The Secret Plan of Dazzling Ladies (Preview)

Prologue

Juliana looked across at her twin with a mischievous smile. Opposite her, Emmie raised a thin eyebrow. They shared no words but Juliana suppressed a laugh, tingling with excitement.

It’s working!

At the end of the table, spectacles on the end of her nose, Mrs. Markham, their governess, let out an appreciative breath.

“Why, Juliana!” she addressed Emmie rapturously. “You have completed that task so well! I have never seen you make such fine embroidery! What a great improvement.”

Juliana suppressed a snort. Emmie was looking up at the moulded ceiling, her green eyes half-focused dreamily. Juliana knew her well enough to see that she was trying not to laugh.

The previous day, Emmie had sewn her own sampler and Juliana had practiced drawing – her favourite of all their accomplishments. Today, they were supposed to have swapped tasks: Juliana was meant to sew, which she hated, and Emmie was meant to be drawing. By the simple expedient of swapping their dresses before going downstairs, Emmie had sewn Juliana’s embroidery, saving her from her hated task, and Juliana had spent the afternoon drawing.

“Thank you, Mrs. Markham,” Emmie said in a soft voice. Emmie was always softly-spoken. “May we go outside to play now?”

“Oh,” Mrs. Markham frowned, reaching into her pocket for her pocket-watch. She pulled it out and scrutinised the hands carefully, then put her head on one side. “Well, you were meant to stay until four o’ clock; but since you have both done so well this afternoon, of course you may go a little earlier.” She smiled glowingly at both the girls.

“Oh!” Juliana burst out before she could stop herself. “Thank you, Mrs. Markham! Hurray!”

Mrs. Markham raised a brow. “Why, Emmeline,” she said, with some surprise. “You are in high spirits today. It must be the lemon cake you had at dinner…it’s quite unusual for you to be so lively.”

“Oh…yes,” Juliana nodded quickly, glancing sideways at her identical sister who was looking carefully out of the window at the gardens below. “Yes, it must be that. Thank you, Mrs. Markham.”

Turning quickly away so that she wouldn’t burst out laughing, Juliana ran out into the hallway. Emmie followed her and they ran down the stairs and out to the garden, suppressing their laughter as they ran. Outside, they collapsed into helpless giggles, arms around each other.

“Oh! Oh…did you see her?” Juliana laughed, feeling her sides ache with laughter.

“Yes! It was so funny,” Emmie said, pressing her hand to her mouth to hold back her mirth.

“I wish we could tell Cale,” Juliana said wistfully. Cale, the stepson of Viscount Barton, was their neighbour, and Juliana shut her eyes dreamily, thinking of his wide blue gaze and imagining telling him about their funny trick.

“Cale’s as fond of risks as you. He’d probably have kept it up for longer than we did.”

Juliana laughed, feeling a tingle of delight at the thought. “Yes, he probably would.”

They both flopped down under the big oak tree, relieved to be outside once again. While it was certainly against propriety for two ten-year-old daughters of an earl to lie about on the grass, nobody could see them from the windows of Baxter House. They lay in the shade and Juliana looked up at the swaying branches, feeling happy and at peace. She ran a hand down the white muslin of her gown – Emmie always dressed in pretty dresses – and then rolled over onto her side, regarding her twin where she lay in Juliana’s own dress – pale green, patterned with an intricate design of flowers and leaves.

“I want to climb this tree,” Juliana said impulsively, tucking a strand of brown hair out of one eye. She could see a big branch up above, the ideal shape for lying on. It would be grand to be up in the air, lying there among the leaves…

“No, Jules,” Emmie said seriously. “You know that tree isn’t safe. Mr. Burroughs, the head gardener, said that it has rot in the trunk. He said the branches are liable to crack, even if they look sturdy.” She put her head on one side, regarding her sister with tranquil green eyes.

“A fig to Burroughs,” Juliana said, then giggled. “I promise I won’t go far, Emmie…just up to that big branch. It looks quite safe. And it’ll be so much fun up there! I’ll be able to see for miles!”

“Jules…” Emmie said hesitantly, then shrugged. “If you must. But please, only stay up there for ten minutes?” she asked.

