Page 36 of A Deal with the Broken Duke
The four of them wandered down the street. As they made their way along, Juliet couldn’t help noticing that heads were turning in their direction. Perhaps it was the new hat she was wearing. It really had been the finest the milliner had to offer. Maybe that was what everyone was looking at.
But if she’d had to venture a guess, she would have said that the true reason behind their stares was probably the Duke of Burghley walking along beside her.
CHAPTERELEVEN
Matilda wanted to look into a shop that featured several gowns.
“You can’t afford to buy any of these today,” Daniel pointed out.
“Not today,” Matilda agreed mildly. “But perhaps I’ll be permitted to attend a few balls this season, now that Juliet is courting someone.”
Harry thought for a moment about offering to buy a gown for Matilda. It would be a generous thing to do. Ultimately though, he decided it wouldn’t be appropriate. It would diminish the gift he had gotten for Juliet if he made it seem as if he was just showering both ladies with gifts. And Daniel had already given him enough dark, ominous looks for one day. He didn’t want to imagine the conversation his friend would want to have with him if he made it seem that he was interested in both sisters.
“Can we go inside?” Matilda asked.
“I don’t see why not,” Daniel said.
They opened the door to the shop and went in. And Matilda immediately ran to examine a few of the gowns.
Daniel kept his gaze on her. “I’d better go and make certain she doesn’t get herself into trouble,” he decided. “Will you be all right here, Juliet?”
Juliet smiled. “Of course. I’m fine.”
Daniel nodded. “I’ll just be over there.”
Juliet waited until her brother had walked away, then turned to Harry. “I’m sorry,” she said, “He really is being rather exhaustingly overprotective today. I don’t know what the problem is.”
“His sister has never been courted before,” Harry explained mildly. “It makes sense that it would be an adjustment for him.”
“Maybe it does, but I still don’t understand. He knew this day would come, after all. And shouldn’t it make matters easier for him that the gentleman involved is his best friend? After all, he knows you’re someone he can trust. Better you than Lord Stickland!”
“Well, that’s certainly true.” Harry nodded. “I must admit, I’d rather hoped we would see that fellow today.”
“Really? You actually wanted to see Lord Stickland?” Juliet gave a visible shudder. “What would you want to see him for?”
“It was more that I wanted him to see us,” Harry emphasized. “Once he realizes we’re together, he’ll know that you are off-limits to him.”
“I hope he will.” Juliet huffed. “Nothing has ever seemed to make that very clear to him before. But perhaps you’re right. Maybe seeing us together will finally make the point clear to him.”
“Do you really think there’s a chance it won’t?”
“I don’t much care, to be honest with you,” Juliet admitted. “The point was really to make it clear to my father, not to Lord Stickland. Yes, it would be very nice if he decided to leave me alone, but even if he continues to pester me, it won’t matter, because my father will never force me into a courtship with him now.” She smiled up at Harry. “You’ve spared me from that.”
“Still, it might be nice to show him a little, especially after the way he treated you at the last ball.”
“I’m sure we’ll have our chance at that, come the next ball,” Juliet said. “For now, we should just enjoy our day out together.”
Harry nodded. “Well said. Are you having a good time?”
“I am!” Juliet beamed. “I didn’t imagine this would be as much fun as it has been. I thought it would be a chore. But I’m honestly enjoying myself much more than I expected. I’m glad we decided to do this, and not just because it allows us to avoid unwanted attention from people we don’t like very much either. I’m glad that we’re able to get to know one another again.”
“You’ve changed a lot since we were young,” Harry observed.
“Have I?” Was it his imagination, or did her smile drop slightly at those words? He wondered why. Was there something disappointing about what he’d said? He didn’t think so, but perhaps she just didn’t want to remember that he’d known her as a child. “I suppose I don’t see it as much as you do, since I’ve seen myself every day.”
“Yes, that makes sense,” he relented. “It must be difficult to see what I see when I look at you. But you’ll have to take my word for it. You’re barely recognizable as that chubby-cheeked little girl I knew six years ago.”
Harry thought back to those days. She had been such a funny-looking child with her uncontrolled mane of hair and her cheeks that were always bright red. She had always been cute to him, but not in the way he found her beautiful now. He was so glad to have been able to know her at both stages of her life so that he could compare the little girl she had been with the lady she had become.
