“Hello, poppet. Don’t you look pretty today?” Windchester bent down and held his arms out to Emily, who stood still.
“I’m going to go and try to sober up a little more before dinner.” Henry stood, feeling sadness for Windchester. It was clear his daughter wasn’t comfortable around him. She came to Elijah and Henry more willingly than her own father.
Henry left the parlor and climbed the stairs two at a time. He needed to be alone with his thoughts and prepare himself for seeing his mother and uncle tonight at dinner.
As he reached the family floor, he saw Julia coming down the hall, wiping her face. It was clear that she was upset. The sight of her made his heart jolt.
Someone with so much fire and life shouldn’t be upset, ever. She was meant to be happy, but now she wasn’t, and he knew that it had something to do with him.
Before he could resist the impulse, Henry rushed over and took her by the hand. “Julia, is everything alright?”
She stared up at him with red-rimmed eyes, her lips trembling as she fought to keep her composure. “Everything is fine. Please leave me alone.” She took her hand out of his grasp and rushed past him and into her room.
Having had enough of her avoiding him, Henry followed behind, entered the room, and closed the door.
Julia whirled around to face him, shock evident on her face. “What are you doing? I said I’m fine, and even if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t want you to comfort me!”
“Could you stop being so infuriating!” He walked toward her, wanting to take her in his arms and give her the comfort he knew she needed. “I just want to make sure that you’re okay. Julia, tell me what’s wrong?
“Your concern is about three years too late. Get out of my room!” She whirled away from him, the sound of her skirts against the floor clear in Henry’s ears.
He hated the sound. It reminded him that she was always running away from him. Taking her by the arm, he pulled her toward him. Her blue eyes were filled with fire, her lips slightly parted. Julia’s gaze flickered to his lips, the movement causing his tongue to wet them.
Good Lord, he had tried to stay away from her, but now being so close to her, he had to know if her lips felt the same, if she still made a little squeaking sound when she was caught by surprise. Henry crushed his lips to hers, letting out an animalistic growl when they connected.
Julia stilled for a moment before she surrendered to him. She sighed, allowing him entrance to the sweetest ambrosia he had ever known. His hands roamed down her dress to her rear, pulling her impossibly closer. This was what he’d been missing all these years. She was heaven to him, and he would not be content with only a slice of her. He needed everything. He needed her.
Their tongues glided and swirled around each other. She whimpered in his arms. God, did he miss that sound.
He wanted to consume her, to make the last three years disappear. This part of her he knew. It called to him underneath the hate and anger. This was the piece of her that was solely his, and he would never relinquish it. Not to St. Clara, not to anyone.
“Julia,” he whispered against her lips, and suddenly she froze. The sound of her name on his lips, bought her back to reality.
Suddenly, she stopped and pushed him away with unprecedented force. A hand connected with his cheek. The thunderous slap echoed in the quiet space.
She stared at him, her eyes full of hatred, her lips swollen from his kiss. “Get out.” Her voice broke, so full of emotion. He wanted to pull her in his arms, but he didn’t.
“I have mended and cleaned all three dresses you requested.” The maid walked in and stilled, her eyes wide.
“Forgive my intrusion, Lady Julia.” Henry bowed curtly before he exited the room.
Rushing to his own room, he tried not to focus on the kiss, but it was everything he had longed for. Henry could still feel the pressure of her lips against his own. The sweet taste of her tongue lingered in his mouth. He wished he could taste her forever, but he knew from the sting of her hand that she had not forgotten him.
No matter what happened in his life, he would always savor their kiss.
The Duchess of K is hosting a dinner party in honor of the Marques of H and his new acquaintance, Mr. E. It is said that Lady F will be in attendance, looks like the debutantes are descending on this Season’s most eligible bachelor!
The parlor was crowded with her cousin’s dinner guests. Julia tried not to dwell on Henry or the kiss, but each time she caught a glimpse of him, she couldn’t help but think about how alive she had felt in his arms. That kiss had caused a million sparks to run through her like lightning in the night sky. Every part of her wanted to surrender to him, to forgive him.
So, she purposely avoided his glances. Instead, she focused on his mother who had entered with her brother-in-law and their new acquaintances, Mr. and Mrs. White. Lady Heartford didn’t hide her disapproval. Her lips thinned into a straight line, her hard features distorted, her face practically bunched in dislike. She was vastly different from her son in both appearance and disposition. Where he was chiseled and god-like, she was round and stocky. His white gold locks were more vibrant and silkier than his mother’s brittle jet black hair. Julia often wondered how such a horrid woman had given birth to such a perfect specimen of a man.
He stood before the fire, a perfect backdrop to his golden hair. Julia couldn’t glance away. He was still beautiful, even if he hid his hands day and night. But he was concealing more than his physical change from that fateful day. So much had been altered, for both of them.
Fighting with her own resolve, she tried not to allow her gaze to wander toward him as they all waited for the other guests to arrive. She bristled beneath Lady Heartford’s cold stare. Her gaze felt like tiny little spiders crawling all over her body, but Julia boldly met the woman’s menacing glare.
“I must say you are looking rather well, Lady Julia … in spite of everything.” Henry’s mother’s condescending tone made Julia feel like she was being reprimanded, causing her even more discomfort. Thankfully, she’d avoided being her daughter-in-law. “I hear you found yourself in another courtship, this time with the Duke of St. Clara. How exciting for you.”
Pippa stiffened beside Julia at the mention of Julia and St. Clara’s relationship. She thought it rather odd that her friend showed any sort of emotion since she couldn’t tolerate the gentleman.
