would know other such amazing things. My
intellectual interests are quite far-ranging, you know. One can get only so much
out of books."
He thought for an instant she was teasing him again and Julian came close to
losing his temper completely. But at the last moment he realized Sophy's
fascination was oddly innocent and totally genuine. He groaned and leaned back
into the corner of the seat. "We will not discuss this further."
"You sound distressingly like my grandmother. Really, it is very disappointing,
Julian. I had hoped that when I married I would find myself living with someone
who would be a more amusing conversationalist."
"I shall endeavor to amuse you in other ways," he muttered, closing his eyes and
resting his head against the cushion.
"If you are talking about seduction again, Julian, I must tell you, I do not
find the topic amusing."
"Because of what happened to your sister? I can see where such a situation would
have left its mark on you, Sophy. But you must learn that there is a vast
difference between that which goes on between husband and wife and the sort of
unpleasant seduction your sister endured."
"Really, my lord? How does a man learn to make such fine distinctions? At
school? Did you learn them during your first marriage or from your experience of
keeping mistresses?"
At that juncture, Julian's temper frayed to a gossamer thread. He did not move
or open his eyes. He did not dare. "I have explained to you that my first
marriage is not a topic for discussion. Nor is the other subject you just
raised. If you are wise, you will keep that in mind, Sophy."
Something in his too-quiet words apparently made an impression on her. She said
nothing more.
Julian took up the reins of his temper once again and when he knew he had
himself in check he opened his eyes and regarded his new bride. "Sooner or later
you must accustom yourself to me, Sophy."
"You promised me three months, my lord."
"Damn it, woman, I will not force myself upon you for the next three months. But
do not expect me to make no attempt whatsoever to change your mind about
lovemaking in the meantime. That is asking entirely too much and is completely
outside the terms of our ridiculous agreement."
Her head snapped around. "Is this what you meant when you warned me that a man's
sense of honor is unreliable when it comes to his dealings with women? Am
I to assume, my lord, that I may not rely upon your word as a gentleman?"
The insult went to the bone. "There is not a single man of my acquaintance who
would risk saying such a thing to me, madam."
"Are you going to call me out?" she asked with deep interest. "I should tell you
my grandfather taught me how to use his pistols. I am accounted a fair shot."
Julian wondered whether a gentleman's honor prevented him from beating his wife
on her wedding day. Somehow this marriage was not getting off to the smooth,
orderly start he had intended.
He looked at the bright, inquiring face opposite him and tried to think of a
response to Sophy's outrageous comment. At that moment the bit of ribbon that
had been dangling from her reticule fell to the floor of the carriage.
Sophy frowned and leaned forward quickly to pick it up. Julian moved
simultaneously and his big hand brushed against her small one.
"Allow me," he said coolly, picking up the stray bit of ribbon and dropping it
into her palm.
"Thank you," she said, slightly embarrassed. She began struggling furiously to
work the ribbon back into the design on her reticule.
Julian sat back, watching in fascination as another piece of ribbon came loose.
Before his eyes, the entire intricately worked pattern of ribbon trim began to
unravel. In less than five minutes Sophy was sitting with a totally demolished
reticule. She looked up with a bewildered gaze.
"I have never understood why this sort of thing is always happening to me," she
said.
Without a word Julian took the reticule off her lap, opened it and
intellectual interests are quite far-ranging, you know. One can get only so much
out of books."
He thought for an instant she was teasing him again and Julian came close to
losing his temper completely. But at the last moment he realized Sophy's
fascination was oddly innocent and totally genuine. He groaned and leaned back
into the corner of the seat. "We will not discuss this further."
"You sound distressingly like my grandmother. Really, it is very disappointing,
Julian. I had hoped that when I married I would find myself living with someone
who would be a more amusing conversationalist."
"I shall endeavor to amuse you in other ways," he muttered, closing his eyes and
resting his head against the cushion.
"If you are talking about seduction again, Julian, I must tell you, I do not
find the topic amusing."
"Because of what happened to your sister? I can see where such a situation would
have left its mark on you, Sophy. But you must learn that there is a vast
difference between that which goes on between husband and wife and the sort of
unpleasant seduction your sister endured."
"Really, my lord? How does a man learn to make such fine distinctions? At
school? Did you learn them during your first marriage or from your experience of
keeping mistresses?"
At that juncture, Julian's temper frayed to a gossamer thread. He did not move
or open his eyes. He did not dare. "I have explained to you that my first
marriage is not a topic for discussion. Nor is the other subject you just
raised. If you are wise, you will keep that in mind, Sophy."
Something in his too-quiet words apparently made an impression on her. She said
nothing more.
Julian took up the reins of his temper once again and when he knew he had
himself in check he opened his eyes and regarded his new bride. "Sooner or later
you must accustom yourself to me, Sophy."
"You promised me three months, my lord."
"Damn it, woman, I will not force myself upon you for the next three months. But
do not expect me to make no attempt whatsoever to change your mind about
lovemaking in the meantime. That is asking entirely too much and is completely
outside the terms of our ridiculous agreement."
Her head snapped around. "Is this what you meant when you warned me that a man's
sense of honor is unreliable when it comes to his dealings with women? Am
I to assume, my lord, that I may not rely upon your word as a gentleman?"
The insult went to the bone. "There is not a single man of my acquaintance who
would risk saying such a thing to me, madam."
"Are you going to call me out?" she asked with deep interest. "I should tell you
my grandfather taught me how to use his pistols. I am accounted a fair shot."
Julian wondered whether a gentleman's honor prevented him from beating his wife
on her wedding day. Somehow this marriage was not getting off to the smooth,
orderly start he had intended.
He looked at the bright, inquiring face opposite him and tried to think of a
response to Sophy's outrageous comment. At that moment the bit of ribbon that
had been dangling from her reticule fell to the floor of the carriage.
Sophy frowned and leaned forward quickly to pick it up. Julian moved
simultaneously and his big hand brushed against her small one.
"Allow me," he said coolly, picking up the stray bit of ribbon and dropping it
into her palm.
"Thank you," she said, slightly embarrassed. She began struggling furiously to
work the ribbon back into the design on her reticule.
Julian sat back, watching in fascination as another piece of ribbon came loose.
Before his eyes, the entire intricately worked pattern of ribbon trim began to
unravel. In less than five minutes Sophy was sitting with a totally demolished
reticule. She looked up with a bewildered gaze.
"I have never understood why this sort of thing is always happening to me," she
said.
Without a word Julian took the reticule off her lap, opened it and
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