Seduction by Brenda Joyce

immediately, the implication he intended. Julianne faced her sister. “Amelia, no one can know who he is or that he is here. I knew we shouldn’t have left him alone! Of course he would go to see who was calling. Our friends are not his friends.”
    Amelia looked back and forth between Dominic and Julianne. “I hope you are right.”
    “You don’t trust him because he reminds you of St. Just,” Julianne said.
    What was this? Dominic wondered.
    Amelia started. “That is very rude, Julianne. Your Frenchman has nothing in common with St. Just—they don’t even look alike.”
    “They both have that same air, that same tone,” Julianne said. She turned to Dominic. “It is all right, monsieur, There is no harm done.”
    Amelia took her arm. “I’d like to talk to you downstairs.” She faced Dominic. “You need not come down to help with the groceries. You are ill, after all.”
    He smiled at her. “I should like to help.”
    “Absolutely not.” Amelia turned and marched down the hall and downstairs.
    “I am sorry,” Julianne said.
    “She is concerned about you. I hardly blame her.” He approached, recalling their very heated kiss of that morning. “You shouldn’t discuss me with her.”
    “You’re right. But she is a mother hen. She is always asking about the time we spend together.”
    “Divert her,” he suggested. He reached out to stroke her jaw with his thumb, the gesture unintentional. Realizing he had simply wanted to touch her, he dropped his hand.
    She hesitated, then cupped his cheek, her gaze heating.
    His entire body stiffened. “We don’t have much time, Julianne.”
    “I know.”
    He kissed her hand. “Come to me tonight.” He could hardly believe himself. But he knew that if she came, he would not send her away.
    Her eyes widened.
    A heavy silence fell. From downstairs, Amelia called, “Julianne!”
    “You had better go.”
    She bit her lip, turned and rushed to the stairs. He waited for ten seconds, and then followed. As he did, he closed his chamber door loudly, so they would think he had gone inside.
    He did not want to make a sound as he went downstairs. But Amelia’s voice was raised and he realized they were just below the stairs. He did not have to go down them, after all. He knelt, straining to hear.
    “In the past few days, I have become suspicious of him,” Amelia cried. “In fact, the more you speak of him, as highly as you do, the more suspicious I become.”
    “Why? He is a kind, sincere man who has suffered greatly. And he is a hero!”
    “My God, listen to yourself. He has charmed you senseless,” Amelia accused.
    “I have hardly lost my wits.”
    “You are at his bedside constantly.”
    “He is recovering—where else should I be?”
    “Has he seduced you?”
    “What?” Julianne gasped.
    “Well, I take it he has not, and thank God for that,” Amelia said harshly. “I do not trust him, and you shouldn’t, either.”
    It was a moment before Julianne spoke. “Amelia, I won’t dissemble, I like him very much. But you are jumping to false conclusions!”
    Another pause ensued. “Can you deny that you are infatuated?”
    Julianne gasped.
    “I didn’t think so. I am sorry, Julianne, I disapprove. The sooner he is gone from Greystone, the better. Hopefully Jack will return at any moment and we can send Monsieur Maurice on his way! I wonder what Jack would think if he learned that our guest was in his bedchamber.”
    “He had cause to be there. Our neighbors are his enemies,” Julianne said softly.
    “I just want him gone,” Amelia said, sounding distressed.
    “He is going back to France, soon,” Julianne reassured her.
    He had heard enough. Dominic went back to his room.
    J ULIANNE LAY MOTIONLESS in her white cotton nightgown. She was almost afraid to breathe. Yet she was trembling wildly. Tension riddled her entire body. Very slowly, as if moving her head might awaken Amelia, she turned so she could look at her sister. Amelia slept just an arm’s