Miss Ophelia looked at Julian, and while he knew why, it stopped his heart with dread. He knew she would out them, and knew that she needed to in order to prove a point—and to see what kind of husband Lord Fairport would make, but Julian still winced, not wanting to broach a topic that would cause him so much upset.
“Because Sir Julian has asked me to take him up the Matterhorn next year,” Ophelia said.
Delphine glared at him, an almost too-satisfied expression on her lovely face. As if she had found him out in some kind of lover’s deception.
“Oh,” Lord Fairport said, squirming in his seat as he looked at Julian. The man was as interesting as a boiled potato, and resembled one as well.
“If anyone would like to come along, they are more than welcome,” Ophelia said, glancing around the table.
Delphine scoffed, earning her glares from almost everyone in the room.
“I shall go, Ophelia,” Mrs. Bridewell said. “I would love to have another crack at it.”
“And of course I would be happy to help plan as well as climb,” Mr. Bridewell added, in solidarity. Julian then remembered that he’d opened an Alpine outfitters shop not long ago.
“Would that not be sufficient chaperones?” Ophelia asked Delphine and Lord Fairport. “Besides, it’s only Sir Julian.”
He flinched. What was that supposed to mean? As if he couldn’t be a threat to a woman’s reputation. Wait, that wasn’t what he meant. Ophelia’s dismissal stung, even though it shouldn’t. He was too old for her in some ways, yes, but in others, not at all. She was higher ranking than him, but he still had a title, even if he was not a Peer.
“I think planning another expedition is a fine thing,” Lady Rascomb said, glancing around the room, quelling the clear feeling of animosity that floated around the table.
The rest of the evening was stilted and stifled, everyone trying not to trigger the avalanche of bad feelings that threatened to rain down upon them. By the time the ladies were being led to the drawing room by Lady Rascomb, Julian had endured all the social discomfort he could take in this house. He would rather sleep a dozen nights without blankets in the damp winter than do this again.
“Thank you, so much, Lady Rascomb, for your hospitality this evening. I regret that we must take our leave.”
Delphine slowly daubed her napkin to her lips and rose. “Yes, thank you for the invitation.”
As Delphine stood, the men all stood as well, the shuffle of chair legs across the carpet the only sound in the room. She walked around the table and took his arm as they exited the dining room, everyone watching her languid and slow movements.
Once safely ensconced in the carriage, buttoned up and moving, did Julian dare speak. “You must write an apology. I will as well.”
She turned a shocked gaze at him. “Ishould apologize? That girl has designs on you. You took me to a husband vetting, not bothering to tell me that you were a candidate. Itoldyou that I wouldn’t tolerate competition.”
“I was not being vetted,” he insisted. “It was for Lord Fairport. Besides, you heard Miss Ophelia, ‘It’s only Sir Julian.’”
“That will last one afternoon alone between you and that girl.”
“That ‘girl’ is nearly thirty,” Julian reminded Delphine, but that only made her laugh.
“Which only makes her more desperate.”
“Which explains why she should be wanting Lord Fairport,” Julian said. He ticked off the man’s virtues on his fingers. “He’s wealthy, he’s titled, and he doesn’t seem the type to run off with another woman.”
“Yes, how droll,” Delphine shot back. “As opposed to you, an impressive physical specimen who reminds her of her dear departed father. I say, which would she choose?” Delphine put a finger to her lips, miming indecision.
Julian scoffed. “Miss Ophelia is a very pragmatic person. She’s not about to throw away her future on a pauper like me.”
“What does she care if you are a pauper or not? I have no doubt her brother will settle a fine dowry on her, just to be rid of her.”
He stared at this viper in an expensive dress, all lust and attraction snuffed out at last. “Why must you be so cruel?”
“If you’d had my life, you would be worse,” she spit. “How dare some doe-eyed child like her get so coddled that she gets to climb mountainsandhave a love match? Women don’t get to have it all, Julian. And some women get no choices to begin with.”
“I’m sorry you’ve had such a terrible go, Lady DeMarius,” he said, emphasizing her title, hoping to show her the advantages of her life.
She scoffed. “Oh yes, my husband, that Iensnared.” She pulled off her elbow-length black gloves in a fury. “I know what everyone says. That I somehow made him want me. Does no one have eyes? He was a disgusting old man, and I paid for it all with my body, no different than any chorus girl or common whore. He wanted me forfucking, Julian. This gown? This necklace? Bought by my exposed flesh, and willingness to let him do what he wanted. I was glad he died. And don’t tell me his previous wives would have felt any different.”
Julian bit his tongue. Her vitriol was unleashed, and there was no amount of words he could say to make this situation better. “I’m sorry that happened.”
Delphine glared out the window, her anger fizzling like a candle in the rain. “I know you can’t love me Julian. You’re too nice. Too soft. Too idealistic. But her? You could love a girl like her. And that hurts.”
“You told me not to fall in love with you,” he reminded her. “I thought you didn’t want that.”
“Of course I want you to love me. I want everyone to love me, because I am incapable of it myself.” Her eyes welled up, and for a moment, Julian was terrified she might cry. But Delphine was not a woman who would grace him with a moment of weakness. He didn’t deserve that honor. When she spoke again, her voice was soft with no evidence of a tremor. “I won’t ask for your company again, Julian. But if you come to me, I’ll welcome you back.”
The carriage stopped at her townhome, and she got out without another word, or a backward glance.
