Page 128 of Wild Lily
He was so dear to say it, but he was penniless and they, so he said, were popular. He could not buy them off. “You must not spend your money or your time on them. You have tenants to aid, estates to run.”
He questioned her statement with a searching look on his face. “I promised you once I would call out anyone who ran such pieces about you.”
“I know. But what good does it do? There will be others.”
“I’ll see to it there are none.”
She put a hand to his cheek. “You’re kind, Julian. Sweet. Devote yourself to your people, your livelihood.”
“But you are my first concern.”
Was she? “I need a rest from this turmoil. The arguing. The hatred. The sadness.”
“Of course. I understand. Go upstairs. I’ll get the housekeeper to assign you another maid.”
“Thank you. One who is young and untried. And one I can take to Willowreach.”
He stepped to her and took her in his arms. With gentle fingers, he lifted her face. His own was ravished. “You want to go to Willowreach?”
“I was happy there.”We both were.
“I’ll go with you.”
She shook her head. “I must go alone. Let me, Julian. Let me. I need this.”
He pressed her close, his hands urgent on her back, his lips in his hair. “Promise me you’ll write to me when you want me once again.”
She placed a kiss to his jaw. “I will.”
Then she hurried away from him and all she’d hoped for but had not achieved.
