The Accidental Countess (Accidental #2)(24)

But she couldn’t talk to him. She couldn’t let him know she knew. She wasn’t Cassandra Monroe, his good friend and confidant. She was Patience Bunbury, a pretty face, a stranger. She glanced at him again and recognized the faraway look in his eye. He was removed from this place, probably still on a battlefield on the Continent. A part of him would always be there. She understood that.

Jane came floating by, a plate full of teacakes in her possession. How her friend managed to maintain her figure with the amount of teacakes she consumed, Cass would never know. Jane stopped directly in front of Cass, jolting her from her thoughts. “Very well. I’ve been dying to get a look at this man for years. Where is he?”

Cass didn’t need to ask who she meant. Cass and Lucy had been friends with Jane for the last four years and therefore she’d been hearing about Cass’s devotion to Julian all that time.

Cass clasped her hands together and looked down at her fingers. “He’s … he’s over there.” She motioned with her chin. “But don’t be obvious about it when you look,” she squeaked.

To her credit, Jane didn’t move. She nibbled on a teacake. “Why? Is he looking at you?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” And then, “Don’t look!”

Jane quickly stole a glance before returning her attention back to Cass … and her teacakes.

“That was ever so stealthy,” Cass told her with a laugh. “You should be a spy for the War Office.”

“I should be a great many things which my sex does not allow me to be.” Jane sighed. She shifted the plate to her opposite hand. “Now. Am I correct in assuming that Captain Swift is the tall, handsome blond fellow standing over by the doors?”

Cass nodded miserably. “Yes.”

Jane popped another bit of cake into her mouth. “Oh, my. I can almost see why you’ve been so smitten.”

Cass widened her eyes. “Why, Janie, I thought you always said there are plenty of men from which to choose and I shouldn’t be so set on any one in particular.”

Jane shrugged. “That is true; however, even I must admit he is a fine specimen of man. You must introduce me to him. In the meantime, I am quite convinced that he should ask you to dance.”

Cass laughed. “I think so, too.”

Janie tilted her head in Julian’s direction. “I suggest you go over and make yourself available for the invitation.”

Cass immediately sobered. “No. I couldn’t.”

“Very well. Introduce me to him and I shall suggest it with all due haste.”

“Oh, no, I—”

“Why not? We’ve little else to do. I daresay things are a bit dull around here without Upton to torment.”

Cass pressed her fingers to her lips. Jane and Garrett had engaged in a merry war of words ever since they met at a performance of Much Ado About Nothing four years ago. Lucy had invited her new friend, Jane, to the theater with her. Her cousin had attended as well. The two had never agreed upon anything, though Lucy always suspected much of their apparent dislike for one another was just for show. Cass did, too. It was sweet, in an odd sort of way, that Janie was obviously missing her verbal spats with Garrett.

But Cass had to admit, she also found herself secretly wishing Garrett was in on their plan. Everything seemed so much more … sane when Garrett was around to temper Lucy’s ludicrous schemes. The fact that Garrett had no part in this particular one made Cass that much more anxious about it.

Be bold. The words streaked through Cass’s brain.

Cass let her gaze trail over to Julian where he stood alone near the doors. He appeared to enjoy watching the other couples dance. Was he thinking of Pen? Cass couldn’t help but wonder. Was he pondering where his future wife was tonight? Was he hoping she would arrive in time to dance with him? Of course Cass knew Pen never would arrive. Guilt tugged at her. She bit her lip.

Be bold. The words flashed across her brain again like lightning in the night sky. Besides, she wasn’t Cassandra Monroe tonight. She was Patience Bunbury. “Very well, Jane. Let’s go.”

Cass picked up the skirts of her silver gown and made her way deliberately toward Julian, Jane and her teacakes in tow.

The distance between them in the ballroom seemed to stretch interminably. One of the other guests stopped her to greet her with a “Miss Bunbury” and a wink. Cass replied with a shaky smile and a nod.

She straightened her shoulders. Being called Miss Bunbury also served another purpose, to strengthen her resolve and bolster her courage. She was Patience, Patience Bunbury, bold attender of parties and shameless seeker of dances with handsome gentlemen. Well, one handsome gentleman in particular.

She and Jane made their way across the room until they stood only a few paces from Julian. Cass cleared her throat and tugged at her glove. Then she reminded herself that Patience Bunbury was most certainly not a glove tugger. She let go and calmly folded her hands in front of her instead. “Captain Swift.”

He swiveled around to face her. Cass caught her breath.

His smile lit up his eyes. “Miss Bunbury.” He stepped toward her, closing the last bit of space between them. He bowed over her hand, lightly touching her palm, his thumb moving across her knuckles in a slow caress that sent a thrill shooting up her arm.

Bold. Bold. Bold.

“May I present my friend—”