The Accidental Countess Read online

  Lucy had said to leave all the talking to her. Of course Cass meant to leave all the talking to her. That was Lucy’s strength, after all, talking. And a duty Cass was more than grateful to relinquish to her friend at the moment. She doubted she could utter a word if she was prodded with a hot poker.

  Yes, Lucy would talk. As it should be. In fact, Cass, Lucy, and their third close friend, Jane, had all agreed at a ball last June that they would use one another’s strong points to help each attain what they wanted in life. First, Lucy had chased away Cass’s unwanted suitor, the Duke of Claringdon. It turned out in the chasing, however, that he’d actually been the perfect suitor for Lucy all along.

  Next, they had promised to help their bluestocking friend Jane convince her parents to stop constantly pestering her to marry. Jane wanted nothing more than to be left in peace to study and write and stop being forced to attend all those hideous balls and routs.

  It was Jane’s turn, yes, but here Lucy was, using her skill with words to help Cass in her time of need yet again, and Cass was infinitely grateful to her friend. In the moments it took for the butler to show Julian into the drawing room, Cass pulled her hand away from the arm of the sofa and set it in her lap. She swallowed hard and straightened her shoulders. Then she concentrated on not sliding off the settee in a fit of wrong breathing.

  “You look absolutely breathtaking, dear,” Lucy said with a small, encouraging smile. “Captain Swift is certain to be amazed at your beauty.”

  “I was quite serious when I said I may cast up my accounts,” Cass answered.

  “Don’t do that, dear,” Lucy replied quickly.

  Cass took a small gulp of air and nodded shakily just before the door to the drawing room swung open again and Captain Julian Swift strode into the room.

  A funny little noise flew from Cass’s throat. A whimper? A sigh? Both, perhaps. She turned her face up to him and just … stared, her eyes, no doubt, wide as saucers.

  Julian was there, not the dream of him, not the memory, but the flesh-and-blood man. He was even more dashing and handsome than she’d remembered. She’d been barely sixteen the last time she’d seen him. Julian had been three and twenty. Now she was three and twenty. She gulped. She’d been a child back then, really. She hadn’t matured at a fast pace. She’d had straggly blondish hair, unremarkable blue eyes, and freckles on the bridge of her nose. She’d also been far too thin and all knobby-kneed. She hoped she’d grown into the swan her friends always told her she would. But at this moment, facing Julian, she could only remember herself as an awkward young girl. Weren’t friends always telling one another how beautiful they were even if it was entirely untrue?

  Staring at Julian, she was rendered completely speechless. Her gaze swept from the tips of his boots to the top of his head. He wore his army uniform. Oh, my, he wore it well. A deep red coat with epaulets, dark gray trousers, and black Hessians. Julian was two inches over six feet tall, had blond-streaked hair and broad shoulders and the most amazing gray eyes she had ever seen.

  He flashed a smile as soon as he saw the two women sitting on the sofa. Cass sighed again. His teeth hadn’t suffered any ill effects from his service to the Crown, still straight and white and perfect. And while he had a few small crinkles at the corners of his eyes and he looked a bit older and more distinguished, for certain, he was still as handsome—more so—than Cass remembered from her vivid dreams.

  And he was standing directly in front of her.

  The look on his face was a bit of astonishment mixed with confusion. His gaze remained fixed on Cass. He’d barely glanced at Lucy. Lucy looked back and forth between the two of them, and Cass forced herself to pull her gaze away from Julian and turn her attention to her friend. There was a gleam in Lucy’s eye, the type of gleam Lucy always got when she was up to one of her schemes. But Cass had no time to consider it. Instead, she stood to greet Julian. Did he recognize her? The look on his face told her he must. Didn’t he?

  “Ju … Julian?” she barely whispered.

  Lucy’s hand on her arm stopped her and Cass promptly snapped shut her mouth. Oh, yes, Lucy had told her to leave the speaking to her.

  Lucy stood, too, and executed a perfect curtsy. “Captain Swift.”

  “My lady?” Julian said in a tone that clearly indicated he had no idea who she was.