“I promise,” Juliana said kindly. “Now, up I go!”

Hoisting her skirt up out of the way, she set her foot to the knotted place on the trunk and heaved herself up towards the fork in the branches. Climbing trees was a forbidden pastime, but one in which they indulged whenever they had a spare moment. Juliana loved it. Emmie, true to her more cautious nature, tended to do it only when she was sure it was safe.

“There!” Juliana said rapturously, reaching the big branch she’d set her eyes on. It was around three times her ten-year-old height from the ground and from up here, she could see the spire of Baxley Church and the roofs of the village houses. It was a fine day and the bright sun made the sky a little hazy. Under the carpet of leaves around her, it was cool and hidden and Juliana felt her eyes droop shut, wishing she could stay there for just a bit longer.

“Jules! Watch out!” Emmie screamed, just as Juliana heard a terrible cracking noise. She shrieked as the branch cracked and she plummeted down, straight for the ground.

A searing pain shot up her arm, and she cried out as she tried to put her weight on it to help her stand. She looked down and saw a mess of blood that made her feel sick and light-headed with fear.

“Jules! You’re hurt!” Emmie shouted, running over to her. “Mr. Burroughs! Mr. Burroughs! Please, help!”

As her sister ran to find help, Juliana felt her consciousness drifting, her head hazy with pain. She was too frightened to look down at her arm again; too scared to see the shattered mess of blood that she had seen there. Her mind was drifting and she felt her eyelids droop. The last thing she recalled, as Mr. Burroughs reached down and carefully lifted her up, was the sound of his voice.

“She’ll always have a scar on that arm.”

Chapter One

Juliana looked down wistfully at the scar on her forearm, recalling the day she had been marked with it. Ten years later, it seemed less impressive than the vast and jagged tear it had been on her ten-year-old arm. Even so, it was a reminder of the risk she had taken. She tucked a strand of dark brown hair behind one ear, narrowing her green eyes against the bright sunlight outside as she looked about.

Not that it ever put me off risks.

She reached down to pat the neck of her horse, Stormburst; a roan thoroughbred, and as spirited as her rider. The horse snorted and Juliana grinned.

“Easy, girl. We’ll run back all the way back.”

“It’s too hot to race, Jules,” Emmie protested. She was riding alongside her on Starlight, her white thoroughbred. “We’ll probably lose consciousness if we try and exert ourselves overly today.”

Juliana made a face, “With these tight stays, you’re probably right. Who invented riding-dresses which require you to wear stays? Ridiculous!”

Beside her, Emmie blanched at the mention of underwear in a public place, and Lord Cale chuckled. He smiled at Jules, showing very white teeth in a tanned face.

“I imagine so, Lady Juliana.”

Her heart beat faster to see his swift grin.

He is so handsome.

She looked away, knowing that she was staring.

Cale – or Lord Cale, as she must think of him now – had grown up considerably too since their childhood frolics. He was four-and-twenty years old now, and he had recently returned from Cambridge to manage his father’s estate. Juliana was delighted to see him again, though she was trying to hide that fact from him – it would make him insufferably arrogant if he thought she was interested in him.

And we can’t have that – he’s arrogant enough as it is.

She hid a smile as he rode a little ahead of her, his horse prancing with an eagerness to be off. He was showing off and she knew it. He grinned at her and raised his top-hat, a feat which required him to remove both his hands from the reins.

Showoff, she thought with a small grin.

“Lady Juliana! Will you race me back to the house?” he asked, riding alongside her, his horse tossing his head.

“Lord Cale,” Juliana said, and crooked a brow at him. “You know my sister does not care to race.” It would be unfair to make Emmie feel so discomforted. She shot him a strict glance.

“Yes, of course,” Lord Cale instantly replied. “My apologies. Should we walk along the riverbank? It’s much cooler there, and our horses could cool off too and drink some water.” He smiled winningly.

“That sounds nice,” Emmie commented.

As they rode over to the river that ran between their estates, Juliana watched Lord Cale admiringly. He was broad in the shoulder now, his brown hair lightened a little by the sunlight, and his skin darkened to a high contrast with his bright blue eyes. He’d certainly grown up a great deal; his face had hardened into a lean, firm-muscled one that still had the cheekiest smile she’d ever seen. He looked across at her and caught her looking and her heart skipped a beat.

