Page 13 of A Deal with the Broken Duke
Harry chuckled. “I guess it is,” he agreed. “We should probably tell everyone that we’re courting one another.”
That was so shocking to Juliet that she couldn’t suppress a laugh. “That would be funny.”
“It would keep our persistent admirers from bothering us,” Harry said. “If they thought we were unavailable and that they had no chance, they would probably move on and leave us alone.”
“I’d like to think that would work.” Juliet pursed her lips. “The truth is that I’m not sure if anything would discourage Lord Stickland. He is the most persistent man I have ever met. But I want to thank you for taking the time to come outside and rescue me from that situation. For noticing what was going on. I was frightened, and I appreciate your being there to help me.”
“Of course,” Harry said. “You’re Daniel’s sister. I’ll always help you out if I can.”
Juliet smiled at him.
Perhaps she had misjudged Harry. After all, she had changed quite a lot in the past six years. Wasn’t it at least possible that he had changed, too?
She resolved, from this moment forward, to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was Daniel’s best friend,and he had shown her care and kindness tonight. This was not the cruel, taunting man she had once known. There was no need to dread his appearance in a room. Perhaps now the two of them could be friends as well.
“I should go and find Daniel,” she stated.
“And you’re sure you won’t tell him what happened?”
“No. He would only worry, and he would make more of it than it was, just as you’re doing. Lord Stickland didn’t attack me, after all. He was trying to compel me to stay with him—”
“Forcibly. Against your will.”
“Yes. But he didn’t know that he was going to hurt me.”
“That doesn’t make it all right, Juliet.”
“I don’t want this to turn into something bigger than it is.” She sighed. “It’s only a bruise. I’ll be more careful about going off with him in the future.”
“He lied to you. He told you he was taking you to the dance floor. You not being careful wasn’t the problem.”
She looked at him.
“All right,” he said. “If you don’t want me to tell him, I won’t.”
“Thank you.”
“I still say we ought to just let Lord Stickland believe we’re courting one another, though.” Harry grinned, and Juliet knew that it was a joke.
“Believe me, there’s nothing I would like more than a story that would compel that man to stop wasting my time and leave me alone forever.”
She set down her half-finished drink. “Thank you again.”
Harry nodded. “Of course.”
She turned away and walked back across the room to where she had left Daniel, thinking that if she had had any idea just how action-packed this ball was going to be, she would have given a different answer in the carriage on the way over when her brother had asked her whether or not she was nervous.
CHAPTERFOUR
“Well, how was last night’s ball?” Lord Linford asked Juliet.
Lewis Herbert was a distant sort of father and had been that way throughout Juliet’s life. Lady Linford’s death a few years ago had only driven them further apart, rather than bringing the two of them closer together, and Juliet was not used to him taking such a direct interest in her affairs. Even last year during her first season, she had always known that he would allow her to tend to her own affairs. She’d known that she would be able to choose a suitor.
She had worried that he might become frustrated with her for taking so long. She supposed she should have anticipated this conversation. A conversation, she noted, that did not include Daniel.Hedidn’t have to report on what he had done at the ball last night.
And Juliet had no intention of telling her father everything that had happened. She had never mentioned Lord Stickland to him. She had never told him she had such an ardent admirer. She had no idea what he would make of it, and she didn’t want to find out.
“Did you know Harry is back in town?” she asked.
