“However, I regret to inform you that Lady Astley is quite vocal about Lord Stirling’s missing ward. I am afraid scandal is brewing.”
Her heart sank. It was as she feared. But surely the news would not travel as far as Stirling? Once she left London, the controversy should fade. At least she hoped so.
“We are prepared to rally in your support when you return home.” Lady Abbott reached into her basket and pulled out a letter, handing it to Julius. “Lord Filminster wrote this in the hope that I would find you here. I must leave now to not raise suspicion if anyone is watching the street outside.”
They all rose, Lady Abbott raising the hood of her cape. “Farewell, and I hope to reunite soon.”
Their unexpected guest hesitated at the tradesman’s door, turning back with a fiery blush rising over her cheeks once more to conceal her freckles. “Lord Trafford?”
Julius gave her a curt nod of encouragement to continue.
“I … wanted to express my appreciation of the instruction you provided Aidan on the day of our wedding.” Lady Abbott’s eyes were downcast as if her words mortified her to the core.
Audrey nibbled on her lip while she tried to figure out what sort of instruction would cause the lady so much discomfort.
Julius huffed, his lips splitting into a grin to reveal a slash of white teeth against his tanned skin. “You are most welcome. Abbott was a committed student.”
The noblewoman grinned in bashful acknowledgment. Patrick let her out, leaving Julius and Audrey standing in the hall in an awkward silence.
Julius twisted on his signet ring as he stared down the hall, his reluctance to face her obvious. “We shall, you know?”
Audrey, who was still biting at her lower lip, stopped to respond. “Shall what?”
“Ensure you have the support you need when you return home.”
She nodded, wondering what he could mean by his assurance. What could he, or his friends, do to mitigate the damage to her reputation?
For her part, she intended to race out of Town when they returned to the world of the living and, meanwhile, she would eke out every ounce of adventure she could. As she feared, she was ruined and could never return to London once their quest drew to an end. A thought that saddened her when she thought of the interesting places she could have visited with Julius if they had more time. Instead, they would attempt to solve the mystery of who had attacked him and had killed the baron, before she parted ways with him.
After they finished their tea,Audrey announced it was time to redress his wound. Julius followed her up the servants’ stairs, thinking about what Lady Abbott had told them. He had wanted to assure Audrey that he had accepted his duty to wed her at the end of their time together, but he was reluctant to broach the subject. It would cause inevitable questions, and he wanted to savor his time with the young woman before reality set back in.
Instead, he had settled on a vague platitude, but she had appeared to find his words comforting, so he had refrained from elaborating.
Once they reached his room, where a fresh tray awaited them, Julius removed his borrowed jerkin and shirt so Audrey could unwind the bandage. He moved the armchair back to the bed for her and lay down so she could inspect the sutured slash. She hummed a pleasing tune as she washed the wound and slathered fresh honey on it. Then she wound a clean bandage around him and crossed the room to collect a fresh cup of her dreadful brew.
Returning to his side, she handed him the cup and took a seat on the bed beside him while he drank down the tepid concoction.
“Audrey …” Julius began, finding he did not have the words prepared.
She turned to look at him in query, her silver eyes huge in her worried face as she nibbled on her plump lip. Neither of them had said much since Lady Abbott had left, and he knew he must bridge the chasm that had formed when Abbott’s wife had imparted that the gossip was spreading.
Moments turned into prolonged pause as they stared at each other. Julius found himself irrevocably beguiled, beginning tolean toward her to taste the lip she abused with her pearly teeth with such regularity. She looked back at him, as fascinated with him as he was with her, and he knew a kiss was inevitable. Time slowed, as did his breathing, and he leaned in to?—
Audrey’s lids widened in revelation. “I thought your eyes were hazel, but you have one green eye with a brown spot, and the other is brown with a green spot!”
Julius flinched away, averting his gaze. Few had noticed the flaw. They were usually too distracted by his?—
“Oh! I always thought you dyed your hair, but it is two different colors! How odd!”
He grimaced, wishing to jump to his feet and stalk away. His hair had always been a source of embarrassment, a flaw he had been teased about in his youth at Eton. Fortunately, by the time he had reached Oxford, he had learned to distract, so his adult friends seldom commented on it. Julius had subsequently grown fond of dandified fashions that detracted from the defect over the years.
“Mock if you wish. Factually, both eyes are green. It is just the size of the brown spots is different,” he growled in irritation, the sensual interlude with Audrey spoiled beyond redemption.
He felt her naked hand coming down on his in a gentle caress. “I think … it makes you more interesting,” she declared. His gaze flickered back to meet hers, discovering that her earnest expression was sincere.
“Truly?”
She nodded. “I do not mean to offend, but it is intriguing from a medical standpoint, and riveting from a human one.”