“Lady Juliana?” he called, falling into step beside his horse. “You will be attending the season?”

“No,” Juliana said curtly, jumping down from her horse to join him. “You know I cannot bear it,” she added with some drama. He grinned.

“You do like London sometimes,” Emmie reminded her, walking beside her and leading Starlight by the bridle. “She did say that, didn’t she, Lord Cale?” she added. Juliana grinned at them. Emmie treated Lord Cale like a brother and always had done, while she herself had loved him from their childhoods.

“I do like London. In the freezing cold, at Christmas, once a year,” she said.

They all laughed.

“It smells better in winter,” Lord Cale added. They all laughed harder. The smell of London was one of the main things that Juliana hated about it: that, and the Ton.

“I’m surprised they notice,” she said mildly. “Everyone there seems to be so horribly dandified that they probably put up with that stench, just because they think it’s fashionable.”

Emmeline laughed, “Oh, Jules…they can’t be that bad.”

Juliana made a face and Lord Cale laughed.

“Look,” he said, pointing towards the slight rise where Baxter House stood, “a rider. Is he bringing a message?”

Juliana stared at the road opposite. “Probably is,” she agreed after watching the rider for a while. He rode with the casual ease of a dispatch rider, and she wondered idly what news he brought with him.

Probably letters for Father from his accountant in London.

She fell into step beside Lord Cale, who was talking about his stay in Kent. Both girls listened with interest, asking questions now and again. They reached the fence and mounted up, returning to the house.

When they reached the drive leading up to Baxter House, Lord Cale rode back to rein in beside Juliana. Emmie rode on, giving them a moment alone together.

“I would like to invite you to ride with me to the hill there,” he said, blue eyes twinkling with mischief. He indicated a distant hill, one that rested on the furthest boundaries of their estates.

“Lord Cale…you know we cannot,” Juliana said a little impatiently. “Mama would never allow that – it’s too far. We’d at least have to take Mrs. Sedgely as a chaperone, and you know how tiresome that would be.”

“Very tiresome,” he teased. His grin made her tingle inside.

“Lord Cale…”

“I know, I know… and you are right to be careful of your reputations,” he said with a grin. “Thank you for the ride. It was most enjoyable.” He bent and pressed his lips to her hand. Juliana thought her heart might burst.

He turned and mounted up, then rode off. Juliana watched him go, then mounted up and rode swiftly to the gate where Emmie waited.

“I know, I know…” she said, holding up a hand to ward off Emmie’s whistle.

“That was so delightful!” Emmie said with a grin. “He kissed you!”

“He kissed my hand,” Juliana demurred, cheeks red, stomach tingling with excitement.

“Oh! How romantic…” Emmie gushed. Juliana shoved her in the shoulder playfully and they both giggled, then raced up the path to the house.

“Girls!” Lady Baxter, their mother, said, as they almost ran into her coming through from the parlor. “Don’t run! How many times do I have to tell you…? You’re fine ladies, not village hoydens. Don’t run.” She sounded somewhat less than angry, though, and Juliana looked up at her expectantly.

“Mama…?”

“I just received a message,” their mother said when she was sure she had their full attention. She had dark brown hair, touched with white, which she wore in an elaborate up-style around her plump, smooth-cheeked face. Her skin was barely lined, and she had wide, hazel eyes that had a distant, if kindly, air. She fixed those hazel eyes on the girls. “From Lord Amerhurst.” She lifted one eyebrow, creating a sense of dramatic tension.

“Oh!” Juliana squealed with delight, earning her a pained look from her mother. “The Amerhurst ball! It’s happening!”

“Yes,” her mother said with a long-suffering sigh. “It is indeed the right time of year for Lord Amerhurst to host his annual summer ball. And we are invited!” She flourished the letter dramatically. Emmie giggled.

“Oh, Mama! How lovely! I shall wear my white gown.” She clasped her hands rapturously.

