The Accidental Countess (Accidental #2)(38)
“That reminds me,” Jane said. “Upton also wanted to know where Claringdon is while his wife is getting up to obvious trouble.”
Lucy made another disgruntled noise. “As if I need a husband to keep an eye on me.”
“I told him Claringdon left for the Continent,” Jane said. “I think Upton’s quite convinced we’re in need of a man over here.”
“As I said, preposterous,” Lucy retorted, crossing her arms over her chest, a frown etched across her face.
“Isn’t it?” Jane agreed.
Cass sighed. “Please just tell me he didn’t say anything about Owen?”
“Nothing, and Owen wasn’t there,” Jane replied.
“Thank God for that, at least,” Lucy added.
“There’s just one thing. Doesn’t Upton know Captain Swift?” Jane asked.
“Yes.” Lucy nodded. “They served together in the army years ago.”
“He insisted he go by his own name,” Jane added.
“Did you tell him Julian is here?” Lucy ventured.
Jane shook her head. “No. I left that part out. I knew he’d ask questions I couldn’t answer.”
“Probably for the best,” Lucy said.
Cass pressed her temples harder. Her friends had gone mad, that was all there was to it. They’d gone mad and so, perhaps, had she because she was actually listening to them. “What are we going to do when Garrett asks those questions when he arrives?”
Lucy flourished a hand in the air. “You’ll just have to explain it to him, Cass.”
Cass sat up straight and blinked. “Me?”
“Yes, you,” Lucy replied.
“Why me?” Cass asked.
Lucy rolled her eyes. “He’ll play along if you ask him to.”
Cass stared back at her. “What? Why do you say that?”
Lucy expelled her breath. “I thought it had been obvious for quite some time now. Are you telling me you truly don’t know?”
“Know what?” Jane narrowed her eyes on her friend.
“That Garrett’s been madly in love with Cass for an age, of course.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Madness, it seemed, was ever so difficult to extract oneself from, Cass decided. Garrett arrived after dinner. The small party was playing cards in the gold drawing room. When a footman announced her cousin, Lucy excused herself. She rushed out to the foyer where she apparently spoke with Garrett. By the time he swept into the room to join the others, he had a wide smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Cass said a silent prayer.
Garrett played his role to perfection. He greeted the room’s occupants with a friendly zeal and called everyone by their assumed names with decided aplomb. He clapped Lord Berkeley on the back and seemed positively delighted to call Lucy Lady Worthing. Cass watched him warily, still praying.
When he came to the table where she was playing cards with Jane, he bowed over Cass’s hand. “Miss Bunbury, a pleasure.”
“Mr. Upton.”
“Miss Wollstonecraft.” He nodded to Jane. “You’re looking quite scholarly this evening.”
Jane narrowed her eyes on him but merely replied with a tepid, “Mr. Upton.”
Cass glanced at her. It was completely unlike Jane to remain silent at one of Garrett’s barbs and she rarely gave him the honor of putting mister in front of his name. Upton was usually as much as she could manage.
Garrett nodded to both ladies and continued his tour of the room. Cass watched him carefully. He greeted Julian with a handshake. “Glad to see you made it home, Captain.”
Julian stood and clapped Garrett on the back. “Glad to be home, Upton.”
Garrett soon settled down at a game himself. Cass watched him for a different reason this time: any sign of his supposed love for her. Lucy must be mad. Why, Garrett had shown her nothing but brotherly concern her entire life. She’d never once got the notion that he felt anything other than friendship. Lucy, however, was quite convinced, and once Lucy was convinced of something, there was no dissuading her from it.
Jane had quickly excused herself from the room, not saying a word, obviously not even interested in giving her opinion on the ridiculous matter. Lucy had gone on to emphasize to Cass how certain she was and assured her that she had nothing to worry about as long as she had a talk with Garrett herself. He would do anything for her.
It didn’t make Cass feel any less uneasy. She wasn’t about to use Garrett for her purposes. No. Garrett was her friend, and she would ask him the truth. It was high time she became more forthright. And there was no time like the present.
Cass excused herself from her card game and made her way to the library. She sat at the writing desk in the corner and took out a sheet of parchment and a quill. She quickly scribbled a note for Garrett. Then she found a passing footman and asked him to deliver it posthaste.
Garrett arrived minutes later. He strolled into the room looking handsome and friendly and smiling as usual. She’d always liked Garrett a great deal. Just like his cousin, he was fun and funny and friendly and loyal. He was a wonderful man, but certainly not someone she could see herself falling in love with. She hoped Lucy was wrong and that Garrett did not have feelings for her. She would never want to hurt her friend by refusing him.