He then focused on Acker. “Though I don’tknow why I am sharing with you as you haven’t sat at a table inweeks.”
“I prefer to keep my money,” Ackerlaughed.
The three of them had attended Harrowtogether and were close friends until Acker and Stanwick went offto Oxford and Bridges to Cambridge. Yet, despite the years that hadpassed and not being in each others company as they once were, thefriendship that formed when they were younger remained inplace.
The servant appeared with the requestedbottle and placed it on the table with three glasses. Stanwickpoured then leaned back in his chair cradling his goblet. “Why areyou gentlemen here and not attending some ball in search of awife?”
“Because I have no intention of marrying,”Bridges answered. “Besides, I am not of that world.”
“Your money makes you of that world,”Stanwick reminded him.
“I don’t want a young debutant for a wife,”Bridges said and tilted back the glass to take a drink. “And theydon’t want me. They want a title. I can never give them that.”
“What of your holdings, your business?” Ackerasked. Even though Bridges did not have a title, there was much hecould leave an heir.
“I’ve two nephews. They will profit from mydemise.”
Acker simply shook his head and took a drink.The liquid burned a path down this throat and warmed his belly in away the whiskey had not. If he drank enough he might just be ableto sleep through the night without dreams of Juliette for a change,though he should remain sober for the ballet. He could alwaysreturn here after it concluded and Acker suspected he would needthe brandy then more than he did now.
“You, on the other hand,” Stanwick addressedAcker, “have a title and estates. Shouldn’t you be looking for yourwife?” He leaned in toward Acker. “You aren’t getting anyyounger.”
“Bugger off,” Acker muttered before downingthe rest of his brandy.
Stanwick simply laughed and refilled Ackers’glass.
“The same could be said of you,” Ackerreminded his friend. “You will inherit your uncle’s title.”
Stanwick frowned. “Don’t remind me.”
“Shouldn’t you be doing your duty?”
The owner of the hell set his now empty glasson the table with a thud. “I have no intention of doing my dutyever. As far as I am concerned, the title can go hang.”
These words did not surprise Acker. Stanwickhated his uncle for abandoning his mother when Stanwick’s fatherdrank himself to death after gambling away everything the familyowned. The only way Stanwick was able to attend Oxford was becausehis uncle had paid for it in preparation of the gentlemaninheriting the title one day. Perhaps the uncle should have treatedhis sister-in-law a little better if he wished for his title toremain within the immediate line of inheritance instead of somedistant relation he had never met.
Acker pulled his watch from the inside of hispocket. The ballet was to begin in less than an hour. It was timeto leave. “Thank you for the hospitality, Stanwick,” he said as hestood.
“Where are you going?” Bridges asked. “It isearly.”
“I am off to the ballet,” Acker answered andmade his way to the door.
Juliette stretched and reviewed the steps inher mind while the others prepared for the production. In Milanmany of the dancers had been her friends. Such had not been thecase in London. They resented her for taking the place of anotherand some viewed her as competition for more prominent roles.Juliette didn’t want to be anyone’s competition, she only wanted todance.
“Do you think Lord Acker will be heretonight?” Hélène asked as she approached. Her sister had finishedthe alterations on Juliette’s costume a few days earlier butanother dancer had asked her to help fix a tear and soon Hélène wasrepairing costumes much as she had done in Milan.
Genviève was seated in a chair at the side ofthe room. There was no reason for her to be here but she hadn’twanted to remain at home either. Maman, despite her continuedillness, was driving them all mad with worry over the performance.What if someone recognized her and told the family. Maman tried tomake Juliette quit the production but she held fast. Juliette wasnot going to let strangers dictate how she lived. However, she hadasked her sisters. Her discovery, however remote the possibility,could affect them as well, but they were in agreement that thethree of them could not hide for the rest of their lives.
Juliette came to the conclusion that mamanwas being overly dramatic, which she had a tendency to do, alongwith displays of paranoia. Genviève was of the same mind andclaimed the gentleman whom she had met in the Piazza seemedgenuinely interested in locating Julia and Adele. The way he spokeof his betrothed and wishing to buy her flowers was not the actionsof a controlling, unfeeling man. Despite their arguments, however,Maman refused to contact anyone in the Trent family to learn if shewould be free to remain in London or if they would need to leaveonce again.
In fact, Juliette wouldn’t be surprised ifthey returned to their set of rooms this evening to find everythingpacked and ready to move. The illness was probably the only thingthat would keep her from taking such action.
Were her mother’s fears legitimate or had shelet the truth of the past be skewed over the years?
“Do you think he will be here?” Hélène askedagain.
“Yes.” Juliette knew Hélène meant Lord Ackerand she expected him to be in the audience. After all, it had beenLord Acker who had directed her here in the first place. Thequestion was, would he wish to meet with her after the performanceand would he wish to continue where they left off.
Even though she said she would not meet withhim again, it wasn’t what she wanted, no matter how foolish. Afterhe explained about his friend, Eleanor, Juliette could understandwhy he did not seek a more permanent relationship with her. But nowthat Eleanor was married to another and Acker remained free, wouldhe see her in a different light? Would he want her for somethingmore than a mistress? Is that what he wished to discuss with herbut she hadn’t given him the opportunity?
Juliette shook the absurd thought from hermind.
