Page 16 of Juliet's Touch

“I should think not,” his grandmother said. “What is the likes of him doing here?”

Juliet caught Charles’s almost imperceptible wince. Leaning close, she whispered, “Is something troubling you?”

“Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over,” he said with a dismissive flick of his wrist.

Juliet would appreciate having a choice in what she fretted about. She opened her mouth to tell him as much, when the scent of floral perfume tickled her nostrils. Although more pleasant than the rank Malestorm, it raised an unsettling question. Why did Charles smell feminine? She inhaled again. Sure enough, her fiancé smelled like roses.

He smiled that charming grin that had captivated her the second he sauntered into her aunt’s drawing room. “Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.

Juliet smiled back. She had been a fool to think he smelled like another woman. Malestorm’s stench had confused hernose. Well, that, and vivid olfactory memories of the masked stranger who smelled like fresh oranges still had her slightly discombobulated.

“I am having a delightful evening,” she lied, since the truth would be exceedingly ill-mannered. She should change the subject to something cheerful, and she knew just the thing. “I heard from my sister Emily, today.”

Charles’s frown was so wide, his brow furrowed until he resembled a wrinkled worm. “What did she say?”

Taken aback by what seemed like disgust, she swallowed before saying, “She asked me to visit her. Lord Chesterhill is sending a carriage for me—”

“Chesterhill?” Charles scoffed. “After his wife’s demise, the family has been disgraced. You will not have anything to do with them.”

How absurd. She could not disown her sister. Besides, even though his father and stepmother were slightly scandalous, her brother-in-law was exceedingly popular and beloved by everyone. Charles was behaving like a dramatic ninny.

As frustrated as she was, somehow Juliet kept her tone neutral. “But I wrote back and said that I could visit. My response is already in the post.”

“You should have talked to me first.” Charles held up his hand, halting any protest from her. “I forbid the trip. Write tomorrow and cancel.”

“But…” She had to say something to make him understand how important this was to her. “But Emily is my sister. She is my best friend.”

“I need you to understand something.” His whispered words were so harsh, they sliced at her soul. “After I found out your sister had married into that scandalous family, I reconsidered asking you to be my wife.” He again swished that prejudiced,dismissive wrist. “I still proposed, because you are the loveliest woman in London.”

His cruel words were like a punch to her stomach. Juliet struggled to breathe.

“What are the two of you discussing?” the dowager asked.

“Nothing.” He huffed. “Our conversation is over. Finished. Finale.”

But this conversation was far from over. “I must ask you to reconsider, my lord,” Juliet said.

Lord Riley shushed her with a snake-like hiss and a finger to her lips. “The show is starting.” Giving her his profile, he focused on the stage.