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she didn’t even know. And worse, it looked like this grand event would be taking place sooner rather than later.
    Grabbing all five keys that hung on the wall, Juliet stalked back across the kitchen. She didn’t know which key it was and didn’t want to waste another minute by coming back to the kitchen to grab another option. She would try them each one at a time if that’s what it took. The occupants of that room weren’t going anywhere. If only she hadn’t been so concerned about which dratted tea cups were suitable for a guest like him, she’d already be in that room.
    Rounding the corner to leave the kitchen, she collided with Lord Drakely. “Pardon me,” she gasped as his firm hands landed on her shoulders and kept her from falling to the floor.
    “ It’s all right, Miss Hughes,” he said simply. He let go of her and continued walking down the hall without so much as a backward glance at the woman to whom he’d just affianced himself!
    With a quick glance at her slightly shocked parents, Juliet chased after her betrothed, chastising herself for even thinking of him in such terms. “Lord Drakely! Lord Drakely!” she called as he climbed up in his carriage.
    Poking his head out the open door, he blinked at her. “Yes?”
    “ I―I―” she stuttered, trying in vain to think of how to finish the sentence. Several phrases from “I don’t wish to marry you” to “I cannot marry you” to “Who do you think you are to affiance yourself to me without so much as a by-your-leave” ran through her mind. Finally, she decided on, “I think we need to talk about something.”
    “ We do?” He blinked his brown eyes owlishly at her.
    “ Yes,” she said through clenched teeth. His first wife might have passed away some time ago, but surely he remembered something about women from the time she was alive. “Don’t you want to ask me… I mean―that is―I…uh…I overheard you talking to my parents in there and…”
    “ Oh,” he said as if he’d just solved a complex mathematical equation. “You heard about the wedding, then?”
    “ Yes,” she acknowledged.
    “ Well, you can relax. You’ll be able to enjoy yourself that day without the worry of supervising my girls again. I’m planning to bring Mrs. Jenkins with me to attend them.”
    Juliet stared at him unblinkingly. What was he talking about? There was no way she, the bride, could supervise his children that day. Why would he even mention such a thing?
    “ I must be off,” he called. “I’ll see you in six days hence. Give my best to Juliet.”
    Juliet? Give his best to Juliet? Was the man cracked or did he just not… Laughter overtook her. He thought Henrietta was Juliet!
    Well, she thought, turning back to the cottage, two could play at that game. She bent her head to hide her grin as she walked past her mother. If he thought he was going to get away with something as underhanded as betrothing himself to her―or her sister, in his mind―without so much as a word in passing, he deserved the little surprise he would find come their wedding day. Not that she expected him to go through with the service, she didn’t. He’d call it off once he raised her veil, but the look of shock on his arrogant face would be well worth the embarrassment she’d face.
     

 
     
    Chapter 4
     
     
    Patrick could hardly contain his excitement as he rode back to Briar Creek. Before he’d left his estate that morning, he hadn’t told the girls where he was going or that they might have a new mother―and governess―by the end of the week. He knew it was a slim possibility Ian Hughes would turn his offer down, but remote as it might be, he didn’t dare risk the girls’ feelings.
    As soon as the carriage jolted to a stop, Patrick swung open the door and jumped down to go in search of his daughters. He finally found them out by the stables getting ready for their riding lessons. It would seem they’d developed quite an interest in equines since their