Page 158 of The Belle of Belgrave Square

Alone.

Julia didn’t return to the Hall until the early evening. Jasper wasn’t at the stables waiting for her. There was only Plimstock. Leaving Cossack in the groom’s care, Julia made her way to the house.

Jasper wasn’t there, either—not on the steps, impatiently anticipating her arrival, and not in the entrance hall to ask what had taken her so long.

The house felt quite empty.

She supposed everyone was readying for dinner. She hadn’t much appetite herself. What she wanted was a book, a bath, and then her bed. If Jasper truly meant to honor her request to be left alone, perhaps he’d arrange to sleep elsewhere tonight?

The thought provided no comfort.

Sagging with weariness, she walked down the corridor to the library. There were only J. Marshland novels in her bedchamber, and at the moment, she had no wish to read any of those. What she needed was something else—something with less meaning attached to it.

She found the library door half-open. The low hum of conversation drifted out into the corridor. It was Jasper and Daisy.

Julia hesitated on the threshold, uncertain whether to go in.

“Then what happened, Papa?” Daisy was asking.

Jasper’s deep voice murmured in answer, “After the happily-ever-after? It doesn’t say. These kinds of stories never do.”

“But you must know.”

“I daresay it all depends on one’s definition of happily-ever-after.” He paused. “What do you suppose it means?”

“That they had babies,” she said.

“Ah.” There was the sound of a book being closed and returned to a shelf.

“What do you think it means?” Daisy asked.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Perhaps that they cared for each other, and looked after each other, and that they were never lonely again.”

“I like being alone,” Daisy said.

“Being alone isn’t the same as being lonely,” Jasper replied.

Julia’s heart clenched. It was the same thing she’d told him at Lady Clifford’s musicale. It seemed a lifetime ago. And yet he’d remembered.

Of course he had. He loved her. She knew that beyond all doubt.

It didn’t change the fact that he’d lied to her.

Pushing open the door, she entered the library. Jasper stood at the bookcase in his shirtsleeves, his hair disheveled, as if he’d been raking his fingers through it. Daisy was seated nearby, her pinafore smudged and her plaited hair frayed in an ebony halo around her face.

“Julia!” She leapt from her chair. “You’re back!”

Jasper turned to the door. A faint expression of relief flickered in his eyes, then was gone.

Julia vividly recalled how he’d kissed her so desperately on the moor. He hadn’t wanted to leave her there, but he had in the end—obviously against his own better judgment. He must have been dreadfully worried.

“Good evening,” she said. “I don’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not interrupting. Daisy was just leaving to wash for dinner.”

Daisy hurried to Julia’s side, grabbing her sleeve in entreaty. “Will you arrange my hair?”

“I will.” Julia smoothed a hand over Daisy’s perpetually frazzled head. “Go ahead and wash. I’ll be up directly.” She watched the little girl depart, shutting the door behind her. Only then did she turn her attention back to Jasper.