Swept Away by Candace Camp

Author:Candace Camp
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Historical, Fiction
ISBN: 9781460302156
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1999-01-01T22:00:00+00:00

11

They spoke little on the rest of their journey. When they reached Swanley, Stonehaven rented a post chaise, and, while they sat down to a hearty breakfast in a private parlor at the posting house, he sent a maid down the street to purchase hairpins and a brush for Julia. Julia was surprised by the thoughtfulness of the gesture, but she was heartily glad. She had been aware of the odd looks she had received on their short trip and in the yard of the posting house. No woman went about in public with her hair loose and hanging, and Julia was very aware that hers was also wild and tangled into the bargain.

It took several minutes to brush her hair into any sort of manageable shape. She glanced up once in the mirror she was using for the job and saw that Stonehaven was standing across the room, arms folded, watching her. Her breath caught in her throat. Quickly she swept her hair up and arranged it in a simple knot from which several thick strands still dangled. These she curled around her finger until she had a cluster of three long lustrous curls. It was not the most stunning hairdo she had ever achieved, due in large part to not having the services of her maid, who was quite clever at such things. However, at least she looked presentable—as long as one did not look at the sadly crumpled state of her dress.

Stonehaven had been occupied during much of the time with writing something down on a piece of paper, which he now sealed.

“Do you wish to write a note to Lady Armiger?” he asked with the same formal courtesy with which they had addressed their infrequent remarks to one another. “I have written some instructions to my business manager, and I plan to have them delivered when we pass through London. I thought perhaps you might want to let your sister-in-law know of your plans.”

“Yes, thank you,” Julia replied with equal courtesy.

Dipping the pen in the ink, she scribbled a brief note to Phoebe.

Dearest Phoebe,

I have no time to write an explanation, though I know that this letter will leave you amazed. I want you to know that I am unharmed. I am traveling to Stonehaven, Lord S’s estate in Buckinghamshire. He is insisting that I marry him, and he is taking me to meet his mother. Of course, I will not. (Marry him, I mean.) But he has important information there, and I must see it.

Love, Julia

P.S. Please pack a trunk of my clothes and send it.

She knew that Phoebe would be thrown into confusion by the note, but she had no time to write more. The chaise was already waiting for them in the yard. She promised herself that she would write a full explanation of what had happened when she reached Deverel’s home. After shaking sand over the ink to dry it, she then tapped it off and folded the paper, sealing it with a wafer of wax.

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