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“Good Lord,” Justine muttered. “Has Lady Bardaline seen this?”
Amelia snorted. “She delivered it.” She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the chaise. “I heard something rather interesting in the country about your friend.”
“What friend?”
“Have you any other friend besides the Marquess of Hamilton?”
“Fair point,” Justine said drily. “What did you hear?”
Amelia’s eyes sparked. “The rumor is that he impregnated a country girl and left her.”
The words her sister spoke did not at first take root in Justine’s head. She frowned. Then she laughed. “That’s absurd! Where did you hear this?”
“There was some talk at supper, and that’s the rumor.”
The world seemed to shift slightly to the left.
“I, for one, don’t believe it’s true,” Amelia continued blithely. “He’s rather sure of himself, and quite free with his words. And he doesn’t strike me as a blackguard. Does he you? I should think if he impregnated a country girl, he’d happily let it be known. He’d probably marry her, just to spite society.” She paused and looked at Justine curiously. “What’s the matter? You don’t believe it, do you?”
“No!” she said at once. She didn’t believe it. It was impossible. So why, then, was her head spinning? It couldn’t possibly be true; she couldn’tpossiblyhave been so wrong about him! The news was stunning, and she didn’t know what to make of it, but she would stake her crown on it being a lie. That was how strongly she believed in him.
But oh, God, what if she was falling for another lie?
“Jussie? You’re so pale.”
Justine stood up and walked to the window. She pushed it open, then leaned out, taking a deep breath, dragging as much air as she could into her lungs. Somewhere behind her a door opened. And then she heard Lila’s voice.
“Oh splendid! You’re both here. I am delighted to inform you we’ve been invited to a supper party.”
“A supper party!” Amelia proclaimed, perking up. “Where? No one boring, is it? No old man who used to be an admiral or a minister with stories to tell.”
“We’ll be dining at the home of Lord Iddesleigh.”
Justine slowly turned away from the window and assumed a neutral expression. But Amelia gasped. “We’ve been there! We attended the most extraordinary soiree when we were here before.”
“I expect it will be again,” Lila said.
“When?”
“In two days’ time.”
Amelia came up off the chaise longue. “What have I got to wear?”
“I should think from all the shopping you’ve done, there would be something in your wardrobe,” Justine said tightly.
“Je,I’m going to have a look.” Amelia fairly skipped out of the room to have her look, excited about the prospect of another social occasion.
When she’d gone, Lila looked curiously at Justine. “How do you feel about the invitation?”
“I’ve no desire to attend if you want to know the truth.”
“I always want to know the truth. Perhaps you’ll be more interested when I tell you that your next suitor will attend?”
The woman looked absolutely pleased as punch and it annoyed Justine. “No, I am not more interested. I don’t want another suitor, Lila. The first ones have been...lacking.”
Lila frowned slightly. “Is everything all right?”
Everything was not all right. Everything felt ridiculous and wrong. “Fine.”
