Juliette tried to bring forth thememory but it wasn’t there.
“I will be glad to teach you toride,” Acker offered.
Jordan shot him a look. “I thinkit is best if my wife saw to the task.”
Audrey arched a brow. “UnlessJulia wishes to race and ride like a jockey instead of in a propersidesaddle, Acker should be the one to teach her.”
Juliette looked between Audrey andJordan. He did not like the idea of Acker being the one to teachher. “I am not sure I wish to learn.”
“Of course you do,” Jordaninsisted. “You are a Trent. We were born to the saddle.”
She was a Trent. Why hadn’t shethought of that until now? She had been born Julia Trent. Whatwould her life have been like if maman had not run away? Would shebe a lady of society? Already married? She would have met Ackerregardless, but she would have never danced. Juliette could notimagine her world without the ballet.
“After Acker has taught you toride the proper way,” Audrey grinned. “I will teach you torace.”
“Oh no, you won’t,” Acker voicedbefore Juliette could respond.
“Why not?” Certainly he wasn’tgoing to try and tell her what she could and could not do aswell.
“It isn’t proper,” heblustered.
“Neither is being a ballerina,”she countered. He had to know she meant to continue todance.
“I don’t wish to see your neckbroken either.”
He said it in the same tone shehad used when she said she didn’t want to see him shot. “So, you docare for me,” she teased back with the same words he had said toher.
His blue eyes darkened to cobaltthat nearly stole her breath. “That is a discussion we will have inprivate.” He shot a look to Jordan.
Goodness, what did he mean bythat? She thought they were friends now. She hadn’t given muchthought to what their relationship might become except that hedidn’t dare pursue her to be his mistress. Her brothers had made itperfectly clear that would be impossible, as if she would have evenconsidered the possibility. He hadn’t declared himself before andshe didn’t expect him to now. She thought they would continue on asfriends and he would remain the person she knew she couldtrust.
Juliette wasn’t sure how she feltabout a potential change in their relationship and she did not darehope he wished for something more permanent? If so, whynow?
Because before she was aballerina, now she was a lady. She was suddenly good enough to behis wife. That is, if he wanted something more thanfriendship.
Just the thought of thispossibility angered her. She was no different than before and ifshe wasn’t good enough to marry then, she certainly did not want tomarry him now, if that is what he planned.
The coach rolled to a stop andJuliette glanced out the window. They were at a coaching inn andshe hadn’t even been aware they had left London behind them. “Howfar is Bentley Manor?”
“Usually two days by coach but itmay take longer, depending on Adele’s needs,” Jordananswered.
Juliette nodded her head as thedoor was opened by a footman. Jordan and Acker exited and helpedthe ladies step down. It was good to stretch her legs and she madeher way to her mother’s coach. She was curled in the corner, hereyes closed, sound asleep and Juliette turned to Bentley who hadjoined her. “Why did we stop?”
“We need to change horses.” Heglanced inside. “Adele seems to be handling the tripwell.”
Juliette nodded. “I hope itremains so.”
Acker stared after Juliette as shewalked to her mother’s coach. She barely acknowledged him orthanked him when he helped her from the conveyance. Of course, shemust be worried about her mother, but had they been standing in themiddle of a ballroom her behavior was nothing short of giving himthe cut direct.
What had he done now? All hesuggested was they should talk of their feelings in private. Hecertainly wasn’t going to make any declaration in front of JordanTrent and his wife. He had hoped the trip would allow them theopportunity to speak privately but apparently Mr. and Mrs. JordanTrent would be with them for the duration and this did not set wellwith Acker.
Juliette spoke a few words toBentley then joined her sisters inside. The gentlemen remained bythe coaches, Jordan watching him with suspicion before he turnedaway to engage his brothers in conversation.
Bloody hell, would they remainsuspicious of him forever?
The ladies returned once thehorses had been changed and appeared more refreshed than they hadupon entering the inn. Perhaps he should have gone inside. Hewouldn’t have drunk tea however. Acker needed something muchstronger before he endured several more hours in Trent’scompany.
As Juliette approached the coach,Acker offered her his hand. The quick incline of her head was theonly acknowledgement he received. He might as well be a blastedfootman for all the attention she gave him.
Acker quickly entered and settledon the bench across from her, hoping to have a word before theywere joined by the other couple.
He leaned forward. “Juliette, canwe talk, privately at the next stop?”
She frowned. “I don’t see that itis necessary.”
Acker pushed his fingers throughhis hair in frustration. This woman was going to drive him mad. “Itis very necessary.”
“What is necessary?” John asked ashe opened the door to the coach.
Bloody hell, another Trent. Well,at least it wasn’t Jordan, but John and his wife may be worse. Thetwo were spies, though not as active as they once had been, butspies just the same and trained in various ways to learn secrets orto kill a man.
The two didn’t know he knew oftheir profession and Acker would bet that none of the family kneweither. The only reason he was privy to this information wasbecause of his position at the Home Office. His trip to theContinent last year had not been to just meet with diplomats but toalso check on the network and determine no further damage had comefrom the discovery of their men and women in Paris. That situationhad almost gotten both John and Elizabeth killed, but at least theyhad escaped. A few had not been so lucky.
John assisted Elizabeth into thecoach and took a seat beside Acker.
Elizabeth turned and introducedherself
