Chapter 4
After their earlier adventures, Julian hadn’t been sure if Carenza would attend the Ross ball, so he was quite surprised to see her descending the steps with Allegra at her side.
She looked well in a pink gown that showed off her remarkable bosom and slender neck.
Diamonds glinted around her throat and in her ears, and he smiled despite himself.
She’d come ready for battle, but with him, or with every other available man in the vicinity, he wasn’t quite sure.
Later in the evening, when he’d been unable to get near enough to Carenza to speak to her, his older brother, Aragon, came up beside him. He was tall and dark like Anton and bore little resemblance to Julian.
“Is that Carenza Smythe-Harding over there?”
“Yes, I believe it is.” Julian eased away from his brother.
“She looks well.” Aragon studied her intently. “I’d like to see her mounted on a strapping stallion.”
For a moment Julian could only blink. And then he remembered his brother was horse-mad and thus was probably not making some crude sexual joke.
“She’d look wonderful on Apollonia,” Aragon continued. “Will you come with me and ask her if she’d like a ride in the park?”
“You’re perfectly capable of asking her without my assistance, brother,” Julian pointed out. He had no intention of helping Aragon make advances to the woman he was currently pursuing himself.
“But you’re so much better at all that useless social chitchat than I am,” Aragon complained.
“Then it’s high time you learned to do it for yourself.” Julian gave his brother a shove in the right direction and stood back to observe the fun.
Carenza was already surrounded by a bevy of men and appeared to be having a very pleasant evening indeed.
By the time Aragon reached her side, she was already being led away on the arm of her next dance partner, the very eligible Lord Atworth, newly widowed and definitely on the hunt for a second wife who’d be willing to bring up his four children.
In truth, a perfect match for Carenza, and one Julian would approve of if it wasn’t for his inconvenient desire to possess her himself.
Aragon returned, his expression doleful. “Some lucky stud took her off before I could even say hello and present my credentials.”
“You’ll have to be quicker next time,” Julian said.
“Or I could write her a note and invite her out for a ride without having to deal with all this nonsense.” Aragon brightened considerably as he waved his hand at the assembled guests. “That might work.”
“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Julian agreed.
“You do?”
Julian raised an eyebrow. “Yes.”
“You’re not making fun of me?”
“Not at all.”
Aragon nodded. “Good, then no need for me to stay at this ball any longer. Tell Mama I’m off to my club.”
“Tell her yourself,” Julian said. “She won’t take it well from me.”
Aragon grinned. “I do love it when she tells you off. Makes up for a lot of the other stuff—like you inheriting a fortune and putting me quite in the shade.”
“She adores you.”
“I know, which is why she’ll forgive me.” Aragon winked. “I’ll compose a letter to Lady Carenza and have it delivered tomorrow.”
Inwardly, Julian sighed. Then he made his way through the crowds to where his mother sat with the other dowagers and ladies who didn’t like to dance.
Julian had inherited her looks and inscrutability, but little else.
For some reason, she preferred both Aragon and Anton to him.
After years of trying to gain her approval without success, Julian had learned to simulate her indifference and gave her nothing more than she offered him.
He bowed in front of her. “Mother, Aragon asked me to offer his apologies. He has left for his club. I will ensure that you get home safely in his stead.”
Her perfect brow creased. “Did he leave because of you?”
“Not at all.”
“Because you can be quite cutting,” his mother said. “And he is still upset over your inheritance.”
Julian smiled. “I believe he had a letter he wished to write, Mother.”
“If you say so.”
Julian inclined his head. “As soon as you wish to leave, just ask someone to find me and I will be instantly at your disposal.”
He heard her sigh as he turned away and ignored it. He would never understand why he was such a disappointment to her, but he refused to let it dictate his choices in life. He was so eager to get away from his mother that he almost bumped into Carenza and had to take her elbow to steady her.
“I do beg your pardon, my lady. I was woolgathering.”
She blushed to match her gown, and he found himself smiling.
“Julian, how nice to see you.” She looked desperately over his shoulder. “I was looking for Lieutenant Greenwood. I’m supposed to be dancing with him.”
“I think I saw him heading toward the cardroom.” Julian kept hold of her elbow and gently steered her toward the wall, where they wouldn’t be in the way. “Would you like me to go and find him for you?”
“If you would.”
“Of course.” He bowed. “Please excuse me.”
