“But you are not betrothed to anyone.”
“Julia, if you think I didn’t notice your tactic of changing the subject, I did.”
“All right. Show me how to tell someone I wish to be rid of them.”
“That would be a terrible thing to do to the duke.”
“He is not a duke.”
“I believe he is. What are you afraid of? You could have asked your father about him.”
“And ruin my fun?”
Willa gave her a sideways look. “Is that what all of this is about? You have grown bored with your charitable work, studies, and general rebellious behavior and require a new distraction?”
“I never tire of charitable work, you should know that about me.”
“I retract that part of my observation, but not the rest of it.”
“I accept your retraction, and admit I have grown restless at times.”
“How very brave of you,” Willa said. “As a reward, I will teach you the proper way to be rid of an unwanted suitor.” She placed her open fan on her left ear.
“That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen.”
“Why? It is a subtle gesture.”
“What lady in her right mind would put a fan on her ear?”
Willa shook her head. “Now you are just being difficult on purpose.”
“No,” Julia disagreed. “I am trying to understand why anyone would waste valuable time inventing a secret language of the fan at all. There are so many useful languages to learn, real ones that would advance the minds of many silly English girls.”
Hamlin coughed behind her raised hand.
“What is it?” Julia asked her.
“We are about to arrive at our destination, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Hamlin. You are always sensible.”
“You are very welcome, ma’am.”
“See,” Julia said to Willa. “Hamlin provides useful information.”
“So do I,” Willa said. “You are one of those silly English girls, by the way.”
Julia frowned at her friend and stared out the window of the carriage. “I speak fluent French and Italian, and can read Latin better than most men of the cloth!”
“You are accomplished,” Willa said, “but still a debutante.”
The carriage pulled around the curved driveway and stopped in front of the grand entrance to the countess’s Mayfair townhouse. The footman opened the door to the carriage and helped Julia and Willa down. They climbed the three marble stairs to the elegant entrance lit by four brass lanterns on either side of the open double doors.
The countess had purchased the adjacent corner townhouse after her husband, the earl, had died and spent two years having their original townhouse and the new one turned into a single home. The result was one of the most elegant structures in Mayfair.
The entrance hall boasted white marble floors, four decorative pillars, and stained-glass windows overlooking the front of the home. A carved staircase led to the first floor, where Julia and Willa were announced and received by the countess.
“You will be the talk of theton, Lady Julia,” the countess whispered. “Whatever has lured you out of your father’s library and into my home is already being bet on at White’s.”
