page9 (2/2)
“He would be a bloody hypocrite if he did,” she said pertly “He's an actor himself” She suppressed a smile as she saw the spark of interest in his expression, knowing that he took her e was undeniably skilled at hiding the truth and presenting a false facade He was as accomplished an actor as any of the Capital players
He see else, when suddenly his eyes narrowed, and he stared at her bare upper arm
“My lord?” Julia asked, puzzled by his expression
Before Julia could react, Savage had grasped her arht The smear of paint over the bruise-mark was clearly visible Julia tried to twist away, spluttering in confusion “It's nothing…I-I'ht…the performance, you see—”
“Hush” He turned to an approaching servant and brusquely requested a tin of salve from the housekeeper's supply
Julia watched in due dipped the corner of a napkin into a glass of cool water She stiffened with surprise as the dae found another dark fingermark, and a shadowy blotch on the tip of her shoulder He wiped away the dabs of concealing paint with exquisite care
A war past her throat to her face No man had ever touched her like this His face was so close that she could see the grain of dark whiskers in his closely shaven skin, and the thick fan of his lashes
A pleasant sled with starched linen His breath was laced with the sweetness of after-dinner wine Julia's heart began to thunder as she thought of sertips over his black hair, the neat curve of his ear, the bold sweep of his eyebrow She'd had too much to drink She was dizzy, flushed…she wanted to pull away, and yet…
The servant returned with a se As he departed, he closed the door and left them in seclusion
“There's no need…” Julia began unsteadily Her voice faded as Savage uncovered the waxen pink salve, which held a strong herbal odor
Savage's gray eyes lifted to hers For the first tireen in their depths When he spoke, his voice was a shade deeper than usual “Scott should be more careful with you”
“He is,” she whispered “It's just that I bruise very easily”
His gaze reers to the salve and leaned forward It see for her to object A denial trembled on her lips, but soers on her ar salve over the bruises He touched her as if she were ainst hers Julia had never guessed that a entle
Heto the bruise there while she held absolutely still Wild iainst hi fingers over the curve of her breast She held her breath, willing the feeling to go away, but the craving grew until her niles drew tight beneath the sown Helplessly she waited for hi fixedly at his downbent head
“Are there any more?” he asked
“None that I'd care for you to see,” she ed to say
A save it to her “My gift to you, Mrs Wentworth Apparently you'll needof the Shrew completes its run”
“Thank you” Julia picked up her black gloves, discarded at the beginning of dinner, and used the face “It's very warm in here,” she said lamely
“Shall alk in the garden?”
She nodded gratefully and left the dining roo an anterooarden path It was dark and cool outside, crisp breezes rustling the leaves of fruit trees and whispering through the hedges
They walked in silence past dense yew hedges and a line of flowering plue fountain filled with sculpted angels Julia paused to ade bordering the path The blossoe bursts of pale pink with an indescribably sweet perfume
“Summer Glory roses,” she murarden tending them The most beautiful and by far the most thorny, she told me”
Savage watched as she leaned close to a rose and inhaled its heady fragrance “That particular variety is quite rare, especially in England It was given to e alertness infusing his expression “A friend,” he finished The tords see the air with a question
All at once the air left Julia's lungs, and she struggled for a replenishing breath Suht of it, her family's estate was the only other place she had ever seen them She realized that in all likelihood her es all those years ago Before turning into an invalid, Eva had prided herself on her skill at cultivating exotic roses…she had often ifts of plants to friends and acquaintances
Rapidly Julia considered ways to cover up the blunder, and decided to change the subject as quickly as possible She walked past the shrub with feigned indifference “Is Lady Ashton aware that I'ht?” she asked abruptly
“Lady Ashton,” Savage repeated, sounding be the path “No, I haven't told her”
“If she finds out, will it cause a problem for you?”
“She has no claim on me”
“Oh, yes…your ‘understanding’ with her…” Julia winced as a bit of gravel slipped inside her silk shoe She paused and re it to remove the unwanted bit of stone “Does Lady Ashton entertain hopes ofyou, my lord?”
“You're asking very personal questions, Mrs Wentworth”
“I'm certain she does,” Julia said in answer to her own query “You're quite an eligible man…aren't you?”
Savage took the shoe from her and bent to replace it on her foot “I have no intention ofLady Ashton”
Hopping a step or two, Julia reached for his shoulder to steady herself,in his coat His muscles felt like oak beneath her palleah standards?” Her breath caught as she felt his fingers on her ankle, gently guiding her foot back into the shoe
His voice was slightly muffled as he replied “I intend to marry for love”
A pang of eled with Julia's surprise So underneath his practical, self-controlled exterior there was a private dream, the same dream that had been stolen from each of them “I wouldn't have expected such a romantic notion from a man like you, my lord”
“What would you expect of me?”