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She held up her hand to stop him. “That’s not enough. You’ll learn. You’d grow dissatisfied.” She inhaled. “You don’t desire me, and I don’t desire you.”
Hugo opened his mouth.
“Trust me.” She closed her eyes again. “Desire isn’t the only thing that’s required for a good marriage and I’ve heard it can fade over time, but I think at least the memory of some sort of desire is necessary.”
Ursula drew in another breath through her nose. “Friendship is important and an excellent basis, but it can’t be the only basis. Well, I suppose it can, but I’d like more. Perhaps I’m foolish and reaching for something above my station. I do understand that I can’t actually purchase everything, which is disappointing.” She glanced at Jay. “Though life isn’t fair, it’s not transactional either. I’d like an opportunity for more, even if I’ve wasted an entire season and even if my reputation shall be in tatters.”
“You’d be unhappy with me? You no longer like me?” There was so much melancholy in Hugo’s tone. He stuck out his lower lip and her heart twisted until—oh—ick—the feel of that same lip against hers.
She shuddered. Forty or fifty years of that? Or more, forty or fifty years of never receiving anything like that moment on the chaise with Jay?
Ursula sighed. “I like you very much, Hugo. You shall always be my friend. I don’t long for you in the way a wife should, and I have a feeling that you don’t long for me as well.”
Or if you do, you have quite a great deal to learn about these sorts of things.
She glanced to the side. Why did Jay’s grin need to be so broad? Moreover, why did that make her want to push Hugo out the door and lock her cousins upstairs so she and Jay—no, bad Ursula, double bad.
As if Jay could read her mind, he smirked deeper and turned his head to the side, so neither she nor Hugo could see, though the floor vibrated.
“We promise you though, we, I won’t abandon you. You won’t have to marry Katherine. That I’ll fix. I have a plan. I’ll effectuate it at the Truitt party. Jay shall assist, and we will succeed.” She bit her lip.
I hope.
“You really have a plan?” Hugo clutched his hands, almost as if praying.
Jay covered his laughter with coughing. For goodness’ sake. They were both going to be the death of her. Men.
“Yes, I have a plan. I always have a plan and this one shall receive approval from Mr. Truitt.”
“But he’s—” He glared at Jay. “He’s not you and he’s not reliable.”
Tarnation, did she sound like that when she was whining? Someone should’ve stabbed her years ago.
“He’s very reliable and an excellent foil to me. The two of us, actually, work well together, as partners. You need to trust us, Hugo.” She rose and took his arm.
Jay signaled to the butler, who presented Hugo with his hat and umbrella.
“We’ll explain everything at the party, but I promise you, you shall not have to marry Katherine or me.”
Hugo opened his mouth, but the butler shut the door before he could use his vocal cords. The servant winked at Ursula before returning down the hall. She leaned against the frame, unable to stop the grin spreading on her face. Someone else could not stop smiling either.
“Bravo, Miss Nunes.”
“You enjoyed that?” She licked her lower lip as he scanned her body.
“One of the best conversations of my life, which is quite a feat since I hardly participated.”
She laughed and placed a hand on a hip. “See, you’ve taught me well.” She fiddled with her cameo. The light in his eyes as he dropped his eyes to that area—she smirked—she was doing it, creating it. She could do that to him, every time.
“How long?”
His question startled her. Jay’s eyes were serious as was his voice. He’d moved back to her face again.
“How long what?” she asked.
Jay took a step towards her and another, placing a hand around her waist. He tilted her chin, so her eyes locked with his.
“How long have you known that you weren’t going to marry Hugo?”
