Wayward Widow

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‘My sister Araminta is taking care of Daisy and the other girls,’ he said. ‘Besides, she is in such high good spirits to be a bridesmaid that I am sure she will scarcely miss me.’

‘I doubt that,’ Juliana said, feeling a small pang for Daisy Davencourt. ‘I assure you that children notice these things.’

She realised that her tone had been more wistful than she had intended. Martin was still watching her with speculation in his eyes. His perception unnerved her. She gave him a bright smile.

‘If you will excuse me, sir, I will leave. So many more marriages to blight, you know! I cannot afford to waste time here. Although…’ her voice warmed as a thought struck her ‘…perhaps it will enhance my bad reputation for it to be known that you whisked me away from the wedding service. Yes, I do believe I shall encourage that rumour. We were overcome with wild passion and could not restrain ourselves.’

‘Lady Juliana,’ Martin said, a thread of steel in his tone, ‘if I hear for one moment that you are putting that story about I shall denounce it—and you—publicly.’

Juliana opened her eyes wide. ‘But this is all your fault, Mr Davencourt, with your ridiculous suspicions of me! Most young ladies would take advantage of their abduction to oblige you to marry them!’

Martin’s lips twitched. ‘Doing it too brown, Lady Juliana. I cannot imagine that you would wish to marry me even for a minute!’

‘No, of course not. But the very least you could do is permit me to use it to enhance my poor reputation.’

‘Certainly not.’

Juliana pouted. ‘Oh, you are so stuffy! But I suppose you are correct in one sense—no one would believe in a hundred years that I could possibly be attracted to you!’

They stared at one another for a long moment, but before Martin could respond there was the sound of voices and footsteps on the tiled floor of the hall. The door was flung open and a gentleman burst in.

‘Martin, I’ve—’ He stopped abruptly, looked from Martin to Juliana and back again. ‘I beg your pardon. I had thought you to be at the wedding, and when Liddington said that you were home I did not realise you had company.’

‘I was at the wedding and I do have company,’ Martin said. He smiled slightly. ‘Lady Juliana, may I make you known to my brother Brandon? Brandon, this is Lady Juliana Myfleet.’