Rhys laughed. “Have designs on a groomsman, do you?”
Julianna froze. This would be another opportune time for that lake creature to appear. She mentally counted to five. No luck. “She said she didn’t blame me. She thinks you’re handsome too.”
Rhys’s brows shot up. “Too?”
“I mean…shethinks you’re handsome.” This time Julianna was seriously considering jumping into the lake to find the creature herself. Much more expedient and it would keep her from saying more idiotic things.
“I see,” Rhys replied. He leaned forward and began putting empty plates back into the basket. “So, I’m to believe your sister is trying to give you time alone with a groomsman?” Skepticism rode his brow.
“It does appear that way,” Julianna replied, nodding. “Believe me, if she knew who you truly are, she’d be more likely to stamp on your foot than rush away so we could be alone. She knows how…” She let her sentence die away and swallowed.
He paused and met her gaze. “Stamp on my foot, eh? Why’s that?”
Julianna turned her face away. She’d been so close to saying something she never wanted him to know. That Mary knew how upset she’d been when he’d left her that Season.
“She knows the Duke of Worthington is the man who…” She could not bring herself to finish the sentence. It had been too long. The hurt too deep.
“The man who what?” Rhys prompted.
“The man who once courted me,” she blurted, hoping her answer would bring an end to this torturous conversation. She needed to change the subject, quickly. “May I ask you something?”
“Of course,” he replied, continuing to put the items in the basket. “As long as I may ask you something in return.”
Julianna honestly had to consider it for a moment. She did have a question for him, one she wanted him to answer truthfully, but what if his question in return was too difficult for her to answer?
“Very well,” she finally replied.
“By all means, you ask first,” he offered.
She took a deep breath to steady herself before saying, “It couldn’t have been just an idle bet that made you and your friends decide to be servants. What else is the plan?”
He finished loading the basket by putting the empty teapot inside. “What do you mean?”
“I mean there must be some additional reason you’re all playacting the way you are. What is it?” She studied his face. Hewashandsome, bless it all, but why did Mary have to point it out?
“Ah, quite astute of you, milady,” he replied. He’d drawn up both knees again and his arms rested atop them. “You’re right. There is another reason.”
“Which is?” she prodded.
He bit his lip and seemed to be struggling with himself as to whether he should tell her. “The truth is, Kendall is looking for a wife.”
Julianna’s eyes shot open wide and so did her mouth. “By pretending to be a footman?”
“Yes,” Rhys replied. “It may sound unconventional, but he has his reasons.”
She settled back onto the blanket and managed to close her mouth at least. “I’d say ‘unconventional’ is an understatement.”
Rhys shrugged. “That’s the entire point.”
“What is? I don’t understand.” She frowned.
Rhys leaned back against his wrists. He was casual. That had been something else she’d liked about him. In their world, they’d been born to be prim and proper. Never a hair out of place, never a bend to the wrist, never a sag to the back. But whenever she and Rhys had been alone together like they were now, he’d acted like a human being, not a fastidious duke. And he didn’t seem to mind that she acted normal either. In fact, he’d seemed to like that about her. It was more than she could say for the Marquess of Murdock. No,Richard. She needed to get used to thinking of him as Richard. Richard seemed nothing but pleased when she was perfect.
“Kendall wants to see how the young ladies act when they don’t know they’re in the presence of an earl,” Rhys said.
Julianna’s mouth fell open once again. “You cannot be serious.”
Rhys leaned back farther and narrowed his eyes on her. “I’m quite serious. That is a hazard of having a title, you know?”
