The tips of her fingers brushed against his, sending hot sparks shooting up his arm.
“Shall we all go for a ride?” Juliette came sauntering into the study.
Jumping back slightly, both Lily and Julian looked away. Their reactions seemed to make Juliette pause as her lips curled into a bright smile.
“That is, if I am not interrupting anything?” she cooed at them, batting her lashes as if she were implying something.
Reaching for a stack of documents, Julian hastily cleared his throat. “You are interrupting. Lily and I have enough on our plates without having to keep you occupied. Have you asked mother if she wished to ride with you?” he answered briskly.
Juliette rolled her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest. “I did, and Mama does not wish to be disturbed. She suggested that I ask you and Lily, but I can see that I am not wanted here either.” She began to pout.
Julian was about to suggest that she entertain herself when Lily suddenly spoke up.
“We were going to ride out and check on an old mill. Would you like to join us?” She asked sweetly in her usual inclusive manner.
It irked Julian that he would not be alone with her on the ride, but her generosity always made him proud. He was beginning to see who she truly was out here in the country, and he liked what he saw.
Perking up, Juliette turned to him. “Oh, can I? Please say that I may join you, Julian. I have been held up in this house for two full days. Mama is always busy knitting, and you and Lily are always working. I need something to occupy my mind before the silence drives me insane!” Her voice grew higher, grating on Julian’s nerves.
“Oh, very well, but I am warning you, if you chatter too much along the way, I shall leave you beside the road, and Lily and I shall escape!” He teased her with a slight hint of a threat.
Lily simply smiled while Juliette rolled her eyes again.
***
The horses slowly moved toward the old mill in the distance as Juliette trotted alongside Julian.
Taking the lead, Lily glanced behind her once or twice to ensure that they were not too far behind.
She is so beautiful, Julian thought for the hundredth time that day. Her long blonde hair had been braided and hung down her back, reaching past her waist and onto the saddle. The emerald dress she had chosen complemented her eyes, bringing out the blue whenever she looked over her shoulder.
“You know you cannot keep your eyes from her?” Juliette remarked teasingly.
Suddenly coming to his senses, Julian clenched his jaw. “It is quite difficult not to look at someone when they are riding ahead of you,” he said gruffly, annoyed at the fact that he had been caught looking at her.
Why could Juliette not just leave things as they were? She always seemed to feel the need to tease him whenever she could.
“And in the study, when your eyes were fused to her face? Was that also because she was directly in front of you?” she continued, unperturbed by his tone of voice.
“I think you will find, sister dearest, that it is in fact difficult to keep your eyes off of anyone who is directly in your line of sight. I would task you with the matter of not looking someone directly in the eyes when talking to them. Besides, what do you know of the matter?” He grumbled under his breath.
Shrugging, Juliette pursed her lips. “Not much, I must confess, but I do pride myself on knowing when someone is in love, and you, dear brother, are in love. You may deny it, but your eyes cannot hide it. She looks at you the same way, you know. I think she loves you, too.” She nodded determinedly.
“Now you are being silly. Lily and I have an agreement: our marriage is purely based on convenience and nothing more.” He clenched his jaw tighter, wishing that his sister would let the matter rest.
“If that is what you call being in love, then I agree, the two of you have a marriage of convenient love. It is nice to see you believing in love again after what happened with Anne. Lily suits you. You should tell her how you feel.” Juliette chattered away.
“For the last time, we are not…” Julian began but stopped talking when Lily looked back and locked her gaze on his.
Had she heard what Juliette had been saying?
The look in her eyes gave nothing away, yet there was something intimate there, something palpable that resonated in his chest.
How does she feel about me?
His pulse began to race as the rest of the world disappeared. All that mattered in that moment was the blue in her eyes that matched the sky over their heads.
Her expression suddenly changed as her eyes grew wider. The horse stumbled as its hoof struck a stone.