Page 56 of The Gentleman Physician

Julia raised her free hand to her mouth to cover her gasp. “Nathaniel.” She laughed through the tears that began falling and shook her head. “Oh, my darling.”

A laugh escaped him and he gathered her up in his arms, settling her against his chest where she buried her face. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and the walls around her heart came tumbling down.

“Oh, Julia. Don’t cry.”

She shook her head against his chest. “I can’t help it. I’ve been alone, and everything has been terrible of late, and now—now, you love me. I’m happy.” She moved away enough to regard him carefully, and when their eyes met she saw his bright with joy. “I love you, Nathaniel. I have since London. But I was young, and I didn’t know how we could ever possibly marry. My father—”

He gently hushed her and raised a hand to cup her cheek. “I know, Julia.” He bent and placed a kiss upon her forehead. She took in a deep, startled breath, inhaling his scent of pine and soap. He spoke with his mouth barely against her skin.

“We have come a long way. You are free to do as your heart wishes.” He lowered his lips to first one cheek and then the other, and Julia held perfectly still, in awe of his tenderness. “And I am able to take everything I am, everything I have, and lay it at your feet.”

It was as if the breath had been stolen from her lungs, but she did not care. Nathaniel loved her. Nathaniel was holding her in his arms and whispering his declarations to her. After years of dreaming and regrets, it couldn’t be real.

“Nathaniel,” she whispered, resting her forehead against his, her eyes closed. “I love you.” She tilted her head, finding his lips with hers, and kissed him.

Their lips parted, but came together again, Nathaniel pulling her closer in his embrace, his hands sliding from around her shoulders. One hand went to her waist, the other to the nape of her neck, supporting her as he deepened the kiss.

Nearly five years of longing could not be satisfied by kisses stolen in a conservatory, but Julia desired nothing more than to make up for lost time.

Both her arms looped around his neck, her fingers twining with his sandy-colored hair, relishing its softness. His lips against hers, ardently profession is love better than words could, left every inch of her body tingly. How had she lived without him for so long? Nathaniel’s warmth, his arms around her, were as necessary to her life as breathing. They parted at last, both drawing shallow breaths, and Julia gazing into his smoldering eyes, knowing she must appear completely wanton and not caring. Nothing would come between them again. She belonged to Nathaniel as he belonged to her.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, his eyes searching hers, his smile subdued, waiting for her answer.

“Yes.” How could he ever doubt it after those kisses? The question itself was a mere formality. “Yes, Nathaniel. As soon as possible.”

He chuckled and bent to press a brief kiss to her lips. “Three Sundays from now is the earliest I can manage. A doctor cannot procure a special license in Bath.”

Julia’s breath left her in a quiet laugh. She reached up to lay a hand against his cheek, studying him intently, knowing she must retain some sense of practicality.

“Nathaniel.” Saying his name made her heart sing. “I must help my cousin. As long as she has need of me, I feel I should be there for her. She has almost no one else.”

His countenance did not dim, though his expression became more serious. “I understand completely. And I will wait for you, a privilege I should’ve begged of you before. But I hope it is not too long of a wait.”

“As do I, darling.” She kissed him again, upon his cheek, and laid her head against his shoulder. She barely felt tired anymore, but a peace settled deeply into her heart, and she had never felt safer or more cared for in her life.

Chapter Twenty-One

In Julia’s letter to Christine, informing her of Virginia’s visit, she added her engagement as nothing more than a postscript. After all, she would soon see Christine for herself and could explain matters better in person.

The greater struggle would be keeping the smile from her face. Though joy welled up within her, bursting to be shared, she could not allow it. Virginia’s whole life had changed, she’d lost her beloved Charles, and rejoicing in Nathaniel’s love openly felt vastly inappropriate.

After the letter was sent, Julia busied herself by seeing to household matters. Virginia’s time was spent with her sons, and meeting with the undertaker hired to see to her late husband’s final preparations. Gerard Macon would arrive shortly to accompany the casket back to the family’s estate. Virginia’s plan was to be gone from Bath before he could return from that journey, but no preparations for the trip could be made until he was safely gone.

This meant running the house as normal, so not even the staff could give away what was a very tactical retreat. This left Julia more out of sorts than ever. She mourned for her cousin’s loss, her tiredness had returned. She must move about as normal, and secretly rejoice over her betrothal to Nathaniel. Not long after the noon hour, she sat down in Virginia’s parlor and closed her eyes.

She intended to rest for no more than a quarter hour.

“Julia?” Her cousin’s voice came to her as if from a great distance, calling her. “Julia? Perhaps you ought to go to bed, dear. The chair cannot be suitable for sleeping.”

Julia’s eyelids were nearly too heavy for her to lift, but she persisted in her attempt, and they came open slowly. The room had grown dark since she’d first sat down, and the fire in the hearth had nearly gone out. She blinked and looked to the side of her chair, where Virginia stood, one hand resting on Julia’s shoulder.

“Oh, no.” She felt heat rush into her cheeks and changed her posture, sitting up straight. “Ginny, what time is it?”

“Six o’clock. But don’t trouble yourself, Julia. I know you are tired, and you have done a great deal for me today. Please, rest. I only thought you ought to rest more comfortably in your room.” Virginia spoke gently, no sign of disapproval in her voice, but she sounded nearly as tired as Julia had felt before her impromptu nap.

Julia covered a yawn and shook her head. “There are enough hours left in the day to get things done. Has Mr. Macon come and gone?”

“Yes. That’s why I came to find you. He started at once, thinking to make it to an inn at nightfall. He was almost cordial when he spoke to me.”