MARIANNE
That afternoon, Marianne was in her riding habit once more. Juliet had smoothed it down, but frowned as she examined the fabric. “There is still a stain I was not able to get out,” she said. “Mrs. Greaves helped me, but these fabrics are such a different material from what I am used to. He had to ask you to go riding again today, did he?”
Marianne placed a hand on her shoulder. “He certainly did not do it to vex you.”
Juliet rose. “But he does vex me. He vexes me so. He should not have told the little boy to run at you with his muddy hands. He should not have, and he understands that. He thought it would be?—”
“Merely sport,” Marianne said with a sigh.
“Yes, you said. But I must wonder, do you not find him peculiar?”
“Peculiar?” Marianne said, tipping her head to one side. “I suppose he is different from the other lords I have known. He is certainly different from my father. He is most attentive to his son.”
“I meant in the way that he wished to be married without being married. Itispeculiar, especially for a gentleman of standing. Yes, he already has a son and heir, but would a spare not be expected? Don’t most gentlemen have a second son just in case? To secure the succession? I have heard so many ladies who have come to the convent over the years in unfortunate positions talk about this. And he seems determined to not only never have another child but to not truly have a wife.”
Marianne shrugged. “There are ladies who would thinkmepeculiar, for a young lady of my standing ought to want nothing more than to be married and to have a home as grand as this one, and have children. And yet here I am.”
“Yet here you are,” Juliet said. “Ready to go riding unaccompanied with his lordship.”
Marianne stamped her hands on her hips. “What is that meant to say?”
“Just that he is odd, that is all. I do not understand him. And the things I have found out...” She shook her head. “Do you truly know nothing of his wife?”
“No,” Marianne said, but her shoulders instantly felt stiffer. Did she even want to know about the woman who had held the titlebefore her? Or should she care? The truth was, however, she had found herself caring. Far more than she should. These last few days, there had been a change in her connection to Lucien. She felt less out of place. More pulled into whatever special connection he and his son had. She had no desire to be Henry’s mother, of course, but she couldn’t deny that the more she watched the two of them together, the more she yearned to be a part of things. Even if only briefly. Which meant knowing about his wife.
“She died in a terrible accident,” Juliet said, without waiting for Marianne to say whether she wanted to hear the story or not. “Apparently, she and Lucien fought with some frequency for many years. They were dreadfully unhappy. Evidently, he told Rhys that he wished to see her out of his life entirely.”
Marianne looked up. This was not at all what she expected. She expected that he was heartbroken over his wife’s death. She had envisioned a sort of love story for the ages. The kind that authors would write about. This was quite the opposite of what she had expected.
“On the night she died, there was a dreadful argument between them. And she hurried away in her carriage, never to return. Apparently, he went after her, but returned empty-handed, and by morning, the news came that her carriage had crashed in the storm.” Juliet lowered her voice. “I hear that there are some on the estate who think that perhaps this is not what happened. That he had a hand in it.”
“A hand in it?” Marianne exclaimed. “You cannot be serious. Please do not pay attention to such idle gossip. Servants are the worst gossipmongers. Do not fall into these traps, Juliet, I beg you.”
“Marianne, just—” Juliet shrugged. “I do not think I believe it. But that is what people are saying. There are whispers. I heard some people say that his wish to marry you was to silence any doubt about his role in her death.”
Marianne scoffed. “That cannot be true. There have been so many horror stories. I have told you all the horrible things the scandal sheets have written about my brothers-in-law. They would have to be the worst men not only in all of England but on the entire continent. Or even perhaps the planet itself.”
“Oh, I know,” Juliet replied. “I’ve heard the stories. But I do think that you should take the time this afternoon to find out the truth. After all, the fact that you are going on an adventure with him entirely unaccompanied makes me think that you care for him more than you have thus far admitted. And if you care for him more than you have thus far admitted, then you ought to know with certainty what sort of man he is.”
“It means nothing that we are going on an adventure together. He’s only helping me uncover my passion.”
“Uncover your passion?” Juliet said, confused.
“Yes. I have none. I do not truly know what I wish to do with my freedom. I know that I wish to share my freedom with you. ButI do not know what I wish for us to do. Travel, yes, but what if I do not enjoy it? What if I find adventuring tedious? He is only helping me to see if I am adventurous at heart.”
“I see,” Juliet replied. “And to test out his theory, he is taking you to an abandoned estate? Why not take you to the maze and see if you can make your way out?”
Marianne swallowed hard. “I do not wish for you to make me feel strange about this.”
Juliet pointed at her. “So you do feel strange. So you do understand that this is not truly part of your arrangement. Your arrangement was to take dinner together and to be seen together by the household staff, and by the ton. And you have yet to venture out into the ton.”
“We will. We are to dine at my aunt’s house on the morrow.”
“I see,” Juliet said. She sat on the edge of her bed, crossing her legs in a manner that was definitely not appropriate for ladies’ maids. Then she narrowed her eyes. “You know, I wonder if this is all part of his habit of charming a lady.”
Marianne turned around. “I beg your pardon.”
“I mean, he vexes you on purpose. You have told me in your conversations that he often sounds as though he enjoys challenging you. Perhaps that is the way he shows affection. I have heard that is how some gentlemen do it.”
