Page 20 of The Rake and the Muse
“Quite,” he ground out. “She has become my friend of sorts, and I don’t want her taken in by him,” he said, nodding towards Duncan.
“I see. He does certainly seem to be trying hard. Too hard.”
Theo released a hearty laugh at that. “Indeed. So I take it you don’t find yourself interested in the man?”
She scrunched her nose. “Not at all. My father hopes that Lord Knox will ask for me.”
The pair finally caught up to Lord Duncan and Juliet, following them as they strolled through one of the outdoor markets. Lady Lily stopped to look at some quills on display, and Theo stopped with her.
“My lady, I have to ask. Why didn’t Knox attend with you today?”
“He wasn’t feeling well and is resting from what I was told,” she replied. “Although I’m uncertain if we shall suit. But my father is pushing the match. He says the earl has expressed interest.”
“Hopefully, you will get to make the choice for yourself. Marriage is forever. That seems an awfully long time to be shackled to someone you don’t wish to be.” Theo glanced at Juliet, and something gnawed at his insides at the way she laughed at something Duncan said to her. The man’s lips were far too close to her ear. Theo’s entire body tensed, and his jaw set in a firm line, watching them.
“I quite agree, my lord. I am to spend this house party getting to know him better, and perhaps some of the other guests.”
Duncan had moved his lips away from Juliet, and Theo did his best to refocus on his conversation with Lady Lily, uncertain if he had heard everything she had said. “I have heard nothing that is concerning regarding his behavior, if that is what you worry about. He isn’t known to gamble or to frequent brothels.”
She paid for the quill she held in her hands. “Thank you. That is helpful. I don’t feel like I know him well at all. Perhaps the next few days in his company will give me more to go on.”
“I wish you luck in your endeavor.” At least she wasn’t interested in him, nor Duncan. She seemed like far too kind of a lady to get snared by such a snake.
“Thank you,” she replied. “I wish you luck in yours.” She nodded towards Juliet.
He shook his head, starting to question what he had just thought about her being kind. “I told you already…”
“I know what you told me. And not that you asked for it, but my advice is that you quit pushing aside whatever it is you feel. You are merely lying to yourself.”
Theo contemplated what the young miss said. He was certainly attracted to Juliet. He thought of her constantly and wished to be near her as often as he could. They bothshared a love of the arts. She supported him, inspired him even.
He had to marry eventually, didn’t he? Perhaps he should contemplate marriage as he promised his brother he would keep the title respectable and their tenants provided for. That would include marrying and providing an heir. The thought of marrying typically filled him with dread and would cause him to run as far as he could in the other direction, but all he had done thus far was try to get Juliet closer to him. The thought of marrying her didn’t scare him, and that realization brought on the fear.
“Perhaps you are onto something, my lady.”
He watched Juliet, and he found he could easily imagine waking up to her every day. The realization sent a shiver of unease through his spine and his heart beat so rapidly that he almost placed his hand over it.
If he didn’t marry her, what then? He tried to picture what life would be like without her in it. What it would mean when they left the house party. He may never see her again, other than perhaps across a crowded ballroom, if he forced himself to attend. His stomach knotted and reeled from the realization of such a future.
Theo had much to think about. He owed it to himself, to both of them, to figure out his mind…and his heart. He needed to draw, to lose himself in his art. A wide grin played on his lips when an idea formed.
“Lady Lily, might you be willing to let me draw you when we return?”
Chapter 8
The trip to the village was an engaging distraction from being inside the house, but Juliet was glad to be back and spent the afternoon working on one of her paintings. She wished to finish it so that she could show it to Theo. She laughed to herself, recalling how he didn’t seem to enjoy the trip to town at all. Duncan needled him for much of the trip. It wasn’t good form, but Juliet couldn’t blame the man for trying. It was clear Lord Duncan had hoped to catch her interest.
She found Duncan to be nice enough, but he tried too hard, which meant he likely had some ulterior motive. Besides, she feared her heart already belonged to Theo. She sighed at allowing herself to admit to the feelings. Theo had no intention of marrying, and if his art was anyindication, he wouldn’t be a faithful husband if he should ever take a wife. Warring with herself, she couldn’t let herself forget her plans for the art gallery, which had been her dream.
Juliet shook off her thoughts and resumed painting. She wanted to get the colors just right. The afternoon light in her room was perfect, and she didn’t wish to waste a single minute of it.
After painting for hours, Bess entered to help her dress. Once she was dressed and ready for dinner, she made her way to the salon. She wished Eliza was still in attendance. While she was delighted that her friend had reconciled with her love, she could benefit from her counsel. Eliza could help her sort through her feelings and make sense of things. Her friend would also tell her to guard her heart and prevent the pain and angst of giving it to a charming rake. But alas, she would have to reason things out on her own and do her best not to leave the house party with a broken heart.
Dinner was much the same as previous evenings. She wasn’t seated near Theo, so she was at the mercy of Lord Duncan’s conversation, mostly about himself. The tedious man had been seated on her left. Lord Knox was to her right, but he didn’t seem too interested in striking up a conversation with her. Lady Preston sat across from her, caught up in conversation with the Duke of St. Albans.Juliet had no choice but to spend the meal talking—or listening, rather—to Duncan. The man was funny in his own way. She wouldn’t call him charismatic, but when he let a bit of sarcasm slip, she found she laughed at his jests. Beyond that, there wasn’t much interesting or sincere about him.
Once everyone had finished their meal, the ladies retired to the salon. She chatted with Lady Preston and Lady Lily until the gentlemen joined. Lord Duncan came directly to Juliet and extended his arm to her.
“Might we take in the night air for a few moments?” he asked.
