The Notorious Nobleman (12 page)

“
But you won’t,” said Julia, stepping
lightly down from the carriage. “I shall not I care what he may
call me now, for I know that one day very soon, he shall call me
your wife.”

“
Very soon, indeed,” agreed the Duke,
and his expression softened. “In the meantime, I’m taking you to
your father, Julia.”

“
My father?” she repeated, stunned.
“But he disowned me! He wants nothing to do with me!”

“
On the contrary, he wants very much to
see you. He loves you and misses you.”

She cast him a dazzling look. “My
father wants to see me? But how

Somehow I am sure I shall have you to thank for
this!”

“
Don’t start adorning me with hero
qualities. I had to see you restored to your father unless I wished
to marry a penniless widow.”

She laughed happily. “When shall I see
him?”

“
I can have you there tomorrow, if we
make a start for it first thing in the morning.”

Reverend Clouster scowled. “And what do you
intend to do until morning?” he demanded.

“
Have no fear, Clouster, we’ll observe
the proprieties. I’ll take good care of Julia.”

“
Why should I believe you?” demanded
the vicar. “Why should I take the word of a man of your repute? Why
should I think you will treat Julia any differently than you have
treated countless women in the past?”

“
Because I love her.” Gavin said the
words quietly, and when he was done, he was rather surprised to
realize how easily they had come to him. He decided to say them
again; but this time, he clasped both Julia’s hands in his and
looked into her eyes. “Because I love you.”

Her answering smile almost took his breath
away. “And I love you, too.”

He didn’t need to hear anything more. In one
strong, swift movement he lifted her in his arms and set her on the
back of his horse. Then, just as he had on another occasion, he
climbed up behind her and wrapped his arms about her to draw her
against the strength of his body.

Looking down, Julia could see Harriet’s face
go red. “Julia! Julia Pettingale, you cannot go off like that! Why,
it’s—it is positively indecent!”

Julia ignored her friend’s disapproval and
said, instead, “Good-bye, dear Harriet. Thank you for letting me
stay with you. You must call at Merrifield and visit me. Soon, I
hope!”

“
But not too soon,” said Duke, with a
pointed look that revived the color in Harriet’s cheeks. He swung
his mount about and set off toward home. But he didn’t travel very
far before he felt an urgent need to bring his horse to a halt and
kiss Julia quite thoroughly.

When he was done, he looked down into her
face, raised so charmingly toward his. He felt a niggling of
conscience and asked, “Are you very certain about this, Julia?
There’s still time to change your mind. There’s still time to do
the right thing and go back to the vicarage with your friends.”

“
I
am
doing the right thing,” she said with certainty.

“
But my reputation

You heard for yourself what Clouster said about
me and my women.”

“
Petty rumors,” she pronounced. “What
do I care for them?”

One of his dark brows flew to a challenging
angle. “Is it possible? Are you the very same Julia Pettingale I
met just a few days ago who spouted respectable phrases and adjured
me to have a care for my reputation?”

“
Indeed, I am,” she said, raising her
lips very invitingly toward his. “But I have decided that I should
like to have a scandalous reputation of my own

One that shall rival yours. What do you say to
that?”

He smiled slightly. “I say you have come to
the right teacher,” he said; and he tightened his arms about her
and kissed her wholeheartedly.

The End