"Lady Juliana supports many worthy causes," Amanda said. "She's making baby clothes for the Foundling Hospital."
Juliana had a sudden thought. "It might be a good idea," she suggested to James, "for you to vaccinate the foundlings."
"I already do," he said, which made her admire him even more. "I visit there twice every year. "
Lady Stafford looked to Juliana. "Do you need more help sewing the baby clothes, dear? I'd be pleased to attend your party tomorrow."
"That would be wonderful," Juliana said.
And it was. But she spent the rest of dinner wondering how it happened that she'd ended up volunteering to help at the Institute when she'd suggested Amanda do so, and Lord Cavanaugh had ended up donating money when she'd asked that of the duke.
Maybe she was losing her touch.
TWENTY-THREE
AFTER DINNER, when the ladies would usually have left the men alone with their port, Lady Stafford suggested they all adjourn to the Palm Room instead. While the men poured and Lady Stafford busied herself serving the apple and orange tart, Amanda drew Juliana into the alcove at the back of the room.
"Can you believe this house?" she whispered, her eyes sparkling at last. "Is it not the most amazing thing you've ever seen?"
Juliana's gaze wandered the gold palm fronds, the gold and crystal chandeliers, the gold-trimmed ceiling. "There's a lot of gold."
Smiling, Amanda nodded. "Even the silverware is gold."
"It's sterling plated in gold," Juliana informed her.
"Regardless. What's truly amazing is all the antiquities. They make the terracotta pots and glass flasks my father's uncovered look like so much rubbish." Her whisper dropped even lower. "I want to marry Lord Stafford."
The words Juliana had been waiting to hear. But her friend's sudden change of heart was…well, it was very sudden. "You cannot marry for antiquities," she whispered back, fearing Amanda was making this decision for all the wrong reasons. "I would hope you would like the man more than his possessions."
"Oh, I do. I've decided you're right. My wedding is drawing ever closer, and Lord Stafford and I suit well. We're compatible. He likes chess, and he's clearly interested in all things Roman. Maybe my father was right—maybe there are more important considerations than love. Besides, you said I will learn to love Lord Stafford, and I believe you."
Amanda sounded sincere, Juliana thought. Perhaps she should stop worrying about the reasons and just be relieved her friend was finally consenting to marry James. They did share common interests, and Amanda didn't sicken at the sight of blood. She'd make an excellent physician's wife. It was unfortunate they hadn't the luxury to get to know each other leisurely, but the two of them had been destined to fall in love from the first. She'd said so all along, hadn't she?
She was relieved, she decided.
In fact, she was thrilled. How could she not be thrilled? With the possible exception of civilizing young Emily, all of her projects were progressing perfectly.
Lord Malmsey and Lady Frances were getting along swimmingly. Indeed, at the ball last night, their aging eyes had been glittering with the discovery of new love. Now that Lord Malmsey would no longer need to wed Amanda, the charmingly shy couple would live happily ever after.
The duke didn't seem to mind the company of James and Amanda, which meant that after Juliana married him, she could remain friends with James. She and the duke would have to fall in love before marrying, of course, but maybe they were in love already. How was a woman with her lack of experience supposed to know? And in any case, love was bound to happen soon. The duke cared for her, and he needed her. On the surface, he was perfect—everything she'd been looking for in a man—but inside, he was hurt. With her help, he was going to learn to be affectionate and more charitable. She was going to be a duchess! Her grace, Juliana, the Duchess of Castleton. The name had such a lovely ring to it.
And on top of all of that good news, it looked as though she may have managed to match Lady Stafford with Lord Cavanaugh, even though she'd only intended for them to enjoy a dance.
Everything was going to work out exactly as it should.
Lady Stafford came into the alcove and handed Juliana and Amanda each a crested plate with a slice of the tart and a gold fork. "Your great-grandmother's tart is delicious," she gushed. "Thank you so much for making and bringing it."
"You're very welcome," Juliana said, following her back to the main part of the room. Plate in hand, the duke wandered into the alcove and began chatting with Amanda. As promised in the recipe, the tart was promoting new friendships already.
Lady Stafford seated herself on a chair covered in pale green satin with a palm tree design worked into the fabric. Lord Cavanaugh took the chair nearest hers. James was already sitting on the love seat, digging happily into a slice of tart. There were six more palm tree-decorated chairs and four matching stools, but Juliana sat on the love seat by James, even though she knew that place should be reserved for Amanda.
It would be for but a moment. She had something very important to discuss.
James didn't seem to find anything amiss with her sitting beside him. In fact, he shifted to face her, which put him rather too close. "This tart is excellent," he said. "Did you make it?"
"Of course," she said, trying to scoot a little to the side. Apparently the love seat was too small to share with a man of his size. "Your mother is getting along very well with Lord Cavanaugh, isn't she?"
"She seems to be, yes."
"They seem perfect for each other. His title even begins with C."
"C?"
"Like her sisters, don't you see? Aurelia is Lady Avonleigh, Bedelia is Lady Balmforth, and your mother would be—"
"Cornelia, Lady Cavanaugh. Yes, I see." Looking amused, he swallowed another bite. "But I
