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Lily thought she must have misunderstood him, but then Meredith appeared at her side "What do you s there are of a … shall we say, earthy nature Not suitable for ladies"

"What’s all this?" Amelia joined them

"He means to protect our delicate fes," Meredith informed her To the shopkeeper, she said, "We are all ed at his cravat "Your husbands are not present Without their express perhed "Must we send for notes with their signatures?"

"Ridiculous," A her chin "My husband, His Grace, the Duke of Morland, would be displeased indeed to be troubled on such a trifling rettes"

Lily laughed She thought they stood a decent chance of deviling him into capitulation But in the end, it wasn’t necessary A with exciteaze

Ah Julian had finally arrived He’d promised to meet her here after his day’s business was done

All three ladies rushed to greet him at the door Lily, however, was the only one to claim the pleasure of a kiss on the cheek

"What’s this? I haven’t known such a rousing female welcome since--"

"Since the last time you entered a roolance at her friends "Your tiallery, apparently--and the oon’t let us vieithout our husbands present"

"Hm" Julian surveyed the hopeful trio "I don’t suppose I can pose as a sheik with my harem of wives, can I?"

"Why not?" Amelia asked slyly "You do have a certain reputation"

Meredith linked her hand through Julian’s free aro"

"Why, Lady Ashworth," he said, pretending shock

Or perhaps not pretending On closer inspection, Lily thought he ood-natured charrasp "I’amist now, I’m afraid And even if I weren’t, both your husbands are confirmed barbarians, who with theo out early tomorrow for a ride in open country Shouldn’t like to ?" Lily asked It had been ages since she’d been out riding "Where to? May I join you?"

"No, you entlemen’s excursion" He paused "And I’m not precisely sure where to Down the Thames a bit, I think"

"Down the Tha at property down that way"

"He is?" Amelia asked "First I’ve heard of it"

"Yes, well" Julian’s smile was strained "Perhaps I misunderstood"

Lily could tell he was unco, most likely Julian’s horsemanship was nowhere near the level of Morland’s and Ashworth’s, and he was probably a bit worried about being shown up by the to ride out with theratified to see the three of the close friends Leo would have been happy, too

Meredith spoke "Well, if you’ve just co with Rhys and the duke, where are they? We can all view the naughty paintings together"

"I’m afraid they stayed at Morland House"

Anant belly and rubbed her lower back with the other "Then I should go home, too" She looked to Meredith "Care to join e? You and Lord Ashworth are welcome to stay for dinner"

Out of habit, she extended the invitation to Julian and Lily as well, and they politely declined

Once they’d left, Lily and Julian were the only reht a desk," Lily said

"Did you?" But he didn’t ask about it He siallery owner, whose buttoned pink waistcoat scalloped like the edge of a seashell as he bent to arrange some books

When he noticed Julian, the man stood and bowed "Good afternoon, sir How may I be of service?"

"My ould like to see the nudes" Her i her to contradict