Mary was terribly frightened of horses. Julianna had convinced her to come to the stables by promising her a nice long walk by the lake after they ate their breakfast picnic. Mary adored walks by the lake. In fact, she preferred them to nearly all other things.
Thankfully, during their months of courtship, Rhys had never met Mary. Mary hadn’t been of age at the time, so there had been no occasion for them to meet. It wasn’t as if Julianna and Rhys had been betrothed, after all.
Mama, however, was certain to notice Rhys if she saw him, and there were few people Mama hated as much as Rhys Sheffield, so Julianna took care not to let Mama know what she and Mary were doing.
Mama was under the impression that her daughters were going for an early morning stroll through the gardens. She’d no idea they were headed off on a breakfast picnic with a groomsman who was none other than the Duke of Worthington. Not that Mama would believe Julianna if she told her. Why, it sounded ridiculous. What Mama didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, however. And at the moment, Julianna had a duke to persecute.
She’d decided that her mistake yesterday may have been in giving him tasks to do that he actually enjoyed. He’d chosen not to be a footman on purpose. So, it stood to reason that if she could make him do tasks more in keeping with those of a footman, namely serving and being endlessly polite and helpful, Rhys just might have a worse time of it.
To Julianna’s surprise, when she and Mary arrived at the stables, Rhys was not only awake, he was waiting for them with a smile on his face, standing next to a fully outfitted coach and four. Of course, she knew the smile was completely false, but Mary didn’t know that. Having Mary there was perfect. Rhys would be forced to keep that smile plastered to his face all morning. He would also have to remain upon his best behavior. After all, Mary was one of the eligible young women for whom he was playing this game. If Mary learned who he was, he would lose the bet.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Worthy,” Julianna called as soon as she entered the stables and saw him standing there.
“Good morning, my lady,” he called back in reply. “Are you ready for your excursion?”
“Instead of the coach, I’d love to ride Alabaster,” Julianna replied, her smile widening. There. Let him set to work immediately having to undo what he’d already done. That would take him no small amount of time, and no doubt frustrate him.
“Oh, no,” Mary interjected, shaking her head and looking quite worried, “you promised we’d ride in a conveyance, Anna.”
Poor Mary never would have agreed to come if Julianna had mentioned that she’d wanted to ride. “Very well, Mary. We’ll ride in the coach,” Julianna acquiesced. She didn’t want to frighten her sister.
Rhys’s smile was downright dazzling as he stepped forward to meet Mary. “And who might this lovely young woman be?”
Julianna stepped forward too. “Mary, this is Mr. Worthy, one of Lord Clayton’s groomsman. He’s been taking care of Violet and he’s agreed to accompany us today.” Julianna was acutely aware of the fact that had he not been playacting it would have been highly inappropriate for her to introduce him to her sister, instead of introducing her sister to him.
“A pleasure,” Rhys said, bowing over Mary’s hand.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Worthy,” Mary answered prettily.
“Don’t worry, Lady Mary,” Rhys continued. “I’ve already picked out the perfect carriage for our ride out to the lake.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” Mary exclaimed, relief covering her pale features. “I cannot imagine riding atop a horse.” She shuddered.
Rhys eyed Julianna over her sister’s head and Julianna shrugged. “My sister isn’t the lover of horses that I am,” she offered in way of explanation.
“Not to worry, Lady Mary,” Rhys replied. “You’ll be safe and comfortable in the carriage.”
As Rhys helped first Mary, then Julianna up into the carriage, Julianna had the thought that he’d likely prepared the carriage ahead of time out of fear that she’d critique him the entire time he was putting the horses to. Not a bad strategy, Julianna had to admit. She would have to think ahead more carefully next time.
They were off within a matter of minutes, Ernest, the coachman, at the reins, with Rhys standing on the running board at the back of the small carriage.
As the conveyance bumped along the narrow dirt road on the way out to the lake that sat in the center of Lord Clayton’s enormous property, Julianna did her best to concentrate on the gorgeous scenery amid the misty morning, but all she could think about was Rhys. Rhys Sheffield was riding behind her. Rhys Sheffield was going to be there when she emerged from this carriage. She was about to spend the morning with Rhys Sheffield for the second time in as many days. What insanity had transpired in her life to make this happen? It was as if she was living in a dream. No. No. Not a dream—a blessed nightmare.
Well, on one hand it was a nightmare, while on the other, it was as if Providence was smiling down upon her. After all these months of recrimination, she had Rhys Sheffield precisely where she wanted him. At her mercy. So, why wasn’t she thinking of ways to make him pay once they reached the lake, instead of squeezing her handkerchief and entertaining memories about Detestable?
* * *
A quarter of an hour later,when the small carriage pulled to a stop near the lake, Julianna refused to acknowledge the butterflies that scattered in her middle as Rhys wrenched open the door from the outside.
Mary put a hand to Julianna’s sleeve. Her brow was wrinkled with concern. “Are you quite all right, Anna?”
“Yes, why?” Julianna managed past lips that were trembling.
“You don’t seem yourself this morning,” Mary replied. “You look a bit pale.”
“I’m fine.” Julianna swallowed and pasted her own fake smile to her lips. She felt as if she were about to face a firing squad instead of the man she’d once (nearly) been betrothed to. But she forced herself to square her shoulders and take a deep breath. She absolutelyrefusedto allow him to see her weakness. She would win this battle if it were the last thing she did.
“I do hope the ride wasn’t too bumpy,” Rhys said, through his ubiquitous charming smile the moment the door was open.
