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Damon repressed a sardonic snort “That would have been a convenient resolution…but I's aren't that simple”
“No,” she said, looking at him sadly
Julia entered her small house on Somerset with a mixture of panic and relief She wanted to hide in her bed under the covers and find some way to erase today from her memory As her housemaid Sarah approached, Julia instructed her not to ad “I don't want to see anyone, no matter how important it may seem”
“Yes, Mrs Wentworth,” the dark-haired maid said, accusto you with your things, ma'am?”
“No, I'll undress myself”
After snatching a glass and a bottle of wine froht of stairs that led to her bedroom “My God, what have I done?” she muttered to herself She should never have confronted her father—it had accoe kneho she was
She wondered if Savage was angry with her Yes, heto make a fool of him What if he decided to retaliate? Julia sipped furtively at the wine She would let several days pass before she faced Savage By then his anger would have cooled, and perhaps they could have a rational discussion
Moving like a sleepwalker, Julia entered the solitude of her bedrooe and rose, co canopy of cool, pale green The only other pieces of furniture in the roo table, and a chaise longue with a gilded fras of actors and play scenes hung on the walls, as well as an original page of one of Logan Scott's plays, his gift to her after her first success at the Capital
Shecomfort in the familiar objects, possessions she had provided for herself No trace of her past was here, no unpleasant re Jessica Wentworth If only she could have the past day to live over! What self-destructive ie?
She remembered the way he had looked at her just before she had left the Hargate estate His gaze had seeh her, and it had seeht and emotion was clear to him She had felt as helpless as a child, all her secrets revealed, her defenses destroyed
Julia sat at her dressing table and finished the wine in a few gulps She wouldn't let herself think about Savage anymore…she needed to sleep, and prepare herself to face the rehearsal toan's new play She couldn't let her professional life suffer because of her private problems
She stripped off her clothes, dropped theown that fastened up the front with five satin ribbons Sighing in relief, she pulled the pins froh the disordered ash-blond locks As she picked up a copy of My Lady Deception and began to climb into bed, a sound disrupted the quiet of the house Julia went still and listened alertly The ument filtered to her room from downstairs, and then she heard the housemaid's distant cry of alarm
Julia flung aside the pages in her hand and rushed fro to the stairs “Sarah, what is it—”
She halted at the top step and saw thein the center of the entrance hall The front door ide open Lord Savage had just forced his way inside
Julia'sfigure below her His face was taut, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared back at her
“Mrs Wentworth,” the houseed in…I couldn't stop him … ”
“I've co at Julia
“Your…” the maid said in confusion “Then you must be…Mr Wentworth?”
A scowl settled over Savage's face “No, I' precision
Soed to adopt a calm expression “You must leave,” she said firht”
“That's too bad” Savage started up the stairs “I've been ready for three years”
It was dear that he would allow her no choice Julia braced herself for battle and spoke to the frightened-looking ht”
“Yes,at the purposefulthe stairs Quickly theit iser not to interfere
As Savage reached her, Julia lifted her chin and returned his gaze “How dare you force your way into own more closely around herself
“Why all the lies? Why not tell me the truth the first time we met?”
“You lied every bit asme you were unmarried—”
“I' intimate secrets to women I barely know”
“As long as we're on the subject of intimate secrets…does Lady Ashton know you're not the bachelor you claim to be?”
“As a matter of fact, she does”
“I suppose she wants you to get rid of your wife and marry her for her baby's sake” Julia had the satisfaction of seeing his features turn blank with surprise
“How do you know about that?” he asked sharply
“Lady Ashton toldthe dressmaker's She tried to warn me away from you—but I could have told her there was no need You're the last man I would ever choose to become involved with”
“Whoan Scott?”
“Anyone except you!”
“Why?” His head lowered, and his breath was hot against her cheek “Because I frighten you? Because you can't help wanting the sa I do?”
Julia tried to step back, but his hands cah his hold was fir kept her there, some potent force that wouldn't allow her to pull away “I don't knohat you're talking about,” she said unsteadily
“You felt it the first time we met…we both did”