Page 35 of Reforming the Rakish Marquess

“Is there something else?” Matt asked.

“It’s probably nothing.”

Matt set his glass down on his desk. “Why don’t you tell me anyway?”

“There was some woman watching me, or my home, earlier. Her carriage departed when I approached.”

Matt pondered what he said. “And do you think her appearance could be related to the viscount?”

“I thought so at first, perhaps, but it doesn’t seem to fit. The viscount wouldn’t know Juliana would discuss the matter with me, and why an older woman? Perhaps it was just a coincidence.” Jude said.

“You will let me know if there is anything I can do to help, won’t you?” Matt asked.

Jude nodded. “Of course. For now, I ask you to keep this conversation between us.”

“I promise, friend,” Matt assured him.

Jude drained the contents of his own glass and pushed it towards Matt for a refill.

*

Jude strolled into the ballroom at the Smith’s ball. He was fashionably late, as usual. He made it a habit never to show up to ton events too early, and rarely stayed all that long. It was part of how he kept up the illusion of being the rake that the ton believed him to be.

With so many of his friends in the country, he might have quit the events of the season all together if he hadn’t taken up the arrangement with Juliana.

He immediately spotted her standing with Hannah, Tabitha, and Matt. Hudson stood nearby, looking irritated and bored as usual. Before he reached the group, Lord Demming approached and escorted Juliana out onto the dance floor. The annoyance that nagged at him from the sight of her with the man was something he refused to acknowledge.

Jude watched them take their places in the center of the dance floor as he reached Matt’s side.

“Good evening, ladies.” Jude bowed over each of their hands, just as was deemed acceptable. He had become an expert with manners and moving through polite society, regardless of the hopeless cause his father had always believed him to be. He pushed the thought out of his mind and nodded at Matt.

Matt leaned closer to speak where no one else might hear. “You appear troubled. Did you learn anything further?”

He shook his head. “Just pensive,” he replied. “Have a few things on my mind.”

Matt nodded in understanding and turned his attention back to Hannah to answer something she asked him. Jude wasn’t paying attention and did not pay attention to hear what they spoke of. He focused his attention on Juliana and her partner in the center of the ballroom floor. He pretended to listen to his friends and laughed a few times when the others did, hoping they didn’t ask him anything.

When the dance ended, Jude waited for the man to escort her over to them. He wanted to tell her about his trip to Bow Street, and needed to get her alone. His jaw clenched when he noticed that the pair took an alternative path.

Juliana was smiling on his arm and seemed far too familiar with the man. He escorted her to the terrace, and Jude watched as they both disappeared through the doorway.

He turned towards his friends. “If you will excuse me, I think I need a breath of fresh air.”

Matt narrowed his eyes at him but nodded. Considering Matt’s closest friend, Graham, wound up with a wife when he took off to the terrace, he could appreciate the reaction. The situation at hand would be nothing like that. At least that is what Jude had hoped. He wasn’t sure what he would do if he came across Juliana kissing another man. The notion irritated him to no end and his jaw clenched.

In as slow of a pace as he could force himself to go, to prevent others from noticing that he was moving with purpose, Jude crossed the entire ballroom.

He reached the doorway and saw Juliana and Demming with their backs to him. Her arm was looped with his. He paused, debating if he would approach them or not, when he heard Juliana speak.

“I would enjoy that very much, my lord.” She patted the man’s arm with her free hand.

Jude found that her words sparked an unrelenting surge of something. Anger, jealousy, perhaps both. He could storm over to them and pull her away from the man and assert his dominance like a raging bull, but he didn’t wish to acknowledge to anyone that he was so affected. That would require his acknowledgement of his true feelings.

Instead, he turned and left the terrace. He didn’t stop until he left the townhouse and called for his carriage. He didn’t even take the time to thank his hosts, which went against the proper behavior he knew he should display. Jude had to get away, as he could not allow himself to contemplate the fire that burned within him. He pushed away his fury at the notion that Juliana might have an interest in courtship from another man, or contemplate taking another lover.

When he reached his townhouse, he went straight to his study, slamming the door. He poured himself a tumbler of brandy and downed it, then refilled his glass. He rubbed his temples and then slammed his fist down on his desk.

Jude wasn’t sure what bothered him more. That every fiber of his being seethed with jealousy that Juliana might take up with another man, or that he couldn’t even deny to himself that he had allowed himself to feel thus. He had no interest in trying to sort out what the feelings might mean.