“No, they won’t be,” Jasper said at once. “How could they be?”
“Why, how gallant you are, Montford.” Lady Diana grinned. “I never thought I’d see the day, but then marriage does seem to agree with you.”
Jasper bowed. “My lady.”
“I’ll grant you it is a bit of a crush, but surely that’s a good thing? This way you get it all over with this evening.” Franny patted her hand. “That’s why you agreed to the ball in the first place, isn’t it?”
“My dearest Franny, I wouldn’t say she agreed so much as you badgered her into it.” Lady Diana gave her sister-in-law an indulgent smile before turning to Prue, her blue eyes sympathetic. “It looks dreadfully intimidating, doesn’t it? But really, there’s nothing at all to be anxious about, I promise you, Prue. The tongues in London are forever wagging over one thing or another. It means nothing.”
Were all the tongues in London wagging about her, then? “I don’t understand why any of them are interested in me at all. I’m dreadfully dull.”
“Dull!” Franny chuckled. “My dear Prue, you’re far from dull.”
“Indeed.” Lady Diana delicately cleared her throat. “Youdidshoot your husband, after all, Prue. That’s, ah . . . well, it’s rather the sort of thing that catches theton’s attention.”
“And in the arse, no less,” Basingstoke added with a smirk.
“I didn’t!” Prue protested, looking between them. “That is, Idid, but I never meant—”
“Giles!” Franny scolded, turning to her husband. “Hush.”
Basingstoke grinned. “I don’t see what all the fuss is. Why, there must be dozens of people in London who are overjoyed Montford was shot in the arse.”
Jasper rolled his eyes. “Listen to your wife, Basingstoke, and hush.”
“I never shot my husband!” Prue announced, and goodness, it felt good to getthatout.
Every eye turned toward her. “Er, I’m afraid youdid, in fact, shoot me.” Jasper smiled down at her. “I still have the scars to prove—”
“I did shoot you, yes.Accidentally. But you weren’t my husband, then.” Is that what thetonthought? That she was some crazed wife who’d gone after her husband with a shotgun?
“Very well, then. You shot the Duke of Montford.” Lady Diana cocked her head, considering it. “I’m not certain if that’s better or worse, especially as you married him directly afterwards. Then there was that incident at Angelo’s—”
“It wasn’t an incident!” For pity’s sake, why did everyone insist on making such a fuss over that? “I went to a fencing academy to fence. There’s nothing so shocking in that, surely.”
“I believe I heard something about you going to Tattersalls, as well? I daresay that would have ruffled a few gentlemen’s feathers.” Basingstoke shook his head. “Not that I see a thing wrong with it, mind you.”
“I don’t see why ladies should be forbidden to shoot at Manton’s, or to go to Tattersalls.” Lady Diana tossed her head. “Franny says you’ve got an excellent seat, Prue. Better than most gentlemen, and that you know a great deal about horses.”
“Perhaps, but I daresay that won’t redeem me with theton.”
“They simply don’t know what to make of you, dearest.” Franny squeezed her hand again. “That’s what the ball is for. To take the shroud of mystery away. Once it’s gone and they find you’re a regular duchess, there will be nothing left for them to gossip about.”
“But sheisn’ta regular duchess,” Jasper said. “There’s nothing ordinary about my wife.”
The pride in his voice was unmistakable, and it should have reassured her, but the knot in her stomach twisted another notch tighter. Oh, what had she been thinking, imagining she could ever be a proper duchess? She didn’t belong here. “I, ah . . . I believe I’ll visit the ladies’ retiring room.”
“I’ll come with you,” Franny said, catching up her long, blue silk train.
Prue stopped her with a hand on her arm. “No, indeed. I’m quite alright, and you must stay and see to your guests.”
Jasper caught her arm, his brows drawn. “If you’re unwell, we’ll leave at once—”
“No.” They couldn’t leave less than an hour after they’d arrived. It would only cause more gossip. “No, I’m quite well, I promise you. Just a bit warm. I won’t be long.”
She didn’t give Jasper a chance to protest further, but hurried off in the direction of the ladies’ retiring room, desperate to be alone for just a moment, so she might take a deep breath and gather herself together without every eye upon her.
But she’d no sooner turned the corner and was hurrying down the corridor that led to the ladies’ retiring room than she heard hurried footsteps behind her. She pasted a smile on her lips and turned, imagining she’d find Franny on her heels, but the lady following her wasn’t Franny.
