Eleanor seemed to brighten again. “Oh, that is wonderful news! I will be attending the party as well. We can have a proper conversation then. I must go now, thank you for reminding me!” She turned with a flourish and hurried away from them, leaving Lily a little winded as she turned to Julian.
“I…”
Julian shook his head. “We should leave. I am sure there are plenty of things that you would like to do before the party this evening.” He let go of her arm and strode in the direction of the carriage.
I must have offended him.
She braced herself for the carriage ride ahead.
Chapter 17
Julian waited at the foot of the stairs as he adjusted his cravat and fiddled with his cufflinks. He had been thrown by Eleanor’s sudden appearance at Redding Hall. Her father’s estate was nowhere near his own, and it would have taken her a very long time to walk from one to the other.
It seemed far too coincidental to him that she had just stumbled upon them. Yet there was nothing he could do without making a direct accusation, and that was something that required solid evidence.
His heart suddenly slammed against his ribs as he looked up and saw his wife standing at the head of the stairs. She looked utterly breathtaking in her white silk gown with a silver sash and matching gloves. Her blonde hair had been piled high in a bun of sorts that swooped to the side in a magnificent swirl.
He could hardly take his eyes off her when she descended the stairs and stopped right in front of him.
“I hope my appearance is pleasing to you, my lord?” She asked in a breathy voice as her cheeks filled with color.
Bowing low, he reached for her hand and pressed a kiss to the top. “You look beautiful,” he eventually found the words.
They had not said much to each other on the carriage ride from the estate, but it had only been because of Eleanor’s suddenappearance. It had thrown him, especially during the ride when Lily had mentioned how kind Eleanor seemed. He had struggled then, wondering if he should mention his suspicions or not, but he had decided to let the matter rest and keep a closer eye on events.
“Shall we?” He held out his arm, enjoying the light blush on her cheeks as she accepted. He had wanted to kiss her in the nursery at Redding Hall; there was no use denying it, but she had pulled back so quickly, he was worried that he had offended her.
An awkward silence settled between them again as they began to make their way to the front of the house, where the carriage was waiting. Things were not easy between them, but they seemed to be managing the navigation of the situation easily enough.
Julian helped her into the carriage and sat across from her, signaling for the driver to move on ahead.
The wheels jolted the carriage into motion as the horses began the steady clop of their hooves against the ground.
“Do you…” They both suddenly blurted out at the same time.
Smiling, Julian relaxed a little as he let out a breath.
She must be as nervous as I am.
“Go ahead,” he nodded to her, feeling relief set in.
Lily smiled nervously before speaking again. “How do you know His Grace, the Duke of Archibald?”
A bump in the road jostled Julian to the side, but he quickly steadied himself. “We first met in the army, where he was a commander, but we recently bumped into each other again at the House of Lords. It was strange seeing the man in such a different setting, but then again, I think we are both fish out of water when there is no battle.”
“And his wife, the duchess? Have you met her before?” She wrung her hands together in her lap, hinting at the nervousness she was barely concealing.
The sight made Julian smile as it reminded him of her finer qualities. She was such a humble woman despite the wealth that her father had provided for her. “I am sure they will love you as much as I do. You need not worry.”
Her head snapped up at the words as her eyes grew wide.
I said love.
Panic gripped his chest as he fought to take the words back. “What I meant to say was, I am certain that they will think as highly of you as I do. Their Graces are known for their hospitality.”
Her shoulders relaxed a little as she forced a stiff smile. “Tell me about them, if you do not mind? It will put me at more ease if I know whom I shall be meeting.”
“Well, the duke is a rather boisterous man. You quickly find that he is very outspoken about his dislike for France and Spain.He has quite a few visible scars from battle, but do not allow that to throw you. He and his wife are good people at heart.” Julian explained as he recalled all the battles where they had encountered one another.