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Jules smiled and thanked her, saying that he knew the way. At the stairs he stopped, turned and asked Dilly who had already started down the hall to the kitchen, “I say, Dilly is Miss Madison riding with Miss Star?”
“No, no she is up, but truth is I don’t know which direction she took this morning. Do ye wish me to fetch her to ye?”
“No, no, don’t bother her. I’ll just go visit with his lordship, then.”
A moment later he was opening Vern’s door a wide crack and received quite a jolt at what he witnessed. What he believed he saw was a private moment of a great deal of affection at the least and a modicum of passion. His merry mood faded and transgressed into doubt as he stammered, “Oh, I am sorry…I seem to be intruding.” He started backward feeling for no apparent reason, but quite betrayed. “Please do excuse me.”
Vern laughed and waved him inside. Georgie felt her cheeks grow hot for it was evident to her just what Jules was thinking.
Vern called out as Jules stood there frozen, “Come in Jules. Come on, don’t be a bottle-head…in with you.”
Jules was convinced that he had disturbed a tête á tête between lovers. He felt ridiculously sick inside. Why this should so disturb him he could not say. He couldn’t think and as he stepped inside was only able to manage a half smile toward his lordship.
He turned to Georgie and said curtly, “Good morning, Georgina.”
His coolness brought her eyebrow up and she gave him an arched look. He wondered at it and as she glared at him, he wondered some more before she said, “Ah, since when have I slipped from Georgie to Georgina?”
“I…er…did not wish to…take a liberty…”
“You could not take what I would not allow,” Georgie said, her eyes twinkling.
Vern laughed out loud and Georgie frowned at him as Jules said, “Allow me to start over. Good morning, Georgie.”
“Is it?” she returned her eyes twinkling.
He was surprised into a short laugh, “Isn’t it?”
Vern laughed at both of them, but they ignored him as Georgie continued, “Why should it be after the night we spent?” She started for the door.
“Georgie…don’t go…” Vern called. “What the devil is wrong?”
“I am going to go down and see if your sister has returned, as I should like a few words with her before I return home.”
Jules watched her go and he was suddenly aware of an empty feeling. What the hell was wrong with him? He asked himself.
* * *
The afternoon sun arrived through a maze of wispy clouds, sure and warm. The breeze spun a summer magic of scent and sound as brother and sister strolled near their roses and attempted to make sense of the problem they faced.
Star linked her arm through his and said, “Vern, I have something to tell you.” She looked up at his dear face and sighed.
“That…” he said mockingly. “Sounds deuced serious.”
“It is, very,” she professed, frowning up at him. “Earlier…just before lunch I went out for a ride. Farley intercepted me and made some horrible threats.”
Vern stopped dead and turned to look down at her, “What? Farley bothered you?” He shook his head, “I will kill him…” He looked at her, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I couldn’t, not with both Georgie and Jules there, could I?” They had just walked the two down to the stables and waved them off. “Vern, he must have been lying in wait for me…waiting to follow and get me alone.”
Vern did a spin in place and raked his head with both hands. “I will kill him, but slowly…very slowly.”
“Stop, Vern, do hush. I had my ladies pistol and meant to do just that if he laid a hand on me, but I didn’t have to.”
“What do you mean? Damn the scoundrel to hell. I’ll have his skin before I take out his insides and feed them to the buzzards.”
“While I should like to help you do just that, allow me to tell you all of it.”
“Yes, yes…sorry sis, go on.”
