CHAPTER10
Julia held herself as still as possible as she stared up at Lord Gillet. He did not attempt to hide the disdain he clearly had for Edward. He glared at him, as a poacher would its prey, unmoving, and unyielding.
“Do not attempt politeness with me.” As he spoke to Edward, he didn’t even offer the proper courtesy of addressing him as ‘Your Grace’.
“Very well, what sort of conversation would you like to have?” Edward asked in a cheery tone.
Julia stared at him, amazed he was putting on this front of cheer. He seemed to make a point of changing their hold upon each other. No longer were their arms just looped together, but their hands clutched to one another. Julia couldn’t stop herself from clinging to his palm, rather needing him there at that moment.
“Shall we talk of the assembly? The number of people here, perhaps, or its stuffiness. I’m told people who do not know each other well should speak of the weather instead. Shall we do that?”
Julia nearly laughed aloud at Edward’s words. She had to stop herself, pulling on his hand instead.
Why is he provoking Lord Gillet?
“I will not converse with a man who took what was mine.” Lord Gillet’s words left Julia stepping back, feeling both disgusted and shocked.
“What was yours?” she asked, her voice bold and unwavering. At last, Lord Gillet looked at her. The fact he had not spoken to her yet revealed something to her.
Does he look at me as an object? Something he wished to have more than marry at all?
“If you are talking of me, My Lord, you should reconsider your words.Iam not something to be owned.” She kept her voice level, despite the coldness of his eyes. He had a habit of making her want to shrink into nothing with that stare.
“Then tell me this,” Lord Gillet paused, looking around the three of them and clearly checking no one was listening in before he continued. “The last thing I know, the Earl of Finch and I are discussing my possible marriage to Lady Julia. Now, she is onyourarm, and her hand is in yours.” He addressed the latter words to Edward, staring at him.
“You were not yet betrothed, were you?” Edward said, with a smile in place once again.
How can he smile at a moment like this?
He didn’t seem to be afraid of Lord Gillet, not in the way that Julia was.
“Not yet,” Lord Gillet said quietly. “It was a matter of time, that is all. Final agreements were to be made.”
“Let me guess, about dowries?” Edward’s question must have hit the mark, for Lord Gillet took a step back. “Any man that waits to hear the value of a dowry before offering to marry a woman does not really deserve to marry her at all.”
Julia smiled a little, watching Edward closely. Once again, he did not seem like a rake to her. He was a new man. He was the version of himself she had spied in the orphanage, and the one who had danced with her.
Who is the real you, Edward?
“I demand to know the truth of what happened,” the Viscount said, turning an accusing glare on Julia.
“Well, for that, ask theton. Everyone you meet will offer a different explanation.” Edward took Julia’s hand more firmly. “All you need know, Lord Gillet, is that Julia and I are betrothed now. Any claim you had to such an arrangement is at an end.” He led Julia way, leaving her to glance back at the Viscount.
Lord Gillet muttered something under his breath, his unusual paleness turning bright red with fury.
“You have made him angry,” Julia said quietly.
“I do not care if I have. Come, let us think of something else.” Edward led her across the room where they stopped near a group to talk. They hadn’t long been there when Lord Rutley made an appearance and dragged them away.
“I must speak to you, Edward,” he said urgently, muttering under his breath. Julia followed, still at Edward’s side. Even when there wasn’t a touch between them at the moment, no hand holding, and no linking of arms, it felt strangely natural to her to be by his side.
“What is it?” Edward asked as they came to a stop in the shadows of the room, tucked into a corner and far from the candelabras.
“Lord Gillet is out to cause problems, I fear.” The Baron looked between Julia and Edward as he spoke. “Forgive me, Lady Julia, but you need to hear this.”
“Go on,” she encouraged him.
“He is putting it about this evening that the betrothal is a sham and will end.”