St.Albans was one of the people who had advised Julian that, once the necessary seven years had passed since Annabel’s disappearance, he should immediately report that abandonment to the authorities and have the marriage dissolved.St.Albans had assured him he would bear witness to the desertion by Julian’s wife.
Sevenbloody years.
Another five years hence.
By which time, Julian would be one and forty years old.
Ancient.
His life more than half over.
Even if he met a woman and fell in love with her, it was ludicrous to think he could ask her to wait another five years for him to be free of his previous marriage.
Bloody Annabel.
Even missing and presumed dead, she continued to make Julian’s life a living hell.
Except Georgiana, after admitting her attraction toward him, had then assured him she was not interested in marriage or in having a husband.
A statement that added to Julian’s torment as those words constantly played in a loop inside his head, adding to this constant restlessness in which he now lived.
Because of Georgiana.
He hadn’t so much as looked at any woman in a sexual way these past two years.After his failed marriage, the whole process of charming and flirting with a woman, of possibly seducing her, had made him feel ill.
Until Georgiana.
Everything about her, from her glossy dark curls, the merriment in her eyes, her smiling lips, and the way that she?—
“So this is where you have been hiding yourself.”
—was developing a habit of appearing out of the ether!
Julian had startled at the sound of Georgiana’s voice, and he now rose quickly to his feet to turn and gape up at the woman he held solely responsible for his agitated state of mind.Georgiana was sitting side saddle on the chestnut mare named Rosebud that had once belonged to Julian’s mother.
Rosebud had been born to a mare on the estate.She was a beautiful animal, with the mildest of temperaments, and Julian hadn’t had the heart to sell her after his mother died four years ago.Despite Annabel having urged him to do so.
The new duchess did not ride, nor had she understood other people’s enjoyment in doing so.She claimed that horses terrified her.Even one as placid as Rosebud.
Confirming to Julian that a woman who could feel no empathy or affection for Meggie, and also hated horses, was one without a heart.
He already knew that Georgiana and Meggie were friends.It now pleased him immensely to see how perfect Georgiana appeared seated upon the back of the chestnut horse.
She looked positively regal in how beautiful she was in a blue velvet riding habit, the same shade of blue as her eyes, with a matching bonnet of the same material perched upon the dark curls secured at her crown.Her riding gloves and boots were made of dark blue leather.
She arched one dark brow.“Well?”
Julian blinked at the same time as he tried to think what she was asking… Ah.“I am not hiding,” he answered coolly.“Merely enjoying my daily constitutional.I saw you earlier on the beach, collecting shells with Meggie.”
Georgiana smiled.“We have met several times this past week.She is a delightful young woman…child.”She gave a confused frown, obviously not knowing quite how to describe the childlike Meggie.
“She is the daughter of my estate manager and his wife,” he explained.“She was like any other five-year-old until she was kicked in the head by a horse and was rendered unconscious for almost a day before waking.Mentally, she has not aged a day since that time,” he added.
“Whatever her age, she is a very happy young lady, always smiling and pleased to see me,” Georgiana assured.
“Which is more than could be said for her aversion toward my wif— Damn it.”He scowled.“Change the subject.Please.”He groaned.“And quickly.”
“Very well,” she humored smoothly.“Are you not a little old to be sitting on the sand drawing pictures?”
