A Dangerous Courtship (To Woo an Heiress, Book 3) by Randall Lindsay

Author:Randall, Lindsay [Randall, Lindsay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ePublishing Works!
Published: 2012-12-11T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Julian spent a long night outside of Veronica's door. He dozed in short spurts and was disturbed by someone only once, about four in the morning. It proved to be one of the inn's maids, a little bosky but not fully top-heavy from her night of celebrating Midsummer's Eve. She'd come upstairs to douse the lamps she should have seen to hours ago.

Julian helped her with the task and then, at her insistence, was bequeathed a mighty feast for his troubles. The maid brought up a platter of meats and cheeses, hunks of bread, and even a draught of milk for him.

"Thank you," Julian said with a smile.

"It be no trouble," the maid replied, "and I'll not even be askin' why yer sleepin' outside her ladyship's room. I won't ev'n let on to the innkeep 'bout it."

Julian reached deep into his pocket to give her some kind of payment, but found only a sixpence, a shilling, and a few half crowns. He frowned, remembering that he'd left his purse, along with Veronica's package, with his mount. All were being well protected by a stable hand Julian had met years ago in Ripon—a man who knew only that Julian was a friend of Garn's and was quite an accomplished boxer, a man whom Julian knew he could trust.

He gave the maid the coins. The girl seemed to think it a windfall. She beamed him a pretty smile and then left him in the hallway.

Julian ate every bit of the food, then settled against Veronica's door, hearing the creak of that huge bed of hers as she shifted her position. He tried not to imagine the sight of her in nothing but a night rail, her lustrous hair fanned out atop her pillow, that kissable mouth of hers opened slightly as she slumbered. The image, however, presented itself all too clearly in his mind.

Julian leaned his head back against the door, forcing himself instead to study the small patch of predawn sky visible through the smudged window of the hallway.

This day marked a new beginning for him. He was headed for London. At long, long last, he was going to make some headway into learning who'd murdered his family... and Lady Veronica would be the one to lead him on that trail.

Julian frowned as he thought of the moments with her in the rented chamber. His behavior had been inexcusable, he knew. He'd been boorish and base, his conduct anything but that of a gentlemen. He'd been deliberately roguish, knowing full well she was affected by him, and hoping to take advantage of that weakness. But when he'd touched her he'd realized he was just as affected by their nearness and he'd had to fight down the urge to gather Veronica into his arms and kiss her as he had done at Fountains.

He had no excuse for his behavior other than he wished to ferret out the murderer of his beloved family. Finding the culprit was the only thing that mattered to him.

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