5. It has to be Illegal to smile like that.
One week later.
THE FIRST TIME Julia received a note saying that Lord Tonfield was about the house, Julia was beside herself with happiness. She ordered a bath to be drawn up, bathed herself in rose water, and donned one of her finest dresses.
Julia ordered the carriage to be brought around and took her Abigail with her footman with her. She was giddy with fear and excitement at the same time.
As the butler, George led her from the hallway to the drawing room she could hear their voices. The only reason they were in the drawing room and not the study must be because Sebastian was helping her in his odd way. She was grateful.
"Lady Julia Cavendish," George said, announcing her to the occupants of the room. With her back straight, and her chin held up in the air, Julia entered the room and observed her surroundings. Lord Tonfield and Sebastian were quickly up from their seat, bowing remarkably, taking her outstretched hand and kissing her hand in turns.
Sebastian was the first to speak. "My lady, it is so nice to see you again," he said.
Smiling up at him she murmured, "you too, my lord." lowering her eyes to the floor, a picture of innocence.
"I believe you have not met my friend, Cole Fletcher, the Earl of Tonfield." Turning to Cole, he said, "Tonfield, may I present you, lady Julia Cavendish.
"It pleases me to make your acquaintance, " Cole said and bowed over her hand. "However, I can't help but notice you are not with your chaperon," he stated flatly. Sebastian opened his mouth to reply, probably to defend Julia, but she beat him to it.
"Why, my lord? Could it be a concern that I detect in your voice, or perhaps, could you be a little worried about my reputation? Which is it?" Cole opened his mouth to speak, but Julia wasn't gone delivering her speech.
"Don't tell me, you are one of those people who think a little Flirtation, and a little kiss here and there could ruin a woman. If so, I shall have to believe that half of the London ladies would be ruined by now," she rasped out, looking at Cole as if expecting a reply.
Cole was giving Sebastian desperate glances as if only he could extricate him from whatever it was he found himself in. When Sebastian showed no sign of help, just sat there and watched them, he knew he had to save himself. Glancing at Julia, he dreaded talking to her. He didn't know the answer she expected of him. She looked as if, if he should so much as utter the wrong words, she would have his head.
By now Sebastian was grinning. He was enjoying this! Bloody hell! He was enjoying his discomfort. Damn him, pushing Sebastian at the back of his mind, Cole thought carefully of what he wanted to say.
"I suppose that a little filtration would do no harm to any girl's reputation." He knew his answer was right when a slow smile gradually spread across her face. She was practically glowing. She lowered her eyes and peeked at him from under her lashes.
For a first-time, since he was introduced to her, Cole noticed how beautiful she was. Julia was a beautiful woman. She had the most beautiful hair he had ever seen, red, very red against her pale face with ocean blue eyes.
When he tried to see her mouth, to really discover its color, whether it was red or pink, he was quickly brought back to reality. Sebastian had rudely snapped out his name. That must have been why he was startled. What was wrong with him? He looked about the room and noticed Vicky was already there, engaged in a conversation with Julia, something about the latest book she just finished reading.
Focusing his attention on Sebastian, who was busy scowling at him. He had this look about him as if he wanted to trounce Cole. He took one last quick glance at Julia before he tried to lunch into a discussion with Sebastian. This time Sebastian was visibly glowering at him. If he wasn't sure before, now he was. He was staring him down. If Cole was a lesser man, which he wasn't, he would have been squirming in his seat with fear, besides he had known Sebastian half his life.
Squaring his shoulders, he stared right back at Sebastian, and just like that he snapped out of whatever black mood that was devouring him and laughed. He really gave a good laugh because both Julia and Vicky stopped their conversation and stared at him. It only made him laugh harder and before Cole knew it he was laughing so hard, without even knowing why, just that Sebastian made him want to laugh, and it had been so long since he had a wonderful laugh.
Vicky and Julia were looking at them as if they had finally lost their mind. Ignoring them, he tried to stop himself from laughing, and when he finally succeeded, he looked at Sebastian and murmured, "Thank you. I needed that."
Sebastian just shrugged and said, "Happy to be of service."
SEBASTIAN WAS IRKED, and he was angry with himself. He had nearly trounced his friend yesterday, all because he had been staring at Julia like a lost child who had just been shown the most beautiful toy. He didn't even know why he was angry, perhaps, he wanted to be that child so he could stare at her as much as he wanted. Hell! She had never smiled at him like that before. Maybe he wanted that, maybe he wanted to be the one she would make designs on.
He didn't even know what he wanted from her, but he sure as hell doesn't want her bestowing smiles like that to any other man that was not him. Damn! It had to be illegal to smile like that, he thought, raking his hand in his head and making a mess of it.
From where he sat in the gaming hell drinking ale, he spotted a familiar silhouette. Bloody hell! Sebastian cursed under his breath and snapped his head in that direction, squinting his eye so he might have a better view. Sebastian saw Julia making her way over to the card table, where faro was played and scowled. Cole was sitting there playing with another lord. He would be damned before he let her make her way over there. Intercepting her, he dragged her to another table laid out for faro as he apologized to the men who cast him curious stares.
If she would play, she damn well would play with him. He wanted to fleece her of all her money, terrify her and make sure she didn't come back here ever again.