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And as Caroline, with Felicity at her side, said their goodbyes and whispered something to the earl, Lady Juliet caught Marc’s eye, and she started rightforhim.
“How is my old friend Beckford?” he asked, thinking the woman’s husband might be the safest topic ofconversation.
“Does that mean you haven’t seen him?” she said, her dark brown eyes narrowingslightly.
What the devil was that supposed to mean? Had Luke wised up and abandoned the frosty chit? Did she think he’d taken up refuge at Haversham House or something along those lines? “ShouldIhave?”
“He said he was going to call on you thisafternoon.”
Ah! Just a social call, then. They must have passed each other on the street somewhere. “Well, do send him myregards.”
Lady Juliet’s gaze flashed back toward Caroline and she whispered, “I don’t believe she’s seen the gossip columnstoday.”
Neither had Marc. Reading the rags wasn’t usually part ofhisday.
“At least she hasn’t mentioned them, and I think shewouldhave.”
“Is there something to be seen in them?” he asked, though there must be something in the day’s columns or Lady Juliet wouldn’t havementionedthem.
The lady’s dark brown eyes narrowed on Marc once more. “Let’s just say your excursion at Astley’s last night did not escape Society’snotice.”
Was that all? Worse had been printed about him inthepast.
Lady Juliet, however, seemed to be of a different mind. She heaved a sigh. “If you doanythingto hurt Caroline, they’ll never find all the pieces of you to put back togetheragain.”
Marc’s brow lifted in surprise. He’d been threatened by a number of people throughout his life, but never by someone likeherin a place such as this. The normalcy of a Mayfair parlor filled with genteel people and a tea service off to the side juxtaposed with a menacing threat from such a sweet sounding voice. It was all very surreal. “I beg yourpardon?”
She shrugged slightly. “Paraphrasing, I’m sure. But that’s what Luke meant to say when hesawyou.”
It didn’t sound remotely like something Luke would say, his tart-tongued wife, however… “You may tell yourhusbandthat you delivered his message. And then you can assure him that the very last thing I would ever do is hurtCaroline.”
She seemed to assess him for the truthfulness of that statement, and she could assess him all she liked. Protecting Caroline, keeping her safe, was Marc’s top priority. Lady Juliet wouldn’t find otherwise, not in his countenance oranywhereelse.
“Did I hear my name?” Caroline asked, coming over to stand beside Marc now that the damned earl had taken hisleave.
Caroline’s lilac scent swirled about him at her nearness, and Marc couldn’t help but breathe her in. “Well, you know,” he drawled, “you are my favorite topic of conversation. Did I hear you say you were meeting Peasemore thisevening?”
“Jealous?” she echoed his usual sentimenttoher.
“Insanely,” he replied and didn’t even bother to hide hissmile.
Caroline laughed as she shook her head. “Well, I’m sure you could simply ask Alex for my weekly schedule, if you’d like all thedetails.”
Dear God, she was delightful. The twinkle in her eye, the lilt in her voice. Just being near her lightened his heart. “My dear, on my honor, I didnotask Alex about your whereabouts lastnight.”
“Yourhonor?”
He bit back a smile. He was not, after all, known for his honor. “Well, it’s true nonetheless. Alexdidhappen to mention in passing that he’d be seeing you, but I didnotask.”
“Ah!” She grinned. “So the truthcomesout.”
He winked at her. “You have to know the proper questions to ask,mydear.”
“I think even if I knew the proper questions, you’d answer them in a way to leave me inthedark.”
Well, that was one of his specialties. “You’re no better. Are you going to make me bribe Simmons for the information? Or will you take pity on me and tell me where you’ll be tonight?” With that damned Peasemore. But he left that last bit out, because he truly was insanely jealous. And he’d really rather she notknowthat.
“Cordie’s ball,” she returned. “I daresay that might be an eventyouwere actuallyinvitedto.”
