Wayward Widow

‘Talk! I thought that you meant—’ Martin Davencourt stopped abruptly.

‘You thought that I meant to proposition you again.’ Juliana rearranged her silken skirts demurely about her and took a sip of wine. She watched him over the rim, a smile in her eyes. ‘My dear Mr Davencourt, I do assure you that I can take a hint as well as the next person. Besides, you yourself suggested that you were not an appropriate conquest for me and that I should be more particular.’

‘I suppose that I deserved that.’ A faint, self-deprecating smile touched Martin Davencourt’s mouth. He looked rueful. Juliana rather liked him for it. She could not help herself. So many men were so proud that they could not bear to be caught out, but Martin had the confidence to admit when he had been worsted.

‘As you do not care to be seduced by me,’ she continued sweetly, ‘why do we not talk about old times? How long ago was it that we met at Ashby Tallant? Fourteen years? Fifteen?’ She put her head on one side and gave him an appraising look. ‘I might have guessed that you would turn out like this. A dull boy so often becomes a dull man, although I suppose that you have improved in looks at least.’

Martin did not appear remotely insulted by this backhanded compliment. He laughed. ‘You have changed, too, Lady Juliana. I thought you such a sweet child.’

‘Either your memory is faulty or your judgement was not sound at the age of fifteen,’ Juliana said. ‘I am sure that I was exactly as I am now. Though I am surprised that you remember me at all, sir, for you were forever damming the stream or building fortifications or doing whatever it is that boys do.’

Martin smiled. ‘I am sure that we both found the other tiresome, Lady Juliana. Adolescent boys and girls seldom have much common ground. You were interested only in balls and dancing and you fell asleep when I tried to explain to you Nelson’s battle plan at Trafalgar—’

‘And you could not have performed the quadrille to save your life,’ Juliana finished. ‘I dare say that we had little in common then and nothing in common now.’ She smoothed her scarlet skirts and yawned ostentatiously. ‘This is going to be an unconscionably long hour or so, is it not?’

Martin sat back in his chair and studied her thoughtfully.

‘Indulge my curiosity then, Lady Juliana. Did you truly imagine that Andrew Brookes would leave Eustacia at the altar for you? Or were you merely seeking to cause trouble?’

Juliana sighed. So they were back to that again. She knew that he had not believed her before.

‘Mr Davencourt,’ she said, with heavy patience, ‘you do not strike me as a stupid man so I shall repeat this only once. Your suspicions of me are false. I had no scheme to wreck your cousin’s wedding, still less to keep Brookes for myself. Why, I have exhausted all his potential! I assure you I would not have him if he were packaged in gold!’

She saw a flicker of a smile in Martin Davencourt’s eyes, but it vanished as swiftly as it had come. His blue gaze was keen on her face. ‘Yet he was your lover.’

The colour came into Juliana’s cheeks. She raised her chin. ‘He was not. And even had he been, I would not have stooped so low as to spoil your cousin’s wedding day.’

Martin looked thoughtful. ‘No? Love can prompt one to all kinds of irrational acts.’

‘I am aware. But I doubt that you are, Mr Davencourt. I think it unlikely you have ever fallen in love. No doubt you would consider it too dangerous.’

Martin laughed. ‘You are mistaken, Lady Juliana. I am sure that all young men fall in love at some point in their salad days.’

‘But not when they have reached the age of discretion?’ Juliana pulled a face. ‘I expect you are too old for that sort of thing now.’

Martin sat back in his chair. ‘Touché, Lady Juliana. I confess that I have not felt any partiality for a lady for many years. And better that way. Matters such as marriage are best conducted with a clear mind. But we were speaking of your past loves, not mine.’

‘No, we were not,’ Juliana snapped. ‘I have no desire to rehearse my past history, nor to debate morality with you, sir. I find that men are tiresomely hypocritical on such matters.’

‘Are we? You mean that you dislike the double standard that is so often applied?’

‘Of course I do! What right-thinking woman would not dismiss it as unreasonable? A tenet that says a man may behave as a rake without censure, yet if a woman does the same she is branded a whore? It has to be a man who made that rule, do you not agree?’

Martin laughed. ‘I concede that it is unjust, but there are plenty of people, women as well as men, who believe in it.’

Juliana turned her shoulder. ‘I am aware. Let us change the subject, or I fear I shall become very ill-tempered.’

‘Very well. Let us return to the case in point.’ Martin sighed. ‘If I have made a mistake about your intentions at the wedding, then I apologise, Lady Juliana. It was an honest mistake.’

‘Based on a ridiculous assumption,’ Juliana said.

‘Not quite ridiculous. Not after your behaviour last night.’

‘I do wish you would stop raising that!’ Juliana said furiously. She felt very frustrated. ‘Last night was intended as a jest. As for my tears at the wedding, if you suspect that I am deceiving you about my hay fever—’ she invested the words with a heavy sarcasm ‘—then approach me with that vase of roses from the mantelpiece and I will sneeze for as long as it takes to convince you.’

She put her wineglass down and got to her feet. ‘I do believe that we have exhausted this topic, Mr Davencourt. Certainly I am becoming quite dreadfully bored of your company. I assume that I am free to go now?’

Martin made a slight gesture. ‘Of course.’

‘You are not concerned that I will return to disrupt the wedding breakfast?’

‘I think not. You have said that that is not your aim and I believe you.’

Juliana inclined her head frigidly. ‘Thank you. Then it would be helpful of you to procure me a hack. I do believe it is the least you can do.’

Martin got to his feet. ‘I will send for the carriage for you.’

He came across to her and looked down into her face for a moment. ‘Hay fever,’ he said slowly. ‘When I saw you in the church I was so sure that you were crying…’

He raised a hand and gently brushed away the smudge of a tear on her cheek with one thumb. Juliana felt her pulse skip a beat.

‘Andrew Brookes is not worth anyone’s tears,’ she said abruptly.

Martin’s hand fell. He stepped back. Juliana felt relieved. Just for a second he had completely undermined her defences.

‘I share your opinion of Brookes, Lady Juliana,’ he said, ‘but I want Eustacia to be happy. It would be a shame for her to be disillusioned so early in her marriage.’

‘It will happen to her sooner or later,’ Juliana said, moving towards the door, ‘and you would be a simpleton to think otherwise. Andrew Brookes is not capable of fidelity.’

Martin pulled a face. ‘I bow to your superior knowledge of the gentleman, Lady Juliana. You sound very cynical. Do you then believe all men faithless?’

Juliana paused, swallowing the confirmation that instinctively rose to her lips. There was something about Martin Davencourt that always seemed to demand an honest answer. It was disconcerting.

‘No,’ she said slowly. ‘Where a man truly loves I believe he may be faithful. But there are some men who are not capable of love or fidelity, and Brookes is one of those.’

‘I hear that it is your preferred type. Brookes, Colling, Massingham…’

Juliana had herself in hand again. ‘Lud, I do not choose men for their fidelity, Mr Davencourt. What an odd notion! I choose them for their entertainment value.’

‘I see,’ Martin said, heavily ironic. ‘Then I had better detain you no further. I cannot imagine that you will find what you are seeking in this house.’

Juliana grimaced. ‘No. Nor can I.’ She paused. ‘The wedding service will be over now, I suppose.’

‘Indeed.’ Martin checked the white gold clock on the mantle. ‘Do you have regrets about letting Andrew Brookes go after all, Lady Juliana?’

‘No,’ Juliana said pleasantly. ‘I was merely concerned about your sister Daisy—the little bridesmaid? She will be wondering where you are.’

There was a pause. For a second Juliana saw a quizzical look in Martin’s eyes, as though she had surprised him.