Julianna turned to Murdock. “It looks as if dinner has unceremoniously ended. Would you care to go to one of the drawing rooms so we may speak privately?”
Murdock nodded, stood, and helped pull back her chair. They managed to flee in the midst of the commotion. Julianna doubted they’d be missed. She leaned down to whisper her plans to her mother and Mary so they wouldn’t worry.
Once outside the dining room, Murdock led the way down the corridor and around a corner until they came to a row of drawing rooms near the front of the house. They chose the first door they came to. The empty room was covered in shades of dark blue and gold.
Julianna remained standing. Murdock offered her a drink, which she declined.
“Well,thatwas something,” Murdock said. He’d gone to the window and was staring out across the darkened front drive of the estate. “Why in the world do you think Kendall was pretending to be a footman?”
Julianna stared at Murdock’s profile. He was handsome, to be certain, with dark-blond hair and brown eyes. He was fit and tall and had good teeth. But he never seemed to be silently laughing about things the way…Worthington was. In fact, Murdock seemed to take everything a bit too seriously.
She didn’t really know him, she reminded herself. Perhaps if she talked to him more, she might learn what he found humorous.
“It seems awfully romantic that Lord Kendall interrupted Miss Wharton’s engagement announcement,” she offered.
“Romantic?” Murdock scoffed. “It was an embarrassment. The poor young woman won’t live down that humiliation for years.”
“You think so?” Julianna replied, her brow furrowed. “I was thinking I’d like it if a gentleman wanted to marry me so much that he was willing to stand up on a sideboard to declare himself.”
Murdock’s nose wrinkled with disgust. “He made a fool of himself and Miss Wharton, if you ask me.”
“You wouldn’t declare yourself on a sideboard for me?” Julianna asked, her tone jesting, a smile on her face.
“Don’t be absurd,” Murdock replied, his lip curled in a frown. “I wouldn’t disrespect you that way.” He tugged at his coat and smoothed his hand down the front.
Julianna’s face fell. So much for a sense of humor.
“Tell me,” she said next. She strolled over toward the window to stand near him. “What do you find humorous?”
“Humorous?” His brows lifted. He seemed surprised by the question. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…what sort of thing makes you laugh?” she asked, watching him hopefully.
He furrowed his brow and seemed to think for several moments before lifting his head and saying, “Ah, I thought of something. Once when I was in an archery tournament at school, I took a step back and stepped on one of the arrows.”
“Yes?” Julianna prompted, eagerly waiting for the humorous part. “Then what happened?”
Murdock’s frown deepened. “That was it. Ibrokethe thing in half. Must have laughed for five entire minutes. I mean what sort of an oafstepson an arrow that heneeds? Clumsy of me, don’t you agree?”
Julianna wrinkled her nose and nodded. Very well, perhaps Lord Murdock wasn’t particularly humorous, but he must have other qualities.
“You like horses, don’t you?” she asked next.
Murdock shrugged. “They get you from one place to the next I suppose. Necessary evils.”
“Evils?” she repeated, frowning again.
“Can’t say they smell particularly good, and they cost afortuneto house and feed and take care of.”
She eyed him cautiously. “You don’t like to ride?”
“Oh, it’s pleasant enough.” He waved his hand in the air as if dismissing the topic.
“Do you know anything about the Godolphin Arabians?” she ventured.
“Horses?” This time he frowned.
“Yes, famous horses,” she prompted.
