“You’re right. Perhaps it is a good time to leave London.” First that business with Lucifer, and now Pelham.
“It is,” Lily agreed. “A holiday is precisely what we need. In fact, let’s quit the ball now and begin preparations.”
“No.” Juliette shook her head. She could see what her friends were doing, and she would not take them down with her. “You stay here. I’m sure you have dances reserved. I’m going to take in some fresh air and then sneak away.”
“No!” Lily cried. “We’ll go with you. You don’t have to leave. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Juliette could have hugged her, and Fallon, too. They were such loyal friends. Their own good intentions would be their ruin. Juliette wouldn’t allow it. “I need some time alone,” she said, her tone harsh so Fallon would not argue. “I’d really prefer it if you afforded me some time to myself.”
Lily frowned but nodded. “Very well. If that’s what you wish.”
Juliette started moving away, but Fallon caught her arm. “I know what you’re doing. I’ll allow it this time, but we will stand by you.”
When they had both been absorbed by the crowd and Juliette stood alone, she whispered, “Thanks.”
For the first time in recent memory, no one clamored for her attention. No man was at her elbow with champagne or a request for a dance or a jeweled ornament he begged her to accept. No women were observing her, studying her mannerisms or her gown. She was an outcast and would be completely ignored.
The panic swirled again, and the room spun. She really did need some air. She managed to make it through a set of French doors and leaned her hands against the balustrade. The small balcony overlooked the prince’s gardens, but Juliette was not interested in the view. She concentrated on filling her lungs with air and tried not to think about Pelham.
Breathe. Just breathe, she told herself. This was not how she had hoped the night would end, but it was not the end of the world. So her reign as one of The Three Diamonds was at an end. She’d had worse setbacks. She would recover.
She always did.
“Are you certain you prefer to wait out here?” a man’s voice asked. Juliette shook her head. It sounded remarkably like Pelham. Now she was imagining him?
“Yes. I feel faint in this stuffy ballroom.”
Juliette’s head jerked up. She had not imagined the woman’s voice. It must be Pelham and his fiancée. The last thing Juliette wanted was to be seen by either of them. She pushed off the balustrade and scurried into a shadowed corner then wedged herself behind one of the open French doors. It was scant protection if either of them looked directly at her, but it was the only place to hide.
“I’ll fetch your pelisse and be back momentarily.”
“Thank you,” Pelham’s fiancée said. She was pretty but not overly so. Still, Juliette could see the woman had grace and bearing. Her gown, her hair, and her face might be rather plain, but she was regal. She moved out onto the balcony while Pelham stalked away. Juliette breathed a little easier when Pelham’s fiancée walked straight to the balustrade and peered out at the gardens. Now would have been an excellent time to sneak back into the ballroom. Unfortunately, she was trapped behind the door. If she had been wearing a dark-colored dress, she might have risked moving out of the shadows, but the silver was too conspicuous and shiny. She need only stay hidden for a moment. Pelham would be back, and then he would whisk his fiancée away.
Poor woman.
Juliette hoped she never saw the duke again.
“I know you’re there,” the woman said.
Juliette jumped. Had the duke’s fiancée seen her step outside? Then why would she follow? Did she want to speak to her? Well, Juliette had nothing to say to the woman. She was about to declare this when a man’s voice answered, “You’ve kept me waiting.”
Juliette froze. There was something familiar about that voice. She shivered and
“It is,” Lily agreed. “A holiday is precisely what we need. In fact, let’s quit the ball now and begin preparations.”
“No.” Juliette shook her head. She could see what her friends were doing, and she would not take them down with her. “You stay here. I’m sure you have dances reserved. I’m going to take in some fresh air and then sneak away.”
“No!” Lily cried. “We’ll go with you. You don’t have to leave. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Juliette could have hugged her, and Fallon, too. They were such loyal friends. Their own good intentions would be their ruin. Juliette wouldn’t allow it. “I need some time alone,” she said, her tone harsh so Fallon would not argue. “I’d really prefer it if you afforded me some time to myself.”
Lily frowned but nodded. “Very well. If that’s what you wish.”
Juliette started moving away, but Fallon caught her arm. “I know what you’re doing. I’ll allow it this time, but we will stand by you.”
When they had both been absorbed by the crowd and Juliette stood alone, she whispered, “Thanks.”
For the first time in recent memory, no one clamored for her attention. No man was at her elbow with champagne or a request for a dance or a jeweled ornament he begged her to accept. No women were observing her, studying her mannerisms or her gown. She was an outcast and would be completely ignored.
The panic swirled again, and the room spun. She really did need some air. She managed to make it through a set of French doors and leaned her hands against the balustrade. The small balcony overlooked the prince’s gardens, but Juliette was not interested in the view. She concentrated on filling her lungs with air and tried not to think about Pelham.
Breathe. Just breathe, she told herself. This was not how she had hoped the night would end, but it was not the end of the world. So her reign as one of The Three Diamonds was at an end. She’d had worse setbacks. She would recover.
She always did.
“Are you certain you prefer to wait out here?” a man’s voice asked. Juliette shook her head. It sounded remarkably like Pelham. Now she was imagining him?
“Yes. I feel faint in this stuffy ballroom.”
Juliette’s head jerked up. She had not imagined the woman’s voice. It must be Pelham and his fiancée. The last thing Juliette wanted was to be seen by either of them. She pushed off the balustrade and scurried into a shadowed corner then wedged herself behind one of the open French doors. It was scant protection if either of them looked directly at her, but it was the only place to hide.
“I’ll fetch your pelisse and be back momentarily.”
“Thank you,” Pelham’s fiancée said. She was pretty but not overly so. Still, Juliette could see the woman had grace and bearing. Her gown, her hair, and her face might be rather plain, but she was regal. She moved out onto the balcony while Pelham stalked away. Juliette breathed a little easier when Pelham’s fiancée walked straight to the balustrade and peered out at the gardens. Now would have been an excellent time to sneak back into the ballroom. Unfortunately, she was trapped behind the door. If she had been wearing a dark-colored dress, she might have risked moving out of the shadows, but the silver was too conspicuous and shiny. She need only stay hidden for a moment. Pelham would be back, and then he would whisk his fiancée away.
Poor woman.
Juliette hoped she never saw the duke again.
“I know you’re there,” the woman said.
Juliette jumped. Had the duke’s fiancée seen her step outside? Then why would she follow? Did she want to speak to her? Well, Juliette had nothing to say to the woman. She was about to declare this when a man’s voice answered, “You’ve kept me waiting.”
Juliette froze. There was something familiar about that voice. She shivered and
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