A Tale of Two Lovers by Rodale Maya

Author:Rodale, Maya [Rodale, Maya]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-04-25T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

24 Bloomsbury Place

Sophie had married and moved out months ago, and Julianna had never felt the loneliness of her absence as she did now. If she were here, they would curl up on the settee with a pot of tea and Julianna could rail against Roxbury, and all the problems he caused. Sophie would offer some insight and make her laugh.

“You would not believe the day I’ve had, Penny,” Julianna said to her maid, hoping to engage her in a conversation. Fired by Knightly, and proposed to by Roxbury! Quite an unexpected turn of events, and Julianna needed to tell someone to make it real.

“I’ll draw a hot bath,” Penny answered efficiently, eyeing Julianna’s wet hair and soaking garments. “There is tea in the drawing room.”

Julianna poured a cup of hot tea, added sugar, and settled in. If only Sophie were here! But she was across town, snug and cozy in Hamilton House (as much as one could be, given the size of the place). It wouldn’t be long before she and Brandon had a brood of children and then Sophie would have even less time for Julianna and the other Writing Girls.

Julianna, however, lived alone. No husband or suitors—no serious ones, anyway. Roxbury was a desperate fool and did not count. The Writing Girls were true friends, but everyone else had turned their backs on her at the first hint of scandal. Aye, it was a bitter taste of her own medicine. She didn’t want to complain, for that wasn’t in her nature, but the fact remained that she was lonely and alone. In the far recesses of her heart and mind, she thought she might deserve it, given her line of work.

If she said yes . . .

She sighed, wishing for any distraction from her thoughts, but it was impossible not to think of Knightly’s betrayal and Roxbury’s proposal.

Your services are no longer needed, Knightly had told her plainly. The cold-blooded, logical part of her could understand it, but oh! It made her heart hurt. Her pride had suffered a mighty blow today. She was a Writing Girl! She was blazing a trail for history to follow. Julianna knew the satisfaction of putting a roof over her head and food in her belly. She knew, deeply, the satisfaction of being her own mistress, her own protector.

Knightly gave and Knightly took away. She thought—hoped—that he might be more supportive of the women who made his paper such a success. And now how was she supposed to pay for said roof and food?

If she said yes . . .

She stood and took a turn about the room. When Sophie lived here, every available surface was covered with an explosion of female things: hair ribbons, Minerva Press novels, shoes, earbobs, issues of La Belle Assemblée and The London Weekly, invitations, letters, and little trinkets.

Now the surfaces were clear. Now one could see the room itself—the blue-and-white-striped upholstered chair next to the black-and-white etoile chair. The walls were pale blue, and the curtains were always tied back so Julianna might spy upon the neighbors.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.