He might require a quick escape.
…
The morning had begun exactly as Julia planned—love victorious, a perfect wedding, on a perfect winter’s day. Then, Julia had locked gazes withhim.
Worse still, she’d yet to purge her consequent, involuntary blood simmer.
“Katherine.” Julia’s voice fell to a whisper. “Iknowit’s cold. But Miss Watson wants to walk, and Ineedto walk.”
She couldn’t face the confines of a carriage. Not now. She was too full. Too restless. Toovexed. She needed to stretch, to move, to let the December cold purge Rayne’s heat.
She’d thought she’d dismissed the arrogant earl from her heart long ago. Apparently, her body had not received the message.
While the very idea of Rayne filled her with anger and regret, in the flesh, Rayne proved as incendiary now as he’d been on the first day they’d met.
“Earl of Rayne, at your service.”His tone had been as mocking as the steel glint of challenge in his gaze. A challenge that had silently demanded, “Who do you think you are?”
A force within Julia had instantly risen in response, as if she’d been born to answer that challenge.
All her actions thereafter had spelled out her reply in no uncertain terms: “Who am I? I’m someone you will never forget.”
She’d succeeded at being memorable, all right. Just not quite the way she’d hoped.
Katherine’s glance flicked toward Rayne, then back. Her expression softened. “Giles? What’s your opinion?”
“I see no harm,” Bromton said soothingly. “Julia and Miss Watson will be spending quite a bit of time together in the coming weeks. I think we can trust their judgment.”
“You may walk,” Katherine replied, “if you think walking best, Julia.”
“I do! A short walk, and I’ll be right as—” She stopped abruptly. “I’ll recover.”
She planted a quick kiss on Katherine’s cheek to cover her fluster and turned away, looping her arm through Miss Watson’s. Together, they set off along the path, Julia’s footfalls landing with satisfying, dead-leaf crunches.
The farther she got from Rayne, the easier she breathed.
If everything between them was settled, over,done, why did Rayne’s presence set a bundle of unanswered questions burning in her heart?
And why did something in her reawaken, as if succumbing again to his innate pull?
At her side, the elderly Miss Watson sniffed.
“Are you well?” she asked.
Miss Watson smiled. “Oh, I’m probably coming down with something…as usual. But don’t let that worry you. It was good of you to walk with me, child.”
“Good? Not at all,” Julia answered. “You wished to walk; Ihadto accompany you. Why, you used to carry me from church to Southford all the time when I was a little girl.”
Miss Watson splayed her fingers against her chest. “You remember that?”
Julia nodded. She didn’t remember much, but she clearly recalled the feeling of being cuddled safely in Miss Watson’s arms…and the relief of not having to ride with her father.
Miss Watson hummed thoughtfully. “You didn’t like carriages.”
“Istilldon’t particularly enjoy a long carriage ride.” Though what she hadn’tspecificallyliked was the way the walls enclosed the heavy gin-scent of her father’s breath. “I hide my discomfort better now.”
She hid a lot of things better now.
Mostly.