  “I am Lady Worthing,” Lucy offered.

  Cass let out a small gasp. Why had Lucy given him a false name?

  “Lady Worthing,” Julian repeated, bowing over her hand. “A pleasure.”

  Cass waited with bated breath to be introduced. Julian had to know who she was. She couldn’t look at him. What if disappointment lurked in his eyes? She couldn’t bear it.

  “And this is…?” Lucy paused deliberately, sweeping her hand in Cass’s direction.

  Cass held her breath again.

  The silence seemed to last an interminable amount of time but it was probably only seconds. Cass glanced up at Julian. Her name would fall from his lips any moment now. Should she curtsy? What was appropriate under such circumstances? This was the man she’d written to nearly every day for the last seven years. She knew more about him than Pen did. She thought about him, dreamed about him, had cried endless tears when she’d believed he would die. And now, here he was, seeing her again. All grown-up.

  His brow was furrowed and he stared at her as if seeing a ghost. “Penelope?” he asked in a voice that was half awe, half disbelief.

  Cass’s mouth fell open. He didn’t recognize her. And he apparently didn’t remember Pen, either. Pen had been eighteen that last time they’d seen each other. She hadn’t changed much, other than the addition of a bit more girth.

  “No,” Cass breathed, shaking her head.

  Lucy swiveled on her heel and gave Cass a deadly glare. “Allow me,” she said with a clenched jaw in a voice that clearly told Cass to stop speaking.

  Oh, good heavens. Whatever Lucy was up to, it was going to be both messy and complicated. It always was.

  Lucy turned back to Julian, a wide smile on her face. “Oh, heavens no, though we are here for the same purpose you are. To see Penelope.”

  Cass remained silent and motionless at Lucy’s side, but her mind was shrieking, What is Lucy doing? Why wasn’t she introducing her? It was beyond awkward.

  “Please have a seat, Captain Swift.” Lucy gestured to the chair across from them.

  Julian reluctantly sat, though his gaze remained on Cass, clearly still wondering about the identity of the other occupant of the room.

  “Would you care for some tea, Captain?” Lucy asked next in the most nonchalant voice in the world, as if she wasn’t entertaining a man in someone else’s drawing room with an unnamed lady at her side. Cass wanted to expire from embarrassment, but Lucy kept a perfect hostesslike smile pinned to her face.

  “No, thank you. I don’t drink tea,” Julian replied.

  Cass glanced at her lap and tugged at the ends of her gloves. Oh, good heavens. He was going to see the teacup on the rug and wonder why it was there. Then, he’d piece the entire idiotic scheme together. Very well, perhaps that was unlikely.

  Julian leveled his furrowed brow on Lucy. “Is Miss Monroe—Penelope—here?”

  Lucy sighed. “I’m afraid not, Captain Swift. Though my friend and I were just looking for her, too. Seems we stopped by at an inopportune time.”

  Cass kept her gaze trained on her lap. Her friend? That’s all Lucy was going to say?

  “I don’t understand,” Julian replied. “The butler said—”

  Lucy leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Just between you and me, Captain Swift, the Monroes’ butler is a few pence shy of a pound these days.” Cass glanced up to see Lucy frown and shake her head as if it was a sad bit of news, to be certain.

  “Oh, I see.” Julian nodded as if he completely understood.

  Cass bit the inside of her cheek. Lucy was egregious. How long could Cass remain silent?

  “I’d sent Penel
ope a note this morning telling her I was to be here this afternoon. I suppose she didn’t receive it,” Julian continued, obvious disappointment marking his features.

  Cass longed to reach out and squeeze his hand, run her fingertips along the strong jut of his jaw. She should say something, blurt out her name. But she was having the best time just watching him, staring at his beloved face, beyond relieved to have the chance to see it again.

  Lucy sat forward and poured a bit more tea for herself. “It seems we got our days confused and Miss Monroe has already left,” she informed Julian.

