Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (163 page)

Scott

She didn't have to be a mind-reader to deduce that the note she held probably had something to do with immensely. Going back to London would force her to deal decisively with Oswalt as well as bring her association with Paine to a head. Once her situation with Oswalt was resolved, she reasoned that her situation with Paine would be dissolved as well.

More than that, her future, whatever it would be, would begin when they returned to London. There was her family to consider in all this. What were they thinking right now? Did they miss her? Worry for her?

Understand why she had taken such drastic action?

Would they receive her when she returned and give her a chance to explain? She'd known when she embarked on this mad scheme that after she was ruined, she might very well be turned out of the family. She'd known it was a very real risk she was running. Still, she wanted a chance to explain.

Who knew one simple envelope could cause such turmoil?

Julia made a face at the envelope. There was nothing for it. She had to go and find Paine.

She found him in what had become his customary place-sitting at the long table that dominated the length of the book-lined library. She could easily understand the appeal of the room. The far end was graced with floor-to-ceiling windows that provided both the ability to flood the room with light and the ability to soothe an agitated guest with a view of elegant expanse of verdant grass.

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Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady

Paine was dressed casually in a lawn shirt and paisley waistcoat, a simple cravat tied at his neck. The ledgers in front of him held all his attention as he tallied columns and wrote sums. Peyton was with him, sprawled on a leather couch near the windows, immersed in a book.

peaceful scene. Julia hated to interrupt it. She'd much rather stay buried in the country with Paine at her side. However hard it had been for Paine to come home, the choice had served him well. She still didn't understand all the dynamics behind his separation from his brothers, but it was easy to see he was loved here and forgiven.

She bit her lip and felt her cheeks heat at the thought.

Since the picnic, they'd been together every night.

Peyton had given them separate rooms, but that hadn't stopped Paine from visiting after the house quietened.

She looked forwards to those hours spent in the dark, when Paine was by turn both lover and teacher. Even now in the bright light of the afternoon, she was nearly giddy with anticipation of the evening ahead at the very sight of him.

Julia pushed the door fully open and stepped into the room.

'Hello, Julia.' Paine looked up from his ledger before she'd had time to speak. Was he that aware of her presence that he could sense when she was in the room?

It was a novel fantasy. 'How are your dresses? Don't tell me you're done trying them on already?'

'They're lovely. But, no, I haven't tried any of them

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on yet.' Julia approached the table, aware that Peyton surreptitiously watched them from the couch. 'This came for you. It was tucked inside the trunk.'

Paine took the envelope and studied it. 'Thank you.

It's from

one of my investigators. I've been hoping to hear from him.'

'Is it about the club?' She asked as he the note.

'No,' Paine said without looking up.

Julia waited, hoping to hear more and feeling left out when nothing more was forthcoming. 'Is it about my uncle?' she pressed. Paine had mentioned such an inquiry before.

Paine looked up from his perusal of the letter. 'No, not directly anyway.' He smiled, but Julia was not fooled.

'I will not be treated like a child, Paine. If that note concerns me, I want to know what's in it.' Julia could feel her temper rising. The blackguard was trying to dismiss her.

'Julia, there is no need for you to worry,' Paine said pointedly,

up from the document in irritation.

'Everything will be taken care of.'

Peyton rose from his couch and came to stand behind Paine, reading the letter over his brother's shoulder.

Paine made no attempt to shield the letter from his brother's perusal. That was the final spark that ignited her temper.

'I see. Only men are allowed to worry.' She placed her hands squarely on the table and leaned across it.

'Well, that's not good enough, Paine. There is every need for me to worry. coachman is dead and my uncle

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faces financial ruin, all because of me. You cannot fob me off with a smile and false assurances. I am in this up to my neck.'

Peyton eyed her speculatively, seeming to weigh the situation. 'I suspect your uncle faces more than financial ruin, Miss Prentiss.' He nodded towards the note.

'Let her read it, Paine. It's best she knows the worst straight away. Sugar coating never makes things better in the long term.

ring for tea and have a footman

search out Crispin.'

Paine gave a tight laugh. 'Tea and

of "sugar-coating", dear brother, is that your way of calling for a family meeting?'

'Why, yes, it is.' Peyton said without prevarication.

'I don't really understand any of this,' Julia said, waving the now well-worn and -read note in her hand.

Tea and

had arrived and the letter had been passed about. It was thankfully short, but informative.

'I'm not sure what marriage to me has to do with the cargo on Cousin Gray's ship.'

Paine spread his hands on his thighs and drew a deep breath. 'Those two

are not linked to each

other, but they are both linked to a larger plot.'

'Which is?'

'That's the part that is still unclear.' Paine looked at her with his sharp eyes. 'What is clear though, Julia, is that you're in danger and your family is in danger when it comes to Oswalt. He's convinced your uncle that they're on the same side, that you're the enemy. In