Page 41 of Lord Trafford's Folly
However, now that Julius was on the mend, the other concerns had inevitably made themselves known. Audrey stroked her thumb over the pads of her other fingers in a repetitive motion while she tried to imagine what would happen when she returned across the street. Would she have to face anyone other than the earl? How would the earl react? Would he be furious?
Surely not if I saved his son?
She was not close to Lord Stirling, who was as solemn as Julius had pointed out, but he had always been generous to her. Discovering that he was her guardian had been a surprise, but not overly so. And he had been kind enough when he came to attend Papa’s funeral and escort her to London.
Audrey had been grateful to leave Stirling while she recovered from her father’s abrupt death. He had been delivering a baby and returned home alone in his curricle in heavy rain. Best they could tell, something had startled hishorses, perhaps booming thunder or lightning striking too close, and the curricle had been overturned in their panic, crushing her father. Papa had been instantly killed, a fact for which she was grateful. It was a comfort to know he had not suffered, but … she had. Her entire life had altered in the course of a few hours, and soon after, she had arrived in London, dressed in the black garments of mourning.
At first, she had been relieved to leave Stirling while she was grieving. Audrey knew that the process of healing from her father’s death would have been all the worse if she had woken in the familiarity of their home each morning, only to remember he was gone. To go about her day in their home or to visit the village without his presence nearby would have been more than she could have borne.
Instead, she had spent her time walking about the earl’s palatial townhouse, enjoying the art of centuries displayed in ornate gilt frames, perusing his fabulous library and, when she had been ready, planning her future without Papa. He had been her parent, her mentor, and her tutor. They had assumed she would continue working at his side for years to come, but she knew wherever her father was now, he was gratified that she had not accompanied him that night.
Unfortunately, they had never discussed how she would succeed as a healer without him. Her first patient and she had immediately been compromised. There were logistics to her being an unmarried young woman that they had not discussed.
Despite the looming controversy, Audrey did not regret what she had done. If there had been time to think, to plan, perhaps they could have conceived an alternate action, but in the heat of the moment, she had made the right decision.
The rules of polite society did not supersede life and death, after all. However, polite society would not concur with her point of view.
“Are you coming?”
Audrey spun around to find Julius standing in the door with a quizzical expression. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts, she had failed to hear him climbing the creaking steps. She nodded, walking over to join him. They descended to the lower level, and Audrey realized her companion was rather more subdued than usual.
“What was the outcome?” she asked as they crossed to exit the mews, curious about what occupied his thoughts.
“Hmm … they wish to discuss it with the other men. The duke, and his cousin Saunton, who is husband to Abbott’s cousin. Abbott wishes to determine less risky alternatives, so … I suppose I shall rest until they return. I cannot proceed without their agreement—at least, not without great risk. I must consider your involvement.”
Julius paused midway in the garden, turning to gaze at her. “I want to thank you.”
He shook his head, his wheat mop glowing in the morning light. Audrey ached with the desire to comb her fingers through the wild tangle, to stand on tiptoes and press a kiss to the firm lips that had claimed her own over the previous days.
She nibbled at her lip, remonstrating herself for her maudlin sentimentality. She was behaving like returning home, parting ways with Julius … she was behaving as if she had been condemned to the gallows.
Julius moistened his lips, clearly wanting to say more but struggling to find the words. Audrey took pity, interjecting when he continued to search for what to say. “It was my pleasure, Julius Trafford.”
He was wearing the forest green coat from the day before, which picked out the color in his fascinating two-toned eyes. Some would consider the strange brown spots a flaw, but she thought it was endearing. It was a visible mark of his eccentriccharacter. The character that accepted her credibility as a physician without question, and thought nothing of her donning masculine clothing to join him in the domains of men. Those eyes were staring deep into her soul, emotions coiling in their depths that she could not decipher.
At that moment, her stomach emitted a mortifying grumble and Julius’s buoyant spirits were restored, his face breaking into a wide grin. “Shall we eat?”
Audrey could feel the heat that was climbing her neck at the embarrassing bodily function choosing to interrupt so rudely. Her chuckle was rueful as she nodded. Whatever he had wanted to say would have to wait.
CHAPTER 12
“I don't conquer, I submit.”
Giacomo Casanova
After enjoying a hearty breakfast in the kitchen, freshly baked bread and eggs, they went to the library. Patrick had removed the dust sheets from a couple rooms at Julius’s request so that they might make use of them, and Audrey had mentioned she had explored little of the stacks on earlier visits, unable to decipher how it was organized. Julius was excited to show her Lord Hays’s fine selection.
Leading her through the stacks, he showed her novels and poetry, pulling out a copy of Lord Byron’s poems.
“I noticed Casanova’s memoirs in your chamber. Does it belong to your uncle’s library?”
Julius grinned, shaking his head. “I own multiple copies. Anywhere I lay my head, you will find his memoirs. When I have trouble sleeping, I read about Giacomo’s brazen antics.”
Audrey smiled up at him, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “Do they serve as inspiration?”
“Indubitably, I like to be unpredictable.” He laughed.
Audrey gave a little snort. Her eyes fell to his lips before skittering away. “More like incorrigible.”
