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Lord Kinsley muttered to his friends and cast her indecent looks, but she merely stared him down until he flushed and turned his back to her. No doubt he’d embellished the rumors by claiming he’d found her fast or some such disgusting thing. Let him say what he wished. She didn’t want to associate with any companions of his anyway.
Her resolve faltered only when she passed three girls she’d once called friends, who darted condescending looks her way. Of course, they were standing with their very strict mamas. Even so, their whispers were loud enough for her to catch snatches of “the bold creature” and “how shameful” and “is it true that—”
She hurried past before she could hear more. That hurt; she couldn’t deny it. But she’d die before she let anybody see how much.
Rosalind’s hand caught her elbow. “Listen, dear heart, you needn’t stay if you don’t want to.”
Juliet shrugged off her sister’s hand. “Oh no, they won’t banish me so easily as that. Better to face it now. I won’t have them thinking me a coward, or worse yet, embarrassed to have my ‘sin’ found out.” An elderly knight who wouldn’t have dared to approach her a month ago cast her a leering grin, and she glowered at him until his grin disappeared. “It’s all right, Rosalind. I can handle it.”
“Well, I’m putting an end to it tonight,” Griff growled. “I’m told that Montfort is here somewhere. I should have guessed he was the one to start the rumors. But I truly expected a duke to behave better.”
Before leaving for Shropshire, Griff had written to Daniel at Swan Park to mention the problem with the gossip and that they were headed off to put a stop to it. Upon their return to London, they’d found a letter waiting from Daniel. Griff wouldn’t say what it contained, but apparently it had been enough to convince him that Montfort was guilty.
“Be very careful how you approach the duke,” Rosalind told her husband. “If you’re not entirely sure he’s the culprit—”
“I’m sure,” Griff retorted.
“He was very nasty when I refused his offer of marriage,” Juliet said grimly. “But you’ll have trouble proving his culpability. In society, he’s regarded as quite the amiable gentleman, which means he’s as sneaky as he is malicious. And even if you prove that he started the gossip, what can you do about it?”
“You just leave Montfort to me” was all he would say before he strode off across the ballroom.
“I hope he doesn’t do anything rash,” Juliet murmured.
“I hope not, either,” Rosalind said. “But let him do what he can. He’s taken it as his mission to avenge the wrongs done to you. Since your kidnapper isn’t around for him to visit his vengeance upon, he’ll bludgeon Montfort instead.”
“Montfort could use some bludgeoning,” Juliet retorted. “But frankly, I don’t hold much hope Griff can influence his grace. Montfort has too much money and power for his own good. Not to mention that he takes enjoyment from watching others squirm. Which is why I won’t give him the satisfaction.” She would pretend to be entirely unaffected, even if she had to do it with clenched teeth.
She saw Lord Havering hastening toward her and braced herself for whatever he might say. He’d always been nice, but now no one’s behavior toward her was certain.
He reached them all out of breath and stammered, “Have you heard the latest news? It’s all anybody’s talking about!” Juliet drew herself up, fully prepared to give him a verbal thumping for repeating the gossip about her to her face, but before she could speak, he added, “The Pirate Lord has struck again! And this time he’s gone too far. He’s taken captive an entire shipload of English convict women!”
“Are you sure?” Rosalind said, wide-eyed with excitement. “An entire ship?”
“Not the ship, mind you, just the women. And nobody can figure out why.” He leaned forward, clearly delighted to be the one to tell them this latest on dit. “What’s more, Lord Blackmore’s stepsister, Miss Willis, was aboard when the pirates attacked. She’s a reformer, you know. Anyway, Blackmore is livid! They say he’s been at the docks all afternoon. Supposedly Miss Willis wasn’t taken with the other women, but nobody’s seen her since the convict ship returned to England without its passengers. And there are rumors—”
“Which are probably false,” Juliet put in sternly. This was too close to her own situation for comfort. “Really, my lord, you shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”
He let his gaze rest warmly on her. “I don’t, Lady Juliet. There are some things about some young ladies that I wouldn’t believe even if Prinny himself said them.” His meaningful pause touched her. “But this information comes directly from one of the Navy Board’s commissioners. The only part in doubt is whether Miss Willis was taken, and that’ll become known soon enough, I s’pose.”
“That poor girl!” Rosalind remarked. “To be taken by pirates…it’s ghastly.”
That’s when it hit Juliet. Morgan was with the Pirate Lord. He might even be part of this. Poor Sebastian, he would be crushed.
Her heart sank. And if there’d been any small chance before that he would come for her before his brother returned, it was dashed by this news. Unlike Lord Winthrop, Lord Blackmore had a great deal of political power. He wouldn’t rest until the Pirate Lord was vanquished, along with the unlucky members of the villain’s crew. Like Sebastian’s hapless brother.
No, Sebastian wouldn’t risk anything for her now. Not after this.
“Lady Juliet?” Lord Havering asked anxiously. “Are you all right? You look very pale. It must greatly vex gentle creatures like yourselves to hear of such awful villains.”
Bending near enough for her to smell his nasty-smelling hair oil, he took her hand and chafed it between his. “May I fetch you some punch? You look like you might faint.”
Rosalind was eyeing her curiously, too, so Juliet forced the frown from her face. “No, I’m fine. I was merely thinking of what those women must be suffering.”
“I tell you, if I had a ship,” he said stoutly, “I’d be out there at once and after the brigand. I would, I swear.”
She suppressed her smile. “Of course you would.” But only if somebody were holding a gun to his head.
The present dance ended, and their conversation was momentarily interrupted by applause. Then Lord Havering turned to her with a hopeful smile. “If you’re sure you’re well, perhaps you’d stand up with me for this next one?”
