"Who would dare miss one of your soirees?" Jared lifted her gloved hand to his lips. "Of course we'll be there."
She lingeringly removed her hand and patted his cheek. "Splendid." She turned and moved brusquely toward the door. "And I want to hear no more of these trousers. You must exercise some control over your ward, Jared."
Jared gave Josette a barbed glance. "You're probably right. I've noticed she's been somewhat out of control lately." He followed Carolyn to the door. "Let me escort you to your carriage."
Josette gave an explosive sigh as the door closed behind them. She plopped down onto a chair. "Thank heaven that's over."
"I'm not sure it's over. It sounded like a postponement to me."
"Well, at least it was a good beginning." She threw one leg over the arm of the chair and began to swing it. "I was afraid it would go much worse."
"She seems quite… determined. I'm surprised she gave up so easily."
"She didn't want to cross Jared when she saw he wouldn't bend. She wants to be a duchess." She raised her brows when she saw Cassie's expression. "Why are you surprised? Half the women in England want to marry Jared."
She shouldn't be shocked. She had thought of Jared in connection with mistresses but not marriage. She tried to make her tone casual. "Have they known each other for a long time?"
"Over seven years. She was married to a friend of Jared's, Lord Marcus Carradine. When his horse threw him and he was killed, she was left with nothing but a few pounds and Carradine Hall. She turned it into a school for young ladies."
Cassie tried to be fair. "Very commendable."
"Ambitious," Josette corrected. "She's insinuated her way into the most powerful houses in England through their daughters. She's now looked upon as the standard setter for decorum in the county. She'd like nothing better than to extend her influence to Prinny's court through Jared."
"Prinny?" Cassie asked.
"The king's son, of course."
"I see." She remembered the seductive smile Jared had bestowed on Carolyn Carradine. "And how does Jared feel?"
"Well, he won't tolerate my insulting her. I don't know if it's because he wants to encourage respect and keep the peace, or if he likes her." She started to swing her other booted foot. "Is your Lani as comely as Joseph said?"
"She's truly lovely."
"Then I'm glad she wasn't here. The gargoyle doesn't like beautiful women around Jared, and it would have caused endless trouble." She grinned. "It's just as well you're looking so plain and frumpy today. She paid little attention to you."
"Very fortunate," she said with irony.
"Oh, I didn't mean-I told you my tongue runs away from me."
"At full speed," Jared said dryly from the doorway. "What indiscretion have you committed now?"
"Is she gone?" Josette asked.
"Yes." He shut the door and came toward them. "And none too soon. I felt as if I were going to trip any second on one of those lies you concocted."
"You're much too clever to do that." Josette grinned. "You did very well."
He bowed mockingly. "Thank you. But it would have been more clever of you to change before running in here. You know she hates those trousers."
Cassie frowned. "You're not going to forbid her to wear them?"
Josette chuckled. "Why would he do that? Jared gave me my first pair of trousers when I was four years old."
"Fashion is all very well, but riding sidesaddle is a death trap if a horse falls," Jared said. "That divided skirt you wear is safer, but there's still too much material. You'll wear trousers, too, while you're here."
She did not question the intense pleasure she received at his small defiance of Josette's "gargoyle."
"Then you deceived Lady Carradine."
He smiled crookedly. "On any number of issues. There's usually a price to pay for deceit. I hope it doesn't prove too high."
"Well, I think everything is proceeding splendidly," Josette said. "And the only price would be for Lady Carradine to expel me from school, and that's no price at all."
His smile disappeared. "It's a very great price, and one I won't have you pay. Carolyn can have you ostracized from the ton with two sentences. I won't have her say those words."
Josette made a disgusted snort. "You care little for your own reputation. It's not fair to make me-"
"Hush." His hand gently covered her lips. "A woman is different, the consequences are heavier." He smiled warmly as he coaxed. "Trust me in this. Have I ever done anything that wasn't for your good?"
"No." She kissed his palm and pushed it aside before saying gruffly, "But I still don't think it's fair. I should make the decisions as to what is important to me."
"When you're older." He leaned down and brushed her forehead with his lips. "I'm not the best guide for a young girl, but I'm all you have. You don't want me torn with guilt, do you?"
Cassie felt an aching loneliness as she watched them. She had never seen Jared this tender before. The strong affection between the two was bright, warm, and clearly of long standing. For some strange reason it hurt her to look at them together. She quickly turned to leave. "I have to see Lani. She's not truly ill, is she?"
"No. I had Bradford whisk her away when I saw Carolyn's carriage. I thought it best."
Josette smiled slyly. "Because the gargoyle is too vain to tolerate comely women?"
Jared's lips tightened. "How many times do I have to tell you not to refer to her by that term?"
"Sorry," she said. "But she is vain."
"A trifle," Jared allowed. "At any rate, I thought it best not to complicate matters." He glanced at Cassie. "And there was no reason to distress Lani."
"How kind."
He frowned. "Dammit, I'm trying to do what's best for everyone."
"Then I'm sure you were right to whisk Lani away. She's lovely enough to make anyone jealous." She moved toward the door. "While, as Josette pointed out, I'm too plain and frumpy to present any threat at all."
"Plain?" he said thickly. "My God, plain!"
She glanced over her shoulder and inhaled sharply as she saw his expression. She quickly tore her gaze away and encountered Josette's speculative stare. The girl was too shrewd not to realize the implication in that single expletive. "I have to see Lani," she repeated in a muffled voice as she jerked open the door.
"May I go?" Josette asked. "You promised to introduce me."
"Not now." She needed to get away from both of them. "Later." She slammed the door behind them and fled down the corridor.
"Cassie." Jared was beside her. "What the devil is wrong?"
She didn't look at him. "What could be wrong? Other than that I seem to be getting deeper and deeper into a web of lies."
"You could have told Carolyn the truth."
"I didn't want to hurt Josette."
"Neither do I. And I also didn't want you hurt. Your presence here could be looked upon as improper. It seemed to be the way to serve both purposes."
"Proper?" She looked at him in disbelief. "Propriety is the least of my concerns. You know why I'm here. What do I care what any of your friends think of me?"
"I care," he said harshly. "And I hate it. I don't know why I care, but I do. Do you think I like being as strict and mincing as some pruny old dowager?"
She looked at him, shaken. "I won't let that-" Then the full impact of his words hit home, and she suddenly started to laugh.
He scowled. "I don't see anything amusing."
"I was just picturing you mincing into a ballroom." She shook her head. "I really don't think you're capable of 'mincing,' Jared."
"Lord, I hope not." He smiled grudgingly. "Perhaps a poor choice of words." He moved to take advantage of her softening. "Helping Josette will do you no harm. Will you continue the charade?"