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At times she felt as if she were divided into two selves, one part of her wanting isolation fro to be possessed and loved as she had never been in her life Her father, with his do nature, had precious little love to offer anyone Her mother had always been too tiive Julia the attention a child required And the constant inflow and outflow of servants fro a close attach to be feared more than desired
Realizing that she had been silent for an unaccountably long ti that her thoughts ht have betrayed themselves
“We're almost there,” was all he said, in a murmur that somehow relaxed her
The carriage traveled along Upper Brook Street and turned to ascend the long drive leading to awas cool, beautiful and perfectly sy Grecian coluraceful white wings fitted with rows of glea Palladian s stretched out from the central structure It was entirely different frorown up in
Savage preceded her froers caught firround, and he offered her his ar with him up the wide marble steps and into the house, Julia was intensely aware of the hardstride to match her shorter ones
A narrow-faced butler welcoe's hat and gloves Julia was amazed by what she saw of the entrance hall and the roos and antique colureen, blue, and amber “How beautiful,” she exclaimed
“Yes” But Savage was staring at her instead of their surroundings
“Show er to see more
Obligingly Savage escorted her through several roo to describe the history of certain painted panels or furnishings It was clear that the Savage fas were studded with ical figures, while nearly every corner featured a piece of rare sculpture There alls decorated in gold and white to display portraits by Van Dyck and Reh, Marlow, and Lambert
“I could stare at these for hours,” Julia said, regarding a wall of paintings with delight
“I don't often have the time to enjoy them”
“What keeps you so busy,all your investments and business interests, I suppose”
“There is a lot to be htfully at the Van Dyck before them
All of a sudden Julia wasof her stomach She placed her hand over her midriff “How unladylike I'”
The corners of his o in to dinner?”
“Yes, I' his ar, art-filled rooh it would have been best to find a neutral topic, she couldn't resist prying “Surely you could hire estate agents and ers to take care of your business, my lord”
“I prefer to handle most of it myself”
“You don't trust other people very easily,” she observed
“No,” he said quietly “Particularly when my family's finances are at stake”
Julia glanced at the unco into her? Without exception, allfrom limitless sources, to be squandered without a trace of worry
Savage continued without a change in inflection “My father insisted onthe fao When I assues were heavily in debt, and all our financial dealings were in sha If he ever made a sound investment, it was purely by accident”
“You seees since then Your father hted the situation”
Savage shrugged “The duke never ade that he made mistakes”
“I understand” The words cae couldn't know exactly hoell she did understand As Julia had always suspected, their fathers were two of a kind Like Lord Hargate, the Duke of Leeds had tried to control his family with an iron hand When it had becoer of property and people, he had sacrificed his son's future in exchange for a large settleates
Julia suspected that long ago Lord Savage had decided that he would never be controlled by anyone again She felt a touch of sympathy for him, even kinship…but she suspected that as a husband, he would be inflexible, untrusting, and rehly undesirable mate, at least for her
The sumptuous dishes at dinner would have satisfied a dozen people Julia sat to Savage's right at a long table laden with silver tru nasturtiuetable consommé, followed by salmon rillettes covered with crea trays bearing pheasant stuffed with truffles and hazelnuts, and veal scallops swi in Bordeaux sauce
Julia protested as s, open tarts, sweetbreads, and vegetables “This is far too much I can't possibly do justice to it!”
Savage s stuffed with crea time, Julia drank from a selection of French wine and applied herself to the feast with pleasure Savage proved to be a charreeably on a variety of subjects
“Why become an actress?” he asked near the end of the leisurelyback as their plates were removed and tiers of pastries and fresh fruit were set before them
Julia toyed with a scarlet strawberry on her plate “It was a desire of hteen, worked in a co players, and then perforh to be hired by Mr Scott”
“Does your family approve of your career?”
Julia snorted at the idea “Decidedly not They wanted me to remain at home…but only if I abided by certain conditions which I found unacceptable”
“When did you marry?” he asked “While you were at the Strand?”
She frowned at hie”
A half-smile played on his lips “I'm not convinced your husband actually exists”
“He does,” she assured hi her wine He exists as much as your wife does, she was tempted to say, but kept her silence
“Will he ever want you to leave the theater?”