Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (170 page)

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Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady

Paine pulled out his pocket watch and flipped it open.

'And my brothers, too, I hope?'

'Why is that?' Julia eyed him curiously.

'Because, by my calculations, they're an hour behind us on the road.'

Julia shot him a considering look. 'I was never going back alone, was I?'

'No, you never stood a chance,' Paine confirmed, although the reason that was true was the reason he was hesitant to acknowledge, even to himself. The idea that he should at last find himself falling in love was too new, too foreign to his way of thinking. He would need some time to get his metaphorical hands around the distinct possibility that Julia Prentiss had permanently garnered his affections.

Chapter

House glittered a regal welcome in the summer twilight after a dusty, jouncing two-day journey back to London. Inviting as the town house looked, Julia also found it imposing, with its four storeys of long elegant windows. Dursley House on

Street was

an enormous step up from the home her uncle had rented on the fringes of Belgravia, which was still a respectable location, but just barely.

Julia tossed Paine a longing glance as he helped her down from the carriage. She knew it was important for her to be at

House, but it didn't stop her from wanting to be alone with Paine. She'd much rather be at his Brook Street property, just the two of them, where they could shut out the world. She wondered if he felt the same.

Paine seemed to read her thoughts. 'We have to think about your reputation,' Paine said seriously in a tone that caused her stop and stare. When had he become the arbiter of the moral code? It certainly hadn't been last

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Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady

night at the inn. He'd hardly waited a decent interval before showing up in her room, although he'd been very quiet so as not to wake Cousin Beth in the antecham-ber or Peyton next door.

'My reputation?' Julia had to remember to shut her jaw. 'I thought the whole point was to
ruin
my reputation.'

'It was, but we can't openly flaunt society while we're living under my brother's roof. Remember, for the public we're a case of love at first sight. My Aunt Lily will be in residence at Dursley House with Cousin Beth, so everything will look legitimate, less like a bachelor household.'

They climbed the steps and were greeted by the butler at the door. Peyton and

entered behind

them, Peyton

a low-voiced inquiry of the butler

as he passed. Aunt Lily met them in the large foyer, looking for the world like an efficient hostess instead of a woman who'd been uprooted from her London residence that morning to see Dursley House opened and ready for five impromptu guests that evening. She was indeed the woman Julia had seen with Paine earlier and Julia liked her immediately. She seemed the complete antithesis of her own aunt, who worried and fussed herself into a state over unplanned happenings.

'Aunt Lily, thank you for coming. May I present to you Miss Julia Prentiss?' Paine made the necessary introductions.

Aunt Lily fixed Julia with a gimlet eye and a slow inspection. Julia imagined the woman was weighing whether or not she was worth the trouble of moving res-

Scott

idences. It seemed that even the brothers held their collective breath. At last, Lily spoke. 'So you're the gel that has Paine running in circles. That boy's a lot of trouble.

Are you sure he's worth it?'

'Julia, Aunt Lily will show you to your room. You can freshen up. maid will see to the

Paine said

before Aunt Lily could impugn him further.

Aunt Lily shot Julia a conspiratorial glance. 'Just like a man. Paine has no desire to stand in the foyer and be taken to task by his aunt any more than he wants to hear your answer to the question. But you can tell me upstairs if the boy is worth all this fuss. Come with me, dear. I'll show you to your room and you can enlighten me as to what is
really
going on. Dursley's note made a lot of demands, but little sense. You come, Beth.

At least I'll get sense out of you.' She shot Peyton a quelling look and Julia fought back the urge to laugh at the

brothers being taken to task like errant schoolboys.

'I hope you will find everything to your liking,'

Peyton put in. 'Tell Aunt Lily if there's anything you need. I've instructed Cook to lay out a light supper in the dining room in an hour, if you'd like to join us.'

To their credit, Aunt Lily and Beth sensed Julia's need to gather her thoughts and they didn't stay long in Julia's chamber in spite of Lily's comments to the brothers. Julia was certain the two women were down the hall right

exchanging news, and was glad for

the privacy to settle into her new rooms.

Julia's room overlooked the gardens and the open