Page 32 of Lord Trafford's Folly
“I am destined to return to Stirling and … I believe you wish to remain a free man.”
She sounded reluctant, her gaze flickering to his lips and the molten desire in her eyes still very much evident. But what she had said was true. This was a temporary interlude. He wishedto throw logic to the wind, forget his commitment to remaining uncommitted, and press her against the wall, but …
Damnation …
It was true.
CHAPTER 9
“My success and my misfortunes, the bright and the dark days I have gone through, everything has proved to me that in this world, either physical or moral, good comes out of evil just as well as evil comes out of good.”
Giacomo Casanova
AUGUST 31, 1821
They left just before first light. Audrey was reasonably certain that Montague would be incapacitated for a day or two from the treatment he had received, so despite little time to learn anything about their suspect, they chose to head to Simon Scott’s home instead to see what they could see.
Audrey had spent a restless night thinking about the kiss with Julius. It was her first experience, and the sensation of Julius pressed against her, the touch of his lips on hers, caused a quivering excitement to race through her each time she had nodded off. She had awoken exhausted.
Why had she halted their embrace? It might be her single opportunity to experience such heady madness. When she returned to Stirling, she did not know if there would be any gentlemen in her future.
“I think we should hail a hackney.”
Audrey traced her tongue over her lips, considering if there might be another kiss during their adventure.
“Audrey?”
Would she—should she—call a halt if he attempted to kiss her again?
“Audrey?”
Her eyes flew open, realizing that Julius and she had stopped. He was gazing at her with a quizzical expression.
You ninny! There is a murderer on the loose, and you are woolgathering!
“I apologize. My mind was elsewhere.”
A grin spread over his lean face, revealing pearly teeth as his gaze flickered down to her lips. “I have thought of it, too. All night, in fact. I was thinking that there is no danger. Kissing is innocent enough.”
Audrey blushed. “We should hurry if we wish to follow Scott this morning.”
Julius was wrong.
I am in danger.
She was in danger of losing her heart. Which was why she needed to stop imagining the press of his firm mouth against hers and focus on who had murdered the Baron of Filminsterand sent a murderous blackguard after the friend standing in front of her.
Julius could have been killed out on the street, his lifeblood washed away by the rains, and she would never have discovered his irreverent character firsthand. He brought laughter into the world, and that was what she needed to focus on.
Simon Scott lefthis home about ten in the morning. The skies were clear, the day was proving to be sunny and bright, and Julius admitted his spirits were high and he was happy to be spending the day with Audrey.
His wound was healing, and his body felt well on the way to rights, and Julius was determined to enjoy their adventure while it lasted. He had dreamed of the kiss between them several times over the course of the night, waking in a good mood despite the earliness of the hour.
Scott was tall with wide shoulders, a lean form, and a sophisticated style of dress. Much simpler than the fashions Julius favored, but the other heir did not have his specific challenges. Scott had dark brown hair, and a close-cropped beard that framed his angular jaw to perfection.
He made for a coffeehouse nearby, where he sat alone sipping from his mug while he read news sheets. Julius and Audrey watched from a corner table, her coffee untouched on the rough surface of the table upon which she leaned. He was quite satisfied to drink his coffee while he watched Audrey watching Scott. Most of her was covered up, and they both sat with their beavers on despite the breach of etiquette. But this was a quality part of Town, and no one was so crude as to pay them any mind.
She had the most fetching eyes. Silver and iridescent in the sunlit establishment. Julius had no recollection of Dr. Gideon’s irises, which meant he did not know which parent had bestowed such jewels on their daughter. Suppressing a smile at the inane thought, Julius recollected that the prior year he had pretended to compose terrible poetry for his own amusement.
