Page 43 of The New Earl’s Convenient Wife

He squeezed her hand. ‘Just remember that, in almost all cases, your mother has been wrong in virtually everything she’s ever said to you since childhood. Don’t let her disparagement spoil what could be an enjoyable evening.’

Juliana took a deep breath. ‘I’ll try not to.’

Though she wasn’t able to banish all her trepidation, as the various new acquaintances sought her out, Juliana found to her relief that Rafe had been right. Her dance partners, many still in uniform, were all easy to talk with, some openly admiring, though she still lacked the knack of responding to flirtation. By mid-evening, she felt confident enough to send Rafe off to the card room to catch up with their host.

Even better, while standing beside the Duchess, she needed only to follow her friend’s lead, nodding, curtseying or smiling to all those who came to greet the new countess.

‘How do you do this so well?’ Juliana murmured after Claire smoothly deflected the too-forward advances of an obviously inebriated young lord.

‘I weathered two Seasons before I was wed. In my first, I was accorded a good deal of attention by the late Duke of Fenniston, Hart’s cousin. Having not yet inherited, he was still Viscount Edmenton then. When a lady is noticed by a future duke, other gentlemen follow. Some of them as ill-behaved as that young man.’

‘The duke ultimately chose another?’

Claire smiled faintly. ‘In my second Season, my younger sister Liliana was presented. Edmenton took one look at her—to be fair, she was the acclaimed Diamond of her debut year, her hand sought by many competing gentlemen—and turned his attention there. I drifted into the company of Alexander Hambledon, a family friend since childhood.’

‘Like Rafe and I.’

‘Yes. There was…rather more to it, but I’ll not go into it at a rout.’

Noting her faint look of sadness, Juliana cried, ‘I’m sorry to be so inquisitive! I didn’t mean to bring up…unhappy memories.’

Claire touched her hand. ‘Don’t distress yourself. As it turns out, the late duke was not worthy of the regard I had for him. I did grow to love Alexander. Not with the rapture I feel for Hart—’ she looked fondly in the direction of the card room into which their husbands had disappeared ‘—but in a warm, comforting, gentle way.’

‘Did you fall in love the moment you saw Hart?’

Claire laughed. ‘Oh, no! We were quite wary of each other at first. Indeed, he tricked me into thinking he was a rude Scot with no knowledge of how to behave as a gentleman! Though to be fair, that was what the former duke had led me to expect. I quickly learned otherwise, but it took time for the two of us to learn to…appreciate each other.’

The Duchess had come to feel a ‘warm, comfortable’ love for her childhood-friend husband after having been in love with another? Juliana felt a faint stirring of hope. Maybe, after a time, Rafe might develop the same sort of love for her?

‘Time spent in Society, especially when I’d drawn attention by being favoured by the Viscount, taught me how to deal with overbearing matrons and impertinent gentlemen,’ Claire continued. ‘Then, as Father was a diplomat, I attended some of my parents’ political dinners, where I could observe how the powerful and famous behave and copy their manners.’

‘You observed well!’ Juliana noted. ‘You appear very “regal.”’

Claire smiled wryly. ‘Father was only an “honourable”, the younger son of an earl; if I were not imperious, the Society dragons would skewer me for having wed a duke, attaining a rank well above my station. So I nod and offer a slight smile. It also helps if you can perfect a slightly bored expression that says you consider this-or-that one’s approach only a bit short of presumptuous. Save your honest smiles and compliments for your friends, of course.’

Juliana shook her head. ‘I’ll settle for nodding and smiling. I’m not sure I could perfect any sort of expression.’

‘Except delight, when you see Rafe approaching.’

Her eyes widening in alarm, Juliana scrambled for something clever to reply, and failed.

Claire patted her hand again. ‘You care deeply for him, but don’t worry, I won’t say anything, not even to Hart. I know Rafe insists that the best marriage is a union of friends. But he cares deeply for you, too, even if hasn’t quite realized it yet.’

It was an appealing thought, though Juliana wasn’t sure it represented anything more than kind encouragement. But…maybe she could hope?

That in itself was a development welcome enough for her to be thankful after all that they had attended the rout.

In the afternoon a week later, Hart returned from a morning away and found his wife, as he anticipated, sitting at the desk in the library. He was looking forward to spending a few hours alone with her; the business of getting ready to enter Parliament and the distraction of encountering former friends and associates had occupied more time than he had anticipated.

He found he missed his wife’s company. To say nothing of trysting in unusual places. Though, he acknowledged with a sigh, there was little chance of finding anywhere to indulge in one of those interludes in overcrowded London.

‘Did your errands go well?’ she asked, smiling and closing her book.

‘Yes,’ he said, crossing the room to kiss her cheek. ‘I met with Hart and several others to discuss my introduction to the Lords. Then went to Ede & Ravenscroft to be measured for the presentation robe. It’s crimson, trimmed with fur, very exquisite. I think you’d like it.’

‘I’ll look forward to seeing it. When do you expect to be presented?’

‘Probably next week.’