“Yes, indeed,” their mother said gently. “But you needn’t wear the gowns you have…we could have new ball gowns made up for you. There is time – it’s almost a month from now.”

“Oh, yes,” Juliana nodded, then frowned. “Mama…I don’t need a new gown. I have two perfectly good ball gowns.” She had a white and a pink one, that she had worn to every ball for the last two years.

“No, you haven’t,” Lady Baxter contradicted gently. “You have two ball gowns, both of which would be suitable for a country ball like you’d usually attend. But this is something special. All the gentry and nobility will be there. Since you do insist on not going to the season this year, this is the best chance you have for making new…acquaintances. And I insist you have the finest gowns to wear.”

“Mama…” Emmie said, then trailed off. Juliana could see how hesitant she looked, and she knew exactly what she meant. Their mother was planning to try and find them prospective people to marry.

And that means this is going to be horribly tedious. Besides, my mind is made up.
She felt her stomach flutter as she thought of Lord Cale. She had always known, since she was first introduced, that she was in love with him. Since that time, the feelings had grown more complex, not less, and now she knew that she would not be happy with anyone else.

“All right! I shall have no complaints. Come upstairs now and take some refreshment. You missed tea. I had Mrs. Haywell leave out a trolley of tea and sandwiches for you.”

“Hurray! I’m famished,” Emmeline said, grinning at Juliana before they both walked briskly up the stairs. Emmeline had a simple outlook on life – she liked music, riding, sewing and food. With those, plus family and friends, she seemed perfectly content. Juliana sometimes wished she could have such a sweet, easy nature.

I have to be so impetuous and risk-seeking.

She pushed aside thick strands of hair that had tumbled down from their up-style and hurried to follow Emmeline into the drawing room.

When they had finished tea, Juliana and Emmeline retired to their bedchambers. They were next to each other, and, as it happened, they spent very little of their time isolated in their chambers – both of them spent most of their time in the boudoir, sitting on the chaise lounge by the window to talk.

“What do you think about this ball?” Emmie asked, leaning back on the cream silk chaise lounge. Juliana, sitting opposite on a stool, shrugged.

“I think it could be diverting. And it’ll have good music…Lord Amerhurst always makes sure he has a fine quartet.”

Emmie grinned. “There is that, yes. And you’re right. Just because Mama is being a bit…strict…about things, doesn’t mean we cannot enjoy it.”

“Yes,” Juliana agreed carefully, “it doesn’t.”

They knew each other so well that there was no need for words. Emmie knew that Juliana was in love with Lord Cale, and also that their mother might not approve of him. There had been some scandal in his past – his true father, Lord Lowford, had been involved in some scandalous business that the girls didn’t really know about. It meant that Lady Baxter eyed him in a somewhat-jaundiced light, and they knew that, if she could, she’d be trying to introduce them to a wider circle of men at the ball at Amerhurst Hall.

“Well,” Juliana said with a weak smile, “I suppose it can’t be too bad. After all – this is the countryside. I don’t think we’ll meet anyone new here.”

Emmeline smiled and Juliana grinned and then stared into the fire, wondering what would happen at the ball. She was sure there would be nobody there that they didn’t know ten times over from balls at Amerhurst: after all, it was the country, and nobody new was likely to be there.

Chapter Two

“Dash it, Arnott…there’s nobody here!” Thomas complained, brushing a strand of sandy hair out of one eye. He was sweltering in his frock-coat and breeches, and he could feel sweat trickling down his back. He turned to look at his friend, who raised one eyebrow. They were standing in the middle of a country hall at a ball Thomas didn’t want to attend.

“Nonsense, Thomas…there’s such a crowd here that it’s no wonder we’re sweltering to death,” Arnott said mildly.

Thomas shot him a look. It was, he thought tensely, Arnott’s fault that he was here in the beginning. Nobody else could have come up with a plan as wild as this one. Why Arnott thought the ideal place to meet eligible ladies was some village ball in the back of beyond he had no idea. Now, he nodded grimly.

“You’re right there. I can’t complain about the lack of people.”

There were people of all description in the hall at Amerhurst Heights: military people, gentle landowners and the local nobility, all crowded into a hall that he wouldn’t have thought was big enough for twenty-five guests. It seemed no larger than the biggest room in his father’s townhouse in London.

