The stubborn streak rose within her. Nobodywas going to tell her what she could or could not do. “Then I willreturn to Milan.”
“You would take your sisters back to Milanand deny them a chance to know how different their lives could benow?”
“They would not have to go with me,” Julietteinsisted.
“Do you really think they would let youreturn on your own?” he pointed out. “They know more of Milan thanthey do London, so of course they would follow you.”
“I suspect Hélène would, but not because ofme.”
“Why else?” he demanded.
“She is an actress and does not want to givethat up any more than I wish to cease dancing.”
“Isn’t that rather unfair to them, and toyou?” He placed his hands on her upper arms. Juliette suspected hewished to shake some sense into her, but he was gentle. “You aren’teven giving your family, Society, London or me a chance,” he saidonce again.
She knew what he said was true, but could sherisk waiting longer to dance to see if she could fit into hisworld?
No, it was impossible.
“I did give you a chance, Lord Acker.”
“When? Not since you have been in London.Each time we met you ran out before I could explain myactions.”
She chuckled. “There is nothing to explain.In Milan you wished to make me your mistress.”
“That is not true,” he practically yelled andthrust his fingers through his hair.
Juliette simply hitched an eyebrow,challenging him to deny the fact.
Acker took a deep breath and focused on her.“I wanted you in Milan, I will not deny that, but I also thought Iwas to marry another.”
“As you have told me. Yet, you asked me totravel back to England without the benefit of marriage. I amassuming you didn’t want us to be simply friends.”
“Of course not!”
“Then, you wished to make me yourmistress.”
He turned from her and paced. “I don’t knowwhat I wanted, Juliette. I knew I wanted you but I barely knew you.What if we married and ended up hating one another. We would bestuck together for life, being miserable. But, I couldn’t leave youeither. I needed to take you with me so I could sort out myfeelings.”
It really didn’t matter his reasons. Hewanted her as his lover regardless of what the future may hold. Hewould have never made the suggestion to a lady.
“When I saw you in London I tried to explainbut you kept running off.”
“I already suspected what you would say and Iwas correct.”
“No, you are not.” He insisted. “I was comingto terms with my wife being a ballerina and if I could ask her togive it up for me.”
“I would not have,”
“I realize that now.”
“So, why ask me to marry you now? Nothing haschanged,” she pointed out.
“Everything has changed!” he cried. “You area lady and whether you like it or not, you will not be able todance in London.”
He had said it. She now had confirmation,though she had hoped she was wrong. “You are asking me to marry youbecause now I am good enough. Before I wasn’t.”
“That is not true,” he argued.
“Then why didn’t you ask before you knew Iwas a lady.”
“You never gave me a chance,” he yelled infrustration.
Perhaps she hadn’t but it didn’t matter. Asmuch as she wished to be with Acker, if he could not accept thatshe would continue with the ballet there was no future forthem.
“I can’t give up my dreams, my passion,” shesaid quietly.
“Why can’t you open yourself to otheropportunities?”
“We are of different worlds, it will neverwork.” With that Juliette turned her back on him and walked towardthe path they had entered from. She hoped she remembered the way.It would be deuced embarrassing to get lost and need him to rescueher after walking away.
“Juliette, don’t leave.”
She looked over her shoulder and sadlysmiled. “There is nothing else to say.”
“But I love you. Does that mean nothing?”
Her heart constricted. Those are the verywords she longed to hear from his lips but it was too late. Muchtoo late. Besides, he could not accept her for who she was. “I loveyou too, but we will never suit.”
Juliette didn’t wait for his response but ranthrough the maze. She had to get away before she became a wateringpot and couldn’t see where she was going.
Acker and Bentley found her in theballroom, dancing to a song only she could hear. She loved him butrefused to marry him and he had told Bentley as much. Her olderbrother meant to speak with her, or in his words, talk some senseinto her. Acker had warned that it would probably do no good, buthe was also willing to try anything to get Juliette to marryhim.
He stood in the doorway and simplywatched, captured by her beauty. There was peace in her face andshe was lost in a place of her own making. Her family wished totake this from her. Deny who she is. He had suggested thesame.
“Juliette doesn’t need to danceany longer so why does she continue to do so?” Bentleyasked.
Acker continued to watch. He wasas captivated as he had been the first time he saw her and then herealized what she had been insisting upon all along. It was in herface and in her movements but until this moment, Acker had nottruly understood the depth of her words. Dancing was where she wasat peace; it was her passion and her love.
He turned to Bentley. “You arewrong. Juliette needs to dance.” Without the ballet, Juliette wouldnot be, well, Juliette.
Bentley frowned at him butcontinued to watch his sister. Maybe someday Bentley wouldunderstand.
“That is beautiful,” Leighclapped.
Acker hadn’t even noticedEleanor’s younger sister was in the room.
“Please say you will teach me,”Leigh begged.
Juliette laughed. “Of course. Ipromised I would.” She walked across the room and opened a smallbag from which she withdrew the pairs of dancing slippers. Trythese on to see if any fit. Leigh selected a pair and slipped themon her feet.
“They are perfect.” The girlgrinned and stood. “What do we do first?”
“I will show you the feetpositions and stretches.” Juliette glanced around the room. “Weneed a barre. I’ll ask someone about placing one in a roomlater.”
Leigh’s feet moved to the firstposition, heel to heel,
