come for Christmastide.
“Oh, and their cousin, Lord Selby is on the hunt for a wife. He tried nabbing Valentina first, and then offered for Ginny, but they both found love elsewhere,” she laughed. “Apparently, Clarence told him he was all out of sisters. I only hope that he doesn’t deduce that Clarence isn’t out of cousins—distant though they might be. Of course…he might set his cap on you, Ruby. You are quite pretty, and he doesn’t need the money, his Grandfather’s Estate is well-inlaid, and he is one day set to be a duke!”
Ruby gasped. “I couldn’t hope to marry a man that would one day inherit a dukedom. And I thank you for your compliment, Julia, but I am not as lovely as you, or many girls out there for that matter.”
“You sell yourself short, Ruby. Well, Tobias was interested in you. If you had that dowry, he’d propose to you so fast it would make your head spin. Tobias works that way. Once he sees something he likes, he offers for it.”
A lone rider approached them. A shiver went up her spine. The man was masked. Masked or not, she knew who he was. However had he found her? Of course, it wasn’t too hard, since she was on the road back to Castleton.
Simon looked a little concerned. “I say, Julia, isn’t that…”
“Aye, it is,” she said softly.
“Why is he dressed like that? He is no outlaw.”
“I suppose he wants to feel as if he is one. I daren’t suppose what he intends to do.”
They came to an abrupt halt, and Simon’s horse let out a long whinny.
“Does he intend to steal our trinkets?” Simon asked.
“Oh, really, Simon. Now that’s a bag of moonshine, and you know it,” Julia said.
Simon grinned. “Well, you never know,” he jested.
“You there, Lady Julia, step on down from that fancy little horse cart.”
“It is a curricle, Lord Axbridge, and you know that. Whatever are you trying to do? If you think I am going to go with you while you have that silly mask over your face, you have another think coming, sir!”
Freddie sighed, and removed his mask. “Damnation, Julia! How did you know it was me?” He took the foolish looking mask off, and tossed it away.
“I would know you no matter what sort of disguise you tried to wear, you silly man.”
He groaned. “Well, my order still stands. Remove yourself from that curricle at once!”
“I shan’t,” she said stubbornly.
“You will,” he said sternly.
“Make me,” she replied sweetly.
He sighed heavily, and came toward her. Dismounting, his horse, he moved over to her. “Step down, now,” he ordered.
“You have become rather highhanded, Freddie, and you know what? It doesn’t look at all good on you. Now, do be a good little Mouse and scurry off, would you?”
“No. I have decided that if I want something in life, I might as well take it. And I’ve never wanted someone quite as much as I want you, Julia.”
A delicious thrill raced through her. Her heart soared with the love she felt for Freddie. Alas, he’d have to suffer a little bit more before he could claim his heart’s desire.
“Go with him,” Ruby whispered. “Dash it, all, Julia, don’t be daft. Jump down into his arms, and let him take you wherever he wants to go.”
Freddie grinned. “I like her spunk,” he said.
“I don’t have spunk, Lord Axbridge. I am a wallflower,” Ruby countered matter-of-factly.
“Well, then, you’re a spunky wallflower, Miss Massey.”
Ruby laughed nervously. “Do go with him, Julia,” she urged.
“You stay right where you are, Julia,” Simon said. “Lord Axbridge, you are being impossible. Julia cannot go with you. Not unless she is married to you, and right now, she isn’t your lady wife. You shall ruin her reputation.”
“I think that is the whole idea, Simon, dear,” Julia laughed.
“You told me once that you wanted me no matter where I came from…does that still stand?” Freddie asked hopefully.
“It does,” she said.
“I am a bastard, Julia. My Da
“Oh, and their cousin, Lord Selby is on the hunt for a wife. He tried nabbing Valentina first, and then offered for Ginny, but they both found love elsewhere,” she laughed. “Apparently, Clarence told him he was all out of sisters. I only hope that he doesn’t deduce that Clarence isn’t out of cousins—distant though they might be. Of course…he might set his cap on you, Ruby. You are quite pretty, and he doesn’t need the money, his Grandfather’s Estate is well-inlaid, and he is one day set to be a duke!”
Ruby gasped. “I couldn’t hope to marry a man that would one day inherit a dukedom. And I thank you for your compliment, Julia, but I am not as lovely as you, or many girls out there for that matter.”
“You sell yourself short, Ruby. Well, Tobias was interested in you. If you had that dowry, he’d propose to you so fast it would make your head spin. Tobias works that way. Once he sees something he likes, he offers for it.”
A lone rider approached them. A shiver went up her spine. The man was masked. Masked or not, she knew who he was. However had he found her? Of course, it wasn’t too hard, since she was on the road back to Castleton.
Simon looked a little concerned. “I say, Julia, isn’t that…”
“Aye, it is,” she said softly.
“Why is he dressed like that? He is no outlaw.”
“I suppose he wants to feel as if he is one. I daren’t suppose what he intends to do.”
They came to an abrupt halt, and Simon’s horse let out a long whinny.
“Does he intend to steal our trinkets?” Simon asked.
“Oh, really, Simon. Now that’s a bag of moonshine, and you know it,” Julia said.
Simon grinned. “Well, you never know,” he jested.
“You there, Lady Julia, step on down from that fancy little horse cart.”
“It is a curricle, Lord Axbridge, and you know that. Whatever are you trying to do? If you think I am going to go with you while you have that silly mask over your face, you have another think coming, sir!”
Freddie sighed, and removed his mask. “Damnation, Julia! How did you know it was me?” He took the foolish looking mask off, and tossed it away.
“I would know you no matter what sort of disguise you tried to wear, you silly man.”
He groaned. “Well, my order still stands. Remove yourself from that curricle at once!”
“I shan’t,” she said stubbornly.
“You will,” he said sternly.
“Make me,” she replied sweetly.
He sighed heavily, and came toward her. Dismounting, his horse, he moved over to her. “Step down, now,” he ordered.
“You have become rather highhanded, Freddie, and you know what? It doesn’t look at all good on you. Now, do be a good little Mouse and scurry off, would you?”
“No. I have decided that if I want something in life, I might as well take it. And I’ve never wanted someone quite as much as I want you, Julia.”
A delicious thrill raced through her. Her heart soared with the love she felt for Freddie. Alas, he’d have to suffer a little bit more before he could claim his heart’s desire.
“Go with him,” Ruby whispered. “Dash it, all, Julia, don’t be daft. Jump down into his arms, and let him take you wherever he wants to go.”
Freddie grinned. “I like her spunk,” he said.
“I don’t have spunk, Lord Axbridge. I am a wallflower,” Ruby countered matter-of-factly.
“Well, then, you’re a spunky wallflower, Miss Massey.”
Ruby laughed nervously. “Do go with him, Julia,” she urged.
“You stay right where you are, Julia,” Simon said. “Lord Axbridge, you are being impossible. Julia cannot go with you. Not unless she is married to you, and right now, she isn’t your lady wife. You shall ruin her reputation.”
“I think that is the whole idea, Simon, dear,” Julia laughed.
“You told me once that you wanted me no matter where I came from…does that still stand?” Freddie asked hopefully.
“It does,” she said.
“I am a bastard, Julia. My Da
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