“As you said,” Arnott said mildly, “and all of them are speechless with rapture at having a peer of the realm in their midst.”

Thomas shot Arnott a hard look, but Arnott just raised his brow again and ignored him. Thomas, son of the Duke of Amerly, hated anyone referring to his title. He hated even more the thought that Arnott might be right. If his father wasn’t a duke, the local gentry probably wouldn’t have accepted him so readily. After all, every person in the world was a little suspicious of strangers.

And because Papa is a powerful duke, they all stare at me and whisper behind their hands as if I was some sort of show at the Opera House.

He sighed. If there was one thing he wished, it was for someone to meet him who didn’t really care about his heir-of-duke status. He would have given a great deal to meet someone who would treat him like just somebody ordinary.

“Oh!” a woman exclaimed, following a sharp pain in Thomas’ foot that made him gasp aloud. “Oh! So sorry! I didn’t see you there…”

Thomas found himself staring into wide green eyes. He forgot for the moment that the woman had stood on his foot, and felt the most peculiar sensation wash through his heart. He bowed gallantly.

“My Lady, no cause to alarm yourself, I assure you. My foot is quite unhurt, and I apologise to you…I should not have been standing in the door like that.”

“Oh. You weren’t in the way…” she said, trailing off as she straightened up and looked at him. They both stared at each other, and Thomas had the peculiar sensation that he was falling into those green eyes, that his world was narrowing to contain only them and the sweet face that observed him.

A noise drew his attention sharply away. Beside him, Arnott was standing stiffly upright like he was on parade, black hair stark against wide dark eyes. Thomas wondered what had possessed his friend, and glanced sideways. Then he, too, stared.

“There are two of you!” he exclaimed, dark eyes stretched wide, then went bright red as the two young ladies giggled aloud.

He stared in amazement. There were indeed two of them – two oval, pretty faces looked up at him, their hair identically curled and dark brown, their lips pale roses, their hands tapered where they stood with them clasped or pressed to their lips. Their eyes struck him – like wide green rivers, they drew him in and drowned his heart.

“Yes, there are two of us,” one of the young ladies said directly, holding him with that green gaze that astounded him. “I am Juliana, and this is my sister, Lady Emmeline.”

“Oh,” Thomas said, taking a breath and trying to recover his senses. “Yes. I am Lord Thomas. I am delighted to meet you.” He bowed low. Beside him, Arnott was still transfixed, as if he had seen Napoleon materialising in the hallway and marching in to conquer them all. He bumped him with his toe in the ankle and Arnott bowed deeply, almost knocking his head on the refreshments table beside him.

“My ladies, I’m honored,” he murmured.

Thomas ignored him. “You are from Amerhurst and surroundings?” he asked, then realised that probably sounded rude. “I mean…”

“We’re from Baxley,” the young lady who had introduced herself as Juliana said. “We’re the daughters of the Earl of Baxter. He’s over there,” she added candidly, gesturing at a rather elegant gentleman in a wig on the other side of the ballroom from them.

“I see,” Thomas said automatically. He still felt confused and bewildered, and it was only when the two young ladies had disappeared – both turning away to speak to someone or other and becoming lost in the crowd – that he could think again.

“What just happened?” Arnott murmured distantly.

“I have no idea,” Thomas admitted.

He stood by the wall, looking around the hall and hoping to get a glimpse of two heads of brown hair. As it happened, though, the hall was too crowded and there were too many people with brown hair for him to be able to spot a particular two from his vantage point.

“I say,” Arnott murmured to himself. He seemed quite in shock, and Thomas decided to wait while he pulled himself together. He looked out over the ballroom and tried, somewhat ineffectively, to calm his nerves.

Thomas had been persuaded to come here with Arnott – who had an uncle in these parts – for the pursuit of the charge his father had laid on him: to wed. He had not thought seriously about the topic, if he was honest with himself – he had attended so many seasons in London and met nobody who took his interest. He had absolutely not expected to meet anyone here.

And now he had.

He stared out over the ballroom, looking for the sweet sisters.

