“Oh.” Julia’s expression softened. “Your heart is still broken, isn’t it?”
“What? No. I do not have a…” She stopped. “My heart is fine.” She took a deep breath. “Even if I believed a man existed who was honorable enough to sully his reputation in a valiant attempt to clear mine…”
…And confident enough to tread where he suspects he is not the first.
…And kind enough to forgive her secrets.
She pursed her lips. Such a man did not exist.
“You were saying?” Julia prompted with a far too innocent expression.
Katherine changed tactics. “Julia, what do you think would happen if I were to show the slightest interest in this mysterious visitor?”
Julia raised her brows. “Marriage?”
“No.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Markham.”
“Markham again?”
Katherine cut Julia a look. “Like you, Markham believes all my problems will disappear with a wedding. And so, if I show the slightest interest, Markham will demand his friend’s intentions.”
“And then marriage,” Julia said.
“And then his friend will laugh.”
Julia’s brow knit. “Why would he laugh?”
“Because.” Her cheeks stained. “Just like the last visitor Markham brought home, he will be dumfounded that anyone, let alone a fellow peer, would believe he’d stoop low enough to contemplate marriage to a lady as tarnished as I am.”
Julia’s frown deepened. “Surely, you exaggerate.”
“Do you think so? Allow me to quote.” She altered her voice. “Scandal is more than gossip. Scandal is cause to question a lady’s judgment—her very worth.” A wobble snagged on the last phrase. It still hurt. Especially since she’d given Markham’s friend no encouragement.
“Markham would be insulted!” Julia exclaimed, indignant. “And then—a duel!”
“Don’t be silly,” Katherine scolded. “Markham knows better. No one risks anything—let alone their life—for a possibly ruined spinster.” Katherine steadied her breath. “But he would be offended, and a public break in friendship would likely follow—a break which would fuel speculation. Speculation that would further blacken my reputation. You would be sent to relatives, and I would have to move away.”
“Truly?” Julia breathed.
“It is not only possible,” Katherine replied, “but Markham and I considered the option last time.”
Julia’s eyes widened in horror. “We must force Markham’s friend to leave before any of that can happen,” she said. “But how?”
“A quandary, to be sure.”
Julia cocked her head and frowned. “A quandary?”
“We must work on your vocabulary, dear.”
Julia waved her hand in dismissal. “We were discussing Markham’s friend. Besides, Ian says I speak very well.”
Katherine’s protective senses snapped to attention. “Did you say Ian? Are you referring to Mr. Linton’s oldest son?”
Julia waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “We spoke while you were finishing Sunday reading lessons for the tenants’ children. He came to collect his brother—you know little Tommy, the quick one?”
“Yes.” Katherine pressed a knuckle against her lips. “Yes, I do.”
All thoughts of her own peril fled; only Julia remained.
