Page 20 (1/2)

He raised a brow "You never know in these places" To the girl, he said, "Two of the steak, then Ale for me, and spruce beer for the lady"

"Spruce beer," Lily e?" She irl’s attention "That’ll be wine foraround the rooazes collided, and his face warmed with an unaccountable blush God, he truly was like a youth again

"I’ve just decided so," she said "What to name the parrot"

Please, not "Julian" Please, not "Julian" He couldn’t bear to think that once he was gone frootten entirely

"I’ to call it Tartuffe"

He chuckled with relief "Excellent choice Very clever"

After anotherI’ve beenaway at her steak "I’ve been putting the subject off, but I suppose I feel eht There’s no one in this place to overhear" She gulped her wine, then stared into it "This helps, too"

Julian wondered what in the world she was on about He was a little afraid to find out

"Did my brother have a … Well, did he have someone special?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, a …" Her cheeks colored "I truly don’t mean to be nosy, and I don’t want details It’s just that if Leo had a longstanding … you know Someone who perhaps depended on hiacy from the estate, but it land"

Julian shook his head slowly "I don’t know" It was the truth, and he’d never been norance Of all the conversations he wouldn’t want to have with Lily

To be sure, there’d been hts when he and Leo met for drinks at the club and then pointedly went their separate ways But they’d never discussed details Julian had always avoided asking about Leo’s affaires because he’d rather not open the topic of his own Leo was a principled, loyal sort While Julian had his reasons for pursuing the women he did, he wasn’t especially proud of hi his conquests with Leo Though he’d never explicitly asked, he’d always assuular mistress whom he kept housed and comfortable somewhere in Town That hy Julian had been surprised to hear of Leo approaching a Covent Garden prostitute on the night of his death It seemed so out of character, and now Julian wasn’t sure of anything

"I’m sorry," he said "If he did have someone, I don’t know her naain

As she drank, Julian relaxed, pleased to escape this topic of conversation unscathed He cut a large bite of steak and stuffed it into his ave her owna lover"

He choked on his steak

Her eyebrows lifted "What? People do it all the time You do it all the time Why shouldn’t I?"

Julian could think of a hundred reasons, but they were all currently dammed behind an unchewed hunk of beef For the moment, he couldn’t speak--only listen

"I knohat you’ll say," she went on "You’re so convinced I should marry But I don’t want to settle down, Julian I want to live When we kissed this afternoon, it was ical I feel awakened now And not roused by the first rays of dawn, either It’s like ht of noon Everyone else is out there living, and I’ve been sleeping the day away"

She put down her knife and fork The edge of her cloak slipped back, exposing her pale, perfect shoulder and a wispy peach-colored sleeve With her fingertip, she traced the edge of her wineglass, circling round and round in a seductivea lover will be just the thing"

Good Lord What had he done?

Lily was a sensual woman Julian had always been exquisitely aware of it Now he’d made her exquisitely aware of it That awareness should have been a good thing, when properly directed toward eligible suitors whoher in coht her alone to the theater And now to dinner in a seedy alehouse, aher by the et her out of here Just as soon as he ed to s this damned piece of steak Bloody hell Had the beast been raised on India rubber? His eyes watered as he furiously chewed

"You can’t do that," hehis head for emphasis

"I don’t believe I asked your perave hientleh?"

He rolled his eyes and reached for his ale She knew very well that wasn’t his objection

She looked at hih lush, lowered lashes Her wine-stained lips ives us one life, Julian From this point forward, I intend to ht of ale, he washed down the last of the steak Finally

"Good Lord," he said, sla to the table E control "First, noa lover Third, fix that cloak We’re leaving Now"

But she hadn’t understood his