become a slave to fashion—corset and all—she’d better learn about the latest in headwear. Of course, Lady Mitford knew all the best shops in London and delighted in taking her American guests on an extravagant shopping spree.
Juliet picked up a straw bonnet with silk daisies, slipped it on, and looked at her reflection in the small mirror standing on the counter.
“If I may,” Lady Mitford said. “A suggestion…”
“Please, I’d love your advice.”
“Everything looks wonderful on you, but that one’s…” Lady Mitford pursed her lips. “Not mature enough for a lady of experience like you.”
“Of course.” She removed the hat and put it back on its stand. She had to remember she was a woman of the world now. Experienced with men. Many men. It would help if she’d actually shared a bed with one, but Derrington didn’t seem in any greater rush to fill that function than he had been in New York. She’d have to keep pretending until he came to his senses and frigged her properly.
“Which hat would you suggest?” she asked Lady Mitford.
Her host glanced around and then picked up one done in sapphire silk with a wide brim that would turn down to frame her face when the ribbons had been fixed under her chin.
“Oh, yes. It’s beautiful.” Juliet took it from her and put it on. She tied the bow at a flirtatious angle under the side of her jaw and looked at her reflection again. The bonnet partially hid her face, creating a small mystery and drawing the eye to her mouth. Much better.
Millie had been browsing in another part of the shop but approached them now, her brows knotted in concern. “Someone’s been staring at you for the last few minutes.”
“Really?”
Before she could search the store with her gaze, Lady Mitford laid a gloved hand on her arm. “Don’t you look. Let me.”
Juliet stayed where she was, while Lady Mitford turned and walked along the counter. After a bit, she glanced over as if searching for something on the other side of the shop. Recognition entered her eyes, and she smiled and returned.
“Word of Lord Derrington’s interest in you must have gotten around,” she said. “One of his former lovers has spotted you, and she’s not pleased.”
Out of pure reflex, Juliet’s head snapped around, and she spotted the woman. Her stomach plummeted toward the floor at the sight. Derrington’s lover wasn’t just pretty, wasn’t just beautiful. She was stunning.
She stood nearly as tall as Juliet and had eyes the color of emeralds—a clear, piercing green. Honey-colored curls piled on top of her head and cascaded around her face. The only thing lusher than her mouth was her bosom. Their plump beauty gave way to a tiny waist, and the whole package came wrapped in the smartest fashions.
She noticed Juliet staring, of course, and one elegant eyebrow went up in distaste. She’d measured Juliet and obviously found her lacking.
In comparison to this woman, Juliet did come up short—for beauty, style, and sophistication. For everything. Her mind flashed back to Sedgewick’s where she’d felt awkward and ugly next to the daintier girls.
Lady Mitford tugged at her elbow. “Let’s pay for these hats and have some tea.”
“Yes, let’s.”
As Lady Mitford led her to the main counter, she leaned toward Juliet’s ear. “I’ll give you all the dirt.”
“Dirt, it is.”
As the milliner took their money and packed their purchases in hatboxes, Juliet looked around for her rival. The woman had disappeared as if she’d never been there. Juliet hadn’t imagined her, though, nor the sick feeling that persisted in her belly.
Out on the street, she got one more glance of the blonde as she climbed into a carriage with a noble crest on the side. It rumbled off, the wheels raising little clouds of dust in their wake.
Juliet stood and stared after it for a long moment. For some perverse reason, her mind made her picture the woman sitting alone in that large conveyance,
Juliet picked up a straw bonnet with silk daisies, slipped it on, and looked at her reflection in the small mirror standing on the counter.
“If I may,” Lady Mitford said. “A suggestion…”
“Please, I’d love your advice.”
“Everything looks wonderful on you, but that one’s…” Lady Mitford pursed her lips. “Not mature enough for a lady of experience like you.”
“Of course.” She removed the hat and put it back on its stand. She had to remember she was a woman of the world now. Experienced with men. Many men. It would help if she’d actually shared a bed with one, but Derrington didn’t seem in any greater rush to fill that function than he had been in New York. She’d have to keep pretending until he came to his senses and frigged her properly.
“Which hat would you suggest?” she asked Lady Mitford.
Her host glanced around and then picked up one done in sapphire silk with a wide brim that would turn down to frame her face when the ribbons had been fixed under her chin.
“Oh, yes. It’s beautiful.” Juliet took it from her and put it on. She tied the bow at a flirtatious angle under the side of her jaw and looked at her reflection again. The bonnet partially hid her face, creating a small mystery and drawing the eye to her mouth. Much better.
Millie had been browsing in another part of the shop but approached them now, her brows knotted in concern. “Someone’s been staring at you for the last few minutes.”
“Really?”
Before she could search the store with her gaze, Lady Mitford laid a gloved hand on her arm. “Don’t you look. Let me.”
Juliet stayed where she was, while Lady Mitford turned and walked along the counter. After a bit, she glanced over as if searching for something on the other side of the shop. Recognition entered her eyes, and she smiled and returned.
“Word of Lord Derrington’s interest in you must have gotten around,” she said. “One of his former lovers has spotted you, and she’s not pleased.”
Out of pure reflex, Juliet’s head snapped around, and she spotted the woman. Her stomach plummeted toward the floor at the sight. Derrington’s lover wasn’t just pretty, wasn’t just beautiful. She was stunning.
She stood nearly as tall as Juliet and had eyes the color of emeralds—a clear, piercing green. Honey-colored curls piled on top of her head and cascaded around her face. The only thing lusher than her mouth was her bosom. Their plump beauty gave way to a tiny waist, and the whole package came wrapped in the smartest fashions.
She noticed Juliet staring, of course, and one elegant eyebrow went up in distaste. She’d measured Juliet and obviously found her lacking.
In comparison to this woman, Juliet did come up short—for beauty, style, and sophistication. For everything. Her mind flashed back to Sedgewick’s where she’d felt awkward and ugly next to the daintier girls.
Lady Mitford tugged at her elbow. “Let’s pay for these hats and have some tea.”
“Yes, let’s.”
As Lady Mitford led her to the main counter, she leaned toward Juliet’s ear. “I’ll give you all the dirt.”
“Dirt, it is.”
As the milliner took their money and packed their purchases in hatboxes, Juliet looked around for her rival. The woman had disappeared as if she’d never been there. Juliet hadn’t imagined her, though, nor the sick feeling that persisted in her belly.
Out on the street, she got one more glance of the blonde as she climbed into a carriage with a noble crest on the side. It rumbled off, the wheels raising little clouds of dust in their wake.
Juliet stood and stared after it for a long moment. For some perverse reason, her mind made her picture the woman sitting alone in that large conveyance,
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