?”
She’d kill Ian for this. “This—”
Ian was gone.
Bless him. The man was a saint. She’d get him a dozen plates of cookies.
“The housekeeper and I this morning. I simply couldn’t sleep because I didn’t think the bureau would fit on the north wall.”
Eustace frowned slightly but seemed to accept her answer.
Juliana knew Eustace the least well of all her aunts. She was always away at the hospital or her other charitable endeavors. And truth be told, Juliana was slightly frightened of her. She’d always been stern and solemn. “I have found out some information on Wilhelm for you. If you seem knowledgeable in his areas of interest, it will go a long way to helping you win him.”
When had she become such a lost cause that all her aunts felt the need to take her under their wing? Juliana shuddered to think what Constantina’s advice would be.
“Shall we meet in the morning to discuss it?”
Eustace nodded, then paused. “Is there another reason you couldn’t sleep?”
Her lips must still be swollen. Juliana scrambled to invent a story that involved her lips being burned while sipping hot soup, but Eustace spoke first.
“I’m sorry you won’t be given the chance to follow your heart when it comes to choosing a husband.” She gripped the locket at her neck that held the picture of her husband. “Truly I am.”
Juliana expected a but to follow. And an explanation of why she had to do her duty regardless, but Eustace gave her a quick hug, then glided away.
Juliana had to blink several times before the burning in her eyes faded. She had to get those papers back. She had to get her country back.
She turned and walked downstairs. Ian could choose to come or not. It didn’t matter. She would do this. She passed two footmen and didn’t even flinch. She asked a rather astonished scullery maid for two plates of biscuits without a single explanation.
Three minutes later she had two plates of flaky, sweet biscuits.
She’d done it.
She turned away from the kitchen to find Ian inches behind her. He wasn’t smiling as she’d anticipated, instead he was watching. Slowly, she shifted the plates to one hand, then lifted one of the treats and took a large bite.
He jerked his head to indicate that she should follow.
No one had ever jerked his head at her before.
He didn’t even check to see if she obeyed.
He opened a door a few minutes later and ushered her inside.
She cursed his choice of rooms. “Aren’t we going back to my bedroom?”
“Not a chance in hell,” he muttered. He glanced around. “I thought this was a parlor.”
The smell of paint and turpentine permeated the large room. “It is temporarily a painting studio.”
“For what?” Ian approached the cloth-covered canvas.
She tossed the plates on a table and grabbed his hand before he could remove the covering. “Just a silly picture.”
His brows rose. Drat. Now she’d sparked his interest.
“That you don’t want me to see?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Because she couldn’t stand the thought of him comparing her to it and finding her lacking. She also didn’t want him to be amused by the fact that Dupre thought he had to paint her more attractive so a man would be interested in her. “It’s of me.”
“Are you naked? Then I definitely have to see.” With a quick maneuver, he detached her hand from his and yanked the cloth free.
Juliana spun away and paced to the window. She knew what he’d be seeing. Some woman that vaguely resembled her sitting in a forest glade. Her dark hair loose from the wind. Perfect rosy skin. A bosom much more lush than reality.
Why didn’t he say something already?
Finally, she turned. And jumped. He was directly behind her. His hand trailed down her cheek. “What bothers you about the painting?”
“Foolish, aren’t I? I suppose I should be glad the painting looks beautiful. That it might actually be enough to interest a man.”
He frowned. “I thought you were angry
She’d kill Ian for this. “This—”
Ian was gone.
Bless him. The man was a saint. She’d get him a dozen plates of cookies.
“The housekeeper and I this morning. I simply couldn’t sleep because I didn’t think the bureau would fit on the north wall.”
Eustace frowned slightly but seemed to accept her answer.
Juliana knew Eustace the least well of all her aunts. She was always away at the hospital or her other charitable endeavors. And truth be told, Juliana was slightly frightened of her. She’d always been stern and solemn. “I have found out some information on Wilhelm for you. If you seem knowledgeable in his areas of interest, it will go a long way to helping you win him.”
When had she become such a lost cause that all her aunts felt the need to take her under their wing? Juliana shuddered to think what Constantina’s advice would be.
“Shall we meet in the morning to discuss it?”
Eustace nodded, then paused. “Is there another reason you couldn’t sleep?”
Her lips must still be swollen. Juliana scrambled to invent a story that involved her lips being burned while sipping hot soup, but Eustace spoke first.
“I’m sorry you won’t be given the chance to follow your heart when it comes to choosing a husband.” She gripped the locket at her neck that held the picture of her husband. “Truly I am.”
Juliana expected a but to follow. And an explanation of why she had to do her duty regardless, but Eustace gave her a quick hug, then glided away.
Juliana had to blink several times before the burning in her eyes faded. She had to get those papers back. She had to get her country back.
She turned and walked downstairs. Ian could choose to come or not. It didn’t matter. She would do this. She passed two footmen and didn’t even flinch. She asked a rather astonished scullery maid for two plates of biscuits without a single explanation.
Three minutes later she had two plates of flaky, sweet biscuits.
She’d done it.
She turned away from the kitchen to find Ian inches behind her. He wasn’t smiling as she’d anticipated, instead he was watching. Slowly, she shifted the plates to one hand, then lifted one of the treats and took a large bite.
He jerked his head to indicate that she should follow.
No one had ever jerked his head at her before.
He didn’t even check to see if she obeyed.
He opened a door a few minutes later and ushered her inside.
She cursed his choice of rooms. “Aren’t we going back to my bedroom?”
“Not a chance in hell,” he muttered. He glanced around. “I thought this was a parlor.”
The smell of paint and turpentine permeated the large room. “It is temporarily a painting studio.”
“For what?” Ian approached the cloth-covered canvas.
She tossed the plates on a table and grabbed his hand before he could remove the covering. “Just a silly picture.”
His brows rose. Drat. Now she’d sparked his interest.
“That you don’t want me to see?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Because she couldn’t stand the thought of him comparing her to it and finding her lacking. She also didn’t want him to be amused by the fact that Dupre thought he had to paint her more attractive so a man would be interested in her. “It’s of me.”
“Are you naked? Then I definitely have to see.” With a quick maneuver, he detached her hand from his and yanked the cloth free.
Juliana spun away and paced to the window. She knew what he’d be seeing. Some woman that vaguely resembled her sitting in a forest glade. Her dark hair loose from the wind. Perfect rosy skin. A bosom much more lush than reality.
Why didn’t he say something already?
Finally, she turned. And jumped. He was directly behind her. His hand trailed down her cheek. “What bothers you about the painting?”
“Foolish, aren’t I? I suppose I should be glad the painting looks beautiful. That it might actually be enough to interest a man.”
He frowned. “I thought you were angry
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