Page 50 of A Deal with the Broken Duke
“But what could he do about it? We would already be at home.”
“Daniel, I know what you’re doing.”
“I feel terrible,” Daniel admitted. “To think that you were suffering throughout our youth and that I didn’t even realize it. I didn’t do anything to stop it.”
“You didn’t know it was happening.”
“No, but Matilda’s right. I should have known.”
“It’s in the past, and I don’t want to dwell on it,” Juliet said firmly. “The best thing you can do now, Daniel, is to simply let it go. Let me move on. That’s all I want.”
“I can’t believe you agreed to a courtship with Harry, knowing that this was the way you felt about him. What made you do it?”
Juliet glanced at Matilda. If there was ever going to be a moment to tell Daniel the truth, this would surely be it.
But she couldn’t. It had been humiliating enough to let him know how insecure she had been about her looks as a child. She couldn’t also tell him that her courtship wasn’t real. She had no idea how he would react.
“Just promise me you won’t say anything to Harry,” she pleaded.
“I won’t,” Daniel assured her. “I can see that wouldn’t help matters. But really, Juliet, this courtship, is it what you want? I thought that you were in love with him. Now I’m not so sure.”
“Father wants me to marry a gentleman with a good title. I can’t do any better than a duke.”
“No, but if he isn’t right for you, we can make Father understand that. We can find someone else.”
“You haven’t wanted me to be with Harry from the start.” Juliet narrowed her eyes. “Why is that?”
Daniel hesitated. “I just want what’s best for you, Juliet. You know that.”
“Well, I’m all right. Please, let’s just attend this garden party and try to be normal. I think it would behoove us all to do that.”
They were pulling up to Montgomery, and they all got out of the carriage. People were already milling around on the lawn, sipping cold drinks and socializing. The three siblings weren’t the first to arrive.
And across the lawn, Juliet saw Harry.
He hadn’t noticed her yet, and she had a moment in which to make her decision. Would she go over to him, speak to him, do the difficult thing and instigate a social interaction with him when she was feeling so awkward?
I should do it. I know I should do it.
But she couldn’t bring herself to.
“Will you come and get a drink with me?” she asked her sister.
“Of course,” Matilda said at once.
“Do you want me to go with you?” Daniel asked.
“You’re all right. Why don’t you go and start greeting everyone?” Juliet suggested.
“I feel I shouldn’t leave you two on your own.”
“We’re not on our own,” Juliet said, feeling mildly exasperated with her brother now. “We’re with each other. We’ll find you shortly, all right?”
Before Daniel could object again, she took Matilda by the hand and led her away.
“What are we doing?” Matilda asked. “We’re avoiding Harry, aren’t we?”
“I don’t want to speak to him just yet,” Juliet explained.
