The Accidental Countess (Accidental #2)(16)
“Garrett’s not going to arrive and why would your brother have any reason to come here? He rarely leaves London.”
“What if—? What if—” Cass glanced around as if searching for another reason to worry.
“What if your head falls off?” Lucy supplied. “Is that what you’re going to say? I swear, Cass, there’s no need to worry. I expect this week to be enormously successful. You should, too.”
“But that’s just it, Lucy. I don’t see how it can be successful. What can we possibly hope to accomplish here?” Cass bent over and rested her forehead on the pillow in her lap.
Lucy made her way back over to the settee, sat next to her friend, and hugged her, pulling her close with her arm around her shoulders. “Why, we’re going to give Julian the opportunity to know you, Cass. See you, speak with you, be alone with you. He can’t possibly wish to marry Penelope, after spending time with you.”
“But they’re betrothed—”
“No they are not. Not explicitly. Not officially. I intend to see that it remains that way. Besides, you seem to forget, your cousin doesn’t appear to be particularly interested in Captain Swift.”
Cass rubbed a hand over her forehead. How was it that Lucy always seemed to make sense when she rebutted Cass’s concerns? “Yes, but—”
“No. Stop it. Think positively. That is the only way this will work. You must promise me you’ll stop worrying.”
Cass groaned and squeezed the pillow. “Oh, it’s all so … so … uncertain.”
Lucy pulled her close again and gave her a conspiratorial smile. “Ah, the very essence of romance is uncertainty, dear. Never forget it.”
CHAPTER SIX
“Well, I for one have never heard of Miss Patience Bunbury,” Julian’s younger sister, Daphne, said as she sat across the drawing room from him writing a letter, while he and his mother looked on.
“I can’t say I’ve made her acquaintance, either,” his mother, the countess, added.
A blond curl flew over Daphne’s shoulder as she tossed her head and gave Julian a sly look. “Quite curious if you ask me.”
Julian settled into his chair. “What do you mean, curious?” He’d greatly enjoyed spending these last few days with his mother and Daphne. The two women had been beside themselves with happiness when he came striding through the door. His mother had silently held back tears, her eyes brimming with them, and hugged her second-born, while Daphne had clapped her hands and nearly shrieked with excitement.
It was damn good to see them again. His sister, just a girl when he had gone to war, was now a beautiful, accomplished young woman who he quickly learned was always buzzing about the house doing several things at once. His mother had deeper worry lines in her forehead and a few more wrinkles but she still had the same laughing gray eyes he remembered.
They’d caught up on everything from the less gruesome aspects of Julian’s time at war, to the frivolities of the last London Season, but neither of the women seemed to know what had possessed Donald to go off to the Continent.
“He said he was going to Italy on holiday,” his mother told him. “I don’t know why he would leave in the middle of a war. But you know Donald, always so evasive. Never wanting to worry us. Though now I’m concerned because he’s been gone for months and we’ve yet to receive a letter indicating that he’s arrived safely.”
“I’m certain news will come soon, Mama,” Daphne said. “And besides, Captain Cavendish is with him. He’ll keep Donald safe.”
“Yes, you’re right, dear. Captain Cavendish has been an excellent friend to our family through the years and he’s an excellent soldier.”
Daphne had nodded, but the look she gave Julian made him think she knew more than she was letting on. Especially since she knew Donald was with Rafe. Julian had inclined his head toward his sister, the siblings tacitly agreeing to allow their mother to continue to think Donald was on holiday. But Julian made a mental note to ask Daphne about it later.
Now that he and his mother and sister had had a chance to become reacquainted after all these years, Julian had informed them he was leaving for the countryside and that’s how the subject of Patience Bunbury had come up.
“I just mean that it’s a bit curious that Miss Monroe is off at a house party hosted by a young lady we’ve never heard of,” Daphne said with a shrug, returning her attention to her letter.
“Perhaps you merely never met Miss Bunbury,” Julian suggested.
“Of course I never met her, silly,” Daphne replied, shaking her head. “I just thought I knew nearly everyone and I don’t know her.”
“There’s a first time for everything, dear,” their mother replied. “I’m certain Miss Bunbury is a fine young lady if Miss Monroe has chosen to befriend her.”
Daphne tossed her quill on the desk and turned fully around in her chair to face Julian, her hands braced on her knees. There was a decided twinkle in her eye. “Ooh, speaking of fine young ladies, tell me, have you seen Lady Cassandra Monroe since you’ve returned?”
Julian cleared his throat. “No. I … haven’t. I paid a call to her parents’ town house yesterday only to discover that the family has already retired to the country for the autumn.” At first, Julian had been more than a bit disappointed; however, when he’d learned the address of Lady Worthing’s house party, he’d discovered that it was near Cassandra’s parents’ estate. More good fortune. Once in Surrey, Julian would find Penelope, say what he needed to say, and then he would go to the Monroes’ estate to visit Cassandra.