the party and nothing would do for the ecstatically ambitious Hildegard but their immediate departure for the country.
Exhausted from a night of packing for her cousins, Izzy had spent a long uncomfortable coach ride facing the rear, since Hildegard and Millie had claimed the front-facing cushions for the entire journey.
Once installed in their rooms, she had devoted the remainder of her day to unpacking the extensive number of gowns brought by both women. Little Betty, Hildegard's maid, had had all she could do with helping the two change several times during the day, and dressing their hair according to the styles worn by the elegant ladies pointed out by an excited Millie through the windows overlooking the lawn.
At last, the two had sailed out the door, ruffles bouncing, silk trailing grandly on the floor.
Although Izzy was officially a guest and had been given a small room of her own, she was quite content to stay away from the evening's entertainment of charades and midnight supper. It was all she could bear to make her appearances during the day, when the other ladies wore simple day dresses.
Instead, Izzy had fallen into an exhausted slumber the moment her head had hit the pillow, only to be awoken in the middle of the night.
Woken by warm seeking hands invading her dreams.
She smiled up at Julian now, thinking of all that had happened since that night. All in all, she thought, it had been one of the best birthdays of her life.
"Well, I suppose there is no point in asking if you like her." Julian chuckled as she shook her head in denial.
To Timothy he said, "Go around back and see if there is any stable to speak of."
Julian took the reins of Tristan and the mare while Timothy strolled away with his gelding in tow.
"Oh, are you staying? I shall have rooms made up at once." Turning to go, Izzy halted as he caught her hand. His hands were so very large and warm. Her fingers were quite lost in them.
"
I'm
not staying, Izzy." He gave her an odd look. "The mare is. She's yours."
Izzy was glad he still held her hand, for she was so surprised she stumbled. Pulling her against him, Julian barely saved her from falling flat. He looked down and gave her that devastating grin.
"Close your mouth, Isadora. It's only a horse."
Izzy snapped her jaw shut, but could not seem to find her feet. She went breathless as she was pressed intimately to Julian's hard build. His arm clamped about her waist, pulling her lower body into close contact with his. His other hand still held the reins of two horses.
He smiled down into her eyes and her mind went blank. The sensations flowing over her from his nearness left her stunned and trembling. His scent rose to fog her mind with sandalwood and warm male. She simply stayed, hands pressed to his rocklike chest, with her face tilted up to his.
Julian's expression turned to concern.
"Are you frightened of me, Izzy?" he asked softly.
She realized he was thinking of that night. A deep breath restarted her lungs, and she firmly suppressed the longing for more of his touch that rose within her. She pushed away and straightened with an apologetic smile.
"No, of course not. You simply surprised me." She looked down at his arm, which still encircled her waist. "You may let go now. I am quite all right."
Julian remembered his arm with some surprise. Odd, it seemed almost natural… He slid it away, then handed her the mare's lead.
"Shall we go see what Timothy has found?"
"I am afraid what Timothy has found is my potting shed, and a couple of old stalk that have seen more years than horses," she said as they rounded the house to the mews.
Izzy was correct. Timothy stood in front of the elderly stable, shaking his head.
"I dunno, milord. Ye might be better knocking 'er down and building anew."
Without thinking, Julian handed Tristan's reins to Izzy and pulled Timothy aside. After a few moments of whispered conference and the passage of a purse to Timothy's guardianship, Julian clapped
Exhausted from a night of packing for her cousins, Izzy had spent a long uncomfortable coach ride facing the rear, since Hildegard and Millie had claimed the front-facing cushions for the entire journey.
Once installed in their rooms, she had devoted the remainder of her day to unpacking the extensive number of gowns brought by both women. Little Betty, Hildegard's maid, had had all she could do with helping the two change several times during the day, and dressing their hair according to the styles worn by the elegant ladies pointed out by an excited Millie through the windows overlooking the lawn.
At last, the two had sailed out the door, ruffles bouncing, silk trailing grandly on the floor.
Although Izzy was officially a guest and had been given a small room of her own, she was quite content to stay away from the evening's entertainment of charades and midnight supper. It was all she could bear to make her appearances during the day, when the other ladies wore simple day dresses.
Instead, Izzy had fallen into an exhausted slumber the moment her head had hit the pillow, only to be awoken in the middle of the night.
Woken by warm seeking hands invading her dreams.
She smiled up at Julian now, thinking of all that had happened since that night. All in all, she thought, it had been one of the best birthdays of her life.
"Well, I suppose there is no point in asking if you like her." Julian chuckled as she shook her head in denial.
To Timothy he said, "Go around back and see if there is any stable to speak of."
Julian took the reins of Tristan and the mare while Timothy strolled away with his gelding in tow.
"Oh, are you staying? I shall have rooms made up at once." Turning to go, Izzy halted as he caught her hand. His hands were so very large and warm. Her fingers were quite lost in them.
"
I'm
not staying, Izzy." He gave her an odd look. "The mare is. She's yours."
Izzy was glad he still held her hand, for she was so surprised she stumbled. Pulling her against him, Julian barely saved her from falling flat. He looked down and gave her that devastating grin.
"Close your mouth, Isadora. It's only a horse."
Izzy snapped her jaw shut, but could not seem to find her feet. She went breathless as she was pressed intimately to Julian's hard build. His arm clamped about her waist, pulling her lower body into close contact with his. His other hand still held the reins of two horses.
He smiled down into her eyes and her mind went blank. The sensations flowing over her from his nearness left her stunned and trembling. His scent rose to fog her mind with sandalwood and warm male. She simply stayed, hands pressed to his rocklike chest, with her face tilted up to his.
Julian's expression turned to concern.
"Are you frightened of me, Izzy?" he asked softly.
She realized he was thinking of that night. A deep breath restarted her lungs, and she firmly suppressed the longing for more of his touch that rose within her. She pushed away and straightened with an apologetic smile.
"No, of course not. You simply surprised me." She looked down at his arm, which still encircled her waist. "You may let go now. I am quite all right."
Julian remembered his arm with some surprise. Odd, it seemed almost natural… He slid it away, then handed her the mare's lead.
"Shall we go see what Timothy has found?"
"I am afraid what Timothy has found is my potting shed, and a couple of old stalk that have seen more years than horses," she said as they rounded the house to the mews.
Izzy was correct. Timothy stood in front of the elderly stable, shaking his head.
"I dunno, milord. Ye might be better knocking 'er down and building anew."
Without thinking, Julian handed Tristan's reins to Izzy and pulled Timothy aside. After a few moments of whispered conference and the passage of a purse to Timothy's guardianship, Julian clapped
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