He walked as far as the door of the cardroom and saw Lieutenant Greenwood striding toward him. He wore his dress uniform, which bristled with medals from the recent conflict with the French.
“May I speak to you for a moment?” Julian asked.
“I’m a little busy, sir.” Lieutenant Greenwood looked down from his superior height. “There’s a lady expecting me for a dance.”
“Unfortunately, Lady Smythe-Harding has ripped the hem of her gown and has gone upstairs to have it fixed. She sends her apologies.”
“Hmph.” Lieutenant Greenwood frowned, his moustache bristling. “Damned shame. Excellent woman.”
“I’m sure she’ll come about, sir, and will be ready to dance with you at the next available opportunity,” Julian said smoothly.
“Jolly good.” The lieutenant disappeared back into the smoke-filled cardroom.
Julian returned to Carenza, who looked hopefully up at him.
“Alas, the lieutenant was occupied, my lady. Perhaps I might take his place?” He offered her a charming smile and his arm.
She didn’t move an inch. “What have you done?”
“Me? I merely did as you requested.”
“You put him off, didn’t you?” Carenza held his gaze.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because …” She hesitated. “You know why.”
“Because I am still waiting for an answer to my offer and you have spent all evening deliberately avoiding me?” Julian asked. “If you wish to say no, don’t be a coward—just say it.”
Her eyes flashed. “I am not a coward.”
“Then let’s find somewhere quieter to talk, and you can tell me exactly why you are finding it so difficult to give me an answer.”
He took her hand and led her back into the main hall, down a corridor, and into the library.
“How did you know this was here?” Carenza asked suspiciously.
“I went to school with Callum Ross. I stayed here once when my parents were abroad.”
He took a moment to bank up the fire and light more candles so that he could see her properly. He stood up, dusted off his hands, and turned to face her. She’d gathered her shawl around her shoulders and held it tightly over her bosom. Her expression was hard to read.
“Well?” he said.
She sighed. “If you want the truth. I don’t know what to say to you.”
Her honesty was disarming.
“Why not?” Julian asked. “We are still friends. You can speak freely to me.”
“That’s just the point. I am intrigued by your suggestion, but it is difficult to think of you in terms of being my lover when we are friends.”
“Surely that should help?”
“But what if we end up hating each other?”
“I could never hate you, Carenza.” Julian smiled. “You might drive me to madness, but never that.”
“I value your friendship. There were times when Hector—”
He held up his hand. “That is all in the past. What you are asking for now is simply physical satisfaction, yes? I can provide you with that.”
She raised her chin. “If we do go ahead, I have some conditions.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” He nodded. “What are they?”
She began to pace the room, her expression intent. “Firstly, that we are discreet. No one must know what we are doing.”
“Agreed, although how you will prevent your sister and your close friends from finding out is beyond me.”
“I am aware that I don’t have the face for intrigue. I might have to tell them, but I will swear them to secrecy.”
“Fair enough, what else?”
“I decide when we meet and what we do while we’re together.” She met his gaze. “I don’t want to be possessed, or coerced, or—”
“I’m not the kind of man to force a woman to do anything she doesn’t wish to,” Julian said evenly. “I would hope you’d know that.”
She rolled her eyes. “And here you go, taking offense when none is meant. I simply wish to make decisions about my own body. Hector didn’t listen, and I was too infatuated to know how to make him pay attention to my needs as well as his own.”
“I’m not interested in what Hector—”
“But I am.” It was her turn to speak over him. “I was married to the man, and in my opinion, he is relevant to this discussion because I do not wish to deal with his like again.”
“I can assure you that I am nothing like Hector in bed.” Having seen his friend in close quarters with several women, Julian could have elaborated, but the last thing he wanted to do was humiliate Carenza with tales of her husband’s numerous infidelities. “Anything else?” Julian asked.
“That as soon as one of us wishes to end our liaison, the other will accept their decision and we can go back to being friends.”
“Agreed.” Julian held out his hand. “Shall we shake on it like gentlemen?”
A smile curved her lips. “Don’t you have any conditions of your own?”
“Nothing I can think of at the moment.” He advanced toward her, and she went still. “Perhaps we might follow the handshake with a kiss to see if we are compatible?”
“That is a good idea.” Despite her agreement, she sounded uncertain as he took her hand and firmly shook it. “Because if we don’t enjoy that, then we certainly won’t want the rest of it.”