Her mother blinked and looked at Juliette, asif returning to the present. What had her mother been thinking orwho had she been thinking about?
“I was never to return to England. I was paidwell to never return so they cannot know that I have.”
Juliette didn’t understand. Why wouldfather’s family want maman away?
“There is bitterness,” she said after amoment. “I fear they will send me back to Paris or Milan.
“If you were afraid of being discovered, whydid you come back?” Juliette questioned her mother.
“I thought the past could be forgotten, butit cannot.”
“It wouldn’t be so bad to return to Milan,”Juliette offered. She could dance there, though she would never seeAcker again, which was probably for the best.
“You don’t understand.” Her mother graspedJuliette’s hand. “They would send me, but would insist on you andyour sisters remaining here. I was lucky enough to have taken youwith me before. I know they would not allow it a second time.”
“They cannot dictate what we do,” Julietteargued. She hadn’t even known this family existed and she surelywasn’t going to let them suddenly have control over her life.
“They have more power than you know. Not onlyis Bentley an earl, but the family has connections with a verypowerful duke.”
Juliette blinked. Her potential connectionswere getting loftier by the moment. Who would have ever dreamedthat she was distantly related to an earl and a duke?
“My fear is that they will send me away andkeep my daughters here and I will never see you again.” A coughingfit took hold of maman again.
Juliette gently patted her back and thenadded hot tea to her cup.
“Don’t underestimate their power, Juliette.Trust me in this.”
Though Juliette had a hard time grasping theidea that these strangers could have such control over her life,and balked at the very idea, they had managed to exile maman for anumber of years so it was best to heed her warning.
“Now, I must have your promise,” her mothersaid a moment letter.
“Anything,” Juliette assured her.
“If anything were to happen to me—”
“—Don’t say such a thing.”
Tears filled her mother’s eyes and she shookher head. “I am ill, please hear me out.”
Juliette swallowed. She didn’t want to listento her mother speak of her demise. Maman would get better. Shesimply had to.
“If something were to happen to me, you willgo to Bentley.”
Juliette opened her mouth to argue. Hermother just warned her that he was not to know they were here.
“I don’t want him to know I am here so we arenot separated. But, if something were to happen, he will take careof you and your sisters.”
Did she want to be in the care of a familythat had sent her mother away and one she feared still?
“Promise me, Juliette.”
Maman was growing weaker by the moment andreally should be in bed. In order to bring the conversation to aconclusion, Juliette nodded. First, she refused to accept somethingcould happen to maman, and second, she would determine, if and whenthe time came, if she would contact Earl Bentley. Her small familyhad survived well enough all these years without their interferenceand she saw no reason for that to change.
Maman moved to rise from her chair.
Juliette stood. “Here, let me help you.”
Her mother smiled gratefully and leanedheavily on Juliette’s arm while she helped her mother to her room.Once inside maman settled on the side of the bed and sighed.Juliette knew she would be asleep within a moment of her headresting on the pillow.
“One more thing,” her mother said. “Takethis,” she opened the small drawer beside her bed and pulled out adelicate ruby and diamond necklace. “Please sell this and purchasea copy of Debretts.”
Juliette held out her hand and maman droppedthe necklace into it.
“Use the rest of the funds to buy food or paythe rent.”
Also inside the drawer was a sealed letteraddressed to Lord Bentley. His direction was written in mother’selegant hand. Juliette noted that it was located in Mayfair and putthe memory away in the event she needed to find him, though shedoubted it would ever be necessary to locate someone who treatedher mother so cruelly.
The metal of the necklace bit into her palmand Juliette loosened her hold on the jewelry. Why would her motherwish for such a book? It really didn’t matter. Juliette would obeyher mother’s wishes regardless of how unusual if it allowed her torest. She helped her mother settle back against her pillows andpulled the blanket up to her chin. Juliette bent and placed a kisson the woman’s brow and sent a quick prayer that her motherrecovered from this illness and then left to do as her motherrequested.
Her sisters where home when she returned,carrying the tome in her arms. When questioned she explained hermother’s odd request.
“Is she better at least?” Hélène asked.
Juliette shook her head. “I think she fearsthe worst.” Should she tell her sisters that maman was coughing upblood? No, they didn’t need to know now, if ever. But, they didneed to know what maman had told her about the Trents and Bentley.Even if her mother wished that she keep it a secret her sistersneeded to know as well.
Acker leaned against the wall, glass of winein his hand and wishing he was anywhere but here. The ballroom wascrowded and he had little patience for the budding debutants. Therewere some very pretty young ladies, but none of them matchedJuliette’s beauty and grace, nor did any of them have the brilliantred hair.
“You are not giving any of themconsideration.”
Acker turned to find his mother standing athis side. “Who?”
She gestured to the throng in the room. “Anyof those lovely young ladies.”
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. “I’vetried mother, none of them interest me.”
She pursed her lips and snorted. “As if acountry dance was enough to establish whether a young womansuited.”
It was enough for him. Had one engaged him ineven a mildly interesting conversation perhaps he would have takena turn about the room. But there were only so many comments hecould stomach with regard to rain and fog. Actually, mentions ofrain only reminded him of kissing Juliette in Milan and how hebungled
