Page 42 of Three Weeks with a Princess
“Stop trying to intimidate my stepfather,” Lia said.
“Stop trying to ignore the truth of your situation,” Jack retorted. “After tonight’s debacle, there is an even greater necessity for you to rusticate, and as soon as possible.”
“Again, thank you for such kind words,” she said caustically. “There’s no need for me to flee like a thief in the night. I didn’t do anything wrong. It was just a slight mishap and not worth the fuss you’reallmaking.”
“A slight mishap? Are you completely mad? Your performance gave London its most delicious piece of gossip in months.Andyou’ve now attracted a legion of scoundrels and rakes.” He shook his head, looking disgusted. “I cannot believe you or anyone else thought it appropriate to play a breeches role.”
“I say, that’s not fair,” Stephen piped up. “Lots of actresses do so, including my wife.”
“Well,thisparticular actress isn’t doing it anymore,” Jack said. “In fact, her acting days are over.”
Lia was considering running her dearest friend through with her mother’s prop spear when a woman shoved Stephen aside to enter the room.
“Confound it,” her stepfather said. “No need to push, young lady.”
The newcomer ignored him. “Do stop badgering the poor girl,” she said, glowering at Jack. “She’s correct—she didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You’re as bad as she is.” Jack shot a disgusted look at the tall, elegant man who’d crowded into the room behind the young woman. “Can’t you keep her under some semblance of control?”
“You know the answer to that question as well as I do,” the man said sardonically.
“My husband is much too intelligent to hinder me when he knows I’m right,” the woman said.
Feeling muddled by her headache and the commotion, Lia shook her head. “Excuse me. I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you?”
The woman gave her a dazzling smile. “You couldn’t possibly be ruder than I am, as my husband would be thrilled to tell you. My name is Gillian and I am your cousin.”
That announcement stunned the entire room into silence, although Lia fancied she heard a weary sigh from Jack. She stared at the tall, lovely young woman dressed in the first style and decked out in a set of obviously expensive diamonds. Everything about her and her husband shouted of membership in the upper tiers of the nobility.
Instinctively, her gaze flew to Jack, whose expression comingled resignation and annoyance. “She’s my cousin?” she managed in a thin voice.
He nodded. “You have many cousins, pet, as you know. And aunts and uncles, for that matter.”
“Not that any of them would have anything to do with us,” her mother said with an offended little sniff. “The nobs love looking down on our sort.”
“You’ll be happy to know that I’m not the least bit snobby, Aunt Marianne,” Lia’s newfound cousin said in a cheery tone.
Even Mama looked shocked by the informal address.
Gillian stepped forward and extended her hand. “But allow me to properly introduce myself, dear cousin. I’m Gillian Dryden Penley, Duchess of Leverton. And that distinguished fellow in the doorway is my husband, the Duke of Leverton. In truth, heisa bit of a snob. But because he’s also an exceedingly nice man, I hope you’ll overlook that little flaw.”
To his credit, the duke simply lifted an ironic eyebrow in response to his wife’s summary of him.
Lia weakly extended her hand to the duchess, who clasped it in a no-nonsense grip. Part of her wanted to laugh at the young woman’s forthright manner, but she couldn’t seem to process the astounding turn of events. Jack not only knew the duchess was Lia’s cousin, he was apparently quite friendly with her. That he had withheld such knowledge from her grew more annoying with every passing second.
Mama, never one to miss a golden opportunity, leaped to her feet, then swanned into a deep and graceful curtsy. “Your Graces, we had no idea you were in the audience tonight. This is such a great honor. We do hope you enjoyed the performance.”
“It was . . . illuminating,” the duke said. He glanced at Lia. “In more ways than one.”
She fancied she caught a note of disapproval in his smooth tones, which didn’t improve her rising temper. Even worse, her head was pounding like a blacksmith’s hammer. As much as she wanted to stay and speak with Gillian Penley, she was desperate to flee the confusion and noise and collapse into a warm bed.
“Jack, why didn’t you tell me the duchess wished to meet me? She’s obviously a friend of yours,” she said, focusing on the part that bothered her most.
He grimaced. “I was trying to figure out the best way to break the news. It’s rather tricky, as you must admit.”
“By telling me straight out, I would think,” she said. “‘Lia, you have a cousin and she seems very nice.’”
The duchess beamed. “Thank you, my dear. If it’s worth anything, I thought Jack should have told you weeks ago.”
