He had certainly thought of it more than once.
Her eyes flickered back to the painting as she took a deep breath. “It certainly is a wonderful piece. It makes one want to explore the fields and leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind,” she remarked quietly.
“It is stunning and thought-provoking. One could gaze at it all day,” he replied with his gaze still fixed on her.
She turned back to him with a veiled expression, her perfect lips parting slightly as if she were about to say something.
“And whom do we have here?” the older woman asked as he turned back to Lily and left her former conversation behind.
Julian bowed to her, noting the resemblance as he wondered if the lady was her mother.
Lily seemed to regain her composure as she took a deep breath. “Aunt Margaret, may I present…” She suddenly turned back to Julian with raised eyebrows as if she realized that she had never gotten his name.
“Julian Sinclair,” He offered.
The older woman beamed as her face lit up. “Of course! You are our newly crowned Viscount of Barnard. I am Lady MargaretBrewster and am pleased to see that you have already made my niece’s acquaintance.” She smiled down at Lily.
“The pleasure is all mine, Lady Brewster. I had the pleasure of dancing with your niece last night at the ball, and she was quite charming despite my clumsy footwork.” He shot Lily a reassuring smile.
“Your dancing was anything but clumsy, my lord. I am only sorry that we did not get to speak again during the ball. You know how busy one can get at such events.” She returned her smile, making his heart slam against his ribs at how beautiful she was.
She was breathtaking when she was angry, irritated, thoughtful, and even when she was charming. It did not seem as if there was an end to the ways she fascinated him.
He opened his mouth to say something, but Eleanor suddenly appeared at his side again.
“Julian, there you are. I have been looking everywhere for you. You said that you would not be gone too long.” She once again looped her arm through his and turned her gaze on Lily. “And you are?”
Chapter 6
Lily almost took a step back at the sudden appearance. Whoever the young woman was, she seemed to be highly irritated with Lily. Or perhaps it was because of whom Lily had been talking to.
“Lily Prescott,” Lily said after regaining her composure.
The young woman’s eyes flashed with something unreadable, but her expression quickly became one of excitement, and Lily was not certain if she had been seeing things. “Oh, yes, I have heard so much about you, Miss Prescott. My name is Eleanor Everet, but please call me Eleanor. Any friend of Lord Barnard’s is a friend of mine.” She held out her hand in a friendly gesture.
A wave of relief washed over Lily, yet she could not help but wonder who the woman was to Julian. He had not seemed attached at the ball, yet she hung on him as if they were engaged.
Greetings were exchanged, and the four of them were quickly joined by two other women and a man whom Lily recognized from the ball. The other two women were introduced to her as Catherine and Juliette Sinclair, Julian’s mother and sister, along with his dear friend, Benedict Southampton.
The name instantly rang a bell for Lily as she recalled the man whom Arabella had danced with. He seemed exactly howArabella had described him, warm, charming, and handsome in a boyish kind of way.
“It is a pleasure to meet all of you. My mother should be along shortly as well,” Lily glanced over their shoulders at her mother, who was quickly approaching.
The look of curiosity on her face made Lily smile, but not so much as the look of surprise on Julian’s face when he looked from her Aunt Margaret to her mother. “May I introduce my mother, Alice Prescott, my aunt’s twin sister?”
A look of understanding flashed across everyone’s faces, and Lily had to stop herself from laughing at Julian’s expression. He certainly was an interesting man, but he seemed to have his hands full with Eleanor, who desperately seemed to be battling for his attention. Every time someone spoke to him, she seemed to want to tug on his arm, drawing his attention back to her.
Deciding to distance herself from them, Lily focused instead on Julian’s younger sister, who delighted her with every word.
“Do you enjoy such outings as this, Miss Prescott?” Juliette motioned with her hand, encompassing the entire gallery.
“I do; it is one thing that I miss about New York. The culture is very rich, even if everyone here in London is more refined.” She smiled at the lovely young woman.
“Will you be returning soon?” Eleanor interrupted, yet Lily could not decide whether she was being friendly. Her eyes reflected her smile, yet her grip remained on Julian’s arm.
Lily’s mother interjected for her, bringing a small amount of relief to the strangely tense situation. “We shall be here for the rest of the season, or until Mr. Prescott decides to join us, or calls us home.”
Julian’s gaze remained fixed on Lily, causing her to blush. A sentiment that seemed not to go unnoticed by Eleanor, who attempted to steer the conversation in a different direction.