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“Are you certain Savage will allow you to continue with the Capital?”
“Oh, yes” An impish s to tolerateat him over the rim of her cup, and her smile turned rueful “You think I' any sort of compromise that would take you away from the theater”
“No, I can't,” Logan said evenly, and for the first tilint in his blue eyes “But I don't think you're a fool In a way I almost envy you And don't ask me why—God knows I can't explain it even to myself”
Epilogue
They held a s without fanfare at the castle chapel in Warwick, attended by family and a few close friends Julia's hter was ate's expression that he took a s, but he expressed his pleasure in the ardless
In the months that followed, Julia assumed her place as Damon's ith an ease that surprised both of thehts in Julia's mind that life as the Duchess of Leeds would prove dull and dignified, they quickly evaporated Da her with extravagant gifts and stealing every possible moment of her time away from the theater
Unlike her, Damon was an outdoors enthusiast, and she found herself accoh the countryside Occasionally she participated in the shooting and fishing he enjoyed, and while she couldn't profess any great love of such sports, she admired his skill
As Daed on a s the sunshine, she hiked up her skirts and let her bare legs dangle over the edge Silently she watched her husband cast toward the overhanging bank where a large brown trout hovered warily in the water Standing on the opposite bank, Darace of an expert fisher back and flowing forward
“Don't move,” Damon said in a low voice as he noticed the flash of Julia's pale legs, but it was too late Alerted by the unfalimmer, the wily trout disappeared, too unnerved to feed near the surface of the water Damon scowled “Dammit!”
“Did I frighten hi that a mere fish could be so sensitive You know I never can sit still for long” Lifting her hands in a resigned gesture, she lay back on the bridge and sighed “Very well, I won't come with you next time”
Less than a et out of it that easily”
Julia s her eyes closed “You'll fish better without distractions”
Da over her bare knee “I happen to like distractions,” he murmured, and pressed his lips to her sun-warmed throat
To please Julia, Daly escorted her to endless rounds of balls, soirées and hted to discover that her husband was an excellent dancer and had the unflagging energy to stay up all night if she desired Best of all were the dark evening hours after their social events, when he would dismiss the maid and undress her himself, and make love to her until she fell asleep in pleasurable exhaustion
Damon was the co to her opinions with interest, debating the points on which they didn't agree, taking pride in her intelligence whereas most men would have been threatened by it Julia soon realized that she could turn to hinificant, and he would treat it seriously When she needed comfort, she would crawl into his lap and rest her head on his shoulder until her troubles had assuhtened her to realize how quickly she had come to depend on him
“I never expected to feel this way about anyone,” she told hiether in bed and watched a fire burn in the grate “Least of all a man like you”
“A man like me?” Damon repeated, amused
“Yes, with all your business speculations and invest—”
“It must seem dull in comparison to the theater”
“You must admit, we have very different interests”
Dahed and pulled the covers down from her shoulders, until the cool air caused her niles to rise into points Her skin was dappled with firelight and shadow, and he drew his hand slowly over the silken surface “In so his head to her throat “But we also have a few is in common” He smiled as he felt her shiver in response to his touch “Would you likeat the sensitive side of her neck
Julia slid her arer as always for the pleasure he offered
Da over her body for long, sweet hours, soh passion that filled her with exciteained the confidence to seduce hiowns and teasing hiave her exactly what she asked for When they were together, she could let the worries of her profession slip away, and she became a new person entirely, filled with contentment and ease
As Septe season increased, Julia traveled back and forth froes' London residence to the Capital At first the members of the company had seemed uncomfortable with her new status as the Duchess of Leeds, but that was all quickly forgotten in the work before thee to Michael Fiske and satisfied with her continuing popularity as a comic actress
Logan Scott, for his part, was the sa his theater the most spectacular draw in London With each bit of renovation that was completed on the Capital's interior, his spirits seemed to rise
“Your one great love,” Julia coilded prosceniu to have you look at the will never love you back”
“You're wrong,” Logan infore hand drifted over the intricate carving of the prosceniuives me far more than any flesh-and-blood woman ever could”