Page 57 of Wild Lily
“No. I see other possibilities.” She walked to the window and looked out over the garden toward the stable block. In the brilliant sunlight, all she envisioned was immaculate dark masculine creature who’d held her in his arms and kissed her as if she were precious. “I like him for himself. We get on together. It was his idea to take me riding last night. And I loved the freedom of it.”
“As long as he’s a gentleman about it, I suppose, no harm can come of it.”
“None did.”
Marianne strode around to face her and her smile was rueful. “You have a look about you that says there was more to the evening than rain and riding.”
Lily wiggled a brow and headed for the door. “Perhaps there was. But I’m not telling.”
“So there’s no need for Uncle Killian to load his shotgun?”
Lily broke into laughter. “None.”
“Well, then, let’s have our breakfast.” Marianne scurried to catch up with her. “One question, though.”
“Of course. What?”
“Did Nora help you remove your corset last night?”
“She did.”
“So the one I saw on your bed was the one she helped you remove?”
“That’s two questions,” Lily noted.
Marianne rolled her eyes. “Which means that when you went out last night—?”
“I didn’t wear one.”
Her cousin’s mouth fell open.
“I assure you without it, I wasn’t cold.” Lily patted her arm as they descended the stairs.
Marianne stumbled, nearly missing a step, but laughing in spite of herself.
* * *
In the breakfast room, Carbury and Julian lingered over coffee and their newspapers. When Lily and Marianne appeared in the doorway, both men rose. Carbury looked beyond them, searching for Lady Elanna, Lily surmised. And Julian appeared strained. Lily hoped whatever distressed him was not anything about last night’s midnight ride.
Carbury regained his seat while one footman attended to Marianne’s chair.
Julian came round to hold Lily’s and as he scooted it under her, one finger touched her shoulder. A caress brief and light as an angel’s wing.
“Did you sleep well?” Julian asked the ladies, his gaze drifting to Lily.
Marianne and she agreed as the footman hovered to offer them tea or coffee.
Julian, who had a chair to Carbury’s right, regained his seat and quickly folded away his newspaper.
“What news this morning?” Lily asked him while the footman poured her coffee. Julian was not a man to move rapidly, but purposely and his readiness to put it aside concerned her. “Anything we should know of?”
“The usual.” Carbury shook his head. “The government debates a trade bill.”
“We should have fine weather today,” Julian offered with a twinkle in his eye. “Not a cloud in the sky.”
“The rain we had last night,” Marianne said, “cleared things up, wouldn’t you say?”
Lily gave her a kick under the table.
