“There is no discussion,” she said. “And I have just completed a rather lengthy walk. I am tired and hungry, Daniel.”
“You will come walking with me,” he said, turning her in the direction of the trees and the house.
“What I will do,” she said, “is make a scene, Daniel. I shall scream and have a fit of the vapors. Let us see howyou will like that.”
But he was in no mood to wonder if she was prepared to follow through on her threat. He had had enough. He hadbeen plagued by her, tormented by her ever since his arrivalat Primrose Park before the death of his uncle. She hadeven invaded his dreams, appearing in them flimsily cladand smiling and warmly inviting. Not that the dreams werenearly as powerfully erotic as the reality of that morninghad been. It was time things were settled with Julia. It wastime she knew what was what.
He propelled her forward and she came with him without any of the sounds of protest she had threatened. He relaxedhis hold on her arm when they were among the trees anddrew it through his instead. She pulled it free, but continuedto walk at his side.
“Did he touch you?” he asked.
“You must have seen that my arm was through his when we returned,” she said.
“Did hetouchyou?” His voice was vicious.
“Yes, he did.” Hers was correspondingly cool and incensed him further. “He kissed me, Daniel. For perhaps ten minutes altogether. He does it quite differently from you, if you are interested in knowing. Gently and very expertly.He did not attack me.”
“I did not attack you,” he said to her through his teeth. ‘That would imply that you were my victim.”
“Well, perhaps it was a mutual attack,” she said. “I grant you that. It was rather strange, was it not, Daniel, considering the fact that our dislike of each other amounts almost tohatred and that we cannot talk to each other without quarreling.”
“Julia,” he said, “do you not realize how indecorous it was to walk so long alone with Freddie? And how dangerous?”
“He might have ravished me,” she said. “I should have learned that lesson this morning, shouldn’t I? But he didnot do so.”
“I would not have been ravishing you,” he said. “You were willing.”
She looked up at him and smiled. She was still maddeningly cool. “I was, wasn’t I?” she said. “Does it not amaze you, Daniel, that we can be so attracted to each other on apurely physical level? That the body can be so divorcedfrom the reason and the emotions?”
“It was your vulgar appearance and behavior that did it,” he said.
“Was it?” She smiled at him again. “So you do not find me attractive now, Daniel? I have nothing to fear from younow?”
The trees were behind them. They were walking up the sloping lawn. He turned their direction so that they wouldcome to the rose arbor.
“I hope not,” he said. “I hope that this morning’s experience will teach me that the consequences of behaving as less than a gentleman can be catastrophic. I should not havefollowed you.”
“And missed the race?” she said. “I thought it rather exhilarating, Daniel. And fitting that we finished together with no clear winner.”
“I must apologize to you for what happened this morning,” he said. “I am deeply sorry, Julia, for the distress and dishonor I caused you.”
She looked up at him with interest as they passed beneath the rose-laden arch into the arbor and were assaulted by the scent of a thousand roses. “That is very handsome ofyou,” she said, “since you so clearly believe that the faultwas mine. Wearing breeches and riding astride, it seems,are very provocative to a man.”
“It was unpardonable of me to lose control,” he said.
She seated herself on a bench, raised her parasol above her head, and gave it a twirl, looking at him the wholewhile. “I have to savor this moment,” she said, laughing.“The Earl of Beaconswood apologizing to plain Julia Maynard. I did not think I would live to see the day. But alas, Icannot revel in the triumph of it, Daniel. You don’t need toapologize. If we behaved wrongly, we were one as bad asthe other. Which I suppose is not a great deal of consolationto you, is it? I am sure it must be lowering to know that youwere ever provoked into behaving as badly as I. Let’s forget it. Let’s go back and see if there is any tea left.”
It was tempting. Very tempting, considering the fact that she did not seem unduly upset by what had happened andconsidering the fact that no one else knew. But he could notgive in to temptation. His upbringing had taught him neverto do so but to behave rightly and properly and responsibly.It had taught him always to make amends whenever he didfor some reason go wrong.
“You must marry me, Julia,” he said.
Her parasol stilled and so did every part of her body. Until she laughed.“Whatdid you say?” she asked.
“You must marry me,” he said. “You have been compromised. Very severely so. I must give you the protection of my name.”
She stared at him again for a few silent moments. And then the parasol was twirling again. “It must be the sun,”she said. “We must send for a physician. Or it is PrimrosePark. Having been here for a few weeks you are being enticed by its charms and wish to keep it. No, Daniel. A plainand simple and straightforward and quite unnegotiable no.”
“You were alone with me,” he said. “I embraced you in amanner that might be considered improper even in a marriage bed. You have no choice, Julia.”
