Chapter 4

“Upon my honor, such as it is. Did you not see Miss Norville at the ball?”

“Sir Francis Norville’s chit?” Cordelia set her cup back in its saucer with a crash. “Never say she is out among Society again.”

“It is so. I had it from Lord Archer that she was at the Mountraths’ dinner party the evening before.”

“That is no reason for you to avoid attending balls.”

“It is an excellent reason, Aunt. I have no desire to revive old gossip, and should she encounter me, I’m sure she would take it as an excellent reason to renew some of her complaints.”

“Complaints which no one attends to. Not a soul believes her sordid tale.”

“No, they made up sordid tales of their own, didn’t they?”

“Because you refused to speak of it.” Cordelia sounded truly annoyed, and Julien knew this time it was genuine. It never failed to irritate her that he refused to tell her the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Lavinia Norville’s brother.