The ballroom was indeed crowded but he noticed people starting to step back and clear a space and, a moment later, music drifted deliciously over the hall, silencing the murmur of voices. It was a waltz, and it gave Thomas new determination.

He was going to ask one of the earl’s daughters to dance.

He watched the dancefloor, and was delighted to see one of them stepping out for a measure. It was Juliana – he remembered that she had been wearing a yellow gown. She was dancing with a tall young fellow and he was amazed by the lilting grace of her movements – as amazed as he was by her lively laughter and the way she seemed to be keeping up a conversation.

She is so full of liveliness and so direct!

Thomas, despite his rank and the deference others paid to it, found it hard to meet new people. If someone was direct and honest, his standoffishness was a little easier to manage. With Juliana, he felt it would take about five minutes to get to know each other.

And that was something new, and exciting.

He watched her dance, laughing and giggling all the while. As soon as he had a chance, he was going to find her father. Then he was going to dance with Lady Juliana.

Chapter Three

Juliana finished her turn on the dancefloor and stepped off, looking up with a slightly breathless smile, thinking only of Lord Cale, who held her hand. Lord Cale took a step back and bowed to her.

“My Lady, that was a sight to see.”

Juliana blushed, “You flatter me, Lord Cale.”

“Yes.”

His eyes twinkled and she shoved him playfully, while both of them giggled. Her skin flushed with warm colour even as she teased him about his comment.

“You’re supposed to deny it, you silly,” she teased. “It’s your chance to say no, you’re not flattering, since nothing could possibly be flattery for so fine a lady.”

He laughed. “Well, it did cross my mind. But I wasn’t about to mention it,” he said gallantly.

Juliana felt tingles down her spine and she could not keep the grin from lifting her lips at the corners.

“Well, you did now.”

He nodded. “Yes… would you care to go to the terrace?” he asked. His blue eyes glowed, his voice holding the full knowledge that he had asked something not quite proper.

Juliana swallowed hard. “You think we would be allowed to…?” she gestured at her parents, who were over near the side door. Lord Cale shrugged.

“With about a hundred people here, I really think that nobody could accuse us of being alone outside. There are already twenty couples out there, I reckon, and we couldn’t find a moment by ourselves should we wish to.”

Juliana blushed. She looked up at him and he smiled and there was something that made her shiver in that smile. She walked with him through the room, wanting to be alone with him even though she knew it was salacious even to think it.

“It’s not too bad here,” Lord Cale commented, leading her between the couples who had already moved out into the cool air. The terrace was wide and quiet, the big stone rails affording a nice place to lean and look out over the green, damp garden. Dew glittered on the lawn and the scent of damp air wafted up to them, offering a sweet contrast to the stuffiness indoors.

“No, it isn’t,” Juliana agreed. “Not too crowded. And it’s cooler.”

“It is indeed,” he said. “Which is quite a relief.”

“Yes.”

They spoke quietly, though nobody could have overheard them. They were at the railing of the terrace and Juliana had her arms bent, bracing her weight on the rail. She could feel the warmth of Lord Cale’s arm through his shirt, warming her bare skin, he stood so close. She shivered, and distracted herself from thoughts of him by looking across at the trees on the other side of the garden.

“A fine estate.”

“Yes.”

Neither of them was speaking about anything important, and Juliana knew why – they were both acutely aware of each other and knew that if they had even turned to look at each other, they would have kissed. She felt a pulse jumping in her throat. What would that be like? She cast a glance at his thin lips, wishing she had any idea of what it might feel like to feel a kiss on her lips. The thought enraptured her.

The noise around them faded, and Juliana became aware that some of the couples had gone inside. If she listened, she could hear music and she knew the next dance was starting. Her dance card was deliberately empty – she had accepted no dance with anyone.

She wasn’t interested in anyone else.

“Yes. Listen…the next dance is starting,” she said, gesturing towards the hall, where sweet music was flowing out. She recognised it as a waltz and unconsciously tapped time with her foot.

“Should we go in?” Lord Cale asked after a long moment. “You seem as if you want to dance a measure.”

