Wicked Indiscretions by Eliza Lloyd

Author:Eliza Lloyd [Lloyd, Eliza]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-02-09T22:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

At three in the morning, the world made more sense.

A few drinks, a smoke, a low amber flame in the fireplace and a comfortable chair went a long way toward making a man believe peace existed. Of course it didn’t. There was always some turmoil to endure and solitude rarely made the pain subside.

His current peace was based on the insignificant word uttered by his wife. “Yes,” she had said. She had wanted him to accompany her tonight. He wouldn’t examine his hopeful enthusiasm over her response with too much seriousness. This truce, this temporary acceptance could be attributed solely to her happiness at being in Paris with Audrina.

Pride too. Juliana had always declared them a most spectacularly well-matched couple, usually when they were in their finest and heading to some grand ball. There was a certain delight in being with a beautiful woman, wife or not. Juliana was no less susceptible, no less drawn to being seen on the arm of a handsome man, husband or not.

David had enjoyed a time of perfect peace, or at least a peace that thoroughly satisfied him.

At night. When Juliana lay warm in his arms. When they were still awake and after all the words of the day had been said, when her breath caressed against his neck and her palm lay over his heart.

That’s what had been stolen from him when Juliana found her grief more bearable than his presence.

He’d heard the carriage arrive a few minutes ago and sat patiently in her room, already sending the lady’s maid off to bed. After Juliana’s fainting spell this morning, he had not imagined she would stay out so late. Perhaps sleeping the afternoon away had made the night manageable.

He strolled to the fireplace and squatted in front of the rock hearth. With the poker, he stirred the embers of the small fire and dropped one log onto the coals. Juliana did not like to be cold.

From the hallway came the soft sounds of laughter and light conversation. If Audrina trailed Juliana into the room, David might have to insist their departure for England happen much sooner than the planned ten days. Their situation was dire enough—add the complication of sisterly interference and it was a recipe for disaster.

When Juliana entered the room, she glanced in his direction.

“David. You needn’t have waited.” She draped her pelisse over the end of the bed and strolled toward him, stopping at his chair and reaching for his unfinished drink. “The French wines are good, but nothing beats a Scottish whiskey,” she said, swallowing back the rest of the Linlithgow.

She blew a breath. “That burned.”

Setting the glass aside, she plucked at the fingertips of her gloves.

“You are feeling yourself?” he asked.

“Oh…this morning? Yes much better now. I’ll just have to be more diligent about lying abed so as not to strain myself. A lady can’t be too careful.”

Even at three in the morning she could be charming and witty. And so beautiful it made his eyes hurt.

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