Page 19 of A Bride for the Sinful Duke

Juliet stepped closer to the woman to give her a taste of her own medicine. “Since you now see how feisty I can be, if I were you, I would refrain from making such demeaning remarks.”

“What’s going on here?” Lady Campton demanded as she stepped between the two of them. She turned to her friend with a raised brow. “Viscountess Blumesbury, meet my stepdaughter, Juliet. Now, she…”

“I know who she is,” the Viscountess hissed and stepped away.

“Are you all right?” Dinah turned to the new bride.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” asked Juliet in turn, holding up her chin in defiance.

Her attention briefly alighted upon the woman as she walked away before she also turned and walked away from Lady Campton. She stopped in the corner of the grand hall, her gaze taking in the host of people gathered to celebrate with them. Most, of course, had other reasons for showing up.

“A glass of lemonade for you, Your Grace,” Leila said, stopping in front of Juliet. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Leila,” said Juliet, reaching for the cup. She took a sip from the glass and shut her eyes to silence the din of the room. “What about…”

“My, my, if it’s not the new bride,” drawled another lady.

“That’s Lady Smythe,” whispered Leila. “Be careful with her, Your Grace,” she added and hurried off.

Juliet spun around, her gaze sizing up a lady draped in layers of silk and jewels. “Lady Smythe.”

Lady Smythe didn’t bother hiding her disdain. “How quaint of the Duke to choose a bride of such… humble origins.”

Juliet huffed. “It is indeed surprising how life can take such unexpected turns.”

“Unexpected, yes,” Lady Smythe replied sharply. “I can scarcely imagine how a girl raised in a nunnery could possibly understand our complex society. But then…” she paused as her gaze roamed over Juliet, and she sneered, “perhaps, what the Duke seeks isn’t understanding.”

“If complexity is what the Ton breeds,” Juliet said, stepping closer to the lady, “then I dare say they’ve failed as a group. One should be happy if she doesn’t fit into that small box.”

The lady scoffed. “That’s no way to speak…”

Juliet didn’t bother exchanging further words with her. She drank the rest of her lemonade, handed the glass to a passing staff member, and walked away after excusing herself gracefully.

Even then, she wasn’t allowed to enjoy her small feat. Whispers followed her as she moved around the hall.

When a small hand stopped her, she sighed and halted in her tracks.

“You are a lucky woman,” the lady mused. ‘We’ve all had eyes on the Duke.”

“His quick strides and ruggedly handsome face…” another gushed before hastily covering her mouth.

Juliet visibly relaxed. These ladies appeared to be a friendlier bunch than the poisonous pomposity she’d just endured.

“He’s quite a handsome man. The young maidens of London were all after him,” said a lady, giving Juliet a conspiratorial wink. “They must hate you now that you’ve stolen him.”

“Oh, I see now,” Juliet joked, pleased to have met someone well-intentioned enough to converse with.

“And welcome to the married community,” another guest greeted.

Juliet forced a tight smile as she overheard a lady whisper into another’s ear, “Poorly raised girls can never make good duchesses.”

The depth of the Ton’s jealousy could ruin anyone.

Hector suddenly stepped in, his expression stern. “If you will excuse us, my wife and I have other guests to whom we must attend.”

“Finally,” Juliet said under her breath.

She relaxed as he led her away, gripping her arm firmly.

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