The Accidental Countess (Accidental #2)(37)

“Go ahead,” Lucy prompted Jane as soon as Cass was settled. “Repeat what you just said to me.”

Jane took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Upton is coming.”

Cass blinked. “He’s coming?”

Lucy nodded. “That’s right.”

Jane nodded, too. “Yes.”

Cass made a whimpering noise in the back of her throat. “But Jane, we sent you over there to keep him from coming. What happened?”

Jane sighed. “It’s not as simple as it sounds, you know. Upton can be quite stubborn. He insisted. However, the good news is that he’s agreed to play along.”

Cass let her shoulders sag. “How did you manage to convince him to do that?”

Jane pushed up her chin. “I’d really rather not say.”

Cass and Lucy eyed Jane askance.

Jane pulled her spectacles from her nose and polished them using the fabric of her gown. “Very well. I merely told him that Cass is to be known as Patience Bunbury and you are Lady Worthing and I am Miss Wollstonecraft and he agreed.”

“Just like that?” Lucy asked, skepticism dripping from her voice.

Jane shrugged. “There may have been a bit of bribery. By the way, Luce, he doesn’t believe for a moment that you’re expecting a baby.”

Lucy wrinkled her nose. “Harrumph.”

Cass leaned her head against the back of the settee and rubbed her temples. The headache was back, stabbing at her with a vengeance. This time it carried an ice pick. “But why is he coming?”

Jane shrugged. “Apparently, he wants to see for himself that we’re not doing anything overly scandalous or illegal.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “Oh, that’s just preposterous.”

“Is it?” Jane gave her a knowing look.

Lucy harrumphed again.

Cass took a deep breath. She wanted to tell her friends that Julian planned to end things with Pen but she couldn’t. She’d promised Julian she would tell no one, and while she might be a liar in one way, she refused to be a liar in another. She would keep her promise to Julian.

“It doesn’t matter about Garrett because I came in here to insist that we stop this charade entirely.”

Lucy blinked. “Now?”

“Now?”

“What’s happened?” Jane asked.

Cass took a deep breath. “Julian asked me to write a letter to Pen today, to get her to the house party as soon as possible.”

Lucy’s and Jane’s eyes went wide.

“What?” Jane asked.

“You can’t do that,” Lucy said, abandoning her list.

“Of course I can’t do that,” Cass agreed. “But he asked me to. He needs to speak to her … immediately.”

“Why?” Lucy blinked again.

“I cannot say.” Cass squeezed shut her eyes. She refused to continue lying. Lying spread like a disease. Once you began, you had to keep at it to cover up the other lies. No, she wouldn’t do it. Lucy and Jane would just have to accept the fact that she was keeping a secret from them.

“Can’t say or won’t?” Jane asked, placing her spectacles back upon her nose.

“Can’t.” Cass nodded. “And won’t. Julian asked me to keep it secret.”

“But he told you?” Lucy’s eyes were wide.

“Yes,” Cass replied.

“Oh, that’s excellent.” Lucy clapped her hands. “He’s confiding in you. I knew this would work.”

Cass rubbed her temples again. “You are absolutely mad, you know that? I fail to see how any of this is good news.”

“It’s good news in Lucy Hunt’s head,” Jane replied with a knowing smile.

“No. No,” Lucy insisted. “Don’t you see? If Julian is confiding in Cass, er, Patience, it means he trusts her. He’s getting close to her. It’s just what we wanted.”

Cass groaned. “Oh, Lucy. What am I going to say to him? I can’t write to Pen, and I refuse to tell him that I’ve done so. We must end this.”

Jane retrieved her book. “What did you say when he asked?”

Cass bit her lip. “I was vague. I didn’t promise anything. I pointed out that Penelope is traveling and that getting a letter to her would be difficult.”

Lucy was already deep in thought, tapping her finger against her cheek. “Good. Good. For now just tell him you’re trying to determine where she might be. I’ll think of something.”

“Didn’t you hear what I said?” Cass replied. “We must tell Julian the truth. Now.”

“We can’t do that, not now. Not when we’re so close and we’re making headway,” Lucy said.

“Headway?” Cass stared at Lucy as if she’d lost her mind. “What headway?”

“Why, you just said that Julian has confided in you … I mean, Patience,” Jane pointed out.

“You truly think I should continue this madness, Janie?”

Jane wrinkled her nose, her spectacles wobbling. “I can’t say I agreed with beginning it in the first place but it does seem as if we may want to allow it to play out a bit more.”

Cass plopped onto the sofa, her breath leaving her in a solid whoosh. “You’ve both gone mad and now Garrett is apparently coming.”