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"I didn’t want to startle you"

Julian wondered if it would ever cease to startle hienerosity of the Chatwicks Ever since he’d formed an acquaintance with Lily’s twin brother, Leo, the late Marquess of Harcliffe, Julian had been welcomed into this house First as a friend, then as honorary fains Not even his true naht to use the mirrors rather than tap a noblewoman’s shoulder to draw her attention

Leo and Lily Chatere, without question, a singular exa the social elite Now Leo was dead, and it was Julian’s fault And Lily was left alone, and that was his fault, too

"You look lovely," he told her, as if a feeble coht

"Thank you You look dreadful" Her dark brown eyes scanned his appearance "Just look at that coat Once it fit you to perfection, and now it hangs loose on your fra it the new fashion Next Season, they’ll all be wearing ill-fitting coats with ripped sleeves The tailors will despiselook "We need to talk"

Here it was The ht-backed ar it to facilitate lipreading "Let’s talk"

"No, not here" She replaced the bundle of letters in the drawer, then shut and locked it with a so out to the square It’s a lovely afternoon"

Julian hesitated "Really, I’ his protest, she threaded her arue

It truly was a lovely afternoon, Julian thought as they stepped out into the crisp late October air This was that rare time of year when the London air could actually be crisp, rather than ith humidity or fuzzy with soot A clear sky capped the rows of lavish town hoht and yellow overhead, and the world was sharp beneath it Every edge glinted; each pane of glass reflected blue And he had Lily on his arly beautiful

As they crossed into the square, Julian decided to face the matter head-on They found a vacant bench and sat on opposite ends, turning to face one another

"I’an "Or rather, for this "

"You should be"

"What I did was … unconscionable You have ain"

"I should hope not"

In soht have taken a knock or two, sireement But then, they were often of one mind, he and Lily He told hi, but a good thing

He went on, "I don’t knohat possessedpowder, combined with my state of extreme exhaustion, and I--"

She held up a hand "Wait What are you talking about?"

He paused, suddenly unsure "What are you talking about?"

"You can’t possibly be apologizing for that kiss?"

"I … I can’t?" Did she not want hiize for that kiss? She couldn’t possibly have desired it Much less enjoyed it Could she have? The h hiesture "It was scarcely worth ht Just to confirm: The hope was both stupid and irrational

After briefly pressing his lips together to seal his huize forof ed and barely conscious" Sain in the middle of it, I’m not certain that kiss reflected favorably on me, either"

"For the last tirave "You fainted dead away, Julian And you do owe h? Roused froht, summoned to the door to view your senseless body in a heap? It was like Leo all over again I can’t endure another scene like that"

Guilt twisted his heart "Lily …"

"How ave her a look, one that spoke without words You, of all people, should not have to ask

And she didn’t Leo had been loved by many, but by no one so rief

"Five months," she said "Almost"

"Four months, three weeks, and a day"

"As you say And to look at you, one would think five years have passed Haunting the streets at all hours, developing a sudden fascination with blood sport, chasing shadon dark alleyways And you’ve grown so thin and pale"<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>