“Oh, no,” Juliana grinned dreamily and looked up at him. “I don’t – I just can’t keep still,” she giggled. Sometimes she wished she could be less lively, and just stand still and be calmer.

“You know I love your liveliness,” Lord Cale said. He spoke so quietly that Juliana could almost have imagined he hadn’t talked. But she turned and gaped at him, not quite able to believe what she had heard.

“Well…” she said, trying to gain her equilibrium, “I rather like yours too.”

She spoke in a rush, feeling more awkward than she had ever felt in her life. She looked out at the garden, not wanting to risk looking at his face and seeing his response. When she looked back up at him, she was amazed to see him smiling.

“That’s something I would never have expected to hear.” His voice was low and warm, and he sounded truly moved by it.

Gently, he bent over and his lips brushed her face. It was the briefest gesture, but it made her blood pound. She looked up at him and he looked down at her, eyes sparkling.

They were still looking at each other when the dance ended and the couples inside applauded each other, the sound distant and muted by the space. Julia became hazily aware of the present, of the terrace, and of everything else that was not the blue lakes of Cale’s eyes.

He grinned and it seemed as if he’d become aware of everything at the same moment. He bowed low, though there was no real call for the formality, and offered her his elbow.

“Shall we go inside?” he asked. “I suppose the next dance is starting, and we could dance that?”

Juliana chuckled, “I would like to dance it, yes. It’s a gavotte.”

“Oh! Something energetic! That’s grand.”

They were both still laughing as they walked back into the hall together.

In the hall, Juliana scanned the floor, looking for a head of dark curls. Emmie had been talking to Jessica, one of their friends, last time she had seen her. Now, she had trouble spotting them. After a moment, she caught sight of them on the other side of the hall. She was with their mother, who was talking to a tall man with sandy hair. Juliana frowned as their mother gestured to Emmie, who curtseyed gracefully. The man bowed.

Looks like they are being introduced to one another.

Juliana felt a smile lift the corners of her mouth, and felt pleased for her sister. The man looked interesting – tall, with well-cut features and that pale hair that was quite striking. She thought she recognised him, but they were too far away and the lighting too bad to be able to see him properly, apart from his posture and the colour of his hair. He was too proper for Juliana’s taste; she knew that even at this distance. She liked men with more character – like Lord Cale.

He felt her gaze on him and bowed low. “Shall we dance, My Lady?” he asked.

Juliana nodded, giggling at his formal inquiry, eyes glinting at her even as he made it. She curtseyed, still chuckling at his antics, and took his hand in her own.

“Why not?” she asked.

They were both still laughing as they went out onto the dancefloor together.

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“The Secret Plan of Dazzling Ladies” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

Emmeline and Juliana, twin sisters and daughters of the Earl of Baxter, are identical in looks, but polar opposites in personality. Juliana is stubborn, adventurous and deeply in love with a Lord who has a questionable reputation. Emmeline is quiet in nature and shier than her fun-loving sister. When they discover that their parents are planning to marry Juliana to an eligible and affable son of a Duke she has no interest in, they concoct a plan to secretly take each other’s place. With Emmeline having misgivings about the subterfuge, and navigating her unexpected feelings for this kind hearted newcomer, will the sisters manage to find love and avoid the trouble they’ve caused?

Lord Cale has recently returned to his stepfather’s estate to acquire more responsibilities after completing his education. He has known the twin daughters of the Earl of Baxter his entire life and has fallen deeply in love with Lady Juliana. However, due to his family’s troubling reputation preventing him from being able to court her, he leaves determined to clear the family name. When he eventually returns vindicated and seeks out Juliana, how will he handle his dismay at thinking Juliana is already happy with another Lord? Will the two Lords come to an understanding about each other’s place in the twins’ lives or will the strong feelings involved render this impossible?

With every passing day Emmeline’s and Juliana’s lives become increasingly complicated and intertwined and the pretense more difficult to keep up. However, the foggier the truth becomes, the clearer their growing feelings emerge. After all this time and the endless lies, will they manage to untangle this mess without hurting the men they care for, or have they taken this ruse too far? Will both sisters finally get the happily ever after that they long for?

“The Secret Plan of Dazzling Ladies” is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

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