Gunter’s Tea Shop was the most popular location for tea and ices in all of London.
So, of course, Tristan and Juliana had never gone there together. It would be foolish to appear at such a famous location. After all, half of thetonfought to be seen there at least once a week. A duke and his opera singer would never get a moment’s privacy.
At any given moment, there were at least half a dozen copycat teashops in London, all hoping to emulate Gunter’s success. Tristan and Juliana had preferred to patronize a place called Edward’s Tea Shop, which served dry cake, half-melted ice cream, weak tea, and undrinkable coffee.
It had always served their purpose in the past. And now, Tristan hoped it would serve them once more. He had entered the shop and gone to their usual table, a booth near the back, walking over gritty, bread-crumbed floors to reach it. He sat down, pointedly not touching the sticky table, and waited.
And waited.
A full half hour had passed by, with no sign of Juliana, and he was beginning to believe that she would not arrive.
And then, quite abruptly, a vision in sable and blue silk sailed into the shop, bypassing the proprietor with an elegant wave ofher hand. The woman descended upon Tristan and tossed back her hood.
“Tristan, my darling,” said Juliana, with her most becoming smile. “You came.”
“Of course I did,” Tristan responded tightly. “Your letter was most sharp.”
“Ah, only you can read between the lines of what I write.”
“Mm-hm. What do you want, Juliana?”
She pouted. “So harsh. You used to be romantic with me, once.”
Tristan tightened his jaw, glancing aside. “You never loved me, Juliana. Please, a little honesty. You would have married me if I had asked, but not for my sake. You wanted to be a duchess.”
“I would have been a fine duchess.”
He shrugged. “You still would be if you could find another duke than I. I would never have married you. I never intended to marry anybody. But now that Madeline is in my life, I would accept no other bride.”
She gave a wry smile. “I always liked that about you, Tristan. You knew my worth, and your loyalty is thoroughly worth having. I like that in a man. Let me be plain, then. Half of my power—more than half, I’d say—comes from the men I ally myself with. I require a powerful lover, and you were the best.”
“The best lover or the most powerful?”
“Both,” she responded. “I only want things to go back to the way they were, Tristan. Surely you can oblige me.”
“And if I can’t?”
She winced. “I don’twishto make your life difficult.”
He narrowed his eyes, leaning forward, ignoring the crunch of stale breadcrumbs on the unwiped tabletop.
“You had better not be making threats, Juliana. If you dare level threats toward me or mine, I shall ruin you by tonight. Why don’t you leave London? You would thrive in the Americas.”
“Would I?”
“Yes. If you go, I’ll buy your ticket and pay whatever sum you think necessary. I was always a generous man, was I not?”
Juliana clicked her tongue. “Were you not listening? I told you that I wanted things to go back to the way they were. I want to be your mistress again, even if in name only. If you only want to share your bed with that bespectacled bride of yours, I’ll not object. She’s an interesting woman, and if she can capture yourheart where I cannot, then I shall lift my hat to her. ButIwant to be known publicly as your mistress.”
Tristan heaved a long, tired sigh. “Under no circumstances, my dear Juliana.”
She turned an interesting shade of red. “Well, if you do not, I shall spread the truth about whoyouare,Your Grace.”
There was a long, taut silence. Tristan eyed Juliana for a long moment, trying to gauge what she was trying to tell him.
“What on earth do you mean?” he murmured at last.
She tossed her head. “I know your past. I shall tell all if I have to. All I shall say to you, Tristan, is that Iknow.”
