She would never have known his true feelings and married the wrong man.
They had come so close to disaster.
But here they were now, a true miracle in the making as they discussed plans for their children and their future. “Yes, do what you must, not only for our sons but our daughters, as well. They all need to be secure. As for me, my needs are not lavish.”
Julius nodded. “I will not have you lacking in anything. You need to have independent means to maintain your style of living and conduct your research work.”
But he laughed at his own words. “However, I want your promise that you will not run amok around London at all hours and barrel into places you should not be patronizing on your own.”
“Rest assured,” she said with a smile, knowing she’d had more than one or two hoyden moments during their acquaintance, “I shall not be found starting fistfights in taverns or lurking around graveyards once our children are born.”
“Good, I’ll want that in writing,” he said with such fluid charm, she thought at first he was in jest.
But he was serious!
Did he not trust her to keep out of those indelicate places?
Well, he had good reason.
She tipped her chin up, but her chuckle as she spoke gave away she was not really angry. “I take that as an insult to my integrity.”
He grinned. “Take it anyway you like, but I’ll have your promise. No after hours visits to graveyards, Gory.”
“As if I would ever dig around a cemetery like a thief in the night,” she said with a huff. “But you cannot restrict my morgue activities.”
Mr. Deacon’s eyes widened. “Lady Gregoria, surely you jest!”
No, not really.
“Please do not fret, sir. Lord Thorne knows I will be a dutiful wife and do nothing rash.”
Julius coughed. “Well, work on the termination of Lady Gregoria’s betrothal first. I’ll send along more details of the terms we would like in our betrothal agreement later.”
Mr. Deacon had a bemused look on his face as he escorted them out and bid them a good day.
Julius laughed softly as he assisted Gory into the carriage. “I think we shocked the poor man.”
She tsked as he settled beside her. “You really did not have to scare him. I have never actually dug up a body. But I think that for all your proper manners and cool demeanor, you like the idea of a wife who can challenge you and might be a little daring. Just a little, mind you. Because you are also apish and do not want anything bad to happen to anyone under your care.”
“Is that so?” But he was grinning once again, and looked irresistibly appealing as he did so. “You think you know me so well?”
She shook her head. “Not nearly as well as you apparently know me. But I must not be as awful as the ton makes out if you are able tolerate me.”
He raked a hand through his hair and sighed. “I love you to pieces, Gory. I think that’s a bit more than merely tolerating you.”
“Same here,” she said in all sincerity. “You take my breath away. Would you kiss me now, Julius? My reputation is already in ruins because I have been sleeping in your bed and we have likely been seen riding together without a chaperone, and me betrothed to another man, although not for long.”
“With pleasure, love.”
She closed her eyes as he leaned toward her, expecting a moment of magic and eager for his warm, commanding lips to press down on hers. But she was instead shoved to the ground and had the breath forced out of her lungs as he crushed her with the weight of his big body atop hers.
At the same moment, a shot rang out that echoed off the carriage walls. “Julius!”
Was he hit?
She had felt his body move reflexively against hers in that moment.
“I’m fine. Do not move,” he ordered, grabbing his pistol from the lip of his boot and managing to fire off a shot, although she did not think he struck the assailant. “Damn it, he’s getting away.”
