Linus glanced around. “Then make sure they see you at your best.”
Her best wasn’t what anyone wanted to see, she suspected. Tonight, even the Faradays had given her a wide berth, despite the good she had done for them in thwarting a robbery. It wasn’t fair. “I have a headache.”
“You do not. We will stay until the last set and walk home with everyone as usual.”
“At least I will be among friends then.”
Linus grunted. He had been glued to her side all night, making sure she behaved. That didn’t stop some gentlemen from smirking at her when he wasn’t watching, and she hated that most of all.
Julia clapped along with everyone else when the final set ended but her heart wasn’t in the evening. She glanced longingly for the terrace doorway but her gaze landed on Valentine Merton. He stood on the far side of the room, beside his cousin, and appeared to be having a very nice time too. Valentine’s cousin was staring at him, her gaze full of warmth…and something she’d never noticed before as he led her to the door to take their leave.
Julia’s stomach twisted. She knew that look. It was the same expression Imogen wore when she teased her husband.
Love.
Mortification filled her and she glanced away quickly, sure she had seen something not meant for her eyes. Since the race, Teresa had been cool to her, almost disapproving. She bit her lip and joined everyone else in leaving but there was no escaping her conclusions.
Ahead, Valentine and his cousin strolled along arm in arm. They always did so, now that Melanie was gone from their company. And as she observed their ease with each other, she began to feel sick to her stomach. What was Valentine doing proposing to her when his cousin clearly had feelings for him?
Linus grabbed her arm and tugged. “Keep up.”
Valentine glanced over his shoulder and met her gaze. He frowned slightly.
Julia forced a smile and stumbled along, trying to work out how she’d never noticed Teresa’s partiality for her cousin before. The woman shared his house. Did Teresa share a deeper intimacy with him, now that Melanie was not there to prevent it?
Imogen dropped back to her side while Sir Peter distracted her brother with plans for tomorrow. “You didn’t enjoy yourself tonight?”
“Not particularly.” She shook her head to clear it. She should not be thinking of Valentine Merton beyond friendship. “I’ve never enjoyed being idle for an entire evening. What I need is a really long run if I’m to get any sleep.”
Imogen stared ahead. “But you did enjoy tea this afternoon. It seemed as though you thrived on the instruction offered.”
She was such a fool. Valentine had no real interest in her if he was loved by Teresa. She would make him a perfectly respectable wife. “I did then.” She sighed. “Such an afternoon will never happen again though.”
“Are you sure that would be true?” Imogen squeezed her hand. “A certain gentleman seemed very intent on your education. I imagine if you accepted, he would not change, but grow bolder with you.”
A flush of warmth filled her cheeks. She had enjoyed her time with Valentine. “A whim, I’m sure. Nothing more.”
Imogen
fell silent. “I am having a great deal of trouble imagining Melanie participating in such instruction.”
“Melanie would never raise her knee to a man’s groin,” she murmured softly. Much less tolerate such a scandalous embrace. “She would have fainted to have seen me with her brother today.”
“I shall have to find out if he’s instructed Teresa in the same manner.”
The idea of Valentine’s arms tight around Teresa Long’s body made her unreasonably irritated, and she was glad to see her doorway ahead. “No doubt he has,” she ground out.
Imogen caught her arm. “Julia, whatever is the matter now?”
“Nothing.” She kissed her friend’s cheek and forced her annoyance away. “Good night, Imogen.”
She fled inside without a backward glance, hurried up to her room and slammed the door shut. Once inside though, she paced her room. There was no way she could sleep tonight, not as restless as she was. Not as confused as she had become.
Valentine and Teresa? It wasn’t possible, and yet…
She threw open her window and glanced out into the night. The moon was up, but the patchy clouds offered sufficient cover. A fast sprint up and down the lane in secret should do the trick and rid her mind of her speculation before sleep. Everyone would be going to bed soon and she could be back before her brother even realized.
She stripped off her fine gown to change into a practical one, making sure to secure her brother’s old breeches underneath, and then laced up her feet in a pair of sturdy shoes.