upon my own life to help another—if I hadn’t done so already.
I sighed. “Our first mother can be frustratingly vague at times.”
Julian responded with a mirthless laugh. “And sparse. I’ve not seen her for almost a year, otherwise I would have just asked about Caitria’s altar instead of searching every nook and cranny in London for it.” He pressed my hand again. “Selah, I promise to devote my time in finding the location of this newest lead. But if it proves a dead end like the others, you must consent to come with me to my estate and enter the Otherworld from there.”
“Oh, yes,” I said, nodding eagerly. “I would like that very much, and I’m sure Henry would be more than happy to accompany us.”
A shadow crossed Julian’s face. “Does Henry know what you are?”
“Of course,” I said. “He knows everything.”
Julian studied me for a moment. “From my father I learned that even men of honor can go back on their word. Though you have chosen to trust Henry, I must ask that you not tell him about me.”
“But Julian—”
“I insist that you respect my wishes.” He paused as though searching for the right words. “And I would prefer that he does not join you at my estate. It will be too difficult to keep my identity secret with us running off together into the woods. Can you do this for me?”
I hesitated, knowing that Henry would never stay put in London while I went off to another man’s estate. Unless I lied about my destination, and even then I doubted he would willingly stay behind.
“Please, Selah,” Julian said, his eyes pleading with me.
Against my better judgment, I nodded again and felt Julian’s hands tighten around my own. “Then it is all settled.”
The French doors swung open, and I glanced over just as Nora came into the drawing room, followed by Henry and James. “You won’t believe who I found on the front step,” she started, then seeing Julian seated next to me still holding my hand, she came to a sudden stop. “Oh, my...”
James looked from me to Julian. “Should we come back at another time?” he asked, obviously delighted by the awkwardness of the situation.
I pulled my hand away and stood up.
Henry stepped around Nora and walked to my side, where he placed a protective hand on my shoulder. “Good day, Lord Stroud,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “I didn’t expect to find you here this morning. Do you have business with Miss Kilbrid?”
“Nothing too serious,” Julian said. “I wished to make her acquaintance before she was flooded with callers.” He reached down and took my hand, pressing a soft kiss against the back of it as he bowed. “Good day, Selah. I hope we shall meet again soon.” He then nodded to Henry and left the room.
At the sound of the front door closing, I turned to face Henry. He was staring at me, a deep frown etched on his face. James and Nora remained a safe distance away near the doors.
“I didn’t know that you and Lord Stroud were such intimate friends,” James said, with just the right amount of scandalized delight to imply all sorts of illicit activities.
I wanted to throttle the man, to knock the smug expression from his face before beating him to a bloody pulp. Luckily, there was more than one way to skin a cat, or to stop James from turning a bad situation worse. Leaning into Henry, I rose up onto my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “You are the most wonderful man in the world,” I said in a soft voice so only he could hear. “Thank you for the gowns. I shall consider them an early wedding present.”
Henry raised one eyebrow, diminishing the severity of his frown. “And I shall speak to Cate about giving my secret away.”
“You mustn’t be angry with her. My gowns were in terrible condition from traveling and she really didn’t have another choice.” I gave him a coy smile. “She assured me that all the fashionable ladies wear their bodices so low and that it wasn’t just your personal
I sighed. “Our first mother can be frustratingly vague at times.”
Julian responded with a mirthless laugh. “And sparse. I’ve not seen her for almost a year, otherwise I would have just asked about Caitria’s altar instead of searching every nook and cranny in London for it.” He pressed my hand again. “Selah, I promise to devote my time in finding the location of this newest lead. But if it proves a dead end like the others, you must consent to come with me to my estate and enter the Otherworld from there.”
“Oh, yes,” I said, nodding eagerly. “I would like that very much, and I’m sure Henry would be more than happy to accompany us.”
A shadow crossed Julian’s face. “Does Henry know what you are?”
“Of course,” I said. “He knows everything.”
Julian studied me for a moment. “From my father I learned that even men of honor can go back on their word. Though you have chosen to trust Henry, I must ask that you not tell him about me.”
“But Julian—”
“I insist that you respect my wishes.” He paused as though searching for the right words. “And I would prefer that he does not join you at my estate. It will be too difficult to keep my identity secret with us running off together into the woods. Can you do this for me?”
I hesitated, knowing that Henry would never stay put in London while I went off to another man’s estate. Unless I lied about my destination, and even then I doubted he would willingly stay behind.
“Please, Selah,” Julian said, his eyes pleading with me.
Against my better judgment, I nodded again and felt Julian’s hands tighten around my own. “Then it is all settled.”
The French doors swung open, and I glanced over just as Nora came into the drawing room, followed by Henry and James. “You won’t believe who I found on the front step,” she started, then seeing Julian seated next to me still holding my hand, she came to a sudden stop. “Oh, my...”
James looked from me to Julian. “Should we come back at another time?” he asked, obviously delighted by the awkwardness of the situation.
I pulled my hand away and stood up.
Henry stepped around Nora and walked to my side, where he placed a protective hand on my shoulder. “Good day, Lord Stroud,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “I didn’t expect to find you here this morning. Do you have business with Miss Kilbrid?”
“Nothing too serious,” Julian said. “I wished to make her acquaintance before she was flooded with callers.” He reached down and took my hand, pressing a soft kiss against the back of it as he bowed. “Good day, Selah. I hope we shall meet again soon.” He then nodded to Henry and left the room.
At the sound of the front door closing, I turned to face Henry. He was staring at me, a deep frown etched on his face. James and Nora remained a safe distance away near the doors.
“I didn’t know that you and Lord Stroud were such intimate friends,” James said, with just the right amount of scandalized delight to imply all sorts of illicit activities.
I wanted to throttle the man, to knock the smug expression from his face before beating him to a bloody pulp. Luckily, there was more than one way to skin a cat, or to stop James from turning a bad situation worse. Leaning into Henry, I rose up onto my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “You are the most wonderful man in the world,” I said in a soft voice so only he could hear. “Thank you for the gowns. I shall consider them an early wedding present.”
Henry raised one eyebrow, diminishing the severity of his frown. “And I shall speak to Cate about giving my secret away.”
“You mustn’t be angry with her. My gowns were in terrible condition from traveling and she really didn’t have another choice.” I gave him a coy smile. “She assured me that all the fashionable ladies wear their bodices so low and that it wasn’t just your personal
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