is convinced she merely has a…a cheeky side or something. She probably expects her to outgrow it. Marigold saved her true disregard for both convention and sense for her peers.”
“She isn’t that bad,” Cade protested, but his voice sounded weak.
“Of course, her family must know her true nature,” Julius added, once again considering Kasper’s unusual manner. “So they bear some of the blame. They agreed to the alliance without warning my parents, and now it has blown up in all our faces.”
Cade frowned. “Are you saying this apparent misunderstanding was somehow the Emersons’ fault? Is that why Kasper was acting so oddly this morning? Are your parents blaming Lord and Lady Emerson?”
“They should never have agreed to Marigold’s selection,” Julius said, “but the majority of the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of Marigold herself.”
“Marigold?” Cade paused and huffed out a frustrated breath. “Didn’t I already tell you I’m dying of curiosity? Stop dropping nonsensical hints and tell me exactly what happened!”
Julius told him as brief a summary as he could, but it was still a complicated tale. By the end of it, Cade’s mouth was hanging open.
“So Marigold has been sent away in disgrace? But…” He fell back into a chair behind him, shaking his head. “What a trick to play.”
“And against her own friend as well,” Julius added, his already dark thoughts about Lady Marigold turning darker.
“But…why?” Cade asked, still shaking his head.
“Apparently I’m as unappealing a prospect to her as she is to me.” Julius tried to keep his voice light.
“I—” Cade stood up, looked around the room, and sat down again. “I have nothing to say.” He sounded bewildered, and the admission made Julius laugh.
“Is that a first?” he asked. “You’re usually quite ready to give me your counsel—whether requested or not.”
Cade smiled back ruefully, although the shock hadn’t entirely left his eyes.
“I don’t think I have any advice for this situation. I suppose you’ll just have to hope the scholars find a way out of the betrothal. Who would have dreamed you’d find yourself betrothed to someone without wealth or connections?!”
Julius sat forward, leaning on his knees. “I don’t know that I’d say she’s entirely without connections,” he said slowly.
Cade raised his eyebrows. “A servant?”
“She wasn’t actually a servant but a niece of the household,” he said, uncertain why he felt the need to defend Olivia. “She was always acknowledged as family, her aunt just pushed her to fulfill the duties of a servant because of the way the Legacy assisted her. Since the ball, my father has made some discreet inquiries. It seems her uncle has never had much interest in the court, but he’s a canny and successful businessman with an extensive network and solid connections through the city. Father thinks there may be some advantage there.”
One of Cade’s brows shot up. “Do you mean your parents are starting to actually favor the match?”
