Page 52 of Unmasking a Wicked Marquess
“Arthur and I are friends. We are cousins, yes, but you surely do not mean it to be anything more than that?”
“I am hardly writing to arrange your betrothal now.” Robert laughed, but the sound was dry, and he kept his face turned away from her still. “He will keep you company, and I hope you shall spend much more time with him than you do, Lord Ashton, at present. Besides, I do believe Arthur to be in love with you.”
She scoffed, and he narrowed his eyes a little.
With these words, there was a finality in his tone. He dropped the quill in the inkwell and sat back in his chair, looking up at her in an accusatory manner.
Juliet’s mouth was dry as she considered all that had passed at the races. She considered her evident jealousy, yet the way Edward had crept off to speak with her, too, the subtle care of him taking her hand and the way they had bonded over the races and the horses together. It had been a thrilling morning. Was it all crumbling like dust between her fingers now?
“Father?” she whispered, releasing Robert’s shoulder and staring back into his eyes. “Is it really so awful if I should enjoy Lord Ashton’s company a little? You were friends with his father once –”
“Enough.” Robert looked away. He stared down at the letter in front of him and breathed sharply. “Do not recall that time to me, Juliet. I will not think of it. I refuse to think of the selfishness of it all, the betrayal, the refusal to even admit …” He huffed a little and rubbed the brow of his nose, then lowered his hand once again. “We do not associate with that family.” He stood abruptly from his seat. “You shall quit how much you talk to Lord Ashton.”
“Father, please –”
“At once, Juliet.” He was sharp as he turned to face her. Robert was rarely so harsh in manner that she felt as if his words had strangled her for a minute. She looked at the carpet between them, unable to form a single word at all. “I shall write to Arthur. Knowing him, he will join us within a few days. He is always eager to be with you, I am sure.”
She snorted, knowing well enough about Arthur’s eagerness. He jumped to her father’s orders, not for her, but because he knew if he was in Robert’s favour, he might get some money out of Robert someday.
“Do not make such a sound,” Robert whispered. “It is disparaging of your cousin.”
“I mean to disparage a man who is so openly interested in money and not so much in our company. At least when Lord Ashton talks to me, he is talking to me. He is not interested in anything else.”
“You think not?” Robert actually laughed as he turned to sign his name at the bottom of the letter. “I know the family, Juliet. I know them as you do not. Do not mistake their intentions for being good of heart. I made that mistake for years, and you will not do the same. Any kindness he might have shown you is there for a reason. Trust me on that.”
He lifted the letter and swept from the room, still not having sealed it but evidently eager to be out of her company as quickly as possible. As he left, she stood woodenly in the same spot.
An image flashed in her mind. It was of Lady Clarissa laying her hand on Edward’s arm, and he did not brush her off.
Chapter 16
I cannot bear this.
Edward stared at Juliet across the busy parlour in the Duke of Darby’s house. After the long day at the races, everyone seemed to still be full of energy, to his great surprise. People gathered in card games, others played charades in the corner by the fire, and a group of ladies had gathered together with their books to discuss them.
At one of the card tables, Juliet sat with her sister and Jane. Edward’s shock to see his sister bonding with Juliet was not as great as his father’s disappointment.
“What does she think she’s doing?” Philip huffed, sitting down beside Edward on a rococo settee near the window, somewhat separated from the rest of the group.
“Hmm?” Edward murmured distractedly, for his eyes were focused on Juliet. She was smiling gently as she played. She had this habit of tucking the loose auburn curls of her updo back behind her ear. He kept following that movement with his eyes, wishing he was the one to tangle his hand in those locks.
“Your sister. I have asked her time and time again to keep her distance.”
“Father …” Edward whispered, turning to see his father was fidgeting in his angst. He could scarcely sit still, adjusting his tailcoat and his cravat, before fiddling with a glass of port that had been given to him, though he showed little interest in drinking it. “What is so wrong if Jane enjoys Lady Juliet’s and Lady Violet’s company?”
Philip looked so sharply at him that Edward actually flinched.
“You’d think I had suggested Jane started throwing curses at passersby for her own amusement.” At least his jest managed to bring the smallest of smiles to Philip’s face, even if it didn’t last long. “The sins of the father are not the sins of the children, are they?” Edward said with what he hoped was a more casual shrug. “Maybe Lord Clarence is your enemy, but that surely does not mean Lady Juliet and Lady Violet have to be Jane’s enemies.”
“I do not like the way you speak.”
“Yet can you deny I speak sense?”
“When did travel make you wise?” Philip still did not look best pleased. “Wait, wait, what’s going on now?” Philip abruptly leaned forward, so much in danger of dropping the port glass that Edward snatched it from his hand.
“What’s wrong?”
Philip didn’t answer but pointed away across the room.
