The Abandoned Bride by Edith Layton

Europe is in upheaval now, borders are being changed with the tides, places forbidden to the English are opened to them again. The expatriot set which took up residence in Greece during the war seem to be pouring into Italy and, France. Robin was snugly ensconced on some little Greek island for months, but now I have some reports that he was seen in Brussels, and yet others state that he is on the move toward Paris. But no matter. That is where we had decided to go in any case,” the baron said with finality.
    “We?” Julia asked in confusion.
    “Yes,” he answered perfunctorily, “you and I, of course, and my valet.”
    “Just the three of us?” Julia asked, widening her eyes.
    He observed her closely and then added negligently, “Oh yes, I see. Well, I imagine we can make room for an abigail for you as well. It should be a simple matter to obtain the services of one here.”
    “I don’t need a lady’s maid,” Julia said quickly, “for I never had one and don’t need one now. But,” she paused and then plunged on, “I certainly shall not countenance traveling with you without a chaperone. I am surprised that with all the care you’ve taken with your scheme, you didn’t think of that. ”
    “A chaperone?” the baron asked in genuine surprise. Then his handsome face lit with real humor. “Here’s a flight! A chaperone for you?” he asked again, before subsiding into peals of laughter. He was laughing much too hard to see the transformation that had come over his audience. Julia’s cheeks showed twin spots of high color and her eyes lightened until they seemed to positively glow in her otherwise pale face.
    She waited for him to be done with his amusement and then controlled her voice only by great effort.
    “If you consider me as a candidate for wife to your nephew, I should think you would not wish there to be any gossip about me,” she said simply.
    “As to that,” the baron replied, sobering, “I doubt you will meet many people who will wonder about you. I’m sorry, my dear, but this is to be no whirl of pleasure for you. I shall not run the risk of funding your merry adventures. I’d be several sorts of a fool if I brought you to balls and routs so that you might find a better protector and then loped off with some wealthy gent in tow. Oh no, my dear, you shall travel quite inconspicuously and I’ll take care to see that there will be no one who will note or care to note your presence.
    “Don’t think hard of me,” the baron went on, more kindly, “for it will all be to your own benefit. If it transpires that Robin is willing to forgive and forget, it will be better that no one knows that I brought you to his side. And again, if you wish to make the most of that glowing commendation from Lady Cunningham, it is wiser if no one notes you’ve been traveling about with me instead of her.”
    Julia drew in her breath and then said, with all the courage she could muster, “You don’t understand at all. It is that I cannot travel alone, with only a strange gentleman as escort.” He looked at her in surprise. Then it seemed as though he drew himself up and addressed his next words to her as though he spoke from a great height.
    “Can you be serious? Do you think I might be tempted to attempt your honor?” he asked icily.
    She could only bow her head in confusion at the sneer in both his face and his words.
    “Well then, Miss Hastings,” he said, “content yourself. I should sooner think of coupling with a serpent than of having a t r y at you. One fool per family is quite enough , don’t you think? I’ll admit that you are very lovely, but I’m sorry, you are not in my style at all,” he went on, “for I never cared for secondhand experiences.”
    He caught her hand quickly, before it struck his cheek, even before she knew she had swung it at him. She was so astounded that he could have anticipated an action that she had never taken in the whole of her life, that she scarcely took