He hardly dared to try to guess what they were talking about when both those other young ladies had glanced in his direction before continuing their whispered conversation with Georgiana.
“St.Albans’s duchess and my wife are admiring how handsome you are,” Hellsmere observed dryly.
“I somehow doubt Lily is doing anything of the sort,” St.Albans snapped.
“That is because you are a jealous and possessive husband, and I am a relaxed gentleman secure in my beloved Chloe’s affections,” Hellsmere taunted.
St.Albans scowled.“I am totally secure in Lily’s affection.It is the intentions of other gentlemen I do not trust.”
“You may be assured I have no intention of flirting with or in any other way overstepping boundaries with either of your wives,” Julian quickly assured him.
“That is because you are in love with Lady Stapleton,” Hellsmere observed with a glance in Georgiana’s direction.“And she is in love with you.”
Julian frowned.“I do not think?—”
“Falling in love is not aboutthinking,man,” St.Albans dismissed scathingly.“It is chaos and mayhem, with a dash of insanity.Or, in my case, a lot of insanity,” he allowed ruefully after receiving a knowing glance from Hellsmere.
“I will agree with you regarding the chaos and mayhem involved,” Hellsmere allowed grudgingly.“But I believe all our ladies to be worth any upheaval that has occurred in our previously ordered existence,” he added with an appreciative glance at the three beautiful women chatting so excitedly together.
Julian had no doubt as to Georgiana’s worth.Just as he knew the other two gentlemen felt the same way about their duchesses.
“They are all exceptional women.”St.Albans nodded.“Including your Georgiana.”He gave Julian an approving glance.“I liked her from the first, which is why I arranged for her to come here to work for you.”
“Matchmaking, St.Albans?”Hellsmere mocked.
“Georgiana is an exemplary young lady who deserves an equally exemplary gentleman to love and cherish her.Youare an exemplary gentleman,” St.Albans informed Julian with his usual arrogance.
“I am amarriedgentleman,” Julian reminded.
“Are you?”Hellsmere taunted.
Julian gave him a sharp glance.“What do you mean?”
“I believe we should wait to discuss this any further until we are within the privacy of your home,” St.Albans stated with a pointed glance at the grooms and ostlers milling about the stable yard.
Julian bit back his impatience, knowing the other man was quite correct in desiring that privacy.“Of course.”
“If you have finished eating luncheon, can we all be on our way to Moreland Park?”St.Albans prompted briskly.“Because I, for one, would like to soak in a hot bath, and then make love to my wife in a comfortable bed for the rest of the afternoon!”
Hellsmere smirked.“I might consider doing the same with my own wife.”
St.Albans’s gaze narrowed in warning.“I wish I had never given my permission for you to marry my daughter.”
Hellsmere’s chuckle was unconcerned.“Chloe would not have allowed you to do otherwise.”
“Probably not,” St.Albans allowed with a sigh.
“And think how much in love I must be with Chloe to suffer having you as my father-in-law,” Hellsmere taunted.
“I believe the same might be said for my having you as a son-in-law,” St.Albans drawled.
Until now, listening to the teasing in this back-and-forth conversation—because he knew that St.Albans and Hellsmere respected and liked, even loved each other—Julian had not realized that, by avoiding returning to London these past two years, how much he had missed the company of two of his closest friends.
For the first time in a very long time, he was starting to see a glimmer of hope for his future.
A future he wished to share with Georgiana.
A Georgiana who had now excused herself from her friends and was in earnest conversation with Robert Eames.No doubt reiterating her intention of visiting Meggie tomorrow.
