She licked her lips and shifted, the tension that came from her equal to his own. “Er, you—have you met my sisters?”
“I’ve not had the pleasure, no.”
“May I present Lady Blackburn and Mrs. Windham,” she said. “This is Mr. Alexander Castleton.”
They looked like her, just as she’d said they did back in the countryside. He found her the most beautiful of the three, but he saw the shared characteristics. There were differences, too, of course. For one, Lady Blackburn was very pregnant, but she also had a softer quality to her eyes. And Mrs. Windham, who had once been the infamous Arabella Comerford, had all the sharpness and shrewdness of a hawk.
Mrs. Windham stepped forward first, extending her hand with steely determination, as if it was a test. He took it without hesitation and was impressed by how firm her handshake was. “Mr. Castleton. Good afternoon.”
“Mrs. Windham.” He turned toward Lady Blackburn with a slight incline of his head. “And my lady. Many felicitations on your impending happiness.”
Though Lady Blackburn’s face was kinder, there was no denying the hesitation there even when she smiled. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t expect you, Al—Mr. Castleton,” Julia said. Was her tone slightly breathless or was he imagining that?
“Yes, and I would have sent word, but it’s a matter of great importance. Perhaps I could have a moment of your time and then I’ll depart and leave you to your family.”
Her nostrils flared ever so slightly and her lips pursed as she considered the request. He also noticed her gaze moved to thesettee behind him and he tensed. It seemed she was thinking of the last time they’d been together, in a different parlor with a different settee. The one in this room seemed even better equipped for a tryst. Not that he was surprised by that. It was common knowledge that Mrs. Windham had, during her day as London’s most sought-after courtesan, used it as a place to entertain her lovers.
Still, when Julia looked back at him, he wasn’t certain where her decision had landed. She might very well kick him out of her house without hearing him and then what would he do? Write a letter, he supposed. Or perhaps reach out to one or both of her brothers-in-law about the threat. In truth, that was what he should have done from the beginning. She’d made it clear she wanted nothing more to do with him.
And yet he was here. Waiting.
She turned toward her sisters. “You two were just going, weren’t you?”
Mrs. Windham leaned forward. “Are you certain?” she asked softly.
Julia nodded. She looked at him. “Give me a moment to say farewell and I’ll return to you. Please do have tea.”
He took the invitation to have refreshments as a good thing. “Good day, my lady, Mrs. Windham.”
The women murmured their goodbyes and then they went together to the foyer. With the door to the parlor left open, he could hear just the faintest edges of their conversation as he prepared two cups. No words, just the softness of the voices. After a moment, Julia returned. She said nothing to him, but she closed the parlor door and went to the window where she watched as a carriage pulled away. It had the seal of the Earl of Blackburn on the door.
“I made you tea,” he said.
She turned back in surprise. “I—oh. Thank you.” She took the cup and sipped it, then glanced at him in further surprise. “How did you know how I took it?”
“I noted it when you were in the countryside, I suppose,” he said. “I do apologize for intruding on your time with your sisters.”
She made a quiet measure of him, though he wasn’t certain how it turned out, for she made no revelation on her face of her feelings. “As I said earlier, they were just leaving anyway. They were only helping me go through the trunks your cousin had so kindly deposited on Arabella’s doorstep by the time I’d returned to London. Won’t you sit?”
She motioned to the chairs beside the fire and he managed to force himself to go to one and take it after she’d settled herself. He put his cup aside on the table between the arms of their chairs. “I’m very sorry, Julia. That is dastardly.”
“Well, it certainly speaks to his advance plans to do exactly as he did. The moment he had broken with me, he sent his message to dump my things off. Poorly wrapped, of course, and not organized in any way.”
“Were they not already packed up for the move to his home here in London?” he asked.
“He rushed things so much at the beginning, he’d told me that I should plan to make the move after our return. That I could take my time.” Her cheeks were bright pink but she lifted her chin. “It doesn’t matter. What do you want?”
There was a spark of defiance to that question and it put him to mind of her passionate anger the night she’d come to his house. His body reacted against his will and he was glad he was seated with his legs crossed since the last thing she needed was for a man to be panting after her in the midst of her pain.
Especially considering he was about to create more of it.
“It’s a matter of great importance,” he said, trying to find a way to explain it.
“I thought we concluded our business, Alexander.”
He lifted his gaze to hers. “Was it business that night, Julia?”
