A Noble Pursuit by Meg Lacey

Author:Meg Lacey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

7

“I LIKE THAT DRESS ON YOU, Juliette. It’s charming,” Michael said, as they headed into the city on the way to Stephen’s that evening.

“Thank you.” Juliette could barely squeeze the words through her lips. This was the first time she’d been alone with her brother since their conversation the evening after the ball. He was obviously avoiding her.

“I bet Stephen will like it.”

“Michael, I want—”

“You look beautiful in that color. Dark pink, is it?” he interrupted. Michael either didn’t notice her tone, or pretended not to. He made it a habit of not noticing things that made him uncomfortable, Juliette knew.

“Rose. It’s called rose.” She closed her eyes for a moment. The slight headache that had been stalking her since she’d cried herself to sleep after leaving Shay the day before was fast becoming worse.

“Rose, such a delightful—”

“Oh for heaven’s sake. If you’re going to talk to me, talk to me about something meaningful.”

“Such as?”

Juliette glanced at him, seeing by the appalled expression that slipped over his face that Michael had asked the question before realizing where it could lead. She decided to take the opening. “Such as what’s going on with you, Michael?”

“With me? Well, let’s see. This morning I had a meeting with the political party’s nominating committee, with some of the movers and shakers who’ve been talking to me about—”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

Michael tried to take refuge in his older-brother role. “Were you asking about my afternoon?”

She gave him a disdainful look. “You know very well I wasn’t.”

“No, I guess you weren’t. However, for the record—”

“I want to know exactly what kind of trouble you’re in.” She wouldn’t have thought he’d even heard her except for the whiteness of his knuckles as his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

Smiling, he focused on the road ahead. “No trouble, except for trying to reconcile our financial accounts, which is simply beyond me at the moment.”

“You told me I have no choice about an engagement to Stephen.”

Michael gave a lighthearted chuckle. “It’s been in the stars since you were a little girl. You know that.”

“No. This didn’t happen to fulfill family expectations. How naïve do you think I am?”

“Well, really, Juliette. I don’t think it’s my place to inquire into your love life.”

“Damn it, Michael!” Juliette exploded, slapping her hand on the leather dashboard in front of her, the sound sharp in the quiet, luxurious Mercedes. “I don’t know what kind of games you’re playing—”

Startled, Michael glanced at her. “I’m not playing games. I gave Father my word that I wouldn’t—”

“What? What are you talking about?”

Michael stared at her for a moment, then licked his lips, trying to recapture his lighthearted smile. “Obviously, we aren’t talking about the same thing.”

“Were you talking about gambling?”

He gave her a cool smile. “Of course not. That little problem is in the past. What I meant was… I gave Father my word that I wouldn’t,” he said again, emphasizing every word, “let any harm come to you while he was gone.

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