She glanced up at Martha, who was chatting with the driver. Julian told her that he’d anticipated her uncle would secure a maid for her. But it was Julian who secured the solution forwhere Martha would ride. “You chose this smaller carriage on purpose today,” Serafina said with a smile.
Julian gave her a dimpled grin, and her heart melted. “I cannot say that I did. But I’m thankful Providence saw fit to work it out this way,” he said in his rich Scottish burr. “I have ye to m’self and I can’t think of a better opportunity to know you better.”
The last was said with such an exaggerated brogue that it made her giggle.
Despite her frustrations, she knew her family was only looking out for her best interests. She’d learned her lesson and didn’t want to chance running into that dreadful man again. He might still show up at the shop, but she would always have a maid and a footman to protect her. She shouldn’t have allowed her guard to fall. Perhaps her new life of privilege had clouded her judgment—but no more. Unwilling to think of the frightful baron another minute, she turned her thoughts to the handsome man sitting beside her—his charming Scottish accent making her heart flutter—and to the lovely carriage ride they were enjoying together.
When a phaeton passed, Julian asked, “Have you ever ridden in one of those?”
Serafina looked around at the other carriages on the gravel road. She shook her head. “Never… I’ve never ridden in one,” she said. “It’s so high,” she added, her voice tinged with awe.
“I imagine that the world looks a little different from that height,” he said, with a chuckle. “You’d have to be very skilled.”
Having him all to herself had filled her with excitement, and Serafina was doing her best to control her enthusiasm and keep her tone calm for Willow’s sake. Her dog needed rest. When Julian had arrived at the Golden Duchess’s residence for their outing, she couldn’t help but feel a touch unsure of herself. She had never been officially courted. But as she’d thought about it,she took a deep breath, changed her mind, and extended her hand to him. She enjoyed exploring Bath—and now, to view it with the most handsome man she’d ever met made her see everything anew.
Willow’s soft growls drew her attention. Serafina wondered if the pup was dreaming about yesterday’s visit from the baron. Grimsby’s attempt to force himself into her shop had left Serafina feeling shaken and had stirred up a part of her past that she’d thought she’d buried—but those memories of her vile cousin and what he’d tried to do had resurfaced. She’d struggled with it last night as she’d tossed and turned before finally falling asleep. Leaning down, she laid a gentle hand on Willow’s head, and the pup settled into a more peaceful sleep.
“This is the road adjacent to the Royal Crescent. All the homes are in full view. How do you like it?” Julian asked, tugging Serafina from her musings.
“Like it?” Serafina said, scrambling to recall what he’d said.
“Are ye all right, lass?” he asked gently. “You seemed far away a moment ago.”
“Oh, yes, I’m fine,” she replied. “Forgive me, there is just so much to look at.”
“The Crescent,” he said with an indulgent smile. “This is the place to be in Bath at two in the afternoon, at least, according to my butler, Mr. Powell. He assures me that if we are here at two—which we are—we are here at the height of fashion,” Julian said, with a wink.
She nibbled her bottom lip as she took in the expansive, crescent-shaped neighborhood of grand Georgian townhouses in front of her, all designed by the architect, John Wood, the Younger. The homes were constructed of warm Bath stone, with a unified appearance from the outside. She couldn’t help but wonder about the spectacular interiors housed behind the elegant facades. A vast expanse of carefully manicuredlawn stretched downward from the homes and was called the Crescent Fields.
The homes sat back from the road, separated by the pristine, immaculately groomed grass from end to end, giving the elegant homes a natural barrier of privacy from passersby. She was here on this fashionable stretch of real estate, in a carriage with the most handsome man she could remember meeting. “One day, I’d love to have an excuse to see the inside of one of these lovely homes,” she mused out loud.
“Your uncle is a duke. I’d say that’s entirely possible,” he teased with his thick burr.
She laughed. “You’re right, of course. I suppose I still think of myself as a vicar’s daughter. Until I met Uncle Carlton’s father, I had never even dreamed of such surroundings. But I also realize how fleeting life is and would never take for granted the wonderful life I have.”
“A good philosophy to live by, to be certain,” he said regarding her with an intense expression in his blue-eyed gaze that made it feel like her heart was doing somersaults. “There is something I’d like to show you, while we are in the area, but it would require stopping and stepping down from the carriage.” He looked down at the still sleeping Willow.
“Since it would require waking Willow, would it be all right if we visited this place another day?” Serafina said. “I think she was quite unsettled by the encounter with Baron Grimsby yesterday. I was worried she might have harmed her leg with her agitation, so I asked Mr. Hanson, the stablemaster, to examine her this morning, and he reassured me that she is healing well.”
“Of course. We’ll take extra care of Willow when we stop for our picnic,” Julian said. “I think once we move down into the Crescent Fields, she’ll be more comfortable.”
The carriage rolled down the graveled road along the outer edge of Crescent Fields until he signaled for the carriage to stop.
Serafina fastened a leash to Willow’s new, red leather collar, given to her by the kindly stablemaster. Julian assisted her down from the carriage and handed her the little pup who’d just begun to stir. As he did so, Julian’s gloveless hand brushed her uncovered wrist, making her heart do another somersault. Whenever his fingers brushed against her, her response was immediate. More. His touch had become a feeling she craved. And she wished his fingers would linger a moment longer. Did that make her brazen? Perhaps as far as Julian was concerned, she was.
Baron Grimsby certainly didn’t inspire such feelings in her. Even when Edward had held her hand as they’d traveled to Gretna Green, she did not feel the way Julian made her feel. And she had to ponder that because Edward was also handsome and kind and clever. But they had both been so young and naïve. Looking back, she realized that what she’d felt for him had been affection, not passion, and certainly not what Uncle Carlton and Aunt Catherine felt for each other.
Despite this realization, she was still unsure of herself when it came to romantic feelings. All she knew was that being with Julian made her feel something she’d never felt before, and she wanted to cherish it.
A few minutes later, they were seated on a thick blanket on a section of grass near a small pond. Beatty, Julian’s driver, and Martha were seated a short distance away, enjoying their own repast underneath the shade of a beech tree, still gloriously holding on to its copper-brown leaves. Serafina had placed Willow on a pillow between her and Julian, and the pup was quite content to munch on the morsels of cheese and cured ham that she fed her and was soon dozing after she’d had her fill.
“Would you care for lemonade or wine?” Julian asked as he took out two metal cups from the basket.
“Lemonade, please,” she said. She placed two small finger sandwiches onto her plate along with a small wedge of cheese.
“I think my cook made enough to feed a small regiment.” Julian chuckled as he handed her the cup of lemonade. “Mrs. Freyer enjoys putting the frills on meals.”
“Everything is delicious,” Serafina said after taking a sip of the refreshingly tart and sweet lemonade. “I must write her a note thanking her for such a bountiful repast. And I hope she won’t mind my asking her for the recipe to these orange and cinnamon biscuits.”