  Cass took another deep breath. Obviously, Lucy was going to go along with Pen’s madcap scheme. She was actually going to do it, tell Julian that Pen was at her fictitious friend’s house party. This whole thing was ludicrous.

  “Already left?” Julian’s burnished brows snapped together again.

  “Yes, and the silly thing is that she is on her way to the same place we are.” Lucy took a small sip of tea.

  “Where’s that exactly?” Julian asked.

  “Why, Miss Bunbury’s house party, of course,” Lucy replied.

  “Miss Bunbury’s house party?” Julian asked.

  “Yes. Patience Bunbury is one of Penelope’s dearest friends. Hasn’t she mentioned her to you in her letters?”

  “I…” Julian cleared his throat and shifted a bit uncomfortably in his chair. “Miss Monroe rarely writes me letters.”

  Lucy’s eyebrows shot up. “Rarely writes you letters? Oh, I must be mistaken as to your identity then, Captain. I was under the impression that you and Penelope are all but engaged.” Lucy turned her face so only Cass could see and gave her a quick wink.

  Cass wanted to stamp on Lucy’s foot, but at the moment, all she could do was smile and nod. She wasn’t at liberty to speak since she still hadn’t been introduced. Just the way Lucy preferred it, no doubt.

  Julian looked away again and tugged at the collar of his coat. “Yes. We’re supposed to be betrothed … eventually. But I was about to say that she did mention Miss Bunbury to me in the last letter I received.”

  Lucy took another tiny sip. “Ah, so you know all about her then.” Lucy sighed dramatically. “At any rate, it seems Penelope has left prematurely for Miss Bunbury’s house party, and in addition to missing us, she’s missed her intended, back from the war. Such a pity.”

  “You said you are going there,” Julian replied. “I assume that means you know where this house party is?”

  “Oh, yes. We know precisely where it is,” Lucy replied serenely.

  “Could I trouble you to give me the direction? It’s imperative that I speak with Penelope as soon as possible.”

  Lucy’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Eager to see your future bride, Captain Swift?”

  He tugged at his collar again. “Something like that.”

  Cass had to look away. This was excruciating. She couldn’t listen any longer. And what possible address could Lucy give him? It was preposterous. She’d have to come out with the truth now that he’d caught her in her lie.

  “I’d be more than happy to share the address with you, Captain Swift.” Lucy set her teacup on the table in front of her and folded her hands on her lap. “In fact, I can do even better than that.”

  “Better than the address?” Julian tilted his head in inquiry.

  Cass’s insides went hot and cold. Suddenly, it all came together, the sly look Lucy had flashed, the failure to introduce her, the questions she’d asked Julian, the things she’d said.

  “Yes.” Lucy turned to Cass and splayed her hands in front of her as if displaying her for the first time. “Because this is Miss Patience Bunbury right here and we would be delighted to invite you to her house party.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  As soon as the front door closed behind Julian, Cass forced herself to count to fifty. She ensured he was well gone from the property before she jumped up, spun around, and bore down on her closest friend.

  “Lucy, how could you? How could you!”

  Lucy remained serenely seated and calmly pressed her hands to her coiffure as if smoothing her dark locks. “Cass, if you’ll only sit down and think about this reasonably, you’ll see—”

  Cass turned and paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. She pressed her hands against her cheeks. “Reasonably? Reasonably! I believe reason left this room over an hour ago, right around the time Pen started speaking nonsense about a person who doesn’t exist!”

  Lucy merely raised a brow. “Sit down, Cass. Allow me to explain.”

  But Cass couldn’t sit. All she could do was pace the carpet and tug at her gloves. How in heavens would she ever extract herself from this situation? Julian hadn’t said where he was going, but it stood to reason that he’d go visit his older brother, the Earl of Swifdon, in Mayfair. He would probably stay with his brother until he secured his own lodgings. Either that or … “Lucy, did you even stop to consider that Julian may now be on his way to see his closest friend, your husband?”

  Lucy pushed up her chin. “Of course I’d thought of that.”

  “And yet you still did this?”

