The Accidental Countess (Accidental #2)(65)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN


Cass nodded a brief greeting to Daphne Swift and turned away. Thankfully, Garrett was there at her elbow to guide her toward the house. Her mother was babbling on, seemingly oblivious to the other two. There was no help for it but to stand in the receiving queue next to Julian and Daphne. She could feel Julian’s eyes on the back of her neck. Or was that only wishful thinking? Perhaps he wasn’t looking at her at all, perhaps he was completely ignoring her. But she couldn’t ignore him. She closed her eyes. There it was, his cologne, the deliciously spicy mixture that always teased her senses.

Thank heavens the queue moved quickly at least. Unfortunately, Daphne Swift did not intend to allow them to maintain a solemn silence.

“It’s lovely to see you again, Lady Cassandra,” Daphne said.

Cass was forced to turn around. All of them exchanged awkward greetings. Her mother was cold and standoffish as usual.

“You, too,” Cass choked out, nodding to Daphne. “Have you had any news about your brother and Captain Cavendish?”

A flash of pain flitted across Daphne’s pretty face. “No. Nothing, I’m afraid. Isn’t that right, Julian?”

Julian’s face was a stone mask. “Nothing. Yet.”

“I do hope you hear soon and that the news is favorable,” Cass added.

“Indeed,” Cass’s mother managed to add.

Garrett and Julian exchanged narrowed-eyed glares.

“Thank you very much, Lady Moreland, Lady Cassandra,” Daphne replied.

Julian maintained his stony silence.

“My brother and I were just talking about you,” Daphne added, watching Cass’s face.

Cass’s mother’s expression was pinched, as if she’d just smelled something distasteful. Julian’s eyes flared a bit but otherwise his expression did not change. Cass could only guess that he was imagining himself stepping on his sister’s foot just then.

“Oh?” was Cass’s only reply.

“Yes. I was just commenting to Julian that you’ve grown into such a beauty since he’s been gone, Lady Cassandra.”

Julian closed his eyes briefly; if Cass hadn’t been watching so closely she might not have noticed.

“She has, hasn’t she?” Garrett chimed in with a tight smile.

“Oh, yes. I was just about to say, it’s a wonder she’s remained unattached,” Daphne added. “Isn’t it a wonder, Julian?”

“Is it?” Julian ground out, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

Cass refused to allow him to see how his words hurt her. “Not such a wonder,” she murmured.

“Yes, well, we do expect there to be an announcement quite soon,” Lady Moreland said, a slinky smile on her face. She beamed up at Garrett, looking like the cat who stole the cream. Cass wanted to shrink from embarrassment.

Thank heavens, the queue moved just then and she and Garrett and her mother greeted their hosts and moved into the ballroom without further comment. They made their way around the large room, greeting their friends and making small talk before Garrett asked her to dance. They left her mother with a group of her friends.

Cass danced, even though she felt as if her insides might explode. Jane was supposed to be here tonight to meet them, her new nonexistent chaperone, Mrs. Bunbury, in tow. Lucy was supposed to be coming, too. Cass still hadn’t forgiven Lucy but it didn’t keep Jane from trying to get the two of them together in the same room at every opportunity. What else would make Jane come out to a ball of all odious things?

Cass tried not to look at Julian, tried but couldn’t help it. It seemed that every time she heard a man’s deep laughter, she turned her head and found him, across the room, tall, handsome, his burnished gold hair and wide shoulders filling out his dapper black evening attire. It was like torture, knowing Julian was back, alive and well and no longer in an arrangement with Pen, but still elusively out of Cass’s grasp. And who was the woman he supposedly cared for? The one who loved another man? Had she changed her mind? Given Julian another chance? Would they be announcing their engagement soon? Would Cass be able to stand it if that happened?

But the worst part, the very worst, was that she had lost him as a friend. No more sweet letters, no more long talks using their pens, no more communication at all. And it hurt. Penelope had already forgiven her, it seemed. Her cousin wasn’t one to dwell on things overly long. She’d laughed off Cass’s explanation of how Lucy had turned her into Patience and said something like, “Oh, my, I wish I’d been there to see that.” Then she’d gone back to talking about a Mr. Sedgewick whom she had apparently developed strong feelings for over the summer and autumn. It was the first Cass had heard of Mr. Sedgewick and she secretly wondered if he, much like Patience Bunbury, did not actually exist.

Cass’s mother had been furious with her. She’d nearly stopped speaking to her. But the thing that had served to soften her was Cass’s spending so much time with Garrett. Lady Moreland was delighted to accompany them about, playing the role of the apt chaperone, but otherwise, making it quite clear to Cass at every opportunity that until she managed to secure a proposal from Garrett, she would not be entirely restored to her mother’s good graces.

Thank heavens for Garrett. He had been lovely, appearing whenever she needed him, escorting her to events, being a steady shoulder on which to lean. He was a good, good man. For the hundredth time she wished she could fall in love with him. She felt a bit of guilt for leading him on, if, in fact, he had feelings for her, as Lucy seemed to believe. But at least she knew he was quite well informed about where her affections lay. Every time they saw Julian, Cass turned into a mess, and Garrett was there to pick up the pieces. Oh, sweet, kind Garrett. He certainly would make someone a wonderful husband one day. And unlike Julian, Garrett was a marvelous dancer.