  Lucy nodded. “Yes. That’s precisely why I didn’t tell him my real name. I thought of that and several other things, and if you’d sit down and be calm for a moment, I’ll tell you exactly how this will work.”

  Cass tossed her hands in the air. “It can’t work. It won’t work.”

  Lucy stood up, stalked over to where Cass was pacing, grabbed her arm, and dragged her back over to the settee. “Sit!”

  Cass did as she was told, then she dropped her head into her hands. “Very well, tell me. Tell me all about this addle-brained scheme of yours.”

  “First of all, I take extreme exception to the fact that you just referred to my brilliant plan as an addle-brained scheme—” Cass lifted her head and opened her mouth to retort, but Lucy pointed a finger in the air. “Allow me to finish.” Cass snapped her mouth shut. “And secondly,” Lucy continued, “this is going to work perfectly.”

  “You’ve just invited Julian to a nonexistent house party, given by a nonexistent person,” Cass pointed out.

  “Not nonexistent, not now.” Lucy flourished a hand toward her. “You’re Patience.”

  A strange strangling noise came out of the back of Cass’s throat. “That is so mad I don’t know where to begin.”

  Lucy took up her teacup once more. “Don’t you see, Cass? This is the perfect opportunity. You’ve been waiting for seven years to see Julian again. You wrote him a letter telling him how much you love him, for goodness’ sake.”

  “A letter I never sent,” Cass replied.

  “That’s not the point. Do you or do you not love him?”

  Cass took a deep breath. It was true that when she’d heard that Julian was going to die from his injuries, she’d written him a letter. Lucy, with her domineering insistence, had convinced her to. But Cass had never been able to post the letter and now she was heartily glad she hadn’t. Oh, why hadn’t Julian recognized her? Was she truly that different-looking from seven years ago? If he had recognized her she wouldn’t be caught in this awful predicament right now.

  She didn’t answer Lucy. She didn’t need to. Lucy knew how much Cass loved Julian. It was hardly a secret. She’d loved him since she was a girl.

  * * *

  “Penelope, Lord Julian’s coach is coming up the lane. You’ll want to meet it.” Penelope’s mother’s voice rang through the house. It was Cass’s parents’ manor house. And it was Cass’s sixteenth birthday. Her cousin and aunt had come for the celebration. Julian Swift, Penelope’s intended, was soon to be leaving for the Continent with the army. He had decided to visit the party to say his good-byes to Penelope.

  Cass’s stomach filled with nervous knots. Julian? Julian Swift? Here? On her sixteenth birthday? It was a dream come true. She would never have thought to invite him, would never have imagined he would come. But apparently, he could not delay his journey any longer
and he wanted to say good-bye to his intended before he left for God only knew how long. Perhaps forever. But Cass refused to think about that. Not today.

  She hurried over to the looking glass that hung on the wall of her bedchamber and took a good look at her reflection. Her eyes were too big for her small, pale face. Her hair was lanky and a nondescript color. Her lips too wide, her nose too small. And those freckles weren’t helping anything at all. She was a fright, a sixteen-year-old fright. Perhaps she would be beautiful one day, but today was not that day. Today she was too thin and too scrawny and too everything. Too nervous, also. Mustn’t forget too nervous. The only good thing was her gown. It was ice blue. It brought out the bit of color in her eyes and didn’t make her skin look too, too pale. Her mother had had the gown made specifically for her birthday celebration and Cass looked good in it. Well, as good as she was going to look with the rest of the fright to go along with it.

  “Must I speak with him, Mother?” Penelope replied in what could only be described as a petulant tone.

  Cass swung around to stare at her cousin. All she could do was blink. “You do not wish to see Lieutenant Swift?” It made no sense to her. How could her cousin not want to see her intended?

  “He’s not even a lieutenant,” Pen shot back. “He’s a second lieutenant, just received his commission.”

  Cass didn’t see how that mattered. “But he’s … he’s … your intended.” Not to mention he was handsome, kind, strong, sincere, and absolutely wonderful. All of the times Cass had been in his company, she’d been positively mesmerized by him. Pen was a lucky, lucky young woman.